Appraisal service
Estate Appraisal in Los Angeles
Randy M. Sonns prepares estate appraisals in Los Angeles for executors, trustees and heirs who need the value of real property as of a stated date and for a stated purpose. The report names that date and the people who may rely on it, so everyone works from the same number.
Who it helps
Who needs an estate appraisal and when
An estate appraisal helps when a property has changed hands by death and someone must put a value on it. These are the usual situations:
An executor opening probate
who needs to understand what the property was worth on the date of death.
A trustee administering a trust
that holds real estate and needs a documented value.
An heir who plans to sell or keep the property
and wants a value tied to a clear date.
A family dividing an estate
that wants one neutral number instead of competing guesses.
In each case the useful question is the same: what was this property worth on the date that matters, and who is entitled to rely on the answer?
At a glance
What the appraisal includes
The report is built from a short list of facts you can check.
| Element | What it states |
|---|---|
| Effective date | The date the value applies to, such as the date of death |
| Intended user and use | Who may rely on the report and for what |
| Property inspected | What was seen on the visit and what was not |
| Records reviewed | The property records the executor or trustee supplied |
| Comparable sales | Recent sales of similar homes and how they differ |
| Report form and conditions | The limits that apply to the conclusion |
The report does not give legal or tax advice. If you need to know how a value affects an estate return or a sale, ask the attorney or tax adviser working on the estate.
How it works
How the process works
Randy follows the same steps he publishes for residential appraisals, adapted to an estate. First you agree the effective date and who will rely on the report. You then share the property records the personal representative or trustee holds. He inspects the property, reviews comparable sales as of the chosen date, and prepares the written report, which is delivered electronically.
The chosen date shapes the work, because a past date means judging the market as it was then, not as it is today. Tell Randy early if the date is in the past. For the wider context, read how a probate appraisal is used and what a home appraisal is.
Official guidance
What the sources say
In a California court-supervised probate, the personal representative appraises money and similar cash items, and a probate referee designated by the court usually appraises the other property in the inventory (Probate Code sections 8900 to 8902). Statutory exceptions exist, and a court may waive the referee's appraisal for good cause (section 8903). Hiring a private appraiser does not by itself satisfy the court inventory requirement; the estate's attorney can say whether an exception or a court waiver applies. An interested person may object to an appraisal before the hearing on final distribution (section 8906). An independent appraisal is a separate engagement from the referee's work. Owners often use an independent appraisal for trust property or for a sale, and the court process and the independent appraisal answer different needs.
The Internal Revenue Service says the tax basis of inherited property is generally its fair market value on the date of the decedent's death. Exceptions and elections exist. For example, an executor may elect an alternate valuation date on Form 706 only if the election reduces both the gross estate and the sum of the estate tax and any generation-skipping transfer tax payable, after credits. Property disposed of within six months of death is valued on its disposition date, and other property is valued six months after death, subject to statutory rules. Which value applies to your estate is a question for the executor and a tax adviser. These statements explain why the date matters. They are not advice about your estate.
How does an estate appraisal work?
You agree the effective date and the intended users, share the property records the estate holds, and arrange access. Randy inspects the property, analyzes comparable sales as of that date and prepares a written report delivered electronically. The report for an estate appraisal states the date on its first page.
What date is the property valued at?
The date you and your attorney choose, for example the date of death, stated on the first page of the report. A past date means the estate appraisal studies the market as it was then, so tell Randy the date and the reason for it when you request the quote.
Who orders an estate appraisal?
Usually the executor, the trustee or an heir orders an estate appraisal, often on the advice of the estate's attorney. The person who orders it is the client, and the engagement says who may rely on the report and who receives a copy, so settle those points when you request the quote.
What documents should I gather?
Gather the property address, access arrangements, the effective date such as the date of death, any prior appraisal or survey, and a dated list of improvements and repairs. These help the estate appraisal describe the property accurately. If something is missing, tell Randy early; he judges whether the information is adequate and reliable for the intended use and scope.
Do you appraise trust properties?
Trust property is a common reason to order an estate appraisal. Tell Randy who the trustee is, what date applies and who should receive a copy, and he will confirm the scope. The trust's attorney can say whether a documented value is needed for the trust's records or for a sale.
How is a date-of-death appraisal different?
A date-of-death appraisal fixes the effective date at the day the person died. An estate appraisal can use that date or another stated one, and the report always says which. Ask Randy about a date-of-death value when you request your estate appraisal quote.
Next step
Get an estate appraisal quote
Get an Estate Appraisal Quote and tell Randy the property address and the date the value must apply to. Call (310) 429-3569 Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm.
Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm. Closed on Sunday.