Find a Licensed Appraiser

An appraiser is an independent, state-licensed professional who determines the market value of a property. They work for neither the buyer, the seller, nor the lender: they inspect the property, measure its size, document its condition, and analyze recent comparable sales in the area. Their product is the appraisal report — a formal document that supports lending, sale, estate, or tax decisions.

In California, every appraiser is licensed by the Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers (BREA). Licensure requires college-level education, 100+ hours of approved coursework, thousands of hours of supervised experience, and a background check. The three residential license levels are AL (Licensed), AR (Certified Residential), and AG (Certified General) — each level authorizes larger and more complex properties. Professional appraisers also carry errors & omissions (E&O) insurance covering liability for their work.

Every appraisal in the United States must comply with USPAP — the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice: the national code of ethics and methodology requiring impartial analysis, no stake in the outcome, verifiable data, and real comparables. The Appraisal Independence Rule (part of the Dodd-Frank Act) prohibits lenders, agents, or anyone else from pressuring an appraiser toward a target value. Appraisers are never paid a percentage of the value — they earn a flat fee for their work regardless of the result.

On a mortgage-secured loan (a purchase or refinance), you do NOT choose the appraiser — and the bank does not hire one directly either. By law, the order is routed through an Appraisal Management Company (AMC) or the lender's independent panel, which assigns a licensed appraiser active in your area, typically on rotation. The appraiser is paid through that intermediary and reports directly to the lender. Neither you, your agent, nor the loan officer may request or influence the report's value.

When the appraisal is not for a loan — estate settlement, divorce, property tax appeal, estate planning, or a second opinion — you can hire a licensed appraiser directly. You commission the work, agree on scope and fee, and receive the report addressed to you. The appraiser follows the same USPAP standards and state licensing rules, but their client is you, not the bank. Many appraisers specialize in these private reports and in your county.