Terms of Use

Our service and its limits

What we do

We match clients with independent, state-certified real estate appraisers and manage the order from scheduling through quality-control review and delivery.

Who performs the appraisal

The appraiser assigned to your order develops the value opinion and signs the report. Each appraiser is an independent professional responsible for their own work under the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) and their state license. We do not develop, sign, or change appraisal opinions.

Non-lending use only

Eligibility

You must be at least 18 and able to enter a binding contract. If you order on behalf of someone else, such as a client, estate, or business, you confirm that you are authorized to do so.

Coverage

We currently serve Washington State, including King, Snohomish, Pierce, and Kitsap Counties. We may decline any order outside our coverage area or that no qualified appraiser can accept.

Orders and engagement

Engagement letter

Each order is confirmed by an engagement letter that states the client, intended users, intended use, effective date, scope of work, fee, and delivery estimate. If the engagement letter conflicts with these terms, the engagement letter controls for that order.

Client and intended users

The client is the person or organization identified in the engagement letter. If an attorney, accountant, or agent orders for someone else, the engagement letter will state who the client is and who the intended users are. Only named intended users may rely on the report.

Your responsibilities

You agree to:

• Provide accurate and complete information about the property and the assignment.
• Tell us the correct purpose and intended use, so the appraiser can define the right scope of work.
• Arrange safe, timely access to the property, including any occupants, pets, or locked areas.
• Tell us about any known hazards or conditions that could affect the appraiser’s safety.

If information you provide is inaccurate or incomplete, the report may need to be revised, and additional fees may apply.

Comparable sale suggestions

You may suggest comparable sales. Your appraiser will consider them, but independently selects the comparables used in the report.

Appraiser independence

No predetermined value

Your fee is not based on the value conclusion, a target value, or any outcome. No one, including you, us, or any intended user, may ask an appraiser to reach a particular value or to influence the result. We will cancel any order where this happens, and the guarantee will not apply.

Quality-control review

Before delivery, our review team checks each report for accuracy, completeness, and USPAP compliance. The review does not change the value opinion, which is always the appraiser’s own.

Questions and reconsideration requests

If you believe the report contains a factual error, or you have market data the appraiser may not have considered, you may submit a written reconsideration request within 30 days of delivery. Include the specific error or data, such as sales with addresses, dates, and sources. The appraiser will review it and respond in writing. A request does not guarantee a change in value. Disagreement with the value alone is not grounds for revision or refund.

Pricing, payment, and cancellations

Price confirmed at order

You will see the full price, including any add-ons you select, before you pay. Payment is due in full at checkout and is processed by Stripe.

Additional fees

We charge more than the confirmed price only if the scope changes after ordering, and only with your approval before the work is done. Examples include a property that differs materially from what was described, a missed or rescheduled inspection, an added effective date, or a revision caused by inaccurate information you provided.

Cancellations

The right choice Guarantee

If we cannot match your order with a qualified appraiser, you will receive a full refund. Service-specific guarantee terms, including any screening fees for tax appeal orders, are described in our Right Choice Guarantee section and in your engagement letter.

Refund timing

Approved refunds are issued to your original payment method within 10 business days.

Delivery, use of reports, and testimony

Turnaround

Delivery times shown on the website and in your engagement letter are estimates, not guarantees. Delays can come from property access, weather, data availability, or scope changes. Rush delivery, when purchased, is a priority commitment; if we miss it, the rush fee is refunded.

Use of the report

The report may be used only by the client and named intended users, and only for the intended use stated in it. Anyone else who receives a copy may not rely on it. Using the report for mortgage lending or any purpose not stated in it is not permitted.

Consultation

Your order includes a 15-minute consultation with your appraiser to explain the report and answer any questions you may have. It does not include advocacy, negotiation, or a change to the value opinion.

Testimony and expert witness work

Depositions, court testimony, hearings, and related preparation are not included in the appraisal fee. They require a separate written engagement and are billed at the appraiser’s hourly rate. Appraisers may decline testimony assignments.

Website use, reviews, and disclosures

Acceptable use

You agree not to misuse the website, including by submitting false orders or information, interfering with its operation, attempting unauthorized access, or using automated tools to copy its content.

Reviews and feedback

If you submit a review, survey response, or testimonial, you confirm it reflects your honest experience. If you give permission, we may publish it on our website and marketing materials, edited only for length or clarity, and identified by first name and city unless you approve otherwise. We do not offer anything of value in exchange for positive reviews.

Intellectual property

The website’s content, design, logos, and the Trusted Local Appraiser name belong to us or our licensors. Appraisal reports are prepared for the client and intended users and are subject to the appraiser’s rights and USPAP confidentiality.

Affiliate disclosure

Our founder also owns a residential appraisal firm. Appraisers from that firm may be assigned to orders placed through this website. They are held to the same vetting, independence, and quality-control standards as every other panel appraiser.

Third-party services

The website relies on third-party services, such as Stripe for payments. Your use of those services is subject to their own terms.

Disclaimers and limitation of liability

What an appraisal is not

An appraisal is an opinion of value as of a specific date. It is not a home inspection, survey, title search, environmental assessment, or guarantee of sale price, assessed value, or legal outcome. We and our appraisers do not provide legal, tax, or financial advice.

Website provided as is

The website and its general information are provided “as is,” without warranties of any kind, to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, our total liability for any claim relating to the website or an order is limited to the fees you paid for that order. We are not liable for indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages, such as lost profits or tax savings. Nothing in these terms limits liability that cannot be limited under applicable law.

Indemnification

You agree to cover claims, losses, and reasonable legal fees arising from false information you provide, your misuse of the website or a report, or your violation of these terms.