Litigation Support Appraisal Services
From an Attorney Who Has Worked With Gatsby Appraisal
“I have retained Gatsby Appraisal on several matters and have been consistently impressed with Stephanie’s work. Her appraisal reports are thorough, well written, and have been valuable in mediation, arbitration, and trial. Her detailed analysis also provides a strong foundation for expert testimony, and she is knowledgeable, prepared, and effective under cross-examination. I highly recommend her for litigation and expert witness appraisal assignments.”
— Attorney Client
We don't rely on the absence of questions to protect a conclusion. We rely on the strength of the evidence supporting it.
Exhibit A: Why Gatsby Is Different
Shaped by Litigation Work From the Start
Many appraisers come to litigation work later in their careers. Ours began with it. Complex assignments were where we thrived from the beginning, and that aptitude quickly led to work with attorneys. The discipline litigation demands became the standard for every report we write: follow the data, confirm its relevance, and show each step from evidence to conclusion.
Answers on the Record Before the Questions Are Asked
Our reports are written with cross-examination in mind, incorporating the research, verification, and supporting documentation that establish confidence in the analysis and strengthen the credibility and defensibility of the conclusions.
Years of litigation experience have shaped an approach that anticipates scrutiny. We investigate the reliability of comparable sales, verify material information, substantiate adjustments, and examine potential weaknesses before the report is completed. Where evidence conflicts or limitations exist, we address them directly rather than leave significant questions unanswered.
Our reports are deliberately comprehensive. Detailed narrative analysis, market research, adjustment support, and relevant exhibits are incorporated into the report, allowing the reader to trace significant conclusions back to the evidence supporting them.
This depth of documentation provides attorneys with more than an opinion of value. It provides a substantial evidentiary foundation for evaluating the valuation issues during case preparation, mediation, settlement discussions, and litigation.
When the appraisal is presented as an exhibit or its conclusions are examined during testimony, the supporting research and explanations are already documented and available for review. The credibility of the analysis does not depend solely on what the appraiser explains on the witness stand. It begins with the strength of the report itself.
We Find the Evidence. Then We Prove Its Relevance.
Thin markets, atypical properties, complex valuation issues, and historical effective dates demand more than a conventional comparable sales search.
At Gatsby Appraisal, investigative research is one of our greatest strengths. We pursue relevant market evidence beyond the immediately available data, examining historical transactions, property records, market trends, and alternative sources when necessary.
But finding information is only the beginning.
We verify material facts, consult market participants, evaluate the reliability of each source, and establish how the evidence relates to the subject property and the valuation question.
The objective isn't simply to collect more data. It's to identify the evidence that matters, establish its credibility, and demonstrate how it supports or challenges the final conclusion.
We Anticipate the Questions Before They're Asked.
Experience in litigation and expert witness testimony has taught us where valuation analyses are most likely to face scrutiny.
We don't wait for opposing counsel to identify potential weaknesses. We investigate them during the appraisal process.
Whether the concern involves comparable selection, adjustment support, conflicting property information, or limitations in available market data, we examine the issue and pursue additional evidence where warranted.
When a limitation cannot be resolved, we address it directly and explain its significance to the analysis.
The result is a more thoroughly documented report, with potential questions already considered and conclusions supported by evidence—not explanations developed after the challenge arises.
Our Reports Are Built for the Stand.
A defensible conclusion begins with a well-documented report, not an explanation developed during testimony.
Gatsby Appraisal incorporates extensive narrative analysis, supporting research, adjustment documentation, and relevant exhibits directly into our litigation reports.
This allows attorneys, opposing experts, and other reviewers to examine the evidence underlying significant conclusions before those conclusions are questioned.
Whether the matter proceeds through mediation, deposition, or trial, the supporting analysis is already part of the report, providing a documented foundation for explaining the valuation methodology and conclusions.
Our objective is straightforward: when the questions come, the report has already done much of the answering.
We Explain Real Estate in Plain Terms.
Understanding real estate valuation requires more than understanding appraisal methodology.
It requires understanding how the market actually operates.
With 27 years of real estate experience, including a background as a licensed real estate agent and more than two decades as a residential appraiser, Gatsby brings both transactional experience and valuation expertise to litigation assignments.
We understand how properties are marketed, how buyers and sellers negotiate, and how condition, location, marketability, and property characteristics influence purchasing decisions.
We translate complex valuation issues into clear, understandable explanations, helping attorneys and their clients understand not simply what a property is worth, but the market behavior and evidence supporting that conclusion.
Because a well-supported opinion is most useful when the people relying on it can understand and explain the reasoning behind it.
The Record Speaks for Itself
Built for testimony, every time.
Most litigation matters settle before trial. Ours are no exception. But every litigation report we prepare is written as if it will be examined on the stand, because no one knows in advance which case will be the one that goes the distance.
Credible when it counts.
When our testimony has been required, it has made a difference. In one matter, the court specifically cited our valuation testimony as credible in support of its ruling.
Retained by both sides.
We have been engaged by plaintiffs and defendants alike. Our conclusions follow the evidence, not the party who retained us, and that independence is what makes them persuasive.
Experience across case types. Our litigation work includes:
Divorce and property division
Loss and damage valuations in civil matters
Property values for judgments and enforcement
Appraisal review and rebuttal of opposing reports
Retrospective values tied to dates of loss, transfer, or dispute
Property ownership disputes
Partnership or investment disputes
Estate and trust litigation
Financial or contractual disputes involving real property
Damage or loss-related property claims
Court-related valuation requirements
Review and rebuttal. When an opposing appraisal is in play, we provide independent review of its data, methodology, and conclusions, identifying where the analysis holds up and where it does not.
Real estate from both sides of the table. Twenty-seven years in real estate, including two decades as a licensed real estate agent, give us a practical understanding of how properties are marketed, negotiated, and sold. That experience helps us explain valuation issues in plain terms to attorneys, their clients, and the court.
Ongoing litigation training. Continuing education in litigation and expert witness practice keeps our reporting and testimony aligned with what courts and counsel expect.
When the Value Matters, Bring Us In Early
The strongest valuation evidence is developed with care, not assembled under deadline. Whether you need a consulting expert to assess the valuation issues before filing, a review of an opposing appraisal, or a report prepared for testimony, we welcome the conversation.