Divorce Appraisals

Divorce Appraisals Help Ensure Equitable Distribution of Property

In a divorce, one of the most contentious aspects is how property is valued and distributed. The person who expects to end up paying will typically want to say that any involved real estate is worth more than it is, while the receiving party will want to say it's worth less. It typically ends up being up to the court to decide if either party is right or to order a different valuation from either of them.

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The reason the payer wants to say that property is worth more is so that he or she can sign it over and be done with the division-related obligations – without having to give up as many other valuables. Therefore, when this person contacts a divorce appraiser, he or she is looking for evidence to back up this valuation.

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Meanwhile, the one who stands to get things will want a divorce appraiser to say that the property is worth less, so that more things will have to come his or her way. Needless to say, this sets up contention between the two, and as stated originally, it typically falls to the court to make the final decision. That said, these appraisals do factor into what the court orders in the end.

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Often, divorce appraisals end up coming from multiple experts during a contested divorce, at least when there is a substantial number of types of valuables involved. There may be a real estate appraiser, a jewelry expert, a car expert, and more. Since real estate is typically the most valuable tangible good involved, divorce appraisals often start here. This ensures that the "big stuff" is taken care of.