Professionals
Attorney and Executor Property Information Checklist
What to gather before the appraisal engagement begins, organized by role.
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Professionals4 min read
Whether you're an attorney preparing for litigation or an executor administering an estate, a little document-gathering upfront helps the appraisal engagement move efficiently.
For Attorneys (Litigation & Divorce)
- Prior deed, title, or survey records for the property
- Any existing appraisals, CMAs, or tax assessment history
- Documentation of improvements, permits, or major repairs and their approximate dates
- Case-relevant dates (separation, filing, date of death, trust event) and why each matters
- Names and contact information for all intended users of the report
For Executors and Estate Professionals
- Decedent's date of death and any relevant trust or will provisions referencing the property
- Prior county tax assessments and any historical appraisals
- Records of significant repairs, renovations, or damage around the relevant date
- Names of all heirs, beneficiaries, or trustees who may need to be named as intended users
A Printable Version Is Available
This checklist is also available as a downloadable, printable worksheet you can share directly with clients or keep on file — see our downloads and checklists library.
What This Does Not Mean
This is a general organizational checklist, not a substitute for legal advice about what your specific case or estate requires, and gathering this information doesn't itself constitute or guarantee the scope of an appraisal engagement.
Frequently Asked Questions
The core categories are similar, but specific documents matter more or less depending on whether it's a divorce, estate, or general litigation matter — use the version most relevant to your case.
Gathering what you already have before the first conversation speeds up scoping, but the appraiser can also guide you on what's genuinely needed once the assignment is defined.
That's common, especially for older properties or estates — the appraiser can work with available data and explain how gaps in historical records are typically handled.
Yes — many attorneys and estate professionals use a version of this list to help clients gather what's needed before the appraisal engagement begins.