RealVals provides certified residential real estate appraisals in Mill Valley. Austin Fernald, a California Certified Residential Appraiser (license AR3002942) based in San Rafael, appraises houses, condos and 2 to 4 unit buildings in Mill Valley for estates, trusts, divorces, gifts and sales. He personally does every inspection and writes every report.
Send the address and the purpose of the appraisal, and RealVals returns a fee quote within one business day. Most reports are delivered 4 to 5 business days after the inspection. Call or text 415-233-6925 or use the free quote form.
- Based in San Rafael, working across Marin County and San Francisco
- More than 3,000 appraisal reports since 2012
- Rated 4.9 out of 5 across 28 Google and Yelp reviews
- Fees start at $500 for a house or condo (see pricing)
Date of Death Appraisal in Mill Valley
A date of death appraisal sets the value of a home on the day the owner died. Heirs use it to document their stepped-up tax basis, and trustees and executors use it to divide or sell the property. Read more about date of death appraisals.
Estate, Trust and Probate Appraisals in Mill Valley
Many Mill Valley homes pass to the next generation through a living trust, so there’s no probate and no court-appointed referee. The successor trustee hires the appraiser directly. When an estate does go through probate, it’s handled at the Marin County Superior Court in the Hall of Justice at the Civic Center, in San Rafael.
Divorce Appraisal in Mill Valley
When a couple splits community property, the house is often the biggest asset to divide. RealVals can value it as of the date of separation, a current date, or both, in a report written for both sides and their attorneys. See divorce appraisals.
Gift Tax Appraisal in Mill Valley
If you give a property, or a share of one, to a family member, an appraisal documents its fair market value for the Form 709 gift tax return. See gift tax appraisals.
Pre-Listing and Market Value Appraisals in Mill Valley
A pre-listing appraisal gives you an independent value before you pick a list price. A market value appraisal covers everything else: buyouts between co-owners, private sales and financial planning.
Property Tax Appeal Appraisal in Mill Valley
If you think your assessed value is too high, you can appeal to the Marin County Assessment Appeals Board. Regular appeals are filed between July 2 and November 30. An appraisal as of the January 1 lien date is the evidence the board looks at.
Get a free quote for your Mill Valley appraisal or call or text 415-233-6925.
Mill Valley Property Types RealVals Appraises
- Hillside and redwood canyon homes
- Older cottages near downtown
- View homes on the ridges
- Single-family homes
- Condos and townhomes
- 2 to 4 unit buildings
- Residential land
Who RealVals Works With in Mill Valley
Most RealVals clients in Mill Valley are executors and successor trustees, estate planning and probate attorneys, family law attorneys and divorcing spouses, CPAs, and homeowners getting ready to sell. RealVals reports are written for the IRS, the Marin County Superior Court and the Assessment Appeals Board, as well as for the families and advisors who rely on them.
How a Mill Valley Appraisal Works
- Send the address, what the appraisal is for, and the effective date if it isn’t today (for example, the date of death or date of separation).
- RealVals sends a fee quote and delivery date within one business day.
- Austin Fernald inspects the property and researches Mill Valley sales from the right time period.
- You get a written report, usually 4 to 5 business days after the inspection, ready for your attorney, CPA, trustee or the court.
Austin Fernald is licensed as a Certified Residential Appraiser by the California Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers. You can check his license on the BREA license lookup.
Reviews From Appraisal Clients
Rated 4.9 out of 5 across 29 reviews. Read them on Google and Yelp.
Mill Valley Neighborhoods RealVals Serves
Mill Valley sits at the foot of Mount Tamalpais, and a lot of its homes are on hillsides or in redwood canyons, reached by narrow roads and long flights of steps. Downtown and the flats near Miller Avenue have older homes on smaller lots.
Tamalpais Valley, Homestead Valley and Strawberry are unincorporated, but they use Mill Valley addresses and each has its own price level. A canyon house and a view house a mile apart can be very different appraisals.
Downtown and the flats
Downtown, Sycamore Park, Kite Hill and the streets off Miller Avenue. Older homes on smaller lots.
Canyons and ridges
Blithedale Canyon, Cascade, Scott Valley, Middle Ridge and Enchanted Knolls. Hillside and redwood canyon homes.
Outside the city limits
Tamalpais Valley, Homestead Valley, Strawberry and Alto, all with Mill Valley addresses.
For recent sale prices, see Mill Valley home values.
Mill Valley Appraisal FAQs
Do you appraise in Tam Valley, Homestead Valley and Strawberry?
Yes. All three use Mill Valley addresses even though they are outside the city limits, and each one is priced a little differently, so the comparable sales come from the same area.
Does a steep lot affect a Mill Valley appraisal?
It can. Access, parking, the number of steps to the front door and how much of the yard is usable all matter to buyers, so homes on similar lots make the best comparisons.
Do you cover all of Mill Valley?
Yes. RealVals appraises homes in Downtown, Blithedale Canyon, Cascade, Scott Valley, Sycamore Park, Alto, Kite Hill, Middle Ridge, Enchanted Knolls, Strawberry, Tamalpais Valley and Homestead Valley.
How much does an appraisal cost in Mill Valley?
Fees start at $500 for a single-family house, condo or land and $700 for a 2 to 4 unit building. Date of death and other past-date appraisals often cost more because they need research into older sales. RealVals quotes each job within one business day.
How long does a Mill Valley appraisal take?
You get a fee quote within one business day. After that, most reports are delivered 4 to 5 business days after the inspection.
Other Marin Towns RealVals Serves
RealVals also appraises homes in nearby Sausalito and Corte Madera, and across the rest of Marin County.
Get a Mill Valley Appraisal Quote
Call or text 415-233-6925, email [email protected], or send the address through the free quote form. RealVals replies with a fee and a delivery date within one business day.
