Expert witness work sounds intimidating until you actually do it a few times.

 

Most of my expert witness assignments are connected to divorce cases. Divorce-related appraisal work makes up roughly 30% to 40% of my business, so family law is where I most often end up testifying. I occasionally handle insurance disputes, partition actions, and other litigation matters, but divorce cases are the most common.

 

Family law attorneys understand family law. They are not necessarily real estate experts, which is exactly why they hire us.

 

In most cases, the testimony is fairly straightforward. Before the hearing, I usually help the retaining attorney understand the basic questions they should ask:

 

  • What were you hired to do?

 

  • What valuation date did you use?

 

  • What information did you analyze?

 

  • How did you develop your opinion of value?

 

  • What was your final value conclusion?

 

Nothing dramatic. No surprise witness bursting through the courtroom doors. Mostly just explaining the appraisal in clear language.

 

My most recent case was a little different.

 

Testifying With a Pro Se Party

 

This was the first case I can remember where one of the spouses represented himself, also known as appearing pro se.

 

Because he was not an attorney, his questions were different from what I normally hear during cross-examination. He asked a lot of detailed questions, many of which did not have much effect on the appraisal’s overall credibility or value conclusion.

 

At the end of the day, the most important facts were fairly simple:

 

I analyzed six comparable sales. They were located within the subject’s competitive market area. I made adjustments where appropriate. I developed an opinion of value as of a specific effective date.

 

That is the foundation.

 

Still, I was on the stand for approximately 30 minutes, which may be the longest I have testified in a single case. The questioning moved into details that usually do not receive much attention.

 

That was not necessarily a bad thing. It was a good reminder that when you testify, you need to understand more than the final number. You need to be prepared to explain every decision that helped you arrive there.

 

Good Questions Do Not Always Mean Good Arguments

 

The opposing attorney raised several thoughtful points while attempting to challenge the appraisal.

 

Some of my comparable sales were located slightly more than one mile from the subject. He appeared to be suggesting that those sales came from a superior location.

 

That could have been an effective argument if the areas were actually superior. In this case, they were not. The farther sales were necessary because there were not enough recent and sufficiently similar sales closer to the subject.

 

The attorney also questioned why some comparable properties were several years newer than the subject.

 

On the surface, that may sound significant. However, the subject was roughly 50 to 60 years old and located in a neighborhood where many homes were approximately 60 to 70 years old. The comparable sales were generally within about ten years of the subject’s age, had similar effective ages, and had also been updated or remodeled.

 

A six- or seven-year difference between older homes does not automatically make them dissimilar.

 

He also compared my opinion of market value to the property’s assessed value, which was considerably lower. Appraisers know that assessed value and market value are not the same thing, but it can still sound persuasive to someone unfamiliar with the distinction.

 

I appreciated the strategy. He was looking for places where the appraisal might appear inconsistent or weak. That is what opposing counsel is supposed to do.

 

The lesson is not that these were impossible questions. They were easy to answer. The lesson is that a confident-sounding question can make an ordinary appraisal decision sound suspicious unless you are prepared to explain it.

 

You Can Only Answer the Question You Are Asked

 

One challenge during testimony is that you cannot always jump in and correct every implication being made.

 

For example, opposing counsel appeared to suggest that the locations of certain comparable sales were superior. However, he did not directly ask whether those areas were superior.

 

That meant I could not simply launch into an explanation about why they were not.

 

As expert witnesses, our job is to answer the question being asked. We should not argue with the attorney, volunteer unnecessary information, or attempt to take over the hearing.

 

That can feel unnatural. Appraisers are trained to explain our reasoning, and sometimes we want to immediately correct an assumption. On the witness stand, however, patience matters.

 

Listen to the full question. Pause. Answer what was asked. Then stop talking.

 

Silence is not your enemy. Occasionally, it is your best attorney.

 

The Courtroom Was Not the Stressful Part

 

Oddly enough, the testimony itself did not make me nervous.

 

The most stressful part was arriving ten minutes late.

 

I normally arrive at least 15 minutes early for any hearing or deposition. On this particular day, heavy rain and terrible traffic delayed me. Being late bothered me far more than being questioned on the witness stand.

 

Once I arrived, I did what I normally do. I stayed friendly, kept a smile on my face, was sworn in, and answered the questions.

 

Most courtroom testimony is not like television. Opposing counsel is usually not screaming at the expert or pounding on a table. Everyone in this case was professional and respectful.

 

The attorney’s job was to challenge my work. My job was to calmly explain it.

 

That is really all expert witness testimony is.

 

Document What Happened Afterward

 

One of the most important steps happens after the testimony is finished.

 

Write a summary of what happened.

 

I have never automatically received a transcript, recording, or written summary from an attorney after testifying. Unless someone orders a transcript, you may not have a formal record of exactly what was discussed.

 

As soon as possible after the hearing, document:

 

  • The case name and case number

 

  • The court and jurisdiction

 

  • The judge’s name

 

  • The date of your testimony

 

  • The attorneys involved

 

  • The approximate length of your testimony

 

  • The major questions you were asked

 

  • Any issues raised about your appraisal

 

  • How you answered those questions

 

  • Anything you would prepare differently next time

 

Keep that information with your assignment records.

 

I also maintain a list of the courts, judges, dates, and matters in which I have testified. That information is then added to my professional CV.

 

Your expert witness experience has value, but only if you keep track of it.

 

Expert Witness Work Gets Easier

 

For appraisers who have never testified, expert witness work can sound much worse than it usually is.

 

You do need to be prepared. You need to know your report. You need to understand your comparable selection, adjustments, market area, effective date, and final reconciliation.

 

But you do not need to memorize every line of the appraisal or deliver a dramatic courtroom performance.

 

Be prepared. Be honest. Stay calm. Answer the question asked.

 

Once you get a few cases behind you, expert witness work becomes much less intimidating. It may even become an enjoyable part of your appraisal practice, assuming your definition of enjoyable includes sitting in a courthouse while two people argue about a house.

 

Elite members of the Appraisal Referral Network can access additional micro-lessons and educational resources about expert witness assignments, testimony preparation, and growing litigation-related appraisal work.

 

If someone asks what you do for a living, what do you say?

 

A lot of appraisers default to something like:

 

“I’m a real estate appraiser.”

 

Technically correct.

 

Also not very memorable.

 

If you are trying to grow a non-lender appraisal business, you need a better answer. You should be able to explain what you do, who you help, and what kinds of problems you solve in about 30 seconds.

 

That is your elevator pitch.

 

And no, you do not need to sound like you are auditioning for Shark Tank.

 

You just need to make it easy for someone to understand what you do and, more importantly, when they should refer business to you.

 

Your Elevator Pitch Is a Referral Tool

 

I recently read an article by Isabel Isidro on PowerHomeBiz titled “How to Build Your Elevator Pitch.” One of the main points is that a strong elevator pitch should quickly explain what your business does, who it helps, and why it matters.

 

The article also makes an important distinction: the purpose of an elevator pitch is not to close the sale. It is to make your business easy to understand, create enough interest for the other person to ask another question, and naturally continue the conversation.

 

That applies perfectly to appraisers trying to build non-lender work.

 

Your 30-second pitch is not supposed to explain every appraisal service you provide.

 

It is supposed to give people enough information to remember you when an appraisal need comes up later.

 

“I’m an Appraiser” Is Not Enough

 

If you tell someone you are a real estate appraiser, what do you think they picture?

 

Probably a mortgage appraisal.

 

A bank.

 

Maybe someone walking around a house with a clipboard.

 

That is the problem.

 

Attorneys, CPAs, financial planners, real estate agents, and other referral partners may have no idea that you handle divorce cases, estate valuations, tax appeals, litigation, pre-listing work, retrospective appraisals, or other private assignments.

 

You have to tell them.

 

My own elevator pitch might sound something like this:

 

“I own a real estate appraisal company providing residential and commercial appraisal services. A large part of our business is helping divorce attorneys with appraisals for dissolution of marriage cases, estate attorneys who need date-of-death valuations, and real estate agents who need help pricing unusual or difficult properties.”

 

Now the person listening has several referral triggers.

 

Divorce attorney.

 

Estate attorney.

 

Date-of-death appraisal.

 

Real estate agent.

 

Difficult property.

 

That gives them something to remember.

 

“I’m an appraiser” does not.

 

Start With Who You Help

 

The PowerHomeBiz article breaks a strong elevator pitch into several basic parts: who you help, the problem you solve, what you do, why your approach matters, and what happens next.

 

For appraisers, I would simplify that even further.

 

Ask yourself three questions:

 

Who do I want referring business to me?

 

What appraisal problems do I solve for them?

 

What do I want them to remember about my practice?

 

If you primarily want attorney work, say so.

 

For example:

 

“I specialize in non-lender appraisal work and primarily help attorneys with divorce, estate, and litigation-related real estate valuations.”

 

If you want more estate assignments:

 

“I work with estate attorneys, CPAs, and families who need retrospective appraisals, including date-of-death valuations.”

 

If you are trying to build relationships with real estate agents:

 

“I help real estate agents and homeowners with pre-listing appraisals and properties that are difficult to price using a traditional CMA.”

 

Each one tells the listener something useful.

 

More importantly, each one gives the listener a reason to think of you later.

 

Give People Referral Triggers

 

This may be the most important part of the entire elevator pitch.

 

People need triggers.

 

You want an attorney to hear the words “date of death” six months from now and think of you.

 

You want a Realtor sitting at a listing appointment with a difficult property to remember, “I know an appraiser who does pre-listing work.”

 

You want a divorce attorney dealing with two competing opinions of value to immediately know who to call.

 

That is why being specific matters.

 

The PowerHomeBiz article makes the point that referral partners need to understand who your ideal customer is and how to recognize a good fit.

 

Exactly.

 

A referral partner cannot send you the right business if they do not know what the right business looks like.

 

Do Not Try to List Everything You Do

 

Appraisers tend to have a lot of services.

 

So the temptation is to say:

 

“I do residential, commercial, divorce, estates, tax appeals, bankruptcy, litigation, pre-listing, PMI removal, insurance claims, retrospective appraisals, relocation work…”

 

At some point, the person listening is going to start looking for an escape route.

 

Or the appetizers.

 

You do not need to explain your entire website in 30 seconds.

 

The PowerHomeBiz article stresses that the purpose of the pitch is to open the conversation, not explain the entire business.

 

Pick the two or three areas you most want to grow.

 

If someone is interested, they will ask another question.

 

That is exactly what you want.

 

Tailor the Pitch to the Person Standing in Front of You

 

You also do not need one elevator pitch that you repeat word for word every time.

 

In fact, you probably should not.

 

If you are talking to a divorce attorney, talk about divorce appraisal work.

 

If you are at a Realtor networking event, talk about pre-listing assignments and difficult-to-price properties.

 

If you are speaking with CPAs or estate attorneys, emphasize date-of-death and retrospective appraisal work.

 

Your basic message stays the same, but you change the emphasis.

 

That matches another recommendation from the PowerHomeBiz article: tailor the pitch to your audience.

 

A potential client is listening for one thing.

 

A referral partner is listening for something else.

 

For appraisers, that means your pitch should help the person in front of you quickly understand where you fit into their world.

 

Use Plain English

 

There is another good takeaway from the article that appraisers should pay attention to: use plain language.

 

We work in a profession that loves terminology.

 

Retrospective effective date.

 

Hypothetical condition.

 

Extraordinary assumption.

 

Intended use.

 

Intended user.

 

All perfectly legitimate appraisal terminology.

 

Not necessarily what you want to lead with at a Chamber of Commerce lunch.

 

Your elevator pitch should sound like something a normal person understands.

 

“I help families and estate attorneys determine what a property was worth when someone passed away.”

 

That may be much more useful in a casual conversation than launching into an explanation of retrospective appraisal methodology.

 

You can save that discussion for later.

 

Preferably after they hire you.

 

Practice It, But Do Not Memorize a Speech

 

Once you come up with your elevator pitch, say it out loud.

 

That part matters.

 

Something can look great on your computer screen and sound completely ridiculous when you actually try to say it.

 

The PowerHomeBiz article recommends practicing until your pitch sounds natural, but not memorizing every word.

 

That is the right approach.

 

Know the basic structure.

 

Know who you help.

 

Know the services you want to emphasize.

 

Know the problems you solve.

 

Then talk like a normal human being.

 

The goal is not to deliver the same 47-word speech every time someone asks what you do.

 

The goal is to be comfortable explaining your business clearly without having to think about it.

 

Your Elevator Pitch Should Match the Business You Want

 

There is another reason this exercise is valuable.

 

Writing your elevator pitch forces you to decide what kind of appraisal business you actually want to build.

 

If you cannot clearly explain who you want to work with, it is going to be difficult for everyone else to figure it out too.

 

“I do appraisals” is a job description.

 

“I help divorce attorneys, estate attorneys, and real estate agents solve real estate valuation problems” is a business position.

 

There is a big difference.

 

And in non-lender appraisal work, positioning matters.

 

The appraiser who becomes known for a particular type of assignment is much easier to refer than the appraiser who simply says, “I can pretty much appraise anything.”

 

Work on Your 30 Seconds

 

Take a few minutes this week and write down your elevator pitch.

 

Keep it simple.

 

Who do you help?

 

What appraisal problems do you solve?

 

What two or three services do you want people to associate with your name?

 

Then say it out loud until it sounds like something you would actually say in a conversation.

 

Because the next attorney, Realtor, CPA, financial planner, or business owner you meet may know someone who needs an appraiser.

 

Your job is to make sure they know when they should think of you.

 

And if you are trying to grow the non-lender side of your appraisal business, the Appraisal Referral Network is designed to help appraisers increase their visibility, build referral relationships, and generate more private appraisal opportunities.

 

Visit referappraisals.com to learn more.

 

I recently spoke with a real estate agent who was considering hiring me to complete a pre-listing appraisal on a property expected to list for around $3 million.

 

He understood why the appraisal could be helpful, but he kept coming back to the fee.

 

Was it really worth spending the money before the property was listed?

 

That is the wrong question.

 

The better question is: What could it cost the agent if the property is listed incorrectly?

 

If the home is overpriced, it may sit on the market, lose momentum, and eventually require price reductions. The seller may grow frustrated and begin questioning the agent’s advice. In the worst-case scenario, the listing expires, the seller hires someone else, and the agent earns exactly zero dollars in commission.

 

Suddenly, the appraisal fee does not look quite so expensive.

 

The Appraisal Is Part of the Cost of Doing Business

 

Agents regularly spend money preparing and marketing listings. They pay for photography, video, staging, advertising, floor plans, brochures, and sometimes a drone that flies dramatically over the swimming pool.

 

A pre-listing appraisal should be viewed the same way.

 

It is not just another expense. It is a tool that can help the agent win the listing, establish a supportable pricing strategy, and manage the seller’s expectations before the property hits the market.

 

On a high-value property, the financial risk of getting the price wrong can be significant. An independent appraisal can give the agent another layer of support when discussing value with the seller.

 

The agent may believe the property is worth one amount. The seller may believe it is worth substantially more, because sellers have never been known to be emotionally attached to their homes.

 

Bringing in an independent appraiser helps take some of that pressure off the agent.

 

Instead of the discussion becoming the agent versus the seller, the agent can point to objective market evidence from a qualified third party.

 

Give the Agent More Than a Number

 

For my pre-listing assignments, I do not simply hand the client a report with one value conclusion and disappear.

 

I provide a point value, but I also discuss a reasonable range of value, a recommended listing price, and the anticipated marketing time associated with that pricing strategy.

 

That information gives the agent and seller something useful to work with.

 

The seller still makes the final decision about the listing price. The agent still controls the marketing strategy. My role is to provide credible market information so everyone can make a better-informed decision.

 

That is what makes the appraiser valuable.

 

We are not there to replace the agent. We are there to help the agent have a more productive conversation with the seller.

 

Position Yourself as Part of the Agent’s Team

 

Many agents do not automatically think of appraisers as a resource for winning or selling listings.

 

Part of that is because appraisers often market themselves by saying things like, “I complete pre-listing appraisals.”

 

That describes the service, but it does not explain the benefit.

 

Instead, show agents how you can help them:

 

  • Support their recommended listing price

 

  • Handle disagreements about value

 

  • Set realistic seller expectations

 

  • Reduce the likelihood of overpricing

 

  • Provide an independent opinion on unusual or complex properties

 

  • Strengthen their listing presentation

 

  • Create a more professional pricing process

 

The conversation should not be, “Would you like to buy an appraisal?”

 

It should be, “Let me help you create a stronger listing strategy.”

 

That is a much different value proposition.

 

Make It a Standard Part of Their Process

 

The best opportunity is not convincing an agent to hire you once.

 

It is becoming the appraiser they call whenever they have a difficult, high-value, unique, or emotionally complicated listing.

 

Encourage agents to treat the appraisal as part of their normal process.

 

When the agent and seller disagree on value, call the appraiser.

 

When the property is unusual and difficult to compare, call the appraiser.

 

When the seller is interviewing multiple agents and expects an aggressive price, call the appraiser.

 

When the potential commission is substantial and the agent wants to protect the opportunity, call the appraiser.

 

Over time, you become more than someone who produces a report. You become part of the agent’s advisory team.

 

That is how one assignment can turn into a long-term referral relationship.

 

Sell the Outcome, Not the Report

 

Appraisers sometimes get too focused on explaining what is inside the appraisal.

 

Agents generally do not care about the number of pages, the adjustment grid, or how many photographs are included. They care about whether your work will help them win the listing, price it correctly, communicate with the seller, and get the property sold.

 

Sell that outcome.

 

A pre-listing appraisal can help an agent protect a commission that may be worth tens of thousands of dollars. It can also save weeks or months of wasted marketing time and uncomfortable conversations with an unrealistic seller.

 

Compared with those risks, the appraisal fee is simply part of doing business.

 

Appraisers who learn to explain that value will have a much easier time building relationships with agents and generating more private work.

 

Do not just offer to complete an appraisal.

 

Offer to become the person agents trust when they need an independent answer to the most important question surrounding a listing:

 

What is this property really worth?

 

To learn more about building non-lender appraisal work and developing stronger referral relationships, join the Appraisal Referral Network at referappraisals.com.

 

A lot of appraisers think about business development only when business slows down.

 

The phone gets quiet. The lender orders dry up. Maybe a longtime client disappears. Suddenly it is time to update LinkedIn, attend a networking event, send a few emails, or call an attorney you have not spoken to in three years.

 

Then business picks back up and the marketing stops.

 

That is not really business development. That is panic with a business card.

 

Real business development is something you do consistently, whether you need work today or not.

 

 

What Business Development Means for an Appraiser

 

Business development is not the same thing as sales.

 

Sales is getting someone to hire you for an appraisal.

 

Marketing is helping people discover that you exist.

 

Business development is the ongoing work of building the relationships, reputation, and visibility that cause people to think of you when an appraisal need comes up.

 

For an appraiser trying to grow non-lender work, that might mean developing relationships with:

  • Attorneys
  • Real estate agents
  • Accountants and CPAs
  • Financial planners
  • Estate professionals
  • Property managers
  • Investors
  • Other appraisers

 

These relationships can produce divorce work, estate appraisals, tax appeal assignments, pre-listing appraisals, litigation work, date-of-death valuations, and plenty of other assignments that never come through an AMC portal.

 

The important part is that these relationships usually do not develop because you sent one email asking for business.

 

They develop over time.

 

Stop Treating Networking Like an Event

One of the ideas emphasized by BNI is that relationship-based business development works best when it becomes a regular practice instead of an occasional sales push.

 

That applies perfectly to appraisers.

 

Going to one networking event and collecting 25 business cards probably will not transform your business.

 

Having lunch with two attorneys, following up with an agent who referred you last month, publishing an article that answers a common client question, and introducing yourself to another appraiser outside your service area might.

 

Especially if you keep doing it.

 

Business development compounds.

 

Someone you meet today may not need an appraiser for six months. An attorney you help with a quick question might not refer anything to you this year, but could eventually become a steady source of assignments.

 

You cannot always predict which relationship will turn into business.

 

That is why you keep building them.

 

Referrals Beat Starting From Zero

Cold marketing has one major disadvantage.

 

Every time you contact a stranger, you are basically starting from zero.

 

They do not know you.

 

They do not know whether you are competent.

 

They do not know whether you will answer the phone.

 

They do not know whether referring you to their client will make them look smart or make them regret answering your email.

 

A referral starts differently.

 

When someone they already trust says, “Call Dan. He knows what he is doing,” some of that credibility transfers to you before you ever speak with the client.

 

That does not mean the assignment is automatically yours.

 

But you are no longer just another random appraiser showing up in a Google search.

 

That is a much better place to start.

 

Build Several Business Development Channels

Appraisers should not rely on one source of business.

 

Your business development efforts might include networking with professionals, publishing useful content, improving your website and Google presence, staying in touch with past clients, doing direct outreach, and developing referral relationships with other appraisers.

 

Some of those activities may produce work quickly.

 

Others may take months.

 

That is okay.

 

The goal is not necessarily to know exactly which conversation generated which appraisal.

 

The goal is to create enough relationships and visibility that opportunities continue coming from multiple directions.

 

Other Appraisers are Referral Partners Too

This is one area appraisers sometimes overlook.

 

Other appraisers are not automatically your competition.

 

An appraiser in another county, another state, or even another specialty can be one of your best referral sources.

 

They may receive assignments outside their coverage area.

 

They may get requests for property types they do not handle.

 

They may already be overloaded.

 

Or they may simply know a client who needs someone in your market.

 

The same thing happens to you.

 

Instead of telling that client, “Sorry, I don’t cover that area,” you can refer them to an appraiser you trust.

 

Now you helped the client, helped another appraiser, and strengthened a professional relationship.

 

That is business development.

 

Put Business Development on Your Calendar

The biggest problem with business development is that it is rarely urgent.

 

There is always another appraisal to finish.

 

Another inspection to schedule.

 

Another revision request sitting in the inbox reminding you how much fun lender work can be.

 

So business development gets pushed to tomorrow.

 

And tomorrow becomes next month.

 

Consider setting aside a small amount of time every week specifically for growing your business.

 

Call one referral partner.

 

Reconnect with one past client.

 

Meet someone for coffee.

 

Write one useful article.

 

Share something educational on LinkedIn.

 

Refer an assignment to another appraiser.

 

Follow up with someone you met recently.

 

None of these activities needs to take hours.

 

Consistency matters much more than intensity.

 

Twenty or thirty minutes every week for a year will probably do far more for your business than one frantic marketing campaign every time the pipeline gets thin.

 

Build the Network Before You Need It

The worst time to start building referral relationships is when you desperately need assignments.

 

People can usually tell.

 

Business development works better when you approach relationships with a longer view.

 

Help people.

 

Answer questions.

 

Make introductions.

 

Stay visible.

 

Be useful.

 

Then, when someone needs an appraiser, there is a much better chance your name comes up.

 

That is how a referral-based business grows.

 

Not from one big marketing campaign.

 

From hundreds of small interactions repeated over time.

 

Start Building Your Referral Network

The Appraisal Referral Network was created to help appraisers do exactly that: build relationships with other appraisers, increase their visibility, and create more opportunities for non-lender referral work.

 

You can start with a Free Membership and get listed in the network, or upgrade to an Elite Membership for greater visibility and additional tools to help grow your business.

 

Join the Appraisal Referral Network at ReferAppraisals.com and start building the referral relationships that can keep producing business long after the first introduction.