What the divorce appraisal quote should cover
Send the Woodbury address, property type, approximate size and your deadline. Include your attorney's instructions about the report, who needs it and how it will be used. Ask for the scope, fee and delivery estimate in writing.
Set the date and the interest being valued
Ask your attorney which date the value should describe and which ownership interest the appraisal needs to address. A current value and a value for an earlier date can require different research.
A property value does not decide either spouse's legal share or the terms of a buyout. Keep the appraisal question and the settlement question clear when discussing the assignment.
Include any testimony or additional support
Tell the appraiser if the matter may need testimony, a deposition, another valuation date or further reporting. Discuss that work separately rather than assuming it is included in the initial report fee.
Arrange access and gather property records
Explain who can provide access to the home. Gather the records you have about repairs, improvements and the property's condition at the date being valued. Distinguish later changes from what was there on that date.
VA loan fee reference, May 2026
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Appraisal Fees and Timeliness Table, effective May 1, 2026, lists the VA loan appraisal fees and timeliness standards. Its New Jersey row lists $650 for a single-family home or individual condominium, $700 for a manufactured home and $800 for a 2–4 unit property, with a nine-business-day appraisal timeliness standard.
Those figures describe the cited VA loan table. They do not set the fee or delivery schedule for a private, divorce, estate, cash-purchase or conventional appraisal. Confirm any applicable VA requirement with the lender.
VA Appraisal Fees and Timeliness Table, cited effective date May 1, 2026. These are VA loan reference figures, not a quote or delivery promise for a private assignment.