An impartial value both sides can work from.
A divorce appraisal is an independent opinion of a home's market value, prepared for use in a divorce settlement, mediation, or related proceeding. When a home must be divided, courts, attorneys, and mediators commonly rely on independent appraisals because the number comes from a neutral professional — not from either spouse. We do not represent either party, and we never promise a particular value.
Same-day applies to your quote — the fee and scope. We’re open seven days a week, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Central; anything sent after hours is answered the next day.
Independent of both spouses, by design
Divorce often puts the family home at the center of difficult decisions. Whatever those decisions turn out to be, they go more smoothly when everyone is working from the same well-supported number.
Our role is narrow and clearly defined: we develop an impartial opinion of value, supported by market data and documented in a written report. We are not an advocate for either spouse, and the fee for our work never depends on the value we conclude. That independence is what makes the appraisal useful to both sides — and to the attorneys, mediators, or court working with them.
If you are not sure yet what kind of appraisal your situation calls for, that is normal. Tell us what you know, and we will help you and your attorney define the assignment before anything is ordered.
Valuation support for divorce matters
Settlement valuations & property division
A current market value of the home gives both parties a common starting point for negotiation or mediation. The report documents how the value was developed, so each side — and their counsel — can see the reasoning, not just the number.
Retrospective valuations
Some divorce matters turn on what the home was worth on a past date — the date of marriage, the date of separation, or the date of filing, as the attorneys specify. A retrospective appraisal values the property as of that earlier date, using market data from that time period.
Buyout support
When one spouse plans to keep the home and compensate the other for their share, both sides benefit from an impartial number. An independent appraisal gives the buyout conversation a factual footing, without either party relying on the other's estimate.
Allocation between land and improvements
Where the assignment calls for it, an appraisal can allocate value between the land and the improvements on it — a distinction that can matter in some property-division and related analyses. Your attorney can tell you whether this applies to your situation.
Jointly retained, individually retained, or by order of the court
Jointly retained
Both spouses (or their attorneys) agree to hire one independent appraiser and to work from a single report. Because the appraiser is impartial either way, a joint engagement can reduce cost and simplify negotiation — one inspection, one report, one number to discuss.
Individually retained
Each side may also obtain its own appraisal. Our analysis and our conclusion are the same regardless of who engages us: an impartial opinion of value, developed the same way whether one party retains us or both do.
Court-ordered assignments
In some matters, a court directs that an appraisal be obtained, sometimes naming the appraiser or setting requirements for the assignment. Where a court order applies, share it with us at engagement so the scope of work follows its terms. Court-ordered assignments are accepted, but note that expert-witness and court-testimony services are not offered at this time.
Attorney-requested assignments
Many divorce appraisals begin with a call or email from counsel. When an attorney engages us, we confirm the essentials in writing before work begins: the intended use and intended users of the report, the effective date (current or retrospective), the applicable deadline, and who is to receive the report.
The report is delivered only to the client and the intended users identified at engagement — we do not share it with anyone else without authorization. If a court order or agreed engagement letter sets additional requirements, we build the scope of work around them.
Throughout the assignment, communication runs the way counsel prefers — directly with the attorney's office, with a paralegal, or with the parties as instructed. We coordinate inspection access with sensitivity to the circumstances, including situations where the parties should not be present at the same time.
What to have ready when requesting a divorce appraisal
You don't need all of this to get a quote — but the more you have, the faster we can confirm scope and pricing.
- The property address
- Attorney contact information, if counsel is involved
- Whether the effective date is current or retrospective — and, if retrospective, the date the attorneys have specified
- Any court or mediation deadline the appraisal must meet
- Inspection-access details: who lives in the home, and who can provide access
- Whether both parties or their attorneys must be copied on communications or receive the report
- Any relevant court order or engagement requirements that govern the assignment
Divorce appraisal questions, answered plainly
Does the appraiser represent me or my spouse?
Can both spouses jointly hire one appraiser?
What is a retrospective divorce appraisal?
Can the appraisal support a buyout?
One impartial number can lower the temperature.
Tell us about the property, the effective date, and any deadlines. We'll respond with a customized quote — free, with no obligation.