Why an appraisal can take several months — and what happens during that time

A property appraisal is produced in several stages. After we are commissioned, we review the purpose, scope and available documentation. This is followed by the examination of existing documents, the request for missing records, enquiries with public authorities, where applicable the analysis of the building records, and the on-site inspection. After that, property-specific characteristics, market environment and comparable data are assessed and substantiated in the appraisal. Particularly with older, complex or legally encumbered properties, this effort is considerable.

We do not produce template appraisals and do not work to a fixed scheme. Every property is inspected in person and assessed taking into account its legal, economic and factual particularities. For this reason, the structure, focus and depth of our appraisals differ depending on the individual case and intended purpose.

If an appraisal takes several months, this therefore does not mean standstill, but careful processing. At the same time, our capacities are often heavily utilised, which can further extend the processing time. In addition, responses from authorities and external information are not always available at short notice. Anyone who needs an appraisal for court, the tax office or important asset decisions benefits precisely from this thoroughness.