Date of Death Appraisals in Los Angeles County: A Guide for Heirs

What a Date of Death Appraisal Does

A date of death appraisal estimates what a home was worth on the day the owner passed away. The inspection can happen weeks or months later, but the appraiser uses sales and market conditions from around that earlier date. This is also called a retrospective appraisal.

Why Heirs and Trustees Need One

The IRS generally treats an inherited home's tax basis as its fair market value at the owner's death. A supported appraisal gives your CPA and attorney a documented number to work from. Your adviser decides how it is used for taxes, probate or trust administration.

• Step-up in basis before a later sale
• Trust administration and accounting
• Dividing an estate fairly between siblings
• A buyout when one heir keeps the home

Los Angeles County Homes Vary Block by Block

A Long Beach Craftsman near the water, a Lakewood tract home and a hillside property can sit in very different markets only a few miles apart. Good comparable sales should match the home's neighborhood, age, condition and setting as of the date of death, not just its square footage.

What to Have Ready

Share what you have. Missing records should not delay the call.

• Property address and date of death
• Your attorney's or CPA's contact and the report's purpose
• Photos from around the date of death
• Notes on repairs or changes made since then
• Access details for the inspection

Talk to a Family-Run Appraiser

Mallinson Home Appraisers has been family-run since 1979, and date of death appraisals are our specialty. We serve Los Angeles County from our Long Beach office and Orange County from Dana Point. Call 949.241.0310 to talk through your situation.