RealVals provides certified residential real estate appraisals in Novato. Austin Fernald, a California Certified Residential Appraiser (license AR3002942) based in San Rafael, appraises houses, condos and 2 to 4 unit buildings in Novato 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 Novato
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 Novato
Many Novato 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 Novato
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 Novato
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 Novato
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 Novato
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 Novato appraisal or call or text 415-233-6925.
Novato Property Types RealVals Appraises
- Lagoon homes in Bel Marin Keys
- Newer homes at Hamilton
- Larger lots in Indian Valley and Black Point
- Single-family homes
- Condos and townhomes
- 2 to 4 unit buildings
- Residential land
Who RealVals Works With in Novato
Most RealVals clients in Novato 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 Novato 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 Novato 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.
Novato Neighborhoods RealVals Serves
Novato is Marin’s northernmost city and its largest by land area. Much of its housing went up between the 1950s and the 1970s, in neighborhoods like San Marin, Ignacio and Pacheco Valley, with newer homes at Hamilton, built on the former Hamilton Air Force Base.
Bel Marin Keys is different again: homes on lagoons, many with private docks. Old Town has older houses on smaller lots near Grant Avenue. Each of these trades at its own price level, so the comparable sales come from the same part of Novato.
Central Novato
Old Town and the streets around Grant Avenue. Older houses on smaller lots.
North and West Novato
San Marin and Indian Valley, plus the larger lots out toward the hills.
South Novato
Ignacio, Pacheco Valley, Marin Country Club and Hamilton. Mid-century neighborhoods and the newer homes at Hamilton.
East Novato
Bel Marin Keys, Black Point and Green Point, near the bay and the Petaluma River.
For recent sale prices, see Novato home values.
Novato Appraisal FAQs
Do you appraise homes in Bel Marin Keys?
Yes. Homes on the Bel Marin Keys lagoons, especially those with a dock, sell to a different set of buyers than homes elsewhere in Novato, so the best comparable sales are other lagoon homes.
Do you appraise the newer homes at Hamilton?
Yes. Hamilton’s homes are newer than most of Novato’s housing, so they usually compare best with other Hamilton sales before older neighborhoods nearby.
Do you cover all of Novato?
Yes. RealVals appraises homes in Old Town, Indian Valley, San Marin, Marin Country Club, Pacheco Valley, Ignacio, Hamilton, Bel Marin Keys, Black Point and Green Point.
How much does an appraisal cost in Novato?
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 Novato 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 San Rafael, and across the rest of Marin County.
Get a Novato 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.
