Several years ago while serving as equipment appraisal expert witness for the Ophir Fire, I discovered the Wildland Fire Litigation Conference and put it on my appraisal bucket list. Just this year, my schedule finally allowed me to attend the conference. In the intervening years, I’ve done many equipment appraisals related to insurance loss claims,…Read More
Are Your Wine Tanks Excessively Taxed?
What would you think if I told you that the value of wine tanks increases annually? That the longer you use them the more they’re worth? You’d think I was out of my mind! It just doesn’t sound reasonable, does it? How can it be possible that the value of equipment as standard as wine…Read More
Case Studies: Food Processing Equipment
Food and beverage processing equipment isn’t like the equipment in other manufacturing plants. Lubrication is different. Sanitation is on-going. And usage cycles vary — not only from facility to facility, but often within individual facilities, often depending on the agricultural cycle. And awareness of equipment usage cycles is essential for an accurate appraisal. Why? Usage…Read More
Turbocharge Your Real Estate Tax Deductions
NCV is no longer providing Cost Segregation Studies. We recommend you contact Greg Mummy at the Bedford Cost Segregation Team. Please mention that you found him on our site. Bedford will be wholly responsible for any cost segregation results. NorCal Valuation will not be involved in the assignment nor bear any responsibility thereto. We’re delighted…Read More
Gauging Competency in Appraisal Review
While gauging competency in appraisal review is similar to using a limit gauge in order to determine whether a part is within prescribed limits of tolerance, it’s not, of course, that simple. An appraiser’s competency depends on a number of factors, ranging from experience with the equipment and its market to the intended use of…Read More
Compelling Evidence for Property Tax Appeal
A county Board of Equalization in Washington state recently examined one of my equipment appraisal reports in an on-going tax appeal case. The report had been originally submitted to the county assessor, who dismissed it, citing … the statement by the appraiser that the purpose of the appraisal is to assist with an ad valorem tax…Read More
Case Study: Inventory Fire Loss
Join us Friday, Nov 10, 2017, 4:00pm to 5:00pm at Caruso’s in The Westin St Francis, Union Square in San Francisco, CA, when ASA equipment appraiser, Jack Young, ASA, CPA, will be available to answer your questions about the importance of independent, defensible and USPAP compliant equipment appraisals for in fire litigation. Click here for more information &…Read More
Factors in Appraising for Fire Loss or Theft
How do we appraise equipment that’s been destroyed or stolen? Of course we hope for good records — photos, equipment lists, maintenance records — but rarely are those available. Often whatever records might have existed have been lost in the same fire that destroyed the equipment. In most of the fire cases we’ve been called…Read More
Do You Need an Industry-Specific Valuation Expert?
Equipment appraisers often claim expertise in particular markets. And we do often become experts through our experience in valuing a particular industry throughout the years. In many situations, however, it’s more important to be an equipment appraisal expert than an industry expert! An expert equipment appraiser knows how to research the processes and equipment lines…Read More
Glass Fabrication Equipment Appraising
Recently we had the pleasure of inspecting and appraising a glass tempering and coating plant. Residential window glass production slowed considerably from 2008 to 2014 due to the devastating effects of the Great Recession on the home building market and construction in general. During that period of time a number of firms in the industry…Read More
Appraisals for Ad Valorem Tax Appeals
Property Tax Q&A Event in San Francisco, April 26, 2018 Learn about the importance of independent, defensible and USPAP compliant equipment appraisals for ad valorem tax appeals. Join Jack Young on Thursday, April 26, 2018, from 4pm to 5pm at Starbucks in the San Francisco Hotel Whitcomb to discuss the ins and outs of preparing your case for presentation…Read More
2016 CARB Regulation Reporting Deadline 01/ 31
The CARB Truck & Bus regulation reporting system has been updated for fleets to select or re-select their 2016 options. This information from a recent email: January 1 of every compliance year, fleet owners that use flexibility options in the regulation must identify which vehicles will use a particular extension and provide any additional information as…Read More