An inherited home may have changed since its owner died. Perhaps a room was remodeled, repairs were made, or the property sat vacant for a time. When an estate needs an appraisal as of the date of death, the question is not simply what the home looks like today. It is what the property was like on that earlier date and what buyers would have considered at the time.
The records most useful for that question tend to fall into a few categories: dated photographs or videos, renovation and repair records, older listing materials, and notes from someone who knew the home. Each type can help, and each has limits. You do not need a complete archive before starting a conversation about the appraisal. Bring what you have, describe what you know, and say plainly where the gaps are.
Why the earlier condition matters
A date-of-death appraisal provides an opinion of value as of an earlier date, called the effective date. The appraiser considers the property and the market as they stood at that time, not as they appear today.
If a kitchen was renovated after the date of death, that renovation was not part of the home on the relevant date. An old photograph or a dated record can help separate the two conditions. The same logic applies when a home has deteriorated or received repairs after the effective date: a later change does not automatically describe what existed earlier.
The appraisal also draws on market evidence from that earlier period. A nearby sale is not necessarily the best comparison simply because it is close. The appraiser considers which properties reflected the real choices available to buyers at that time.
What each type of record can show, and what it cannot
The value of a record depends on what it actually documents and when. Here is a practical way to think about common sources.
Dated photographs or videos. A photograph showing a room or the exterior around the date of death is one of the most useful things you can share. It can provide evidence of the visible areas, subject to what is known about when and where it was captured. What it cannot do is describe every room, confirm whether mechanical systems were functioning, or account for condition the camera did not capture. Label what you know: where the photo was taken, approximately when, and by whom. If you are not certain of the date, say so rather than guessing.
Renovation or repair records. A record may show when a document was issued, approved or paid, and describe proposed or reported work. Those dates alone do not establish when work actually began or finished, or whether the stated scope was completed. An invoice issued after the death may concern work done before it. Share what the record says, any separate completion evidence, and what remains uncertain; let the appraiser assess its relevance to the effective date.
Older listing materials or property descriptions. A prior listing from a sale or rental shows features and condition as they were described at the time of that listing. Photographs from a prior listing can be particularly useful. Keep in mind that listing descriptions are marketing documents: they may emphasize positives and omit deferred maintenance. They also reflect condition at the listing date, which may itself be years before the date of death.
Notes from someone familiar with the home. A family member or neighbor who can explain when major changes occurred provides context the documents alone may not. This kind of recollection is useful even when it cannot be verified precisely. A note that says "the roof was replaced a year before she died, I believe in the fall" gives the appraiser something to work with, while also disclosing the uncertainty.
Before and after: organizing a simple timeline
One practical step is to write out what you know about changes to the home, organized by when they happened relative to the date of death.
Hypothetical example: suppose an executor is dealing with a home in Williamson County where the owner died in early 2023. The executor knows a bathroom was updated in 2024, the water heater was replaced a few months before the death, and there was some roof damage from a storm that occurred after the death and before the estate was settled.
That timeline, even written as a short list, tells the appraiser three things: a current improvement that should be set aside, a pre-death repair that may be relevant to earlier condition, and post-death damage that should not be attributed to the earlier property. None of this requires formal documentation to mention. The appraiser can discuss what additional information, if any, may be useful for the assignment.
When you are unsure whether a change happened before or after the date of death, say so. Approximate timing with disclosed uncertainty is more useful than silence.
What if records are missing or conflicting?
If records are missing, share what you have and identify the gaps. You do not need a complete archive to start an initial conversation. The appraiser can discuss what the evidence supports and whether more information is needed for a feasible assignment.
If you have two records that seem to conflict, such as a listing that describes a feature and a photograph that does not show it, mention both. The appraiser's job is to weigh evidence, not to receive a clean answer in advance.
It also helps to describe changes that happened after the date of death even when you have no documentation for them. A later improvement, period of deferred maintenance, or storm damage may be important to understanding what existed earlier, and the appraiser can factor that context into the assignment.
Start with what you have
If you are arranging an estate appraisal in Travis, Williamson, or Burnet County (excluding Taylor and Horseshoe Bay), you can begin by sharing the property address, the date for which a value is needed, and a brief description of any changes you are aware of. Share photographs or records you already have, and note where your information is incomplete or uncertain.
Action Appraisal provides estate appraisals for date-of-death and other earlier effective dates across Central Texas. To discuss the property and the value question, visit the estate and date-of-death appraisal page or call Tom Wagner at 512-470-8181.
This article was prepared by the AppraiZen editorial team for Action Appraisal. It reflects general informational guidance and does not constitute legal, tax, or appraisal advice for a specific assignment. Legal and tax questions remain with the estate's advisers.