Divorce Appraisal Dates: Separation, Filing or Today's Value?

When a home is part of a divorce, one of the first questions is “value as of when?” Home prices in Phoenix and across Maricopa County can move noticeably over the months a divorce takes. The date can change the number, and the number can change the settlement.

Who chooses the date?

Not the appraiser. The effective date of a divorce appraisal is a legal question. Your attorney, your agreement or the court decides which date the value should reflect. The appraiser then values the home as of that date and states it clearly in the report.

The dates that come up most

• Today’s value (current). Common when the house is about to be sold or refinanced as part of the settlement.
• Date the petition was served. Arizona law generally treats property acquired after service of a dissolution petition differently (A.R.S. section 25-211), so attorneys sometimes ask about value around that date.
• Date of separation. Some cases look at when the spouses separated.
• Another date set by agreement or court order.

Attorneys sometimes ask for two values, such as the date of service and today, to see how much the market moved. One report can often cover both. Tell us when you order.

How an appraiser values a past date

A past-date (retrospective) appraisal follows the same professional standards as any appraisal, but everything is measured as of the effective date:

1. Comparable sales from that time, not last month.
2. The home as it was on that date. Later remodeling, repairs or damage is set aside.
3. Market conditions then, with adjustments if prices were rising or falling.

Photos from around that date, old listings, receipts and permits all help. See our article on retrospective appraisals.

What if one spouse improved the home after separating?

It happens often: one spouse stays, repaints, replaces flooring or fixes the roof. Whether those changes count, and for whom, is a legal question. The appraiser’s job is to describe the condition clearly as of each effective date, so your attorneys can apply the rules. Tell us what changed and when.

Common questions

Can you appraise as of a date a year or two ago? Usually yes, if there’s reliable sales data from that period and enough information about the home’s condition then.

Is a past-date appraisal more expensive? It can take more research. Ask when you order; we’ll tell you before you commit.

Do you work with mediators? Yes. Either spouse, both spouses, an attorney or a mediator can order the appraisal.

Get the right value for the right date

West Valley Appraisal Services prepares current and retrospective divorce residential real estate appraisals throughout Phoenix / Maricopa County, Arizona.

Learn about divorce appraisals, read who keeps the house in an Arizona divorce, or call (602) 717-8450.

Written by Jason Clow, State Certified Residential Appraiser #21559. This article is general information, not legal advice. Your attorney decides which date applies in your case.