Alfred Cali Appraisals

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APPRAISALS

Personal property appraisals are useful for a number of different purposes including insurance, estate settlement, divorce or family division, liquidation and others. Each report is itemized and contains detailed descriptions and individual values for all property being appraised. Each report is itemized and contains detailed descriptions and individual values for all property being appraised. Photographs are also recommended and can be provided as part of the appraisal process.
Appraisals are normally performed for an hourly fee. Fixed fees can be negotiated for larger projects. A preliminary consultation to determine the clients needs and to estimate the cost of an appraisal is offered without charge.
We specialize in fine art and antiques including (but not limited to) paintings, sculpture, antique and fine quality furniture and decorations, oriental rugs, silver, ivory, pottery and porcelain, art glass, collectible firearms, Orientalia and jewelry. We also provide appraisals for normal household furnishings in both estate and family division situations.
While we are most active in the Cleveland, Ohio market, we are available for appraisals nationwide.

Probate appraisals are written when required by Probate Court or the executors or attorneys for the estate. These appraisals are written on the basis of a willing buyer, willing seller formula reflecting a conservative estimate of what a knowledgeable buyer would pay a knowledgeable seller, if the items were offered for sale, to establish value for tax purposes. These appraisals also offer comparative values for the distribution of property among heirs.

Most homeowners insurance policies provide coverage for normal household furnishings, but many underwriters require professional replacement value appraisals for antiques, fine art and silver of significant value. The replacement values used for insurance appraisals provide and estimate of the total cost of replacing property that is lost to theft, fire or flood. We recommend the addition of an archive of digital images to speed the identification of recovered theft property and provide additional information in creating an accurate inventory.

Appraisals can be written for the equitable division of property within a family or among heirs and beneficiaries. Probate willing buyer appraisals are often used for this purpose. In the cases of divorce the appraisals can be written on the basis of replacement, fair market value, willing buyer or liquidation values as determined by legal counsel.

Appraisals written for the charitable donation of property must be written on the basis of a realistic fair market value as required by the regulations of the Internal Revenue Service and must conform to the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice and may require special tax forms as determined by your tax preparer.

Estates are often complex entities and require a sophisticated approach to the personal property contained in them. Some items are retained by family and beneficiaries while others need to be sold. Some property is easily sold in a local market but there are often items which need to be exposed on a national level. Alfred Cali Appraisals has the expertise to evaluate an estate and determine which approach is the best for achieving the best return for the estate. Sale of any property may include on site estate sales, local private or dealer sales, donation or auctions or all of these.

We can assist our clients with the pricing and sale of personal property including auctions (Alfred Cali is and has been a fully licensed auctioneer in Ohio since 1984) and on site estate sales.

Estates and collectors often possess significant antique and fine art pieces which are difficult to sell in a local market to receive the best return. Through our extensive contacts we can act as agents for the sale of these items. We have the expertise to make arrangements for sale through: (1)a major auction house in the United States or Europe (we can negotiate commission rates which are substantially lower than those available to individuals), (2)sales to an appropriate dealer in the antiques trade, or (3) to retail customers and collectors at one of the national retail antique expositions that we participate in major American cities. Services are tailored to suit the client and fees are negotiable. We can handle all services including packing, shipping and insurance.

Alfred Cali Appraisals is available for consultation on all aspects of the distribution and sale of property from an estate. We can identify the appropriate professionals to pack, ship and deliver property that is distributed from an estate to heirs and beneficiaries, whether the destination is local, national or international. We can advise clients on the appropriate care, restoration and repair of antiques and fine art items and direct them to skilled craftsmen.

In cases where the outright sale of estate property or collections is desired, Alfred Cali Appraisals will make a competitive offer to purchase the property outright.

Alfred Cali's experience covers over 35 years in the field of appraisals, auctions, retail sale of antiques and liquidations in the Cleveland area and New England. He is respected for his professionalism and integrity and prides himself on the quality of the appraisals delivered. All work is preformed in a timely manner and all information is held in the strictest confidence.

We maintain a presence in the international antique market and follow the trends and market changes that are essential in determining current value. We invite you to call for a free preliminary consultation of your appraisal needs. Our hours are flexible, including nights and weekends. We work primarily in the Cleveland Ohio area but we are available for appraisals nationwide. References are available upon request.

CONTACT US

Please contact us by e-mail, telephone or facsimile. We do not appraise by photograph, but photographs can helpful in determining the type of appraisal that is needed. Please include all photographs in the body of e-mails rather than as separate attachments.
Alfred Cali Appraisals, LLC