You and your spouse have a house, and somebody needs to say in writing what it is worth. Maybe it is mediation, a buyout, or a hearing your attorney has on the calendar. Here is what an appraisal does in that situation, and what it leaves to your attorney.
What does the appraisal actually decide?
It gives an opinion of what one home is worth on one date, for a stated use. It does not decide who owns what or who keeps the house. That belongs to your attorney and, if it comes to it, the judge.
Which date is the house valued on?
Your attorney will tell you which date applies, so ask before you call us. Unless a different date is requested and the court allows it, the default is a value as near to trial as practicable (Family Code section 2552). If your attorney wants another date, there is a notice requirement and a court rule that goes with it (Rule of Court 5.390).
If the date is in the past, the appraiser studies the market as of that day, the same way we do for estate appraisals.
Is the house community property?
That is a question for your attorney, not the appraiser. California is a community property state, but gifts, inheritances and property owned before the marriage can be separate. We value the house either way. The California Courts guide to property and debts explains the basics.
What if we do not trust each other's number?
That is common, and it is a fair worry. A report is only as useful as the other person's willingness to read it. So settle three things before the work starts: who is ordering the appraisal, what date it will value, and whether both of you will see the same report. The report states its date, its assumptions and the sales it relied on, so anyone, including the other spouse's attorney, can check how we got there.
It will not make an agreement for you. Either of you can still disagree with it, and neither the other spouse nor a court has to accept it.
Where are Escondido cases heard?
Family law for Escondido is heard at the North County Regional Center in Vista. If you already have a hearing date there, tell us when you call.
Why will a neighbor's sale or a city median not do?
Escondido homes are not alike. A sale only helps if it matches yours in type, size, site, age and condition. The latest market numbers for the city are on our service area page, but they say nothing about your home or your valuation date.
What does it cost?
The property, the scope and your deadline set the fee, and we give it to you before any work starts. The VA's published $750 fee is a program fee for VA-loan appraisals and not our price; the cost article explains it.
What should I send?
- The Escondido address and, if you have it, the parcel number
- The valuation date your attorney has given you
- Whether one or both spouses are engaging the appraiser
- The deed and latest lender statement, if handy
- Improvements and the years they were made
- Any mediation or court date, so we can say whether it is realistic
Call 442-248-3110 or request a divorce appraisal quote. Our reports follow USPAP, the standards appraisers work under. This is general information, not legal advice.