

The Law Office of
Heather A. Harwell, PLLC
Serving Wesley Chapel, New Tampa, Zephyrhills, Dade City, Land O' Lakes & Lutz
Free Telephone or Video Consult






Valuation of Property | A$$et$ for Bankruptcy
You will be required to list all of your assets and the value of them on Schedule A/B. Although your valuations need not be exact, they must reasonably reflect the estimated fair market value of the property. What resources you use to value your property will depend upon the nature of the property itself.
​
Real Estate. Although hiring a licensed real estate appraiser or real estate agent to evaluate property is ideal, you will not need a professional appraisal unless you plan to modify your mortgage or strip a second mortgage. In most cases the valuations provided on websites like Zillow or realtor.com are sufficient. Tax appraisal values are generally too low and not sufficient for valuation purposes. If the property is due for repairs like a new roof or air conditioner, you will want to subtract the cost of the repair from the total estimated value and make sure to note the needed repair when you list the property.
​
Manufactured & Mobile Homes. A manufactured or mobile home can be very difficult to appraise depending upon the age of the home. However, you may be able to find similar homes on-line which will give you a starting point. JD Power.com will provide you a valuation report but charges a small fee that is well worth it. Trulia.com, Realtor.com and Homes.com will allow you to search for similar homes to see their values. The more similar homes you find, the better. You will want to use the average price and adjust accordingly for any damage or needed repairs or replacements.
​
Vehicles (Automobiles | Trucks | SUV's). As with real estate, a professional appraisal is ideal but generally not necessary. Most bankruptcy attorneys rely upon the values provided by Kelley Blue Book for a private party sale. Kelley Blue Book provides a value range. Use the mid-range and higher values. If your vehicle is too old or considered a classic, you may need to use the average value from multiple similar vehicle listings in Autotrader.com and eBay.com. You will not need a professional appraisal unless the bankruptcy trustee decides that he or she needs a professional appraisal. Then, if you disagree with the valuation and it is determined that you have a significant amount of non-exempt equity in the vehicle, hire an appraiser to give you a second opinion as to replacement value for purposes of negotiation.
​
Motorcycles. Both Kelley Blue Book and JDPower.com provide vehicle specific valuations. Use the valuation for private party sale. When given a range, use the mid-range to upper end valuations.
​
Recreation Vehicles. JDPowers.com provides a valuation based upon your specific RV.
​
All Terrain Vehicles. ATVTrader.com specializes in advertising ATV's for sale. You can search ATV's of similar make, model and age to yours then use the average price as a value.
​
Golf Carts. GoldCartResource.com will allow you to recieve a valuation of your specific golf cart by e-mail. Autotrader offers golf carts for sale at Autotrader.com. You can search the carts which are a similar make, model and age compared to your golf cart and then average the sale prices for an estimated value.
​
Household Goods. Determination of the value of any asset requires application of the "fair market value". This can be difficult to determine with used household goods. When you are determining the fair market value of your property, you need to ask yourself what a willing buyer would pay you as the willing seller for property of like condition and age. Online websites like Craigslist, eBay and Facebook Marketplace can provide guidance but not always. You can shop consignment and thrift stores to see how they have priced similar items but keep in mind that items at a thrift store often do not sell until marked down or placed in a bargain bin and even then, possibly not at all.
Clothing. Used clothes and shoes have very little value unless you have designer items. Websites like PoshMark and thredUp provide reasonable values for used designer clothes, shoes and accessories. Antiques.com and replacements.com provide prices of older items that have gained value with age such as silverware, dish sets and unique furniture. Barring guidance using the foregoing resources, ask yourself what is the most you would pay for the item if you were to buy it in a thrift store.
​
Jewelry & Watches. Online websites like eBay and etsy will allow you to browse prices of similar items then average the prices for your value. Websites like sellyourgold.com and worthy.com will provide an appraisal of your jewelry for sale online. If you cannot locate an item online that matches your jewelry or gold, it is best to obtain an appraisal from a local jewelry store that sells items on consignment. Make sure to tell them that you do not want the appraisal for insurance purposes.
​
Sporting Goods. Playitagainsports.com is an excellent resource for used sporting equipment prices. Craigslist and eBay are also useful.
​
Tools. Used tool prices can be found at ironplanet.com, Craigslist, eBay and Facebook Marketplace.
​
Firearms. Firearms tend to retain value with age. However, you can find accurate prices for used firearms at guns.com or gunbroker.com.​
The information provided in this website and blog page is intended for informational purposes and should not be construed as legal advice. You should never rely solely on websites for legal information or advice and contact a licensed attorney with any questions you may have.