A good commercial appraiser is like a good accountant
Sophisticated commercial property owners know this from experience. An appraisal is an opinion of value, not a science.
Market data + personal experience + judgment + motivation + work ethic + risk perception = an opinion of value.
This is why who you choose matters.
Any appraiser can do an appraisal. But only the right appraiser will take the time to understand your situation — and get it done right.
What our clients are saying
Paulette C. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Executor of Estate
36,000 square foot 24-Unit Apartment Building
This is the third time that my company is using this appraisal firm. We have found them to be extremely detailed and professional. Recently I needed an urgent appraisal. Brian promised me a “turn-around” at a very short notice to his office. He has delivered. I like how they do business, professional, detailed, quality work and with great efficiency.
Valentina S. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
CEO/Prospective Buyer
40,000 square foot Industrial Property
Brian and his team are excellent professionals of integrity. They provide exceptional service and are very responsive to the needs of their clients. Specifically, Brian worked very closely with my company to get a detailed appraisal completed in immediate fashion. They will be my select appraisal firm and I highly recommend their services.
Jack M. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
President
10,465 square foot Industrial Property on 2 acres
I needed an appraisal and contacted several appraisers. I chose this company. I was very pleased with the results. They got to work right away and presented me with a finished appraisal on time. My lawyer asked for some minor changes and they took care of it immediately. Very professional and helped me with all my questions.
Dr. Nadia A. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Owner/Seller
5,600 square foot Medical Office Building
I did a great deal of research and due diligence in trying to find an appraiser. I am very lucky that I found this company. Brian and his team are extraordinarily professional. They do excellent work at a very fair and reasonable price. You don’t have to look any further for a great appraisal company!
Carol V. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Owner
11,000 square foot Mixed Use Building
They were totally professional and always accessible. Brian was available every time I had a question. He showed great patience in obtaining the necessary information to make a really accurate appraisal which encompassed numerous pages that informed and explained his methods and conclusions.
Catherine B. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Owner/Seller
15.17 acre Plot Subdivision
We feel so fortunate to have found this company to assist us in appraising our property. Our appraiser, Brian was incredibly professional from start to finish. A pleasure to work with! I highly recommend using Brian for his high level of dedication he puts into his work.
Gary K. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Attorney
2,326 square foot Restaurant
The firm is well educated in the valuation of commercial space. They were professional in every way. They were extremely responsive to my client and the lawyer in my office assigned to the litigation for which an opinion was sought. I highly recommend them.
Lou K. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Owner/Seller
1,300 square foot Industrial Building
If anyone should ask for a recommendation for your service, I would be more than happy to supply them with a 5-star response: They were very professional and produced our appraisal in a very timely manner. I will call them in the future if necessary.
Barbara B. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Owner/Seller
3,270 square foot Mixed Use Property
If you are looking for an appraiser who is honest and professional, you have found the one. Brian went above and beyond to get me the answers I needed and quickly. He was a pleasure to work with and extremely knowledgeable. Thank you, Barbara.
Sedat S. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Owner
3,300 square foot Medical Office Building
From start to finish, the experience has been very good. The appraiser arrived on time for the appointment, the appraisal report was received within 2 weeks, and price was also very reasonable. I would highly recommend this company.
Mary C. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Owner/Seller
10,052 square foot Retail Property & Air Rights
I had a most positive experience with Brian, who was courteous, informative and immediately followed up with any inquiries I had. The appraisal and report were executed in a timely manner. I would definitely recommend this company.
Pattyann O. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Executor of Estate
1 acre Development Site
This firm is 100% professional. Brian was courteous and on point. He proceeded in expedient fashion. I highly recommend Brian & his agency. I give them 5 stars across the board! I will be using this diligent firm in the future.
Richard L. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Real Estate Broker
6,500 square foot Religious Facility
Five stars for me. Brian and his team were super helpful in getting a complete appraisal for a building I was looking to sell. He answered all my questions and the turnaround time was pretty quick. Highly recommend.
Kevin K. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Bishop/Owner
7,000 square foot Religious Facility
I highly recommend the professional appraisal work of Brian & Steve. They are easy to communicate with and produced a comprehensive report us! They will be my “go-to” for future projects.
Brad K. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Prospective Buyer
15,000 square foot Office/Warehouse
Arrived at appointment time, gave approximate date of completion and finished work ahead of schedule. Textbook customer service, would highly recommend.
Christine D. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Owner/Seller
3,900 square foot Industrial Property
Prompt and expert service. They showed up on time and I received the appraisal promptly, as they said I would. I would highly recommend their services.
David H. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Shareholder
94,835 square foot Mixed Use Cooperative
My experience with this firm has been an excellent one. They are helpful, responsive, efficient, and personable. I highly recommend their services.
Mehul S. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Prospective Buyer
16,268 square foot Mixed Use Property
Great to work with Brian. Prompt response. Reasonable pricing. He even advised me on a property without charging, would definitely use them again.
Paul S. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Owner/Developer
3,670 square foot Medical Office Building
Quick response to all correspondence, timely arrival and received my report well within the expected time frame. Very highly recommended.
Mike M. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Facility Manager
255,275 square foot Religious Facility
Service was quick, detailed and tailored to what we needed and asked for. Price also very reasonable. Could not be happier.
Robert K. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Board Member
19,578 square foot Banquet/Social Hall
Professional, courteous, prompt, thorough. That’s what this company is all about. Will use them again!
John C. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Owner/Seller
2,000 square foot Medical Office
Thank you for your professionalism, another great job done and at the right cost. Highly recommend.
Gregory B. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Real Estate Broker
7,800 square foot Religious Facility
Brian provide excellent service with timely turnaround preparing a very thorough appraisal report.
Laura S. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Owner
20,500 square foot 23-Unit Apartment Building
Very professional and efficient. Would definitely recommend. Brian is very nice to deal with.
Amber M. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Buyer/Developer
2,500 square foot Religious Building
They did two appraisals for me on properties. They were fast and provided a great service!
Rose E. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Executor of Estate
3,200 square foot Mixed Use Building
Very responsive. Appraiser came right on time. I would definitely recommend.
Nicolette I. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Executor of Estate
20,000 square foot Seven-Property Portfolio
Best commercial appraisal company! Fast, professional, knowledgeable.
Chris H. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Owner/Seller
1,800 square foot Retail Strip
These guys are total pros. I recommend them highly!
Peter S. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Attorney/Developer
6,078 square foot Mixed Use Building
Very responsive and professional. I’m a developer.
Jill B. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Loan Processor for Mortgage Holder
12,000 square foot Religious Facility
Very happy with my experience with this company.
Emmet A. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Owner
8,469 square foot Mixed Use Building
Great service. Very thorough and diligent.
Rich C. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Trustee
30,000 square foot Car Rental Lot
Extremely prompt and professional service!
Richard V. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Attorney for the Owner
6,100 square foot Retail Property
Professional and courteous.
Doug L. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Owner/Seller
4,200 square foot Chain Restaurant
Frank B. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Attorney for the Seller
7,800 square foot Unit Apartment Building
Jason B. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Tenant
1,900 square foot Restaurant
Kevin F. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Executor of Estate
4,500 square foot Office Property
Kevin P. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Owner
27,157 square foot Mixed Use Building
Linda L. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Owner
5,691 square foot 8-Unit Mixed Use Building
Maureen W. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Attorney
4,500 square foot Mixed Use / Redevelopment Site
Patricia H. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Owner
12,380 square foot 18-Unit Apartment Building
Paul S. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Attorney
85,870 square foot Medical Office Building
Rachael & Alicia L. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Owners/Sellers
1,948 square foot Mixed Use Property
Richard M. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Project Manager
229,738 square foot Mixed Use Building
Richard P. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Executor of Estate
1,558 square foot Mixed Use Building
Scott B. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Owner
5,395 square foot Diner
Steve P. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Prospective Buyer
4,711 square foot Restaurant
Tom G. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Owner
13,412 square foot 23-Unit Apartment Building
Vito T. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Executor of Estate
8,450 square foot Auto Repair Facility
Here’s what you need to know before hiring any commercial real estate appraiser…
Hire ten appraisers, get ten different numbers
That isn’t an exaggeration. It’s how this profession actually works — and it’s why the line at the top of this page isn’t marketing. A good commercial appraiser really is like a good accountant. The value you end up with is a direct reflection of who’s doing the thinking.
An appraisal is a research project, not a site visit.
If commercial value could be calculated with an algorithm, someone would have built it by now. Plenty have tried. Millions of dollars have been spent. It can’t be done, because the inputs that actually move the number — insight, judgment, experience, and deep market research — don’t live in a database. They live in the appraiser. No computer replicates them. And no appraiser can fake them either.
Take two identical buildings a hundred feet apart. One fronts a busy thoroughfare; the other sits on the side street around the corner. One catches the foot traffic and demographics for a specific retail mix; the other never will. Their values won’t be close. Understanding the gap between them — and getting the number right — is a research job, not just a walk-through of the property.
The appraisal license is the floor, not the ceiling.
Every Rhode Island commercial appraiser follows the same methodology. But inside that methodology are dozens of judgment calls — about comps, market direction, highest-and-best use, risk, and the situation you’re actually in. Those calls aren’t hunches. They’re the output of research, experience, and real engagement with you and your property and the reason you need the appraisal in the first place.
That’s why the same building, sent to ten licensed commercial appraisers, comes back with ten materially different numbers. The license doesn’t distinguish them. The willingness and ability to do the real work does.
Every commercial appraiser looks the same on paper
Most people evaluate commercial appraisers on two things — and stop.
A state license.
Getting certified to appraise commercial property is a multi-year undertaking. It’s real, it’s meaningful, and every commercial appraiser you call has one. Which makes it the ante to get in the game — necessary, and zero differentiation between one appraiser and the next.
Experience.
Commercial property is too varied, and the situations too complex, for a rookie to get right. A decade or more in the field keeps you from becoming someone else’s learning curve. This is where most people stop evaluating — and it’s a reasonable place to stop.
Most appraisers you call will clear both bars. The license is required. The experience is common. Once you’ve filtered for them, you’re looking at a dozen shops that all look the same on paper.
And the one thing you can’t see on paper.
Does the appraiser actually engage with your situation?
This is the thing that matters most, and it’s the thing no one thinks to check. The value an appraisal lands on depends on the appraiser’s work ethic, judgment, risk perception, and motivation — you can’t audit any of those directly.
But you can audit them indirectly.
Every appraiser asks the basics — property type, address, what the appraisal is for, when you need it. The real test is what happens after that.
Does he want to know what’s actually riding on the number, what you’re worried about, what you know about the property that he doesn’t? Does he listen — and do his follow-up questions show he actually heard you?
That’s the tell.
An appraiser who treats your situation like a line item on the first call isn’t going to start caring when he’s alone with a spreadsheet two weeks later.
But an appraiser who does care is the one who’ll put in the extra research hour, sharpen the judgment call, and make sure nothing relevant to your situation gets overlooked.
Our Owner’s Brief
We take engagement so seriously that we built a proprietary process around it — the Owner’s Brief.
It’s our pre-appraisal briefing — an in-depth conversation with anyone considering hiring us, at no charge, before any work begins.
Whether you own the property, manage it, or are evaluating it for acquisition, we want to understand what you’re up against before we start. A sale. A buyout. An estate. A lawsuit. A tax dispute. A refinance. Or just needing to know where you stand before you make a move.
During the Owner’s Brief conversation, we walk through your property and your situation. What’s good about it, what’s not, and everything you think we should know. Why you need the appraisal and what’s riding on the number. What has to be covered to get this done right.
We built this because it didn’t exist — and we thought it should.
Services
We are intimately familiar with every kind of commercial appraisal situation. Whatever you need your commercial appraisal for, we know the ropes — and can help you through the hoops.
- Buying
- Divorce
- Estate planning (gifts, trusts)
- Estate settlement (executors)
- Financing (hard money/private lenders)
- Lease negotiations (market rent studies)
- Litigation
- Partner buyout/sellout
- Selling
Service area map
Our team of RI State-certified appraisers are dispersed throughout Rhode Island’s 5 counties. We’ve got you covered with experienced appraisers in your area. Click on any county below to see recent properties we’ve appraised.