The executor, trustee, or an heir with authority over the property typically orders the appraisal. Contact a licensed real estate appraiser in the property’s area and explain that you need a date of death appraisal, giving them the date the owner died. The appraiser will schedule an inspection of the house, then research comparable sales that closed around the date of death to develop a retrospective value. If the house has been renovated, damaged, or sold since the death, tell the appraiser, since the value must reflect the property’s condition as of the death date. Expect to provide basic details like the address, access arrangements, and who should receive the report. Before ordering, check with the estate’s attorney or CPA about what they need, and in a California probate, ask whether the probate referee will handle the valuation. Doing this early in estate administration is easier than reconstructing a value years later.
