Many of us have items that we’ve collected over the years or that we’ve inherited from loved ones. If you have antiques, you need to get these items appraised by an estate appraiser, even if you don’t want to sell them. This guide will help you to get your valuables appraised for selling, insurance or estate liquidation purposes.
Getting Your Valuables Appraised (An Estate Appraiser’s Guide)
Use a Reputable Appraiser
Using a reputable, experienced appraiser will help you to get an accurate estimate for your valuables without creating a conflict of interest in the selling process. The appraiser should have in-depth knowledge about the industry. And, of course, he/she should abide by the ethical standards of the appraisal industry. Use this Google search to help find the right estate appraiser or estate liquidator.
Don’t Sell to Your Appraiser
Ethical practice does not allow appraisers to purchase items that they have inspected because this could result in a low valuation for the item, which will not be in the seller’s best interest. It’s advisable not to sell your items to the business or person supplying the valuation so as to ensure that you get a fair price when selling your valuables.
Do Your Research
Contact various appraisers and ask questions about their services and clients as well as how their process works. Not only should they be able to give you clear information, but they should also be willing to give you formal written communication on any discussions to keep the process on track and above board.
Know Your Valuables
When you have set up a meeting with an estate appraiser, it is a good idea to gather all relevant information about the items you want to have valued. This includes details on the ownership history, any restorations or repairs that have been made to the items, any signatures or hallmarks made by the manufacturers, and details about the condition of the item. An appraiser can usually record these details when viewing the item, but if you are in the early stages of finding an appraiser, you may want to include this kind of information to determine if it will be worthwhile to get an appraiser to value your items.
If you need more information on estate appraisers, estate liquidations, and estate and home cleanout services, contact Jerry’s Antiques & Estate Sales today. Jerry services New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania area.
