Hurricane season is upon us again and disaster loss can strike at anytime which leads us to the question do you really know what your possessions are worth? Would you be covered by your insurance if you had to file a claim? If you are not sure please contact us for more information!

Maybe you are cleaning out the attic or storage building and you need to know what something is worth~we can help you with that also!

Here are some things to consider when looking for an appraiser

First you need to do some background work:
-Is this person certified?
-Is this person experienced?
-If so when and where did they acquire their appraisal experience?
-Are they a dealer or reseller?
-Are they familiar with the USPAP guidelines for appraisals? which you can look up here: http://www.uspap.org/
-Can they provide documentation/comparables for their prices given?

If the answer to these questions are no (unless they are an antiques dealer or business owner in good standing) then please consider this-
you will get what you pay for!

There are certified appraisers on the coast and within driving distance you can look them up here: http://www.certifiedappraisersguild.org/

A TRUE APPRAISAL CAN HAVE NO INTEREST IN THE PROPERTY AT THE PRESENT OR IN THE FUTURE unless they pay full documented retail because this is ILLEGAL and people have gone to prison for under valuing property then reselling at a huge profit. There is nothing wrong with selling to someone who will resale but understand that does NOT consistute an appraisal! Even a few former appraisers for the ANTIQUES ROADSHOW served JAIL time in a FEDERAL PRISON for doing that very thing because it is FRAUD. You can find examples by entering appraisal fraud into any search engine.

Before you bring someone into your home to look at your valuables be aware and be informed! Then make your decisions. Anyone can give you an opinion to value but make sure you know before you talk to someone.

AML Appraisals provides CAGA certified personal property appraisals. Professional appraisals are used for estate planning, taxes, charitable donations, collateral and  insurance underwriting. They are also used for certain types of litigation involving divorce, bankruptcy, or casualty/disaster loss.  CAGA is North America's leading trainer of personal property appraisers. The members of CAGA form a network of valuable appraisal contacts throughout the United States and Canada.