Q1 Recap: My Non-Lender Appraisal Business Breakdown
All right, Q1 of 2025 is in the books, and I figured I’d share some numbers from my corner of the appraisal world. Most of my work is non-lender these days, and this quarter was no different—77% of my assignments were non-lending. That leaves 23% from lender work, which, thankfully, just isn’t my bread and butter anymore.
Some of the non-lender assignments I completed this quarter included divorce appraisals, estate work, pre-listing, partition, immigration, some cash sales, and a one expert witness appearance fee. By far, divorce appraisals took the top spot—35% of my work in Q1. Not sure if it’s the “New Year, new life” crowd filing in January, but attorneys were definitely ringing my phone soon after.
Next up: 20% of my business came from listing appraisals. These were split between agents hiring me directly and homeowners who found me on Google. My listing appraisals always include a range of value, a single-point opinion of value, and a recommended listing price. I also include anticipated days on market. This combo helps sellers and agents love it because it helps head off pricing drama before it starts.
Estate work made up 17% of my Q1 assignments. These ran the gamut—date of death valuations, families looking to sell inherited properties, some going through probate, others just divvying things up. It’s a category that keeps growing.
The rest? A good mix of rental schedules, expert witness work, a cash purchase or two, one immigration case, and even a landlord-tenant sale negotiation.
Now, let’s talk about where my work is coming from:
- 22% from Google searches (people request quotes, I close the deal)
- 16% from family law attorneys I work with regularly
- 12% from BNI referrals
- 38% from “Other” (repeat clients, one-offs, random happy surprises)
- 12% from real estate agents I’ve built relationships with
As you can see, my client base is diversified—which I love. No single client or source owns too big a slice of my business. That said, I do keep an eye on Google. If they change their algorithm, that 22% could evaporate overnight. But beyond that, I’m getting steady referral work from past clients and professional partners, which is exactly how I like it.
So, that’s my Q1 breakdown. What about you? How’s your business doing?
I’m sharing this to give you a peek into what your non-lender appraisal business could look like. If you want help growing your non-lender work, check out the Appraisal Referral Network at referappraisals.com. You can join for free—no strings attached. We’ve got over a thousand appraisers hanging out and swapping referrals.
And if you’re ready to level up, the Elite Membership gives you access to higher referral fees, educational lessons, a resource library, and other tools to help you grow. We’re always adding new features to keep it valuable.
Got questions? Reach out. I’m always happy to help fellow appraisers build their non-lender empires.
