Certified Auto Appraiser · Divorce appraisals
Divorce car appraisals in Orange County
When two people see the same car very differently, an independent number takes the argument out of the room. I inspect the car in person and prepare a written appraisal both sides can rely on.
From the field
One car. Two very different numbers.
It usually starts the same way. A classic truck in the garage, a weekend Porsche, or simply the family SUV, and two people who are each sure they know what it's worth. One number comes from an online calculator. The other comes from what a friend's car sold for. They're rarely close.
I've spent thirty years buying, selling and appraising cars here in Orange County, and I know how much a car's condition, history and options move its value. That's what an independent appraisal settles. I don't represent either spouse. I look at the car, research what comparable cars have actually sold for, and write down a value with the reasoning behind it.
Whether you're planning a buyout or selling the car and splitting the proceeds, you both start from the same, well-supported number. That tends to make everything that comes after a little easier.
Keep driving,
David
When you need one
- Dividing community property, when one spouse keeps the car and buys out the other
- Selling the car and dividing the proceeds, with a fair reference point for the price
- Mediation, where both parties agree to use one neutral appraiser
- Disputed values, when the two sides are far apart
- Collector, classic and exotic cars, where online guides simply don't apply
What the report includes
- Fair market value as of the valuation date your attorney or mediator specifies
- An in-person inspection of the car, with detailed photographs
- Condition, mileage, options, modifications and documented history
- Comparable sales and how each one was adjusted to this car
- A signed certification of independence, prepared in line with USPAP
Independence
Neutral by design
You can engage me on your own, jointly with your spouse, or through either attorney. Your spouse is always welcome to be there for the inspection or to speak with me directly. My fee never depends on the value. If you later decide to sell the car, that's a separate conversation, on separate terms, in writing.
Questions
Good to know.
Will the court accept your appraisal?
My reports are prepared to be relied on by attorneys, mediators and the court: an independent, documented value with the reasoning and comparable sales behind it, prepared in line with USPAP. If testimony or a deposition is ever needed, I'm available for an additional fee.
What valuation date do you use?
Whatever date your attorney or mediator specifies. In California that's often a date close to trial, and sometimes the date of separation. If you don't have one yet, I appraise the car as of the inspection date, and I can add a second date if it's needed later.
Can my spouse and I share one appraiser?
Yes, and it often saves time and money. A single neutral appraisal is usually easier for both sides to accept than two competing ones.
What if my spouse has the car?
That's common. I just need access to the car for the inspection. We can arrange a time and place that works for whoever has it.
Do you appraise classic and collector cars for divorce?
Yes. Classic, collector, exotic and modified cars are where an independent appraisal matters most, because general price guides rarely reflect what those cars actually sell for.
Do you come to me?
Yes. I inspect cars in person throughout Orange County, from Newport Beach and Irvine to Mission Viejo and Rancho Santa Margarita, at your home, your storage or wherever the car is kept.
Other appraisals
Request an appraisal
Tell me about the car, who has it, and whether your attorney has given you a valuation date. I'll reply personally.