Appraisers and assessors estimate the value of items such as buildings, art, or antiques.

Appraisers

Appraisers determine how much items are worth. They specialize in different types of items. Some specialize in:

• Real estate property appraisal (buildings and property)
• Personal property (art, antiques, jewelry, and machinery)
• What businesses are worth

Appraisers gather information about items to determine and analyze their value.

Real estate property appraisers inspect buildings and the land they are on. They determine the condition of buildings and where they are located. Appraisers take pictures to document what buildings look like. They search public records of sales, leases, and appraisals to determine if properties have been appraised before. They also check the appraisal value of similar properties.

Personal property appraisers examine the items and determine its condition. They also attempt to determine the maker of the vase by looking for identifying marks. For valuable items, appraisers attempt to verify that they are genuine. Appraisers may consult books or computer databases to find information about items.

After they have analyzed all this information, appraisers assign a value to items. They write reports that document how they determined the value.

Assessors

Assessors work for government agencies. They do the same tasks as real property appraisers, but have additional duties. They update maps used by the city government that show the size, shape, and location of properties. They also write descriptions of each building and how the land and buildings are used. Once they have determined the value of properties, assessors use formulas to determine their property taxes.