Questions and answers
About desktop appraisals for estates, trusts, and families.
Straight answers about desktop appraisals for Los Angeles County homes and condominiums. Questions specific to a city appear on each area page.
What is a desktop appraisal?
A desktop appraisal is a full appraisal analysis prepared without a visit to the property. The appraiser relies on public records, multiple listing service data, prior listing information, and photos and details the client supplies, then analyzes comparable sales and reaches a reasoned opinion of value under USPAP.
Will the IRS accept a desktop appraisal?
Federal tax rules call for a well-supported fair market value; they do not require that the appraiser inspect the interior. Certified desktop reports are widely used to document date-of-death values and stepped-up basis. Your CPA decides what support your particular return needs.
Which properties do you appraise?
Single-family homes and condominiums, including townhome-style condos, in our Los Angeles County coverage area. We do not take 2–4 unit buildings, vacant land, commercial or mixed-use property, or homes under construction. If you are unsure, send the request and we will tell you.
Which parts of Los Angeles County do you cover?
144 cities and communities, from Malibu and the South Bay to Pasadena, Pomona, Santa Clarita, Lancaster, Long Beach, and Avalon. We do not cover the county's predominantly rural areas or its largely industrial cities, where desktop analysis is less reliable.
How much does an appraisal cost?
$299 for a Basic Desktop report and $449 for a Standard Desktop report, per property. The fee is the same for current and past effective dates and is confirmed before you pay.
What is the difference between Basic and Standard?
Both use the same research and comparable sales analysis and reach a fully supported value. The Standard report adds a location map, comparable sale photos, a market conditions analysis, and a fuller written explanation, which CPAs and trusts with several beneficiaries usually prefer.
How long does it take?
We reply with a confirmation and invoice within one business day of your request. The signed report is delivered in 3+ business days.
Can you appraise a home as of a date in the past?
Yes. Retrospective values as of a date of death, a gift, a transfer, or a date of separation are routine, and they cost the same as a current-value report.
Do you need to go inside the home?
No. That is what makes a desktop report practical for estates: nobody has to schedule access to a vacant house or coordinate with family members who live there. We do ask for photos.
What if the home has changed since the date of death?
Tell us what changed and when. The report describes the property as it was on the effective date, so older photos, prior listing photos, and plain descriptions all help.
Who prepares the appraisal?
Brian Ward, a California Certified Residential Real Estate Appraiser (license AR036053) who has appraised Southern California homes since 2004. Every report is researched, written, and signed by him.
How do I pay?
After we confirm your request, we email a secure online invoice. Work begins when it is paid.
Is LA Value Pro connected to date-of-death.com?
Yes. LA Value Pro is the Los Angeles County service of Brian Ward Appraisal, which also operates the statewide date-of-death.com service and brianward.com. Same appraiser, same standards.
Do you give legal or tax advice?
No. We provide the appraisal. Questions about elections, filing deadlines, Prop 19 eligibility, or how a value is reported belong with your attorney or CPA.
Can I order appraisals for several properties at once?
Yes. List every address in one request and we will confirm each property and quote them together.
Reviewed November 2026.
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.