Like an "Antique Roadshow" in your Home!

William M. Novotny ISA AM
Personal Property Appraiser

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An Oral Appraisal is a Challenging Request

"Knowledge and Experience Matter"

A Novotny antiques and personal property oral appraisal report is fast, cost effective and meets all applicable USPAP requirements. He can frequently appraise an hundred items per hour, especially for common and ordinary household goods, residential contents and objects of nominal value. An oral appraisal by Novotny is like having an “antiques roadshow” in your home.

Do you have hidden treasures? Novotny will seek to discover and identify unusual or rare treasures such as this 1901 molded iron "NOT LEFT" cigar tip cutter and clock pictured here.

On-site oral appraisals are frequently used for sales or purchase advisories, informed decision making or equitable distribution (when appropriate). Many antique and personal property appraisal assignments are not appropriate for an oral appraisal report. An oral appraisal report can be provided only if a formal and typewritten appraisal report is not required. See an example of how Novotny can solve an appraisal problem orally.

Many appraisers decline oral appraisal assignments. Novotny declines oral appraisal assignments for which he is not competent such as for gems and jewelry, machinery and equipment, stamps, livestock, intangible assets, etc.

The Appraiser must be Competent.

Novotny has a strong generalist background in the valuation of household goods and complete residential contents:

•    over 30 years of valuation experience
•   experienced with most property types
•   experienced with most assignment types
•    knowledgeable with many rare and unusual objects and object types
•    over 20 years of buying most personal property types at auction
•   since 1979 has continuously sold personal property at antique retail stores, antique malls, antique shows, estate sales and swap meets
•    restoration experience with furniture and other antiques and art
•    an expert in USPAP appraisal standards
•   purchased or liquidated many dozens of complete household contents

o   antique dealer for 20 years
o   estate sale agent for over 20 years
o   generalist antiques & personal property appraiser for nearly 20 years

Oral appraisals are challenging due to the vast variety of personal property object types. No personal property appraiser can credibly answer every question about every object type. All appraisers have limits and must perform only within their range of competency.
Frequently the best answer is "I do not know".

As part of his oral valuation service in your home you can request Novotny to set up your computer with links to powerful research "price realized" websites. You retain these links for your future use. With your permission he can then use these website to inform or confirm his value opinion while developing his onsite value opinion, and to provide you with evidence, as needed, that supports his opinion.

Find out more about how an Novotny personal property oral appraisal report can help you make important decisions regarding downsizing, selling, insuring, donating or disposing of personal property. See how the oral report is communicated and the documents that Novotny will provide.

See a general list of property types frequently appraised

A Distant Appraisal can be Conducted Online and by Telephone

Novotny can provide a distant oral report for many property types no matter where the property is located. A distant oral appraisal report would require you to provide the required digital or real photographs in advance along with other information he may request.

A distant-oral appraisal assignment, if accepted by Novotny, will be billed at his lowest hourly appraisal fee. Distant-oral appraisals must be payed for in advance. All requested object identification data must be submitted for his review and research. Upon completion of the development of his appraisal opinions, and receipt of payment, he will contact you by telephone to discuss his value opinion(s), analyses and conclusions. Find out more about Distant Appraisals.

Find out how to describe properties that must be appraised, but cannot be inspected.

Contact Novotny now to discuss his fee and arrange for a quick oral appraisal that will answer your valuation questions. Visit his Home Page to find more general information about Novotny's appraisal services.

Read one of Novotny's published articles about the competency requirements and the scope of work necessary to conduct an oral appraisal.

Preparing for and documenting an on-site oral appraisal report

Novotny will proceed room by room valuing the objects you choose.

Choose an inspection time when distractions will be minimized.
Provide adequate lighting and access to objects.
Gather anything you suspect could be valuable
Determine which properties are to be included in the assignment.
Tag items in advance with sequential number stickers.
Identify for him known condition problems or past repairs.   
Document his observation by written notes or audio/visual recording.

Gather sets of silver, china and stemware; separate silver from silver plate. Gather heirlooms, quilts, samplers, textiles, rugs, important signatures, photographs, letters, books, post cards, advertising, toys, tools, knives, baskets, ceramics, glass, vintage costume jewelry, clothes, Native American/Asian items, other ethnic property types and other collectibles.

You must document his oral appraisal report. You can do this by creating a hand written list or you may use an audio/visual recording if you prefer. Retain your documentation of his oral appraisal report. Store it with the signed appraisal documents he will provide to you.

His document packet will include a signed identification of the appraisal problem (clients name, intended use, intended users, value definition, effective date and limiting conditions) documented in a contract and in his his signed appraisal summary. He will provide you with a brochure, a signed USPAP certification statement and his CV or Professional Profile.