Reviewing/Litigation Support

Appraisal Review is just like is sounds, reviewing another appraiser’s report. The most common type of review for an end-user is a Technical review - which is performed by an independent third-party appraiser to form an opinion as to whether the analysis, opinions and conclusions in the report are appropriate and reasonable. It is this form of review than an average consumer may wish to retain when dissatisfied with an appraisal – rather than getting a whole new appraisal. This service can be particularly insightful and effective in litigation scenarios.

Nothing is easy during a separation, and quite often the value of assets (real estate) becomes a contentious issue. The easiest and best way to resolve this issue is with a professional and thorough appraisal report – one which can be relied on and later defended in court if necessary. If one party has already gotten some type of valuation that you do not agree with, our consulting services can be catered to your needs with such things like an abbreviated review of that valuation, recommendations for your next steps, and/or a more thorough detailed report if required.

The appraisers at Atlas have vast experience valuing property for divorce purposes and you can trust their work will be reliable and defendable, leaving little room for debate, and leaving you feeling better.

There are special appraisal challenges present in the foreclosure of properties – ones that we are equipped and ready to deal with at Atlas Appraisals. For a property in foreclosure, you may want to know the difference between Fair Market Value and Forced Sale Value, or the implications of attempting to sell a property on a very short timeline. Sometimes foreclosed properties may have a level of neglect present, or they may have been abandoned all together. For properties that have a level of required repair, it may be useful to also have the property appraised “as remediated”, or “as repaired”, to give you an idea of repair items that would be worth completing prior to selling the property. Whether you are getting foreclosed on, or have a foreclosed property to sell, we have the experience and training to deal with the special dynamics of a foreclosure appraisal.

Whether you are in the middle of an estate settlement or the contentious dissolution of a business – or many other scenarios – a thorough and detailed appraisal report giving you assurance of your property value can be very useful in a civil dispute.

Please contact us for more information – you can be assured that the appraisers at Atlas Appraisal Services provide only comprehensive, court-ready appraisal reports.

As quoted from The Appraisal of Real Estate, Third Canadian Edition, expropriation is defined as “The right of government to take private property for public use upon the payment of just compensation”. Various provincial and federal statues establish the expropriation mechanisms, notice periods, approval processes, and compensation adjudication mechanisms that might apply. In brief, expropriation can take the whole property, part of a property, an interest in the property and/or cause a loss in value to properties not taken. Depending on the nature of the taking, compensation can include the market value of the property, injurious affection, special value, disturbance, interest, and other costs.

Expropriation is a very subjective field of study, with very few trained and knowledgeable enough to wade through the issues effectively. With many years of litigation experience, holding the AACI designation, and having additional training specific to expropriation issues, Gerry Gehlen, AACI, P.App is a qualified and trained consultant who can help guide you through an expropriation process.

The primary purpose of a right-of-way or surface rights type valuation is to provide recommendations to assist either private individuals or agencies in the negotiation of a fair market compensation for a right-of-way or other surface rights. Agencies and/or large corporations are often involved in partial takings where land is acquired for various needs – quite often oil and gas related in our region. Important considerations for these types of scenarios are: the rights of all parties involved, the direct impact on land within the specific right-of-way, and any other impact on lands adjacent to the area that are retained by the owner. For example, if an existing lease road is being expanded on your land, what impact does that have your neighboring homestead, or the rest of your pasture?

It is important to understand that in these scenarios, negotiation is key. Typically, a formal legal process is not initiated unless negotiation attempts fail. And your best bet at successfully negotiating your rights, is a professional who is experienced and knowledgeable in this area and who will help guide you through the process.

Appraisal expert witness testimony requires a highly-trained, highly-skilled, and highly-credentialed appraiser with experience in providing litigation and review appraisals. Just some of the qualifications required to be successful as an expert witness include: excellent communication skills, a professional and pleasant demeaner, the ability to distill complex topics into easily understandable segments, confident but not arrogant, and truthful credible testimony.

All of our designated appraisers at Atlas provide comprehensive and thorough reports and will always unquestionably defend their work. They are qualified, willing, and ready to be tested under the rigors of court.

Atlas’s senior appraiser Gerry Gehlen, AACI, has many hours of expert witness experience – in both Alberta and Saskatchewan courts – and has never had his work successful disputed. References can be provided upon request. Please contact us for more information.