Private Use

A private use appraisal is performed for the personal decision-making of the property owner or a related party — not for lender underwriting or court use. Common scenarios: estate or trust planning, family financial decisions, considering a sale or purchase, deciding whether to renovate, equity-sharing arrangements with family members, and resolving informal disputes among heirs or partners.

The valuation methodology is identical — USPAP-compliant sales comparison analysis. The differences: private use appraisals are typically faster and more flexible in scope, may include analysis specific to your decision context (renovation ROI, sale strategy, partnership equity), and aren’t subject to lender appraisal independence rules — you can talk directly to the appraiser about your situation and questions.

Maybe. A USPAP-compliant private use appraisal can support IRS or court use if it’s structured for that purpose. The key is the scope of work agreed upfront and whether the report includes all elements those audiences require. If you anticipate IRS or court use, tell us upfront so we can structure the report appropriately. Otherwise, a private use appraisal may need to be supplemented for those uses.

On average, a private use appraisal takes 3–4 business days from inspection to completion. Rush options are available. Because there’s no lender involvement, scheduling is generally more flexible. We can also accommodate desktop or drive-by scope for less formal use cases — saving cost and time when full interior inspection isn’t needed.

Private use appraisals are typically priced similarly to lender appraisals, though scope flexibility can affect cost. Desktop and drive-by options cost less than full interior inspections. We provide written quotes before engagement so you can choose the right scope for your specific decision-making needs.