I need to get a fair market value on 3 properties?

Lesia, the most important thing in your question is the date. You need values effective June 2023, and you need them for tax purposes. That combination rules out a CMA and rules out a broker price opinion. What you need is a retrospective appraisal, meaning an appraisal written today with an effective date of June 2023, prepared by a state certified appraiser and compliant with USPAP. I am a real estate professional in Los Angeles and the South Bay, not an appraiser and not a CPA, and I hold the SRES (Seniors Real Estate Specialist) designation, so estate and trust valuations come across my desk regularly. Good general answers above on appraisal versus CMA. Here is what your two constraints change. Why a CMA will not work. A comparative market analysis is an agent's opinion of current value. It is not signed under USPAP, it is rarely dated to a past effective date, and no agent I know will defend one to the IRS. Same for a BPO. When a value supports a tax filing, the standard the IRS writes down is a qualified appraisal by a qualified appraiser: verifiable education and experience valuing that property type, work performed to the substance and principles of USPAP, and a fee not tied to the value reached. That definition lives in Treasury Regulation 1.170A-17, and examiners look for the same elements generally. A CMA does not clear it, and neither does an appraisal dated as of today when the required date is June 2023. Ask for it in writing, in these words: "I am requesting a USPAP compliant retrospective appraisal with an effective date of June (day), 2023. Report date current. Intended use is federal tax reporting. Intended users are me, my CPA and the IRS." Intended use and intended user matter, because the appraiser must state both in the report. Now, your three properties are not the same assignment. Property 1, main house plus land plus a detached apartment. If that apartment is a legal second dwelling unit, this is a two unit property, not a single family. Traditionally that moves the work off the single family form (Fannie Mae Form 1004) onto the small residential income form (Form 1025) with a rent schedule and an income approach. Worth knowing in 2026: those legacy form numbers are being retired. The redesigned Uniform Residential Appraisal Report built on UAD 3.6 replaces 1004, 1025 and 1073 with one dynamic report, mandatory for lender work from November 2, 2026, so do not be thrown by the format. Property 3, 113 acres with an old farmhouse. This is the one people get wrong. A certified residential appraiser is credentialed for one to four residential units. Acreage, agricultural use, timber, water rights and highest and best use questions sit with a certified general appraiser. Ask every candidate directly: are you certified general, and have you appraised comparable acreage in the Piedmont Triad. Verify the credential on the North Carolina Appraisal Board search page and the federal registry at asc.gov. If this is an estate matter, June 2023 is probably a date of death, and that number becomes the heirs' stepped up basis under IRC Section 1014. It controls capital gains whenever these properties sell, so a low value can cost far more later than the appraisal fee saves now. Separately, the federal estate tax exemption is $15 million per person as of January 1, 2026, so most families now file for basis reasons rather than because tax is due. Confirm with your CPA or estate attorney. One appraiser holding the general certification can often handle all three. Ask for a single engagement and three reports. I am Zoltan Peresztegi, SRES, working in Los Angeles and the South Bay, so I cannot value North Carolina property myself. I am glad to connect you with a strong Winston-Salem agent from my network who can name the local certified general appraisers who do farm work. Zoltan

I'm sorry for your loss, lesia. For fair market value on inherited properties with a specific effective date, you'll want a certified appraisal rather than an agent's estimate, since the IRS and estate paperwork typically require that documentation. An appraiser can value all three properties as of that date, factoring in the main house, detached apartment, and the 113-acre parcel separately. Mention the tax purpose upfront when you hire the appraiser so they know exactly the report you need!

Lesia, a good agent from the area will be able to assist in this matter. Feel free to reach out if you need a recommendation. Best of luck with your situation. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

Getting fair market value on three properties in Floral City is a straightforward process when you work with an agent who knows the Citrus County market well. A comparative market analysis (CMA) pulls recent sales, active listings, and pending contracts to establish where each property stands today. Floral City sits in a quieter pocket of Florida where rural character, lake access, and proximity to the Withlacoochee State Forest influence value in ways that automated tools often miss. Acreage, road frontage, well and septic condition, and flood zone status all shift the numbers significantly in this area. For three properties at once, the most efficient path is scheduling a single consultation so all three can be evaluated together with consistent methodology. Bring any prior appraisals, tax records, or recent improvements to that meeting so nothing is overlooked. Kevin Neely & Kaitlynd Robbins | K2 Sells

I am sorry to hear about your father-in-law. I would utilize a local appraiser for this task. A real estate agent can also give their opinion of value. You could also reach out to the estate attorney who handled the estate for a connection and assistance.

I can help you. Best way to reach me is 860-227-1212. I have a lic in several states and connections throughout the country. So matter who is reading this I am available to help you a property evaluation of your property. Sold 81 acres in 2023.

Hi Lesia - I probably would start with a professional appraiser for a more detailed report. A professional real estate agent that handles the market area for the property would be able to provide a market analysis.