appraisers

An appraiser is a professional who estimates the value of an asset for specific purposes. Appraisers work across fields including real estate, personal property such as artwork, antiques, and jewelry, machinery and equipment, and business enterprises. The primary goal is to provide a credible, defendable opinion of value based on market evidence and established valuation techniques.

In real estate, appraisers assess land and improvements to determine market value for transactions, mortgage financing, taxation, insurance, and settlement of estates. Personal property appraisals cover items requiring specialized knowledge; for art and antiques value depends on provenance, condition, and market demand; equipment appraisals consider condition, remaining useful life, and comparable sales.

Common valuation methods include the sales comparison approach, the cost approach, and the income approach (used mainly for certain commercial properties and income-producing assets). Appraisers gather data from transactions, listings, and other sources, adjust for differences, and reconcile results to arrive at a value opinion. They prepare a written appraisal report documenting methods, data, assumptions, and conclusions.

Standards and credentials are maintained through professional bodies and regulatory frameworks. In the United States, appraisers adhere to the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) and hold state licenses or certifications. Internationally, professional organizations such as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the Appraisers Association of America (AAA), the American Society of Appraisers (ASA), and others provide accreditation and ethics guidelines.

Appraisers support decisions in lending, taxation, insurance, litigation, and estate planning. Valuations are opinions subject to data quality and market conditions, and ethics require independence, objectivity, confidentiality, and disclosure of any conflicts of interest. Ongoing education and experience are necessary to maintain competency.