Divorce Appraisals

When a marriage ends, "who gets the house" usually comes down to two options: sell it and split the proceeds, or one spouse buys out the other's share. Either path starts with the same question — what is the home actually worth, today, independent of what either spouse wants it to be worth.

A divorce appraisal from Tight & Right Real Estate Valuation gives both parties, their attorneys, and the court a well-supported, defensible conclusion of value. Because the appraisal is performed under USPAP, it carries a professional standard of independence that a market estimate from either party's agent doesn't.

Retroactive ("as-of") valuations

Divorce cases often require the value as of a specific past date — the filing date, a separation date, or another date set by the court — rather than the date the appraisal is ordered. Retroactive appraisals require comparable sales research from that earlier period, which takes more time and more local market history than a standard current-value appraisal.

Confidentiality

USPAP's ethics provisions require strict confidentiality on every file. In a divorce, where trust between the parties is often already strained, that standard matters more than usual.

Frequently asked

Can one spouse order the appraisal, or does it have to be joint?

Either is possible. A single spouse can order an appraisal for their own use, but if the value needs to be binding on both parties or presented in court, a jointly ordered or court-appointed appraisal is usually more persuasive and harder for either side to challenge.

What if we need the value as of a date months or years ago?

That's a retroactive, or 'as-of,' appraisal. It requires researching comparable sales from around that earlier date rather than today's market, which is a routine part of divorce appraisal work.

Will you testify if this goes to a hearing?

Yes. Expert testimony and litigation support are part of the service — see the Expert Witness page for detail.