Practice note
Dave Lister, SRA, went from nearly zero private work to a substantial private book. Same license. Different mix. Direction — not a clone recipe.
Dave Lister, SRAResidential appraiserPrivate work: the book you actually own
Estate, divorce, tax appeal, pre-listing — non-lender assignments where you set the fee, the client pays you direct, and you keep the relationship.
Assignment types
Where private demand lives
These users need a credible opinion of value. They are not routing you through UCDP for a GSE purchase.
Estate & probate
Date-of-death and related valuations for executors, attorneys, and families.
Divorce & equitable distribution
Counsel and parties need a defensible number — retained for judgment.
Tax appeal / assessment
Owners challenging assessments. Timing follows local calendars more than rates.
Pre-listing / consulting
Sellers and agents who want a realistic opinion before pricing.
Trust, gifting, planning
CPAs and planners — relationship-driven documentation work.
Private mortgage / other non-GSE
Scope follows the engagement — not necessarily UAD 3.6 / UCDP.
Economics & control
Why appraisers rebuild toward private
- ✓No AMC cut — you keep what you earn.
- ✓Paid direct — invoice counsel, estate, or homeowner.
- ✓You set the fee — complexity and liability priced by you.
- ✓You own the client — referrals compound.
- ✓Control turnaround — negotiate delivery.
- ✓Fewer revision loops — scope with the intended user.
- ✓No portal nagging — adult communication.
- ✓No silly lender demands — judgment over underwriting theater.
- ✓Better fees — users pay for credibility.
- ✓Less rate-dependent — life events don’t wait on refi volume.
- ✓Attorney / CPA respect — professional peers.
- ✓No UAD 3.6 on these jobs — outside that lender track.
Visibility
How private clients find you
Estate, divorce, and tax appeal clients — and the attorneys and executors who hire for them — often start on Google. Reviews, a live listing, and a clear site matter more than ads.
Google reviews
Local search and map results surface ratings and recent reviews. Attorneys, executors, and homeowners check them before they call. Earning reviews the right way—asking after a completed assignment, never gating or incentivizing in ways that break Google’s rules—is a major path to private work. The PAG newsletter teaches that playbook.
Google Business Profile
Your Google Maps / local listing. Steady, useful posts keep it active for estate, divorce, tax appeal, and pre-listing — without sounding like lender marketing. Posts membership writes that copy; you paste.
A clear local website
Service and city pages that say what you do, where you work, and how to engage help search and AI systems cite you accurately. Clarity beats hype.
Market for the work you want to own.
Free newsletter (reviews + Google Business Profile basics), Posts $19/mo, Site $49/mo, Edge $99/mo — subscribe today.