Estate and date-of-death appraisal in Phoenix.
Your attorney or CPA told you the estate needs a "date-of-death appraisal." That means the house, land, or building has to be valued as of the day your parent or spouse passed, not as of today. The number goes to the IRS, the probate court, or both, and it sets the tax basis for whoever inherits the property. I have prepared these valuations for 30 years. Send me the address and the date, and I will tell you what it requires, what it costs, and how long it takes before you commit to anything.
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Any date
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Step-up basis
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One appraiser
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6 days
Everything the estate owns.
An estate is rarely just the house. Because I am a Certified General Appraiser, the rental, the acreage, and the small commercial building can all be valued in one engagement, by one appraiser, in one report your attorney and CPA can file from.
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The family home
Single-family, condo, or townhome - the most common estate asset and usually the largest.
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Rental property
Single-family rentals, duplexes, and small multi-unit your parent held as income property.
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Commercial property
Office, retail, and industrial buildings held in the estate or a family trust. Statewide.
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Land and acreage
Lots, farmland, and raw acreage, including parcels the family has held for decades.
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Partial interests
A half interest, a share in a family partnership, or an undivided interest in inherited land.
Three people who order an estate appraisal.
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The family member or trustee handling the estate
Usually the son, daughter, spouse, or the trustee of a living trust. You do not need the attorney to order it for you. Call me, tell me the address and the date of death, and I will handle the rest with your attorney or CPA if you want me to.
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The estate attorney
Engagement letter, scope, and effective date set with counsel. Report written to be filed with the probate inventory or Form 706.
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The CPA
For the estate tax return, a gift tax return (Form 709), or to document basis before the heirs sell.
Why a date-of-death appraisal looks different from the one your lender ordered.
A date-of-death appraisal values the property as of the day the owner passed. What the house is worth today does not matter to the IRS or the court. That changes the sales I use, the market I describe, and the condition I report.
| Attribute | Current-date appraisal | Date-of-death appraisal |
|---|---|---|
| Effective date | Today | The date of death |
| Comparable sales | Closed in the last 90 days | Closed around the date of death |
| Market data | Current listings and rates | Archived MLS and the market at that time |
| Property condition | As it is today | As it was on that date |
| Who reads it | Buyer, seller, lender | IRS, probate court, CPA, heirs |
Why your attorney said "get an appraisal" instead of "look it up."
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It sets the tax basis for the heirs.
When someone dies, the property's cost basis resets to its value on the date of death. That is the "step-up in basis." If the house is worth $600,000 that day and the heirs sell for $620,000 a year later, they owe tax on $20,000, not on the $450,000 gain since it was bought in 1998. Without a dated, signed appraisal, the IRS can question the number.
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The IRS and the probate court want a real valuation.
Zillow, the county assessor's number, and a realtor's opinion are not appraisals. For an estate tax return (Form 706), a probate inventory, or a trust distribution, the filing needs a report prepared to the required professional standards, signed by a licensed appraiser, with the effective date stated.
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The date is in the past, so the research is different.
A date-of-death appraisal is a retrospective valuation. I use the sales that had actually closed around that date, the market conditions at that time, and the property's condition then, not today's listings. If your parent passed two years ago, I value it as of two years ago.
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It keeps the family from arguing about the number.
When several heirs inherit one property, an independent value from a third party is what lets the estate divide it, buy one sibling out, or sell without anyone claiming the number was rigged.
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I answer the follow-up call.
Estates take months. When your CPA or attorney has a question about the report in March, I am the one who inspected the property and signed the report, and I am the one who picks up the phone.
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We needed an appraisal for estate tax purposes. Accurate was prompt and showed up when they said. The report was complete and included photos of the property. I would recommend them to anyone needing an appraisal.
From your call to a signed report, typically under 6 business days.
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Call or send the details
The address, the date of death, and who the report is for. You get a fee in writing within one business day. If you are not sure what the attorney meant, call and I will translate.
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Inspection
I walk the property, photograph it, and note its condition. If it has been updated or cleared out since the date of death, tell me. I adjust for what it was, not what it is now.
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Retrospective research
Sales that closed around the date of death, archived listings, and the market at that time. This is the step most appraisers shortcut, and it is the one the IRS looks at.
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Report delivered
A signed appraisal report with the effective date stated, the supporting sales, and the reasoning behind the value. Complex properties or delayed access can extend the timeline, and I will tell you up front if they do. Available to your attorney and CPA afterward.
Frequently asked questions.
My father passed away and his house is in Phoenix. What do I actually need?
Most likely a date-of-death appraisal: a valuation of the house as of the day he passed. Your attorney or CPA uses it for the estate paperwork, and it sets the tax basis for whoever inherits the house. Call me with the address and the date. If it turns out you need something different, I will tell you.
Can I just use Zillow or the county assessor's number?
Not for the IRS or the court. Those are estimates, not appraisals. The county's number is for property tax and is often well below market. Zillow has never seen the inside of the house. A date-of-death appraisal is a signed report by a licensed appraiser that states the value as of a specific date and shows the sales that support it.
We are going to sell the house anyway. Do we still need an appraisal?
Usually yes, and this is where it saves real money. The sale price tells you what the house is worth today. The appraisal tells you what it was worth on the date of death, which is the number that becomes your cost basis. The difference between the two is what you pay capital gains tax on. Without the appraisal, the IRS can argue the basis is lower than it was.
What is a date-of-death appraisal, exactly?
A valuation as of a specific date in the past - the day the owner passed - using the sales, the market, and the property's condition as of that date, not today. Appraisers call it a retrospective appraisal.
He died two years ago. Can you still do it?
Yes. A retrospective appraisal can be dated back years. I use archived sales and market data from that period. If the house has been cleared out, repaired, or updated since, tell me and I value it as it was on that date.
What is "step-up in basis"?
When someone dies, the tax basis of their property resets to its value on the date of death. If your parent bought the house for $150,000 and it was worth $600,000 when they passed, the heirs' basis becomes $600,000. Sell it for $620,000 and the taxable gain is $20,000, not $470,000. The appraisal is what documents the $600,000.
Do you need to get inside the house?
If I can get inside, yes, that's the full appraisal. If I can't - the house is occupied, already sold, or a sibling controls access - I do an exterior appraisal and interview you, or whoever the family designates, to determine the property's condition as of the date of death. I state that as an assumption in the report.
Will the IRS and the probate court accept your report?
The report is prepared to the required professional standards, signed by a State-Certified General Appraiser, and states the effective date and the supporting sales. That is what the IRS, the probate court, and estate attorneys expect. If a question comes up later, I answer it.
How long does it take, and what does it cost?
Typically under 6 business days from your call to a signed report. The fee depends on the property; you will have it in writing within one business day, before you commit to anything. If you have a filing deadline, say so when you call.
Will you work directly with my attorney or CPA?
Yes. Many estates start with a call from the family and end with the report going to the attorney or CPA. Tell me who should receive it and I will coordinate the effective date and scope with them.
Do you appraise outside Phoenix?
For houses and residential property, I cover Maricopa County, Pinal County, and the greater Phoenix metro. Commercial property I appraise statewide. If you are not sure, call and I will tell you honestly whether I am the right appraiser for it.
Does this also cover gifts, charitable donations, or a trust?
Yes. The same retrospective or current-date valuation supports a gift tax return (Form 709), a charitable donation of property (Form 8283), or a trust distribution. Tell me what the filing is and I will write the report to fit it.
Are you giving me tax advice?
No. I can tell you what the appraisal shows and how appraisers use terms like step-up in basis, but for how this applies to your specific tax return, confirm the details with your CPA or tax attorney.
Send the address and the date of death.
You will have a fee in writing within one business day. If you have a filing deadline coming, call 855-887-8378 and say so, and I will work around it.
Request a quote.
Tell us about the assignment and we'll respond within one business day.