Expert Appraiser: Tips for divorce, trusts, estates, & architectural

Divorce Appraisals - Three main Reasons, Three main Problems

Ebert Appraisal Services does a lot of litigation appraisal work, including trusts, estate valuations, partial interests, and divorces. Trust me, you need an expert appraiser in your corner, regardless of your goals and how friendly the settlement is going. I have seen too many people, in the heat of the emotional situation, get totally stripped of all their rights and their investment, in time and finances. Because they wanted to save $1,500, they instead lost $250,000. Don’t let it happen to you, too.

Following are the three ways that you can lose everything:

1. Trying to determine the value of the home, based on a friend in the business. Don’t hire your friends. They have a bias, and the courts may throw out their values. Ebert Appraisals has no bias.
2. Allowing your spouse to pick a guy from an associate at the office. You might as well just hand him the keys to the house and walk away. Think “wolf in sheep’s clothing.” This is your life, and your children’s lives, and you need to protect every dollar you can. Each side should have their own valuation done, and let the mediator/judge/whomever, compare and prepare a settlement.
3. Represent yourself in court. A surefire way for them to put you out on the street. Even if you have no money, the courts will make sure you have counsel, and a team to fight for your needs. And your kids needs. At Ebert Appraisal Service, we often go “off the clock” to prepare extra well for court.

Following are the three ways that we work with you to help you win your case:

1. From our experience at Ebert Appraisals, we have seen all kinds of strategies and “dirty tricks”. In the same way that you have only a qualified mechanic fix your car, you need a 1, or 2, or 3 legal experts, to be able to work the system that they are know and are licensed to work in. A good saying is” They make their fees on top of your settlement, not by reducing your settlement. “
2. Always get a copy of the opposing appraisal, for your appraiser to critically review. He can get inside this document and tear it apart. I have had over 50% of all opposing appraisals discounted and discredited. That means that the Ebert Appraisal Service document and values are left standing.
3. Make sure your appraiser is ready and qualified to take the stand and testify. A good appraiser prepares the documents from the beginning, to be able to face the judge. At Ebert Appraisal Service, we write every report for the judge, whether for the bank, a trust, etc. We can truthfully “Tell it to the Judge” every time.

Listen carefully to your attorney and your team members. Ask questions; make sure you know what your strategy is. Quiz your appraiser, he is another sounding board, trust his judgment as well. He has nothing to gain, or lose, but he has been there, and seen a lot, that you have not.

And be sure to give us a call: 310.505.5916. 9AM to 9PM, even on Week-ends, especially on Week-ends.