Why Choose an ISA Appraiser

bEWARE OF SCAMS ABUSING THE "FIND AN APPRAISER EMAIL INQUIRIES FORM." Check your emails carefully. 

Make an educated choice

Whenever there's a question about the value of your personal property, there's also a risk involved. It may be the risk of selling too low, or of paying too much; the risk of being under or over insured; the risk of not getting your fair share in a division of the property; or the risk of incurring tax penalties or being audited when claiming a deduction for charitable contribution or when calculating estate taxes.

A professional appraiser helps you manage these risks by providing a written opinion of value upon which you can base your financial decisions. Rather than being just an "educated guess," the professional appraiser's value conclusions are based on prescribed methods of evaluation, research, and report writing. Bankers, financiers, investors, insurers, adjusters, estate managers, trustees, executors, attorneys, judges, federal and state tax agencies—all are dependent upon the knowledge and expertise of the appraiser, and so are you.

Why Do You Need a Personal Property Appraiser? Watch to find out!

Too often and too late, people find out that the appraisals they have are inaccurate or misleading, resulting not only in greater risk to themselves but also in an annual waste of millions of consumer dollars. A competent appraiser helps you manage financial risk.

ISA training makes an important difference to you

ISA trains appraisers with the most comprehensive personal property appraisal education program available today. An ISA-educated appraiser is well equipped to provide you with an accurate and complete appraisal that not only meets but exceeds the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) compliancy.

A competent appraisal report has:

• A cover document explaining in detail what type of value is being sought ("objective") and how the appraisal is to be used ("intended use").
• The methodology and resources relied upon, including market analysis and market(s) selected.
• A complete and accurate description of the property written to industry standards.
• The date(s) and location of inspection, and the effective date of value.
• A statement by the appraiser that he or she has no financial interest in the property or that such interest is disclosed in the report.
• The appraiser's qualifications for the property being appraised and signature.
• Plus, all the other requirements that make it a USPAP-compliant report. 

Do not accept an appraisal if:

• It is handwritten or unsigned.
• The fee is based on a contingency or upon the value of the property.
• The appropriate "objective" and "intended use" are not stated.
• The item is beyond the appraiser's expertise.
• The appraiser is not willing and able to defend it in court (subject to the appraiser's availability, and separate fee arrangement).