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12319 Wycliff Pl
Tampa, FL, 33626
United States

(813) 454-5829

Drake Appraisals is a fine art, antique and estate appraiser covering the entire Tampa Bay area. Whether you are in Tampa, Clearwater, St. Pete or beyond, we are happy to come to your location to examine the items you need to have appraised.

We provide valuations for insurance, loss or damage, estate tax, non-cash charitable donations and more. From a single piece to large collections to entire estates, we will handle your appraisal with professionalism and care.

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The Appraisal Process

The Appraisal Process

The process of a qualified personal property appraisal is broken down into three parts. They are Inspection, Research & Report.

Inspection

The process starts with an inspection of the item or items being appraised. During this time we will measure, photograph, document condition and put together an exact description of the property. In most cases we come to the location of the property to be appraised inspection is done within a matter of hours. However, inspection can take anywhere from a few minutes for a single item to multiple days for large estates or collections. Prior to the inspection the paperwork for the appraisal contract will be signed and processed. This paperwork includes a brief description of the property to be appraised, the number of piece to be included and confirms the reason for the appraisal, as well as other information important to the scope of the assignment. There are different types of appraisals for different reasons, so having this information beforehand is key.

Research

The research portion of the process takes place at our offices after the inspection of the items is complete. The time and scope of the research necessary varies greatly from job to job, depending no only on the type of items being appraised, but also on the type of items. Collectibles, multiples and other items where comparables are more readily available may take less time, while one of a kind items may take more digging to obtain the necessary information for a credible valuation. Typical jobs will require around 5-7 business days for research, however many jobs are not typical!

During this time we will be searching for the information to first, identify exactly what the item is. This may include determining the materials and/process used to make it, the maker of the item, its region of origin, date of creation, how its condition relates to the condition of relative comparables and more.

Once it has been determined explicitly what the item is, we set out to determine the value of the item. This research is done using our library of auction catalogs and reference books, as well as online auction result databases for major, mid-level and smaller regional auction houses. We can also get the necessary information from our contacts at galleries, art reference libraries and even from the artists themselves. It is our job to not only know what information we will need to formulate a credible opinion of value, but also how to get that information.

Report

Once we have inspected and researched, with both leading up to the formulation of a value opinion, we need to let you know what we have come up with. To this end, we put together a USPAP compliant appraisal report. You'll receive a hard copy of the report, which clearly outlines both the results of our research and the value opinion in a way that is easy to understand. It will also include all the details of the scope of the report, including its purpose, the list of intended users and a total value of the property being appraised. We also keep a copy of your report in our files for, at minimum, five years and can provide copies of the report to an intended users upon your request.