Date of Death Appraisals

Understanding Retrospective Valuations

Settling an estate is a complex and often emotional process. One of the most important requirements for an executor or administrator is establishing the fair market value of the property as of the date of the owner's passing. This is known as a "retrospective appraisal" or a "date of death appraisal."

At 3:16 Appraisals, we have extensive experience working with attorneys, accountants, and family members to provide professionally defensible reports that satisfy IRS requirements. These valuations are crucial for determining if a federal or state estate tax return is owed, and for establishing a new "step-up" in basis for the property's capital gains calculation.

Whether the date of death was last month or several years ago, our team has the expertise to deliver an accurate, unbiased opinion of value that holds up under scrutiny.

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions about our appraisal services.

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• Accurate, unbiased opinion of value
• Confident decisions backed by real data
• Professionally defensible reports
• Fast turnaround times — never left waiting
• Local expertise from a true market specialist
• Direct access to your appraiser from start to finish

Gary Eaton is the founder and lead appraiser at 3:16 Appraisals, bringing over 20 years of experience helping homeowners, lenders, and legal professionals across the Phoenix Metro Area obtain accurate and reliable property valuations through smart, proactive analysis.

Whether you're a homeowner looking to list your property, navigating a complex estate settlement, or a lender needing a dependable valuation — Gary has the extensive local market knowledge and expertise to provide an appraisal report tailored to your specific situation and needs.

"Gary is professional and detail oriented so that you get an accurate appraisal. I would highly recommend him! As a homeowner I have his appraisal to make sure I know what our house is potentially worth and to compare to appraisals that a bank might provide. This is important, especially if you're planning to sell or refinance your home. The housing market is ever changing so even getting an appraisal by Gary once every couple of years is well worth money!!"

"We hired Gary to do an appraisal on our vacant land lot and he was amazing. He was very good at communicating with us. The report he sent over was clear and easy to read and he even went over it with us to make sure we understood it. 10/10 would recommend and use him again."

"I have worked with Gary on multiple times, and he has always provided high-quality, thorough, timely and consistent work. Gary has extensive knowledge of both the Phoenix and Flagstaff markets and strives to remain up to date and educated on what's happening in the appraisal world. If you are looking for a quality and professional appraiser, I would highly recommend 316 Appraisals!"

"Gary at 316 Appraisals was excellent to work with! He was easy to talk to, extremely knowledgeable, informative and made the entire process seamless. I really appreciated his clear communication, reliability and quick turnaround time. The final report was professional, thorough and meticulous. I would highly recommend Gary to anyone in need of a top-tier appraisal."