ABOUT GATSBY APPRAISAL
Established in 2003 by Stephanie Goralski, California Certified Residential Appraiser (Certification No. AR034917), Gatsby Appraisal is a woman-owned, independent real estate appraisal and consulting practice serving homeowners, attorneys, trustees, estate professionals, investors, and real estate practitioners across Los Angeles and Ventura Counties.
With a portfolio exceeding 5,000 residential appraisal assignments, our work encompasses fluctuating markets, transforming neighborhoods, atypical properties, and the diverse circumstances that prompt appraisal engagement. This breadth of experience cultivates a nuanced, practiced judgment that informs every assignment.
A real estate appraisal is an impartial, evidence-based opinion of value. It extends beyond a physical inspection or simple sales comparison; it demands comprehension of a property’s role within its market, identification of features that influence buyer behavior, and careful interpretation of the data that substantiates value conclusions.
For more than two decades we have examined Los Angeles real estate one assignment at a time. That sustained attention has refined our market insight and honed the investigative methodology we apply to each property.
An effective appraisal delivers more than an opinion of value; it communicates the research, analysis, and reasoning supporting that opinion. At Gatsby Appraisal, we are committed to developing credible appraisal results and producing clear, well-supported reports that provide clients with the information they need to make informed decisions.
Every Property Is Unique. Every Detail Matters.
From a postwar tract home to a newly constructed custom residence, every property has characteristics that distinguish it within the market. Recognizing and understanding those differences is fundamental to developing a credible appraisal.
At Gatsby Appraisal, we believe the quality of an appraisal is measured not simply by the conclusion it reaches, but by the research, analysis, and explanation supporting it.
We don't believe a standard appraisal grid, standing alone, is sufficient to demonstrate the credibility of an opinion of value.
While we utilize traditional appraisal reporting formats, we expand upon the numerical analysis with thoughtful narrative, additional research, and insights gathered through conversations with real estate professionals directly involved in the comparable sales.
We investigate the circumstances surrounding transactions, examine the factors influencing buyer behavior, and explain how those findings relate to the property being appraised.
The result is a report designed to be more than technically complete. It is intended to be useful, understandable, and credible to its intended users.
Because those additional pages of analysis aren't simply more words.
They can provide the explanation that resolves a question, helps clarify a disagreement, or gives a client and their professional advisers greater confidence in the conclusions presented.
That attention to detail isn't an additional service. It's how we approach the assignment.
General Appraisal Services
Independent Valuations for Important Decisions.
From pre-listing appraisals and property tax appeals to estate planning, divorce, and other personal or financial matters, our general appraisal services provide independent analysis for the decisions that matter to you.
The People We Serve. The Problems We Solve.
Real estate decisions come with questions, complications, and sometimes considerable uncertainty. Gatsby Appraisal works with individuals and professionals who need independent valuation expertise to make informed decisions, resolve questions, or move important matters forward.
Homeowners & Property Owners
Whether you're preparing to sell, evaluating a purchase, questioning a property tax assessment, considering improvements, or simply seeking an independent opinion of your property's value, we provide the research and analysis to help you understand your options.
Families, Trustees & Estate Representatives
From estate planning and date-of-death appraisals to probate and inheritance matters, we help families navigate real estate valuation requirements during important transitions. Our reports provide documented analysis that can assist trustees, executors, accountants, and attorneys in carrying out their responsibilities.
Attorneys & Legal Professionals
We provide appraisal services for divorce proceedings, litigation, property disputes, and other legal matters where independent valuation analysis and clear explanations are essential.
Investors & Real Estate Professionals
Whether you're evaluating an acquisition, planning improvements, assessing development possibilities, or preparing a property for sale, we help you understand how the market recognizes a property's characteristics and potential.
Accountants & Financial Advisers
We assist with retrospective valuations, estate-related assignments, and other matters requiring documented real property valuation analysis for financial and tax-related purposes.
Different Needs. Different Services. The Same Commitment.
No two appraisal assignments begin with exactly the same questions. Some clients need an independent opinion of value for a purchase, sale, or personal financial decision. Others face more complex circumstances involving estates, litigation, unusual properties, or development possibilities.
Gatsby Appraisal offers a broad range of valuation and consulting services, organized to help you find the expertise appropriate for your circumstances.
Specialized Appraisal Services
When the Assignment Calls for a Different Approach.
Some properties and circumstances require additional investigation, specialized research, or a different scope of work. Our specialized services address unusual property characteristics, development and improvement considerations, complex valuation questions, and assignments that extend beyond conventional residential appraisal needs.
A Name Inspired by a House.
As a lifelong admirer of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Stephanie named Gatsby Appraisal after the mansion at the heart of The Great Gatsby.
Its architecture, location, and significance were inseparable from the narrative.
Meet Stephanie Goralski
A Lifetime Around Real Estate. A Career Looking Beyond the Obvious.
Founder & Chief Appraiser | Gatsby Appraisal
California Certified Residential Appraiser | Certification No. AR034917
For Stephanie Goralski, real estate has always been part of the conversation.
Her grandmother (for whom she is named) and great-aunt worked together as real estate agents on Los Angeles' Westside during the 1950s and 1960s. Her grandfather had a lifelong fascination with property that sparked a family shift toward Real Estate Investment, while her mother built a career as both a general contractor and real estate broker.
Growing up in the San Fernando Valley, Stephanie was surrounded by discussions about properties, construction, neighborhoods, and the changing Los Angeles real estate market. Those conversations shaped her curiosity about real estate long before she entered the appraisal profession.
A native of the San Fernando Valley, Stephanie attended James Monroe High School’s Law and Government Magnet program before continuing her education at UCLA. She entered the real estate industry at just 18 years of age, obtaining her real estate salesperson license, and discovered her career in real estate appraisal a few years later.
That combination of family experience, local knowledge, and natural curiosity helped shape an appraiser who was never particularly interested in taking the easy assignment.
Her work has included some of Southern California's more unusual valuation challenges: the last land-leased residential property in Malibu, homes in La Conchita following the devastating mudslide tragedy, and a property featuring what was reported to be the largest residential swimming pool in Southern California.
Each assignment presented questions that required looking beyond conventional property characteristics to understand the circumstances influencing the real estate and its market.
That investigative instinct remains central to Stephanie's work today.
Away from real estate, Stephanie is a devoted animal lover—a reflection of the warmth, curiosity, and attention she brings to the world beyond her profession.
