Non-Lender Opportunities for Residential Appraisers

By Appraisal Institute

Change is a tricky thing in life. It is at the core of human nature to resist change, because throughout history predictability meant survivability. In modern times, there is a sense of comfort that comes with things staying the same: the groove in your comfy chair that you’ve spent hours forming, a family recipe that’s been handed down for several generations, a core group of friends that spans from childhood to retirement age. But without change, we stagnate, grow complacent, and do not move forward both as individuals and as a society. 

For many residential appraisers, recent changes to the Uniform Appraisal Dataset and the introduction of a new Uniform Residential Appraisal Report design present challenges—but they also reveal opportunities. With UAD 3.6 in the spotlight, however, non-lender residential appraisal opportunities can easily become overshadowed, despite continuing demand for valuation services that fall outside traditional lending requirements.

In the 2026 Annual Conference session, “Beyond the 1004: New Appraisal Opportunities and Revenue Streams in Residential Appraisal,” a panel of seasoned professionals—Charles Baker, SRA, AI-RRS; Diana Benson, SRA; and R. Kevin Brown, Jr., Esq.—will draw on decades of experience spanning private appraisal practice, non-lender advisory work, and litigation support—including the legal perspective that often shapes how residential appraisal assignments are used, challenged, and defended. Their combined backgrounds include high-end and historic residential valuation, non-lender private client assignments, and the legal and fiduciary considerations that often shape residential appraisal outside the mortgage-lending environment. 

Experienced residential appraisers are finding that non-lender work increasingly involves advisory-driven, problem-solving assignments rather than standardized reporting. 

“After decades working with private, non-lender clients, I’ve seen how advisory-driven appraisal work can be both professionally rewarding and essential to long-term practice sustainability,” Benson says. “This session is designed to help appraisers expand confidently beyond traditional lender valuation.” 

Residential appraisers are capturing work in estates and trusts, including date-of-death and gift valuations. These are areas where Benson has spent decades focusing on private, non-lending residential assignments related to estate planning, divorce, and financial decision-making. 

Opportunities also include bankruptcy and partnership dissolutions, insurance replacement cost analyses and post-disaster damage appraisals, work that reflects the type of complex, client-driven residential assignments Charles Baker, SRA, AI-RRS regularly performs for attorneys, relocation firms, condominium boards, and private clients, particularly involving high-end and historic properties. “There is a tremendous amount of residential litigation work out there, and demand for high-quality, defensible appraisals is high,” Baker says. “For residential appraisers, the key is getting on attorneys’ radar by being visible in professional circles, building expertise, and working alongside experienced appraisers on litigation matters. Each assignment becomes an opportunity to demonstrate competency and earn referrals.” 

Additional opportunities include HOA and condominium association advisory, rent studies for affordable housing programs, ADU feasibility and contributory value studies, and green or solar valuation consulting. Other areas, such as ERC relocation assignments, investor portfolio valuations for single-family rentals and short-term rentals, and expert witness and appraisal review services, highlight the value of perspectives like that of Brown, a real estate attorney whose appraisal background gives him unusual insight into what makes an appraisal credible in litigation and what distinguishes an effective expert witness. “An appraiser, whether residential or commercial, who also understands real estate practice tends to be a much more effective expert witness in a courtroom setting,” Brown says, noting that credibility, clarity, and real-world perspective matter as much as technical accuracy. 

These engagements often carry higher advisory value, shorter cycles, and repeat-client potential with attorneys, fiduciaries, insurers, relocation firms, public housing authorities, and small investors. 

The willingness to embrace change, an understanding of the tools needed to adapt, and insight into where to find alternative valuation opportunities are increasingly essential for residential appraisers seeking to remain competitive. Drawing on hands-on appraisal, legal, and advisory experience, this session will offer practical guidance on expanding scope, serving new client types, and positioning yourself as a trusted valuation resource beyond the 1004. Make plans to attend to learn where these opportunities exist—and how to pursue them with confidence. 

*This session is expected to count towards CE credit.