What if repairs are needed?

The approach depends on condition, market, and timing. Some properties benefit from light updates; others sell well as-is. A walk-through with an experienced professional can help compare options.

When should valuation occur?

Timing matters. It usually helps to know the value early: before major repairs, cleanout, or decisions about selling, keeping, or transferring the property.

Is an appraisal always required?

No. Washington requires the personal representative to value estate property as of the date of death in the inventory (RCW 11.44.015), but does not require a certified appraisal. An appraisal is the value that holds up if heirs, creditors or tax authorities question it, so it is the usual choice when taxes, a dispute or a buyout are involved.

What is a date-of-death appraisal?

An appraisal of the property's fair market value as of the day the owner died. It documents the heirs' new tax basis, feeds the estate inventory and any estate tax return, and gives heirs an independent value to divide the estate by.

Can online estimates be inaccurate?

Yes. Online estimates rely on public data and may miss condition, layout, location nuances, and recent comparable sales. They are a starting point, not a substitute for professional valuation.

Should the property be cleaned out first?

Usually not before valuation. Important documents, valuables, and items with sentimental or estate value can be lost. Many professionals recommend documenting contents before a major cleanout.

What if family members disagree on value?

Disagreements are common. A neutral, professionally prepared valuation often helps family members agree on a shared number.

How does valuation affect estate decisions?

Valuation influences tax considerations, equitable distribution among heirs, sale pricing, and timing. Knowing the value early informs each of those decisions.

What professionals should families speak with?

Families often consult an attorney, CPA, real estate professional, and, when appropriate, a licensed appraiser. Each plays a different role.

What is the difference between an appraisal and a market analysis?

An appraisal is a formal valuation prepared by a licensed appraiser. A market analysis (CMA) is typically prepared by a real estate professional and reflects current market positioning. Each has its own use.

Date of Death Valuation

This Guidance Is Right For You If…

Grounded in evidence, not estimates.

You need a date-of-death value for tax or estate filings
You inherited property and need a stepped-up basis
An attorney or CPA asked for a certified appraisal
You are settling an estate or trust
You want a credentialed valuation, not just a Zillow estimate

What a date-of-death value is, and why it matters

A date-of-death appraisal estimates the property's fair market value as of the day the owner died. It is the single most important number in an estate that includes a house, because several decisions rest on it:

Capital gains for the heirs. Inherited property generally takes a new tax basis equal to its value at the date of death, so heirs who sell soon after usually owe little capital gains tax. The appraisal documents that basis. Taxes when selling an inherited house.
Estate tax. Washington has its own estate tax, with an exemption far lower than the federal one, and the house's value is a key input in whether it is owed.
Dividing the estate fairly. When one heir keeps the house or buys out the others, everyone needs an independent value to work from.
The estate inventory. The personal representative must prepare an inventory valuing estate property as of the date of death within three months of appointment (RCW 11.44.015). The law does not demand a certified appraisal, but an appraisal is the value that holds up if an heir, a creditor or a tax authority questions it; an online estimate does not.

Appraisal or market analysis?

A certified appraisal is prepared by a state-certified appraiser using established methods, in a written report that can be relied on for tax and legal purposes. A comparative market analysis (CMA) is a broker's pricing tool for listing a home. When the value will be reported for taxes, relied on by a court, or used to divide the estate among heirs, get a certified appraisal. For pricing a straightforward sale, a well-supported broker opinion is often enough.

Valued as it stood

Estate properties are appraised in their condition on the date of death, including deferred maintenance, dated finishes and belongings left behind: what a willing buyer would pay a willing seller, neither under pressure. That as-is value is the starting point for every later decision, whether to sell as-is, repair first, or give the house to an heir.

When to get it

As soon as reasonably possible after the death. An appraiser can also value the property retrospectively, as of a past date, but a value set close to the date of death is easier to support. Any Washington certified residential appraiser can prepare one; the site's featured appraiser is one, and you can hire anyone you choose.

Source: RCW 11.44.015 (inventory and appraisement).

What Is a Date-of-Death Valuation?

Understanding how property value may be determined as of the date someone passed away and why this may matter for estate and tax purposes.

Learn More

When Is an Appraisal Needed?

When an appraisal, a market analysis, or another professional valuation opinion may be appropriate.

Learn More

Understanding Fair Market Value

How market value is typically determined and why online estimates alone may not be enough.

Learn More

Valuation Before Selling, Cleaning, or Repairing

Understanding why timing, condition, occupancy, repairs, and cleanout decisions may affect valuation considerations.

Learn More

Family Disagreements About Value

Guidance for situations where heirs, siblings, or family members may have different opinions regarding a property's value.

Learn More

Building the Right Professional Team

Understanding how appraisers, attorneys, CPAs, real estate professionals, and financial advisors may help guide the process.

Learn More

Common Questions

Questions Families Often Ask

Keep Going

Related Guides

These guides cover the decisions that usually follow a valuation.

Executor Responsibilities & First Steps

A first-step roadmap for executors and families.

Continue

Selling an Inherited Home

How estate sales differ from ordinary listings.

Continue

Estate, Probate & Inherited Property

A guided path for executors, trustees, and heirs.

Continue

What To Do With the House

A guided decision roadmap for the home.

Continue

Building Your Professional Team

The professionals an estate may involve and what each one does.

Continue

Avoid These Pitfalls

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Naming what often goes wrong makes it easier to plan well.

Guessing the home's value

A certified appraisal usually replaces guesswork with defensible clarity.

Your next questions

Who has authority to sell the house?

How should a trust or estate house be priced?

What if the heirs disagree about the house?

Can the executor or trustee buy the house?

Professional Disclosure

Real Property Planning is an educational and connection hub. It does not provide legal, tax, accounting, financial, brokerage, or appraisal services. Professionals referenced on this site are independently licensed and operate through their own separate businesses. Real estate brokerage services are provided by David Stein, a licensed Washington broker, through eXp Realty. Appraisal services are provided by David Stein through Stein Appraisal. Read the full disclaimer.

Back to Professionals