If you’ve found yourself in a legal dispute involving real estate assets, you’re not alone—and you don’t need to panic. Our appraisers in NYC have extensive experience navigating the legal system, and we’re here to support you and your attorney with accurate, defensible property appraisals that provide the foundation for your claims.
As certified property appraisers in NYC, we offer reliable, objective insights into your case from the perspective of expert property evaluators. Whether your dispute involves property damage, breach of contract, partnership dissolution, eminent domain, or any other real estate litigation matter, we provide the professional valuation evidence you need to support your position in negotiations, mediation, arbitration, or court proceedings.
Litigation appraisals differ significantly from standard real estate appraisals. When property value is contested in legal proceedings, the appraisal must withstand rigorous scrutiny from opposing experts, attorneys, and potentially judges or juries. These appraisals require heightened attention to methodology, documentation, and defensibility.
Unlike mortgage or estate appraisals where professional standards alone govern the work, litigation appraisals must anticipate challenges, address conflicting expert opinions, and present conclusions in ways that non-appraisers can understand. The appraiser becomes an integral part of your legal team, working closely with attorneys to develop valuation evidence that supports your case strategy.
When purchase agreements, development deals, or option contracts are disputed, appraisals establish property values at specific dates to quantify damages or determine proper contract prices.
Business partners or co-owners disagreeing on property value need independent appraisals to support buyouts, dissolution agreements, or establish fair market value for ownership interests.
Property owners facing government taking require expert appraisals demonstrating fair market value before the taking, plus damages to any remaining property.
Insurance disputes, construction defects, environmental contamination, or casualty losses require before-and-after valuations to quantify damages and diminution in value.
Creditors, debtors, and trustees need accurate property valuations for bankruptcy proceedings, workout negotiations, or foreclosure deficiency determinations.
Challenging property tax assessments requires professional appraisals demonstrating current market value differs from assessed value.
Disputed estates or trust distributions involving real property require independent valuations to resolve beneficiary conflicts or challenge fiduciary decisions.
No matter what type of real estate litigation you’re facing—residential, commercial, or investment property—Block Appraisals has a solution for you.
Along with comprehensive written appraisal reports, our expert appraisers are prepared to provide professional support throughout legal proceedings including depositions, mediation, and arbitration. We explain complex valuation concepts in clear, understandable terms for attorneys, mediators, arbitrators, and other parties involved in legal matters.
Our appraisal work is built on sound methodology, thorough research, and defensible analysis designed to withstand scrutiny in legal proceedings. We've prepared appraisals for divorce matters, estate disputes, and various court cases throughout NYC, and we understand how to present technical appraisal evidence in ways that support legal objectives, adding credibility and strength to your claims.
We work collaboratively with your legal team throughout the litigation process, providing guidance on property valuation issues from case strategy through final resolution. Our services include consultation on discovery requirements, assistance with reviewing opposing appraisals, analysis of valuation methodology, and education on appraisal principles for your attorneys.
We help you understand the property's market value through data-driven analysis, identify potential weaknesses in opposing valuations, and develop persuasive evidence supporting your position. From preliminary case evaluation through settlement negotiations or preparation for hearings, we provide the expert support your legal team needs.
Litigation appraisals require enhanced rigor compared to standard appraisals:
Heightened Documentation: Every conclusion must be supported by detailed documentation anticipating challenges from opposing experts. We provide comprehensive explanations of all adjustments, methodology choices, and data sources.
Multiple Valuation Dates: Litigation often requires valuations as of multiple dates—before damage occurred, at contract date, date of breach, or date of filing. Each date may require separate analysis with historical data research.
Defensible Methodology: We must clearly state all assumptions and demonstrate how they affect value conclusions. Our methodology withstands professional scrutiny and challenge.
USPAP Compliance: All litigation appraisals strictly comply with Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice, particularly standards regarding objectivity and disclosure requirements.
Rebuttal Capabilities: We anticipate opposing expert arguments and proactively address potential challenges to our methodology and conclusions within our reports.
Successful litigation appraisals require close attorney-appraiser collaboration:
Engage your appraiser early in litigation. Early involvement allows proper case strategy development, appropriate discovery, and adequate preparation time before deadlines.
We work with your legal team to identify necessary documents, review opposing party production, and respond to discovery requests about our appraisal methodology and data.
Court rules and scheduling orders specify expert report requirements and deadlines. We ensure our reports meet all procedural requirements and are delivered on time.
When opposing parties present conflicting valuations, we provide critical analysis identifying methodological flaws, data errors, or inappropriate assumptions in their work.
New York City real estate litigation presents unique challenges:
Co-op Valuation Complexities: Co-op appraisals in litigation must address proprietary lease terms, board restrictions, flip taxes, and underlying mortgage obligations affecting marketability and value.
Rent Regulation Issues: Properties with rent-controlled or rent-stabilized units require specialized analysis of regulatory constraints affecting value.
Condo & Co-op Governance: Building assessments, special assessments, reserve requirements, and building-specific litigation impact individual unit values in ways requiring expert analysis.
Zoning & Development Rights: Air rights, transferable development rights, and zoning disputes in NYC’s complex regulatory environment require specialized expertise in highest and best use analysis.
Market Segmentation: NYC’s hyper-local markets mean small geographic differences dramatically affect value. Expert knowledge of neighborhood micro-markets is essential for credible analysis.
We meet with you and/or your legal team to understand the dispute, identify valuation issues, determine necessary effective dates, discuss case strategy, and establish appropriate engagement terms.
We review relevant documents including deeds, contracts, leases, prior appraisals, financial statements, and other materials. We identify additional documents needed through discovery.
We inspect the property (where accessible), photograph conditions, research comparable sales and market data for all effective dates, and gather all information necessary to support our valuation conclusions.
We apply appropriate valuation approaches, prepare detailed documentation supporting all conclusions, and produce comprehensive reports meeting court requirements—narrative or form format depending on case needs and procedural rules.
We remain available as a consultant to work with your attorneys to address questions about the appraisal, review opposing expert reports if needed, provide additional analysis or clarification as the case progresses toward resolution, and support your legal team throughout the litigation process.
Your comprehensive litigation appraisal includes:
Comprehensive written report meeting court requirements, explaining methodology, presenting data and analysis, and supporting value conclusions with detailed documentation.
Where property is accessible, thorough inspection and photographic documentation. Where access is limited, exterior inspection and alternative research methods.
Comprehensive comparable sales research for all effective dates, market analysis, and data supporting all valuation conclusions.
Application of appropriate approaches (Sales Comparison, Income, Cost), detailed explanation of adjustments and assumptions, and reconciliation of value indications.
Consultation with legal counsel, review of opposing appraisals when provided, preparation for discovery, and ongoing availability to address questions throughout the legal process.
Visual aids, maps, photographs, and charts that help explain complex valuation concepts to attorneys, mediators, and other parties.
Additional analysis addressing issues raised in discovery, opposing expert opinions, or other matters requiring further explanation.
Complete file documentation maintained with confidence and transparency for discovery, including work files, research, and all materials considered in forming opinions, ready to be produced if requested during legal proceedings.
We bring professional credentials and extensive experience to every litigation assignment:
Connect with our team today and we will make sure to help you out with your needs. Call us now or send us a message.
