Straight answers for Gilbert families.

What does VA pay for a loan appraisal in Maricopa County?

For VA loan appraisals in Maricopa County the VA fee table, effective May 1, 2026, lists $750 for a single-family home, $750 for a condominium, $800 for a manufactured home and $950 for a two-to-four-unit home, with a timeliness standard of 6 business days. VA sets that fee for its own loan appraisals. It is not our price for your assignment, which we quote in writing after we hear about the home and the purpose.

Source: VA appraisal fees and timeliness table.

Does Arizona have an estate tax or an inheritance tax?

No. The Arizona Department of Revenue explains that the state estate tax ended for people who passed away after 2004 and that Arizona has no inheritance or gift tax. A home’s value on the date of passing can still matter for the personal representative’s inventory and for an heir’s federal tax basis.

Source: Arizona Department of Revenue, Publication 900.

Does the personal representative of an Arizona estate have to hire an appraiser?

Often not. Arizona law says the personal representative may employ a qualified and disinterested appraiser for an asset whose value is subject to reasonable doubt. The inventory is due within ninety days of appointment and lists each item at its fair market value on the date of passing. Your attorney can tell you whether a Gilbert house needs an appraiser or whether the value is clear enough without one.

Source: A.R.S. § 14-3707; A.R.S. § 14-3706.

Can a Gilbert home pass to someone without probate?

Sometimes. Arizona allows a beneficiary deed, a recorded deed that says it takes effect when the owner passes away. Arizona also has an affidavit procedure for succession to real property in some situations. Both have rules and limits, so ask an attorney which one, if either, applies. An appraisal can still be useful afterward to document the home’s value on the date of passing.

Source: A.R.S. § 33-405; A.R.S. § 14-3971.

How does Arizona divide a home in a divorce?

Arizona divides community property equitably, which is not always exactly half, and assigns each spouse’s separate property to that spouse. An independent value of the house gives both sides and the court the same number to start from. Ask your attorney which date the value should reflect before you order the appraisal.

Source: A.R.S. § 25-318.

Arizona is a community property state. Does that change an heir’s tax basis?

It can. Federal law treats a surviving spouse’s one-half share of community property as acquired from the person who passed away when at least half of the community interest is included in the gross estate. That can bring the whole home to its value on the date of passing. Your tax adviser decides how it applies, and we value the house for the date they name.

Source: 26 U.S.C. § 1014(b)(6); IRS Publication 551.

Where can I look up my Gilbert home’s county record before I call?

Gilbert homes are recorded in Maricopa County. The Assessor’s map shows the parcel, and the Recorder’s office keeps recorded deeds, including any beneficiary deed. Having the parcel number or a recent deed handy makes the first phone call quicker.

Source: Maricopa County Assessor map; Maricopa County Recorder.

What do you need from me to give a quote?

Just five things: the street address, the kind of home, why you need the value, the date it should reflect, and your deadline. If you do not know one of them, say so. We would rather talk it through with you than have you guess.

How long does an appraisal take?

It depends on access to the home, the date being valued and what the report is for. We give a delivery estimate in writing before work begins and do not promise a date we have not checked.

Will I get a copy of the report?

Before we start, we agree in writing who is engaging us, who receives the report and who may rely on it. Please do not assume anyone else automatically receives a copy; tell us who should, and we will put it in the agreement.