FAQs

Below are some of the most common questions we receive from lenders, law firms, and other commercial real estate clients. For additional help, please call our office and we will be happy to address your questions directly.


Are you a licensed appraiser?

Yes, all of our appraisers have Certified General Appraiser certifications, the highest certification level granted by the State of Wisconsin. Currently, we have appraisers certified in two states; Wisconsin and Illinois.

Are you an MAI?

We currently have two appraisers with the MAI designation, Troy J. Kruser and David B. Greenhalgh. The remainder of our appraisers are associate members of the Appraisal Institute, and are pursuing the MAI designation. Several of our appraisers are in the final stages of completion.

What geographical areas do you service?

Please see the attached Wisconsin and Illinois.map for our coverage area.

What types of property do you appraise?

Our large staff of qualified appraisers allows us to be familiar with, and qualified to appraise nearly any property type. We have appraised almost every property type out there. If not, we take necessary steps under the competency provision of USPAP to gain knowledge and experience to complete the assignment competently.

For a more complete list, see property types on our "Services" and "Recent Assignments" pages.

What is USPAP?

USPAP is the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice, which we are required to conform to under Apprisal Institute and state certification requirements.

Do you have experience in litigation support and testifying as an expert witness?

Yes, we have appraisers with litigation support experience. We have consulted and testified in tax appeal cases, at board of review and have perform appraisal for countless civil cases.

What is an appraisal?

An appraisal is the act or process of developing an opinion of value. According to USPAP, a written appraisal report must be prepared according to one of three reporting options: self-contained, summary, or restricted use appraisal report. Depending on the needs of the client, an appraisal report can be very lengthy, or just a few pages. An appraisal report must not be misleading, and must include supportable and defensible information to lead the client to the reasonableness of the appraisal conclusions.

What are your market data sources?

We subscribe to every available commercial database,including Co-Star, Redi-Net, MLS and LoopNet. Since our company has been in the appraisal business since 1973, we also have an incredible internal database.

How long do most appraisals take?

It depends upon the property type and location. It may vary from a few days to several weeks, or even months. In most cases an appraisal requires between 30 and 45 days.

How do I get started in engaging an appraisal?

Request an appraisal by choosing one of the following:

  • Access our website and complete the simple request form. We will need basic information about your property such as the use, size, and condition of the improvements; land area; and if leased-the type and number of tenants (and lease terms or copy of lease after being engaged).

  • Email or mail the request. We will provide you a quote within a few hours of your initial request.

  • After we have agreed on a fee and date of completion, we will provide a formal proposal outlining the terms that the appraisal will be completed under, including scope of work, date of completion, fee and cost for additional services to be provided.

Is the appraisal available to anyone else?

Absolutely not. The appraisal is a confidential record, disclosed only to you, and cannot be disseminated to anyone else without your written permission.

If I am going to use the appraisal for a loan from a bank, can I engage the appraisal directly?

No. Federal banking regulations (known as FIRREA) strictly forbid the use of an appraisal ordered by a borrower to be used by the lender. This is due to potential advocacy and bias in the report. We suggest contacting your lender and having them engage us directly.

Are you accessible by phone and email?

Absolutely. Our company business plan includes full transparency and accessibility to our clients with both live and automatic phone services and direct email to our staff and our appraisers. Please see our "Contact Us" page for information.