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Can you get an appraisal as of a date years in the past?
Yes. A certified appraiser can complete a retrospective appraisal for a date of death that was months or years ago. The appraiser inspects the home today but values it as of the past effective date, using only the market data and property conditions that existed then.
Two dates drive every appraisal: the date of inspection and the effective date of value. In an ordinary appraisal they are the same. In a retrospective appraisal they are years apart, and the report states both. The inspection shows the property as it is now; the effective date tells the appraiser which market to value it in.
Nothing about the passage of time makes the request unusual. Estates stay open, houses sit in trusts, and families often sell long after a death. See our retrospective appraisal service for the general process.
How does an appraiser value a home as of a past date?
The appraiser separates the inspection date from the effective date, then builds the value from sales that had closed on or before the date of death, adjusted for the home's condition at that time. Later sales and later market information are not used to set the value.
- Set the effective date. This is the date of death, or in some estates the alternate valuation date six months later.
- Inspect the home now and document what has changed. The appraiser asks what was renovated, added or damaged since the date of death and values the home as it stood then.
- Reconstruct the market. Closed sales from the months surrounding the date of death are pulled from MLS and public records, with the closest sales to that date weighted most.
- Adjust and reconcile. Differences in size, condition, lot and location are adjusted exactly as in a current appraisal, and the report states its assumptions plainly.
What records help a retrospective appraisal?
Photos from the time of death, the deed, building permits, tax and SDAT records, an estate inventory, insurance or inspection reports, and listing photos from any nearby sale all help. The more evidence of the home's condition on the date of death, the stronger the opinion of value.
| Record | What it helps show |
|---|---|
| Photos and videos from that time | Condition and finishes on the date of death |
| Permits and contractor invoices | What work was done before, and what was added after |
| Deed and SDAT record | Ownership, lot, living area and ground rent status |
| Estate inventory or insurance report | Prior valuation and known condition issues |
| Neighbors' and agents' recollections | Context only; the appraiser verifies against records |
If few records exist, the appraiser can still complete the report and will state any limits in the assumptions. Do not renovate or clear out the home before the inspection if you can avoid it.
What if the home was renovated or damaged after the owner died?
The appraiser values the home in the condition it was in on the date of death, not as it looks today. Improvements made by the heirs after that date are excluded, and damage that happened afterward is not deducted.
This is why photos and invoices matter. A new kitchen installed two years after the death would otherwise inflate the date-of-death value. The report is written under the assumption that the home is in its date-of-death condition, with that assumption disclosed.
When do heirs need a retrospective appraisal years later?
The most common triggers are selling the inherited home, a buyout between siblings, a refinance, filing a Maryland or federal return that needs the value, and settling a dispute among heirs. In each case the date-of-death value is the number everyone has to agree on.
- Selling the home: The sale is reported against the stepped-up basis. See how the stepped-up basis works.
- Estate accounting: The Register of Wills and the estate's attorney may need a documented value.
- Family agreements: Siblings dividing a home need a neutral number from a licensed appraiser.
- Amended returns: If a basis was never established, a retrospective appraisal can support it. Ask your CPA about timing.
A date-of-death appraisal typically costs $400 to $1,500 depending on the property and how much history has to be reconstructed. See the cost guide for fees by property type.
Common questions
How far back can a retrospective appraisal go?
There is no fixed limit, but older dates mean more reconstruction. Sales data and public records are generally available for many years back, and the report states any limits.
Will a retrospective appraisal be accepted by the IRS?
A USPAP-compliant report by a certified appraiser is the standard supporting document for a date-of-death value. Acceptance depends on the facts of your return, so confirm with your CPA.
Can I use a Zillow estimate or an agent's opinion instead?
Online estimates and agent opinions are not appraisals. They are not written to appraisal standards and do not document an effective date, so they are weak support for a tax basis.
Do I need to be present for the inspection?
Someone with access to the property needs to be, but the appraiser can work from records, photos and public data for the past market.
More articles
Appraisal vs. CMA: Can You Use a Real Estate Agent's Market Analysis for Probate?
What a CMA is, how it differs from a certified appraisal, and why heirs and executors usually need the appraisal for estate and tax purposes.
How Does the IRS Stepped-Up Basis Work for Inherited Real Estate?
How the IRS resets an inherited home's cost basis to its date-of-death value, with a worked example, what doesn't qualify, and why heirs need an appraisal.
What Is a Date of Death Appraisal in Maryland and Why Is It Required?
A certified retrospective valuation as of the day the owner passed. Why heirs and executors need one, with a worked stepped-up basis example.