Retrospective appraisals for any past date
A retrospective appraisal values a property as of a specific date in the past: the date of a death or gift, a transfer into or out of a trust, a date of separation, or the start of a tax year. Los Angeles County's long, detailed record of closed sales makes it possible to reconstruct values for dates years back.
- Typical dates
- Date of death, date of gift, transfer date, date of separation, January 1 of a tax year
- Evidence used
- Sales that closed before and around the effective date; market trend at the time
- What we need
- The address, the effective date, and a description of the property as it was then
- Fees
- $299 Basic Desktop or $449 Standard Desktop
- Delivery
- 3+ business days
How a past market is reconstructed
We study sales that closed in the months around the effective date, the listings and pending sales that existed then, and the direction the market was moving. Adjustments reflect the market as buyers saw it at that time. Nothing that happened after the effective date, such as a later boom or decline, is allowed to influence the value.
Describing the property as it was
If the home has been remodeled, repaired, or damaged since the effective date, the report should describe it as it existed then. Old photos, prior listing photos, permits, and plain descriptions from family members all help.
Large events and dividing lines
Some dates fall on the other side of a major event: a rate shock, a market turn, or the January 2025 fires in the Palisades and Altadena. For those assignments, comparable selection is anchored firmly to the effective date, and the report explains why later sales were set aside.
Questions about retrospective appraisals
How far back can you appraise?
Many years, as long as reliable sales data from the period exists. Tell us the date and we will confirm before you pay.
Does a retrospective appraisal cost more?
No. Our fees are the same for current and past effective dates.
Can one report contain two dates?
When two dates are needed, such as date of death and a current value, we will tell you whether one report or two is the cleaner approach.
Looking for a specific city? Every LA County area page covers local valuation factors.
Reviewed November 2026. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Ready to request an appraisal?
Send the address and the date the value is needed for. We confirm the property and the fee within one business day; the report is delivered in 3+ business days.