South Florida just wrapped up an in-person Appraiser meetup, and honestly, it was exactly what these events should be.

 

About a dozen appraisers met for lunch at a local nail house. No stage. No slides. No formal agenda. Just appraisers sitting around a table, introducing themselves, talking shop, and comparing notes on what we are all actually dealing with in the field.

 

We went around the table and shared what type of appraisers we are, what markets we cover, and the kinds of assignments we handle. From there, the conversation naturally took off.

 

We talked about being mobile in the field and how different appraisers are handling inspections. We talked about UAD 3.6 and how everyone is adapting to the changes. We talked about expert witness work, litigation assignments, and the realities of non-lender business. Nothing scripted. Just real conversations with people who actually do the work.

 

But for me personally, the biggest takeaway had nothing to do with forms or standards.

 

I learned that there are other appraisers doing FEMA 50% work, which I honestly thought was limited to one or two people. I also learned that there are multiple appraisers covering certain geographic areas where I had assumed only one appraiser was available. That matters. A lot.

 

That kind of information is incredibly valuable, not just for me, but for my clients. When a specialized assignment comes up again, I now have multiple trusted appraisers I can confidently refer. That is better service, better coverage, and better outcomes all around. This is exactly why these meetups work.

 

Building This Nationally

 

The goal this year is to do more of these meetups across the country.

 

Some will be in person, like the South Florida lunch. Others will be on Zoom, which allows appraisers from an entire state or region to connect without travel. We did one recently for California, and we have one coming up for the entire state of Texas in a couple of weeks.

Up in the Philly area, Carol with Zen Appraisals has been organizing in-person meetups as well, and they have been extremely well received. Different markets, same result. Appraisers connecting, sharing information, and building real referral relationships.

 

That is the model we want to expand.

 

Want to Host One in Your Area?

 

If you want to organize a meetup in your area, reach out to me.

 

I will help you coordinate it. I can provide a list of appraisers in your market who are already part of the network, help you decide whether Zoom or in-person makes more sense, and support you through the process. You can keep it informal or structured. Lunch, coffee, Zoom roundtable. It all works.

 

The format matters less than the goal.

 

And the goal is simple. Appraisers connecting with other appraisers and referring business back and forth.

 

Final Thought

 

Too many appraisers operate in isolation. These meetups break that cycle.

 

You learn who really covers your market. You find specialists you did not know existed. You build trust before you ever need to make a referral. And when a non-lender, litigation, or specialty assignment comes up, you are not scrambling.

 

You already know who to call.

 

If you are looking to grow your non-lender business, expand your referral network, and connect with appraisers who actually understand this side of the profession, join the Appraisal Firm Network.

 

This is the place where those relationships start.

A large portion of my appraisal work today involves litigation, primarily divorce cases and partition actions. Years ago, I didn’t love this type of work. Now, it makes up roughly 40% of my business, and I actually enjoy it. But litigation work comes with its own rules, surprises, and occasional curveballs that every appraiser should be prepared for.

 

Most of the time, the process is straightforward. One spouse hires me as the appraiser. That spouse is my client. The attorney is listed as an additional intended user. If testimony is needed, the attorney usually does the logical thing and calls or emails to confirm availability. We coordinate a date and time, I collect a retainer in advance, and I show up to court with a copy of my appraisal report. Simple. No drama. No process servers knocking on my door. That is how it should work.

When a Subpoena Shows Up 

Recently, I was served with a subpoena by an attorney whose client had already hired me. Instead of a phone call, a process server showed up at my house. The client paid for that unnecessary service. The attorney could have called my office and taken care of it with a two-minute phone call.

 

What made it worse was the scope of the subpoena. It demanded that I bring not only the appraisal report, but all records, notes, memos, photos, invoices, and any materials prepared in connection with the case.

 

That is not customary for a final hearing or trial at least in my market.  

 

In depositions, yes. Full files are sometimes requested and produced. But for court testimony? No. In nearly every case I have handled, I bring a copy of the appraisal report for myself, and sometimes extra copies for the court if requested. That is it.

 

Dragging your entire workfile into a courtroom is not standard practice and opens doors that do not need to be opened.

 

I immediately contacted my client, let him know a retainer would be required. I also emailed the attorney directly and made it clear that a subpoena was unnecessary and that the document request was unusual. 

 

The takeaway here is important. A subpoena is not a substitute for communication, and appraisers should not assume that everything listed in a subpoena is reasonable or appropriate without clarification.

When Access Is Denied and the Court Steps In

Another situation appraisers should expect in divorce work is denied access. I recently handled a case involving multiple properties where one spouse refused to allow entry. In those situations, the solution is not negotiation at the front door. It is a court order.

 

In this case, the attorneys obtained an agreed court order specifically granting me access to the properties on a stated date. The order made it very clear that failure to provide access would be a violation of the court’s directive.

 

This is not uncommon in contested divorce cases, and appraisers who do this type of work should not be surprised when access issues arise. The key is understanding that you are not the one enforcing the access. The court is.

Why This Matters If You Want Litigation Work

Divorce and partition assignments are not for everyone, but they are consistent, well-paid, and recession-resistant. They also require confidence, professionalism, and a basic understanding of court procedures.

 

You will deal with subpoenas. Some will be unnecessary. Some will be poorly drafted. You may need court orders to gain access. None of this means you are doing anything wrong. It means you are operating in a legal environment, not a lending one.

 

If you are thinking about expanding into litigation work, or you are already doing it and want to tighten up your process, this is exactly the kind of thing you need to be prepared for.

 

Here is a redacted example of an actual subpoena and a court order https://referappraisals.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/redacted.pdf

 so you can see the format, language, and scope without exposing any personal information. These are real documents from real cases, and they are excellent reference points for what you may encounter.

 

If you want to learn more about divorce, partition, and other non-lender appraisal work, and how to build this into a meaningful part of your business, I’d encourage you to get involved with the Appraisal Referral Network. This niche has been a game-changer for me, and it can be for you too.

Divorce is one of the most emotionally and financially stressful events people go through. The house is often the biggest asset involved, and it quickly becomes the centerpiece of the entire case.

 

A recent consumer-facing article, “Five Home Questions to Ask During Divorce” by Taylor Getler, lays out the exact questions homeowners are wrestling with when a marriage ends. While the article is aimed at divorcing homeowners and real estate agents, it also serves as a roadmap for appraisers who want more divorce and family law work.

 

If you read between the lines, the message is clear. People are not just asking, “What is my house worth?” They are really asking, “What does this mean for my future?”

That is where a good appraiser becomes a critical resource, not just a form filler.

 

The Real Pain Points Behind Divorce Appraisals

 

Divorcing homeowners are dealing with uncertainty on multiple fronts at the same time. The article highlights five core questions, and every one of them connects directly to appraisal services.

 

Do I keep the house or sell it?


 This is rarely a simple financial question. Emotions, children, timing, and fear all play a role. Appraisers help bring clarity by establishing a defensible value that both sides can rely on when deciding whether keeping the home is realistic or whether selling is the cleaner exit.

 

What is the home actually worth?


 This is the linchpin of almost every divorce case involving real estate. Buyouts, equity splits, mediation, and settlement discussions all depend on a credible opinion of value. A neutral, well-supported appraisal often prevents disputes from dragging on or ending up in court.

 

Can one spouse qualify on their own?


 While appraisers are not lenders, value directly impacts refinance options, loan-to-value ratios, and feasibility. A realistic appraisal keeps expectations grounded and prevents one party from chasing an outcome that is not financially viable.

 

Can they afford the home long term?


 Divorce often turns a two-income household into one. Appraisers who understand market conditions, property condition issues, and future maintenance concerns can provide insight that helps attorneys and clients evaluate whether keeping the home is a smart decision or an emotional one.

 

What about the kids?


 When children are involved, decisions get heavier. Sometimes a sale is delayed. Sometimes equity payouts are deferred. In these cases, retrospective appraisals, agreed-upon values, or future valuation planning become part of the strategy. Appraisers who understand these dynamics become trusted professionals to attorneys and mediators.

 

Where Appraisers Fit In (And Why This Is Not “Another Appraisal”)

 

Divorce work is not lender work. Nobody cares about hitting page limits or checking boxes for underwriting. They care about clarity, credibility, and defensibility.

 

This is where appraisers can stand out by:

-Explaining the valuation process in plain English

-Remaining neutral and professional when emotions run high

-Providing clear support for adjustments and conclusions

-Understanding the legal context without practicing law

-Being responsive and reliable when timelines matter

When an appraisal helps a case settle faster, everyone remembers who provided it.

 

How Appraisers Can Position Themselves as a Resource

 

If you want more divorce work, stop marketing yourself as “an appraiser” and start positioning yourself as a solution during a difficult time.

 

That means:

-Educating family law attorneys on how appraisal can help support settlement

-Letting mediators know you understand neutral assignments

-Explaining to clients how value impacts buyouts, refinances, and sales

-Being comfortable with retrospective and date-of-separation valuations

-Showing empathy without taking sides

You do not need to be flashy. You need to be calm, competent, and credible.

 

Divorcing homeowners are overwhelmed. Attorneys want cases resolved. Judges want clean, supported opinions. Everyone wants fewer surprises.

A solid appraisal can become the anchor point that allows a divorce case to move forward.

 

If appraisers understand the why behind the assignment, not just the scope, they stop being a cost in the process and start being part of the solution.

 

That is how divorce work finds you. And once it does, it tends to stick.

 

If you want to do more divorce and non-lender work like this, consider joining the Appraisal Referral Network. We have a free membership with lots of benefits and if you wanted even more we have a paid membership option which gives you access to 30+ short, practical micro-lessons, covering topics like divorce, private work, and working with attorneys. It’s designed to help appraisers understand assignments like this and grow a more stable non-lender business without guessing their way through it.  

Just this past week, I got another reminder of how simple marketing and networking can be when you stop overthinking it.

 

One of the real estate agents I routinely work with calls me often with questions about the appraisal process. She’s curious, engaged, and genuinely wants to understand how things work. Basically, a sponge. Recently, she started a podcast geared toward homeowners, agents, and even lenders. She invited me on as a guest, along with another appraiser. No ego issues here. We had a great conversation about the appraisal profession, common misconceptions, and what agents and homeowners should actually know.

 

Fast forward a few weeks.

 

She hosts an annual event where she invites her vendors, clients, and people she works with regularly. This year, it was at Topgolf, and there were probably 150 people there. I went for two reasons. One, to support someone who’s supported me and my business over the years. Two, to network. And it paid off.

 

I ran into plenty of familiar faces, met new people, and had real conversations. One of those conversations was with an estate planning attorney I never would have met if I had stayed in my office that night. That’s how this works. No cold calls. No awkward pitches. Just showing up.

 

As I was literally writing this blog, another invite popped into my inbox. The local Bar Association is hosting a happy hour for its members. Family law attorneys, estate attorneys, and other professionals who regularly need appraisers. Same deal. You don’t get these opportunities if you never leave your desk.

 

Here’s the hard truth for appraisers who want non-lender work. It does not come to you. You have to go to it.

 

If you want divorce, estate, probate, and private work, you need relationships. That means getting out of your office and into rooms where agents and attorneys already are. My advice is simple. Commit to at least one networking event a week. Start meeting new people. Start building real connections. Over time, that pipeline fills up, and the slowdowns disappear.

 

Yes, it takes effort. But it’s a lot easier than constantly wondering where your next assignment is coming from.

 

If you’re serious about growing your appraisal business on the non-lender side and want help doing it the right way, head over to referappraisals.com and reach out. You don’t have to figure this out alone.

Most appraisers treat marketing like it’s optional, annoying, or somehow beneath them. They’ll argue comps all day but won’t send a single email to the people who actually send them work. That’s not a strategy. That’s avoidance. Here’s why this matters. 

 

An agent recently added me to his homeowner newsletter. He wasn’t pitching me. He wasn’t selling anything. He was just staying visible. And it was smart.

His newsletter isn’t flashy. It’s not trying to win design awards. It’s him. He’s a good photographer, so every newsletter includes original photos from his local market. In the most recent one, he featured a massive Christmas tree his city puts up every year. Another shot was from a local festival, a carousel lit up at night.

Between the photos, he included exactly what homeowners actually care about:

 

-Where mortgage rates are

-Inventory levels

-Median sale prices

-Closed sales

-Year-over-year trends

 

Then he wished everyone a Happy New Year. That was it. No begging. No hype. No “Call me today before it’s too late.” And that’s exactly why it works.

 

-He stays front and center.
-He shows personality.
-He builds familiarity.

 

When one of those homeowners decides to sell in the coming year, guess who they’re calling? Not because he yelled the loudest, but because he stayed present without being annoying.

 

Now let’s talk about appraisers. Your network might include real estate agents, attorneys, divorce attorneys, estate planners, probate attorneys, CPAs, accountants, or homeowners. Different audiences, the same rule applies.

 

People don’t remember appraisers who are invisible. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. You just need to exist in your network’s inbox occasionally. Here’s the part that should really get your attention: the bar is ridiculously low.

Ninety-nine percent of appraisers are doing nothing.

 

-No newsletters

-No market updates

-No touchpoints

-No reminders that they’re still alive and still in business

 

So if you send a simple, professional email once a month, you’re already ahead of almost everyone. Add a little personality and consistency, and now you’re not just another name in someone’s phone. You’re the appraiser they think of first.

Ask yourself one question:


What do I enjoy enough to share consistently?

 

-Market stats.

-Photos from inspections.

-Short insights from real-world assignments.

-Local trends.

-Your hobbies.

 

It doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs to be you. Staying top of mind isn’t complicated. It’s not expensive. And it’s definitely not optional if you want consistent private work. Doing nothing is easy. Doing a little is powerful. And right now, doing a little puts you miles ahead of the competition.

You can keep hoping work magically shows up, or you can put yourself in rooms where referrals actually happen.

 

If you want access to a national network of appraisers who refer real non-lender work to each other, that’s exactly what the Appraisal Referral Network was built for. Learn more at ReferAppraisals.com.

I spend time in appraisal Facebook forums for one reason only: to observe. I don’t post much. I read. I scroll. I watch how appraisers think. Some are sharp as hell. Some are insightful. Some clearly know their craft. And some… confidently don’t.

 

Every few weeks, the same post shows up in a slightly different flavor:

 

“I’m super dead right now.”
 “Worst month I’ve ever had.”
 “I haven’t received an order all month.”
 “Anyone else seeing this?”

 

And then the comments roll in.

 

A few people say they’re busy.
 A few people say they’re even deader. Most just pile on with a collective group therapy session of misery.

 

Here’s my honest question: what does that accomplish?

 

Why do you care if another appraiser in your market is slow? What does their volume have to do with your business? Comparing how dead you are to how dead someone else is doesn’t pay a bill, doesn’t create a lead, and doesn’t magically make January better.

 

It’s just a bitch fest. What I wish I’d see more of is this:

 

“December was slow. I had no orders. Here’s what I’m doing about it.”

 

Because being slow isn’t the problem. Staying slow is. If December sucked, fine. Acknowledge it. But then answer the only question that actually matters:

 

What’s your plan so this year’s shitty December doesn’t turn into next year’s shitty January?

 

And this is where things usually fall apart. A lot of appraisers are going to do absolutely nothing. They’ll kick the can. They’ll blame rates. They’ll say they’re retiring soon anyway. They’ll keep waiting for the market to save them.

I chose a different route.

 

I’m willing to get up at 7:00 a.m. every Wednesday and spend two hours at a networking meeting.
 I’m willing to meet for coffee and lunch with potential clients during the week.
 I’m willing to spend hours marketing through emails, social media, follow-ups, and actual conversations.
 I’m willing to build relationships instead of waiting for orders to magically appear.

 

And you know what happened?

 

2025 was one of the highest-grossing years of my appraisal career. I’ve been doing this since 2002, and I made more money this year than ever before. That happened in a high-interest-rate environment, with no refinance boom and limited sales activity. That’s not luck. That’s behavior.

 

I recently heard Tony Robbins respond to someone who said, “I have a great idea.” His answer was simple: I don’t care. Because everyone has great ideas. What separates people isn’t ideas. It’s implementation. Action beats an idea every single time.

 

So the next time you feel like posting about how slow you are, go ahead and acknowledge it. Then ask yourself the harder question: What am I actually doing to change this?

 

Create a plan. Create a vision. Take action. Complaining is easy. Doing the work is optional. But only one of those leads to a better year.

Final Thought

If you want help getting out of the slow cycle and building real momentum, that’s exactly why the Appraisal Referral Network exists. It’s built for appraisers who want to take action, not just talk about how dead they are.

 

If you want to make 2026 different, join the network or reach out to me directly. I’m happy to help. There are plenty of solid resources in this profession, but none of them work unless you do.

 

Action beats an idea any day of the week.

Between Christmas and New Year’s, I do what a lot of people do. I sit down and write out goals. Personal goals. Business goals. The whole life inventory.

 

On the personal side, I break things into buckets. Family comes first. What do I want this year to look like with my kids? With my wife? What does a good marriage year actually mean, not just sound like? Then finances. Am I saving? Paying down debt? Buying another property? Investing somewhere new? Friendships matter too. And health. What’s my target weight? More importantly, what am I actually going to do to get there?

 

That last part matters. Goals without a plan are just wishful thinking with better handwriting.

 

I do the same thing on the business side. How much do I want to earn? What should my average fee be? What do I want my average fee to be? What do I want my client mix to look like? Lender work versus private work. Attorneys. Estates. Divorce. And again, the key question is always the same. What are the steps to make this happen?

 

For years, I kept all of this in a Word document. I’d print it out, leave it on my desk, and maybe look at it once a quarter. It was better than nothing, but let’s be honest, that document mostly just sat there judging me.

 

Midway through this past year, I read Do What Matters Most, and it flipped the script for me. The big takeaway was simple. Big goals don’t get done by thinking about them harder. They get done by breaking them into actions you can actually put on a calendar.

 

So I tried something new.

 

I bought a simple weekly planner on Amazon called the Productivity Weekly Planner. Same layout every week. Monday through Friday. No fluff. No motivational quotes yelling at me. Just structure.

 

Each week forces you to take those big, ambitious goals and turn them into small, manageable steps.

 

For example, one of my goals is to host a non-lender panel event in the first quarter. Instead of writing that goal once and hoping it magically happens, I now schedule the work. One week might say “Create marketing flyer.” Another week is “Meet with colleagues to flush out event details.” As the event gets closer, the tasks get more specific. Outreach. Logistics. Follow-ups.

 

I do this for everything. Business goals. Personal goals. Health goals. When I flip the page to a new week, I already know exactly what I should be working on because the thinking was done upfront. No guessing. No scrambling. No pretending I’ll “get to it next week.”

 

The result is progress. Not perfect weeks. Not superhuman discipline. Just consistent forward motion.

If you want to grow your private appraisal business in 2026, this kind of structure matters. Goals are easy. Execution is where most people fall apart.

 

And if you want help growing your non-lender work, expanding your referral network, and staying accountable to real business goals, that’s exactly what the Appraisal Referral Network is built for.

 

Join the Appraisal Referral Network and stop hoping your goals happen. Put them on the calendar and make them happen.

This week, I wanted to share a recent experience I had while completing a divorce appraisal. I was engaged by the wife’s attorney, which is pretty typical for me. In these cases, the spouse is usually my client, and the attorney is added as an intended user. Once the appraisal is complete, I send the report to both the client and their attorney.

 

Sometimes, attorneys request to be the client instead, likely to protect the appraisal as attorney work product. But in most cases I’ve handled, the spouse remains the named client.

 

So, the day before the inspection, I received a text from the wife letting me know her husband would be present during the appointment. That’s fine, not unusual at all. I’ve done 115 divorce-related appraisals this year alone. It’s a major part of my practice, and I’ve learned to expect just about anything.

 

But this particular visit was different. The husband was openly confrontational from the start. He questioned everything: my process, my credibility, and what I would do if the value range ended up between $1 million and $1.5 million. It was clear he was uneasy about the process and likely hoping for a lower value, as he was planning to buy out his spouse. On the other hand, the wife naturally wanted a higher value. Neither reaction surprised me.

 

I was direct with him. I explained that I’m neutral. I don’t care who the value benefits. My job is to analyze the property, collect accurate physical and market data, and support my conclusions in or out of court. I told him he’s free to disagree with my findings or even hire his own appraiser. That’s his right. But I also explained that my process is transparent. I measure the property, note its features and condition, and use recent comparable sales with appropriate adjustments to develop my opinion of value. That’s it. No games.

 

Divorce work often means dealing with two parties who may be at odds. Sometimes, one doesn’t want you there. Sometimes, neither do. A few months ago, I showed up for an inspection with the husband, only to find out he never told his wife I was coming. She was upstairs sleeping and understandably alarmed when a stranger was walking around her home. It created an incredibly uncomfortable situation that could have been avoided with basic communication.

 

These are the realities of family law appraisals. If you’re getting into this niche, be ready for unexpected scenarios. Stay professional, stay neutral, and don’t let tense moments rattle your focus. Your job is to provide credible, supportable analysis no matter the circumstances.

 

If you’re an appraiser looking to grow your non-lender business and gain confidence in the divorce niche, join the Appraisal Referral Network. It’s a space for professionals who want to expand, collaborate, and build a steady stream of private work

If you have been wondering why some appraisers seem to have work thrown at them while others are refreshing their email like it owes them money, here is the truth: it is not about who is lucky. It is about who actually knows how to network.

And no, I am not talking about passing business cards around like Halloween candy.

I am talking about what Jodie Cook spelled out in her Forbes article, “Networking Secrets of High Achievers: What They Do Differently” (Cook, 2024, Forbes). Her take is simple. High achievers do not network like everyone else. They network intentionally. And if you apply her findings to the appraisal world, the difference is night and day.

High achievers lead with value, not desperation

Cook makes a point that the most successful people do not show up asking, “What can you give me?” They show up asking, “How can I help you?”

For appraisers, that is the whole game.

Instead of begging attorneys or agents for appraisal work, shift the script:

  • Create a checklist for attorneys who constantly run into messy files.

  • Give agents a quick market update they can actually use.

  • Offer to review a property for a CPA before tax season chaos kicks in.

When you help people solve problems, the referrals chase you.

They do not work the room. They work the relationship

Cook highlights that high achievers build deeper, fewer, stronger relationships, not 200 weak ones.

This is where appraisers blow it. Too many treat networking like speed dating.

You do not need 200 attorneys. You need 8 who trust you like family.

Make a Top 10 List of referral partners. Probate attorneys, divorce attorneys, real estate agents who do volume, wealth managers, CPAs and so on.

Then actually stay in touch. Not just when you need business, but consistently. That keeps you on the short list when their phone rings.

They bring value to every conversation

High achievers do not show up empty. Cook writes that they always bring a unique perspective or insight.

As an appraiser, you already have intel nobody else has.

  • Market trends before agents catch them

  • Neighborhood changes before Zillow notices

  • The real reason behind rising or falling values

Use that. Show up to a meeting with two real stats, one story, and one tip that makes someone say, “I did not know that.”

That is how you get remembered.

They play the long game

High achievers do not expect instant results. Cook is clear that networking is a long-term investment.

Appraisers need to hear this because too many expect one lunch to equal ten referrals by Monday.

It does not work like that.

Relationships compound. You stay generous, you stay consistent, and you stay visible. Six months later the quiet attorney who never says much suddenly sends you a $3,500 probate referral.

That is the long game.

They are selective, and so should you be

Not everyone is your customer. Cook points out that achievers choose who they invest in.

For appraisers, that means stop chasing dead-end contacts.

If someone does not value your expertise or never sends business, move on. Spend time with the people who understand what you do and appreciate having you as a resource.

Bringing It Back to Appraisers

Networking for appraisers is not about being pushy or pretending to be a polished salesperson. It is about showing up with value, building real relationships, and being the go-to expert in your market.

Follow the habits Cook outlines and you will not just get your name out there. You will build a referral machine.

And if you are inside the Appraisal Referral Network, this is exactly how the top earners operate. They help first. They stay connected. They nurture relationships. And they reap the benefits, including the $2,500 and $3,500 referrals that crossed the platform this week.

Expert witness work looks glamorous from the outside. People imagine suits, confidence, and commanding the courtroom like you’re delivering the season finale of Law & Order: Appraiser Unit.

Reality?
Some days you’re fully prepared with a packet of questions and a clear roadmap. Other days you’re showing up to trial like, “So… what are we talking about today?”

This past week I had two Zoom trials scheduled an hour apart, and they were perfect examples of the extremes. If you ever wondered what expert work really looks like, here’s your inside view.

 

Case 1: The Attorney Who’s the Prepper

 

Monday night, after hours, of course, I get an email from the attorney. Attached was a PDF titled Exhibit I, containing a full outline of the questions she planned to ask me.

Every foundational question was listed and organized, from my background to the appraisal dates to the methodology behind the two valuations.

 

Here are some examples from her list (from Exhibit I PDF) :

  • “What licenses or certifications do you currently hold?”

  • “How long have you been working as a real estate appraiser?”

  • “Have you previously testified as an expert in court?”

  • “What was your opinion of value on February 18, 2025?”

  • “What is the value as of November 6, 2025?”

  • “How did you come up with the value on Nov 6, 2025?”

  • “In your expert opinion, is the property worth $1,115,500?”

If you ever want an appraiser to sleep well the night before trial, this is how you do it. Structure. Clarity. Direction. I could review, prepare, and walk in ready.

 

Case 2: The Attorney Who Thinks Prep Is Optional

 

A week before the trial, the husband in the case calls me directly:

“Yeah, I’m going to need you at trial.”
 Cool. Totally normal.
 I tell him, “Have your attorney reach out so we’re aligned.”

Silence. For days.

Then, the day before trial, less than 24 hours out, I finally get an email. The entire thing:

“Yes, are you available tomorrow at 10am? Zoom?”

No list of questions.
 No pre-trial call.
 No outline.
 No “Here’s what we’re discussing.”

This is the part of expert witness work that nobody warns you about. Some attorneys prepare like they’re defending the Constitution. Others… well… they remember you exist the day before trial.

 

Why This Matters for Appraisers

 

Expert witness work is unpredictable. Some attorneys send detailed questions. Others send a one-line email. Your preparation needs to be consistent even when theirs isn’t.

Your job is to stay composed, know your report cold, and be the calmest person in the virtual courtroom.

 

What You Can Learn From These Two Cases

 

  1. Treat every trial like you’re getting zero prep.
     Because sometimes you will.
  2. Create your own internal prep system.
     Dates, adjustments, comps, reconciliation — know it all cold.
  3. Build relationships with the attorneys who prepare well.
     They value your work and bring you back.
  4. Don’t let lack of prep shake you.
     Judges recognize professionalism.

Final Thought

 

Expert witness work is one of the highest-value services an appraiser can offer. It can be stressful, unpredictable, and occasionally chaotic, but once you learn to handle both extremes, it becomes a powerful part of your non-lender business.

Some attorneys give you a roadmap.
 Others give you 12 hours’ notice.
 Either way, you’ll be ready.

 

Want to Learn More About Expert Witness Work?

 

If you want to grow this part of your business or learn how other appraisers handle testimony, preparation, and the curveballs attorneys throw, join the Appraisal Referral Network. We offer both free and paid memberships, so you can choose whatever fits your goals and experience level.

You’ll get real-world guidance, community insights, and access to appraisers who are already doing this work every week.  Join us at ReferAppraisals.com.