In a divorce, the marital home is usually the largest asset on the table — and the one most likely to be argued over. The number you settle on isn’t a guess, isn’t an opinion, and isn’t a Zillow printout. It’s an appraisal: a regulated valuation, prepared by a certified appraiser, defensible if the case goes to court.
I prepare divorce appraisals for attorneys, mediators, and individuals across the four counties around Narberth. The work is neutral — I’m not on a side. The report is structured for the court. And if the case requires testimony, I’ve been deposed and I’ve testified.
Types of Divorce Appraisals
Two kinds of divorce appraisals.
Most people don’t know retrospective dates exist. Here’s the difference.
The most common request. The valuation date is today (or the date of inspection). Used when the divorcing parties need to know what the property is worth right now to negotiate equitable distribution or a buyout.
The valuation date is in the past — typically the date of separation, the date of marriage, or another legally relevant date the parties or the court have agreed on. Used when the case requires understanding what the property was worth at a specific historical moment, not what it’s worth today. The inspection still happens at current condition; the analysis reconstructs the property and the market as of that past date.
How It Works
From engagement to delivered report.
I work with attorneys, mediators, or directly with individuals. Once retained, I confirm the property, the valuation date(s), and the intended use of the report. Flat fee quoted upfront.
Standard interior and exterior inspection, 30–45 minutes. Both parties are welcome to be present, but only one needs to provide access.
Prepared to USPAP standards, structured for use in divorce proceedings. Delivered as PDF, with hard copies on request.
Most divorce appraisals settle on the report alone. When testimony is required — deposition or court — I’m available, and the report and testimony will line up.
Pennsylvania Counties Served for Divorce Work
- Montgomery County
- Delaware County
- Philadelphia County
- Chester County (parts within 25 miles of Narberth)
Why Neutrality Is the Whole Point.
A divorce appraisal that reads like it was paid for by one party isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on. Opposing counsel will pick it apart, and the court will discount it. Every report I prepare is built the same way regardless of who retained me — same standards, same comparables, same methodology. The number is the number.
FAQ
Common questions about divorce appraisals.
Yes — and it’s often the cleaner path. A jointly retained appraiser produces one report, both sides accept it, and the negotiation moves to the next item. If you can’t agree on a single appraiser, each side can retain their own — but expect two reports, two fees, and a longer process.
It’s a retrospective appraisal where the valuation date is the day the parties separated. PA equitable distribution sometimes turns on what the marital property was worth at separation, not today. If your attorney has asked for a date-of-separation value, that’s a retrospective appraisal.
No. Only one party (or their representative) needs to provide access. The inspection is standard — exterior, interior, measurements, photos, condition notes. It is not a forensic exercise.
Typically 5–7 business days from inspection to delivered report. Rush available if your filing deadline or hearing demands it.
Yes, when the case requires it. I’ve been deposed and I’ve testified. Court testimony is billed separately from the appraisal itself — discussed and quoted at the time it’s requested.
It can be presented, but it carries far less weight in court than a USPAP-compliant appraisal. A CMA is a sales pricing tool, not a regulated valuation. If the property’s value is genuinely contested, you want an appraisal.
Related Services
Expert Witness / Litigation Support
When an existing report needs to be reviewed or rebutted.
Working through a divorce?
Tell me the property and the valuation date. I’ll come back with a flat fee and a timeline.