Residential real estate appraisals · Hampton Roads
Estate and date-of-death appraisals in Hampton Roads
Get a clear property value for the decisions ahead. Capital Valuations provides written residential appraisals for families, executors, attorneys, and other estate representatives.
Joseph T. Ellington Jr., a Virginia Licensed Residential Appraiser, personally inspects the property and prepares the report.
When is a date-of-death appraisal useful?
An independent historical value may help when an estate’s attorney or tax adviser needs support for a specified past date. It can be especially useful when the assessment, a later sale, or an online estimate does not answer that question. Not every inherited home requires the same report, and a current selling-price decision is different from a date-of-death valuation.
Ask your adviser to confirm the purpose, property interest, intended users, and effective date. Our executor’s property checklist explains what to gather. The IRS appraisal guide distinguishes estate valuation from specific qualified-appraisal rules.
How much does a date-of-death appraisal cost?
The fee depends on the property, historical date, records available, inspection scope, and research needed. Send the address, requested date, intended use, known changes, and deadline for a written assignment-specific quote. A general residential planning range is not a guaranteed estate appraisal fee.
How long does an estate appraisal take?
Scheduling depends on access, property complexity, available historical evidence, and current workload. Confirm delivery when the assignment is agreed. Gathering dated photographs, prior listings, and a renovation timeline early can help resolve missing information.
Can an estate appraisal be completed after the home sells?
It may be feasible if enough reliable evidence remains. Preserve the contract, closing file, listing photographs, and records of changes. Read about estate appraisals after a house sale before assuming the sale price answers the historical question.
Start with the purpose
Which property value do you need?
An estate appraisal needs a specific effective date. Tell us who will use the report and why; your attorney, accountant, or estate representative can help you confirm the appropriate date.
Date of death
A retrospective appraisal develops an opinion of the home’s value as of the date the owner died, even when the report is prepared later.
Current market value
A present-day value may be useful when the estate is deciding what to do with a property or preparing it for sale. For a later co-owner decision, read about when one heir wants to keep the house and the valuation questions to settle first.
Another specified date
Some assignments call for a different effective date. We’ll discuss the purpose before work begins so the report addresses the right question.
Date-of-death assignments
How can a home be appraised for a past date?
Joe may inspect the property today while developing a value opinion for an earlier date. He researches sales and market conditions relevant to that date, then considers what the home was like at the time. Photos, repair records, permits, and information about improvements made afterward can help establish the property’s past condition.
That distinction matters if the home has been renovated, damaged, or sold since the effective date. Learn more about our retrospective appraisal service.
What happens next
The estate appraisal process
Tell us what you need
Provide the address, the intended user and purpose, the requested value date, and any timing considerations. Joe will discuss the scope and a quote.
Document the property
Joe inspects the home, reviews available property information, and analyzes relevant comparable sales and market conditions.
Receive the appraisal
You receive a report explaining the property, effective date, market evidence, and supported opinion of value.
Helpful information
What should you have ready?
Start with what you already have. You do not need to renovate or stage the home for an estate appraisal.
- The property address, your contact information, and a way to arrange access.
- The requested effective date and the person or entity who will use the report.
- Any available photos or records showing the home around a past value date.
- A list of significant repairs, damage, or renovations before and after that date.
- Surveys, permits, or other property records, if readily available.
Common questions
Estate appraisal FAQs
Why would an estate need a date-of-death value?
An estate representative or tax professional may need documentation of what a home was worth on a past date. IRS guidance on inherited property explains that its basis is generally tied to fair market value on the date of death, although exceptions and alternate dates can apply. Confirm your specific reporting needs with your tax or legal advisor.
Can you appraise the home if the owner died months or years ago?
Yes. A retrospective appraisal is prepared now with an effective date in the past. Available records, property history, and market data from the relevant period help support the analysis.
What if the home changed after the date of death?
Let Joe know about renovations, repairs, or damage and when each happened. Those details help distinguish the property’s condition at the past effective date from what he observes during the current inspection.
Do we need to make repairs before the inspection?
No. Access and accurate information about the property are more useful than making last-minute repairs. Discuss any safety or access issues when scheduling.
What if we plan to sell the inherited home?
A date-of-death appraisal answers a question about a past value. If you also need a present-day value to inform a listing decision, ask about a separate current-value assignment or read about our pre-listing appraisals.
More appraisal services
The right report for your situation
Retrospective value
A value opinion as of a prior date for an estate or another purpose. Read about retrospective appraisals.
Preparing to sell
A current value opinion before listing an inherited property. Read about pre-listing appraisals.
Other property matters
Explore divorce appraisals or browse all residential appraisal services.
Learn more about Joe Ellington or browse our appraisal articles.
Estate appraisals across Hampton Roads
Capital Valuations serves homeowners and estate representatives throughout Hampton Roads and the Peninsula:
Virginia Beach Norfolk Chesapeake Portsmouth Suffolk Hampton Newport News York County Williamsburg Poquoson
Start with a conversation
Tell Joe about the property and the value date.
Share the address, who will use the appraisal, and the date it needs to reflect. Joe will help you define the assignment and provide a quote.