FAIR Appraisal Guide
Red Flags in Online Appraisal Services
Red flags include unclear fee models, weak methodology disclosure, and reports that do not clearly state intended use or supporting evidence.
- Match the appraiser to the item category.
- Confirm the report purpose before pricing.
- Compare fee disclosure before outreach.
Pricing and claims language often reveal quality risk quickly.
- Ambiguous or contingent-fee style promises.
- Overbroad guarantees without scope qualifiers.
- No clear revision or dispute-handling process.
A report should be traceable and reviewable by external stakeholders.
- No comparable rationale or assumption disclosure.
- Missing valuation-date or intended-use statements.
- Inconsistent item descriptions across report sections.
- What is the fastest credibility check? Ask for a redacted sample report with clear methodology and evidence structure.
- Are very low prices always bad? Not always, but unusually low pricing can signal insufficient analysis depth.
- Should I ask about revisions first? Yes, revision policy is a practical trust signal.