Brian Ward Appraisal is a certified residential real estate appraisal firm serving San Diego and Riverside Counties with 22 years of experience and more than 7,000 appraisals completed. We specialize in appraisals for purposes outside of mortgage lending, including date of death valuations, step-up in basis tax appraisals, divorce and marriage dissolution, bankruptcy, and appraisals before buying or selling a home.
We appraise houses, condominiums, and residential vacant land. Our appraisals are written to be clearly understood by attorneys, judges, the IRS, accountants, and other non-real estate professionals who rely on them to make critical decisions. This clarity is what sets our reports apart and is essential to your success when an appraisal is used in legal proceedings, tax filings, or financial negotiations.
Date of Death and Step-Up in Basis Appraisals
Date of death appraisals are a significant part of our practice. When a property owner passes away, the IRS requires a fair market value opinion as of the date of death to establish the stepped-up tax basis for inherited real estate. We prepare IRS-compliant retrospective appraisals that meet the documentation requirements for estate tax returns, probate proceedings, and trust administration. Our retrospective appraisals go back as far as 30 years, and we have completed thousands of these assignments for estate attorneys, CPAs, executors, and trustees throughout San Diego County.
Divorce and Bankruptcy Appraisals
In divorce and marriage dissolution matters, an accurate property valuation is essential for equitable distribution. We handle both current-date and retrospective valuations, maintain strict confidentiality between parties, and offer a two-client option so both spouses can rely on the same impartial appraisal. For bankruptcy proceedings, our appraisals establish property value for the court in a format that is thorough, defensible, and straightforward. We have successfully supported thousands of bankruptcy filings across Chapter 7, Chapter 11, and Chapter 13 cases.
Expert Witness and Litigation Support
Brian Ward serves as a qualified expert witness in litigation, divorce, and bankruptcy matters. With 22 years of appraisal experience and over 7,000 completed assignments, Brian has provided expert testimony and litigation support for both lenders and borrowers. Whether the matter involves a disputed property value, a contested appraisal, or a complex valuation question, we provide credible, well-documented opinions that hold up under cross-examination.
Appraisals Before Buying or Selling a Home
Considering a home purchase? A pre-purchase appraisal gives you an independent opinion of value before you commit, providing leverage to negotiate a fair price and potentially saving you thousands of dollars. If you are selling, a pre-sale appraisal helps you set an accurate asking price, avoid costly pricing mistakes, and reduce the risk of an appraisal surprise during escrow.