Date-of-death appraisal for estates

A Defensible Date-of-Death Value for the Estate File

For executors, estate attorneys, and CPAs who need a signed appraisal as of the decedent's date of death. Standard assignments are $149 plus a $50 historical-date add-on.

Desktop scope. No interior inspection. The appraisal is based on the property and market evidence available for the historical effective date.

Mark Ragno, Arizona Certified Residential Appraiser
Mark RagnoCertified Residential Appraiser, certified in all 28 states we serve.
25+ years of valuation experience
No call center

Executor or heir

Start with a quick property-fit check

Enter the address and date of death. Eligible standard properties stay at the fixed $199 price. If the home needs a different scope, Mark contacts you before any work begins.

Check Eligibility and Fixed Price

Attorney or CPA

Send the case, not a credit card

Request a fast case-fit review. Mark confirms scope, timing, and the intended use. Firm billing and repeat-order arrangements are available. No card checkout is required for the review.

What It Is

A date-of-death appraisal is a certified opinion of a property's fair market value as of the date a person passed away, even if that was months or years ago. The value can help set the new cost basis for inherited property and gives your CPA or attorney a documented number to review.

Why You Need It

When a property is inherited, its tax basis often steps up to the value on the date of death. Establishing that value with a certified appraisal protects the estate and the heirs, and gives your CPA the documentation they expect. Without it, the family may be relying on a guess, an online estimate, or a number that is hard to support later.

IRS Form 706 and Estate Documentation

IRS Form 706 may require the estate to report real property at fair market value as of the date of death. Even when a federal estate-tax return is not required, attorneys and CPAs may need a supportable historical value for step-up basis, probate, allocation, or the permanent estate file. The appraisal documents the effective date, market evidence, analysis, and appraiser qualifications in one signed report.

The estate's attorney or CPA decides the filing requirements and intended use. If the assignment requires a scope beyond a desktop appraisal, Mark identifies that before work begins.

How It Works

We do this as a desktop appraisal. That means no one has to visit the home, no scheduling, and no waiting for inspection access. Mark uses MLS records when available, public records, property data, and comparable sales from the relevant time period to develop a certified, signed value. The final report is prepared by a Certified Residential Appraiser and delivered as a PDF.

Download a sample report to see the format, appraiser certification, and scope language.

What It Costs

The appraisal is $149, plus $50 for a historical effective date. Flat pricing. No hourly billing. No surprise add-ons for standard properties. If a property is unusual, luxury, rural, heavily remodeled, or difficult to compare, Mark will review the scope before work starts.

Confirm the report requirements with the estate's attorney or CPA. No appraisal provider can guarantee universal IRS, court, or agency acceptance because requirements depend on the filing and intended use.

Three Simple Steps

STEP 1

Check Eligibility

Send the property address, date of death, and a few details. Mark checks whether the assignment fits the $199 desktop scope.

STEP 2

Mark Reviews It

Mark confirms the scope, checks whether the assignment fits a desktop appraisal, and starts the historical market research.

STEP 3

You Get the PDF

The signed appraisal report is delivered as a PDF, usually the next business day for standard properties.

Common Questions

Do you need to come see the house?

No. This is a desktop appraisal based on records, MLS data when available, property characteristics, and comparable sales. If the property is too complex for a desktop scope, Mark will tell you before work starts.

Can you value it as of a date in the past?

Yes. We can establish value as of a past date, recent or years back, as long as the available sales data supports the analysis.

Is this used for tax or probate records?

It is a certified, USPAP-compliant appraisal report signed by a Certified Residential Appraiser. CPAs and attorneys commonly use this type of report for basis, estate, probate, and file documentation.

Can this be used for IRS purposes (estate, step-up basis, gift tax)?

A date-of-death appraisal can document the real property's fair market value for the professionals preparing an estate file or IRS Form 706. The attorney or CPA determines the filing requirements and whether the assignment needs any additional scope. Charitable donation appraisals have separate requirements.

What do I give my CPA or attorney?

Give them the signed PDF report. It includes the value, the effective date, and the supporting analysis they need to review the file.

How fast is it?

Most standard Maricopa and Pinal County desktop orders are delivered the next business day after the order is confirmed.

Start With the Right Path

Not sure if this is what you need? Call Mark directly at (602) 834-0911. No call center.

Check Eligibility and Fixed PriceAttorney / CPA Case Review