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DEFENSIBLE, USPAP-COMPLIANT PIANO APPRAISAL REPORTS — QUALIFIED FOR THE IRS, INSURANCE AGENCIES, LENDERS, AND MORE.
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Owner & CEO
Joe founded AppraiseItNow to make a certified, USPAP-compliant appraisal as simple to order as anything else online. A former Bain & Company strategy consultant, Joe leads the entire team and specializes in strategy, growth, and the firm's tech capabilities.
Personal Property Appraiser
ISA Accredited Member with 30 years in the trade, from running estate sales and an auction gallery to appraising luxury apparel, furniture, artwork, antiques, and business assets, primarily for IRS tax filings.
Machinery & Equipment Appraiser
Third-generation auctioneer and CAGA Certified Appraiser with more than 20 years valuing machinery, equipment, vehicles, business assets, and estates for banks, attorneys, and trustees across the Carolinas.
Personal Property Appraiser
ISA Accredited Member specializing in Asian art, with a Master's from SOAS and a Postgraduate Diploma in Asian Art. Ashley chairs the ISA's Antiques, Furnishings, and Decorative Arts committee and appraises for charitable donation, insurance, and equitable distribution.
Client Success Manager
Manages each engagement from the first enquiry to the delivered report, and keeps you posted at every step along the way.
International Society of AppraisersAccredited Member
Certified Appraisers Guild of AmericaCertified Appraiser
The Appraisal FoundationAuthorized by Congress as the source of appraisal standardsAppraiseItNow provides professional piano appraisals for estate tax reporting, charitable donation filings on IRS Form 8283, insurance coverage and claims, divorce proceedings, and probate. Each report comes from an appraiser who understands both the instrument market and the mechanical factors that drive a piano's value.
Why pianos are hard
Pianos present unique valuation challenges because the market spans a wide range of manufacturers, ages, conditions, and configurations. Piano appraisals are a specialized subset of our personal property valuations, and the appraiser has to know the instrument market as well as the mechanics inside the case.
How we work
Many piano appraisals are completed remotely using photographs, serial numbers, and supporting documentation. We coordinate an onsite inspection for high-value instruments, concert grands, or collections where condition assessment requires direct examination.
Purposes we serve
We prepare piano appraisals for the intended uses owners and their advisors most often bring to us:
We appraise pianos across every type, brand heritage, age, mechanical condition, and restoration history, because a piano appraisal is not one-size-fits-all and value varies dramatically from one instrument to the next.
Upright and grand
Piano value starts with the instrument's configuration, from the smallest upright to the largest grand:
Brand and era
Brand heritage and age separate hand-crafted instruments from mass-produced ones, and our appraisers value both:
Mechanical and custom
Player systems, documented restoration work, and case modifications each change what a piano is worth, so we document them in the report:
We serve individual piano owners, collectors, estates, and music institutions alongside the attorneys, CPAs, and insurance professionals who require a credentialed, independent piano valuation for legal, tax, or coverage purposes.
Owners and institutions
Individual piano owners, collectors, estates, music schools, and performing arts organizations engage us when a piano or a collection needs an independent opinion of value.
Professionals
Attorneys, CPAs, and insurance professionals bring us piano appraisals when a client's legal matter, tax filing, or coverage decision depends on an independent, credentialed opinion of value.
What piano appraisal clients say we are known for
Across 23 published piano appraisal reviews, every one from a client who paid AppraiseItNow for an appraisal, the three things they raise most often are that they would hire us again, how much research is visible in the report, and how quickly we answer.
AppraiseItNow Inc. is the best company I was lucky to find by accident. I was looking for someone to appraise cabinets for a donation to charity. I asked for multiple referrals, called multiple appraisal services, etc., and no one could help me. I found AppraiseItNow and from the moment I started working with them, they were wonderful! Joe guided me on what I needed to send him, what needed to be done and stayed in touch with me the entire time. Their customer service is OUTSTANDING and a welcome surprise in today’s world where good customer service is an anomaly! They returned an appraisal in a timely manner, it was clear, concise, cost-effective and exactly what I needed. They followed up with me multiple times to ensure that I received it and everything was OK. My CPA is also thrilled to have them as an accredited appraisal service he can use for other clients. I rarely leave reviews, but I could not pass giving them 5 stars and I’d give 10 if possible! THANK YOU JOE AND ALL AT APPRAISEITNOW!!👊🏼
Personal Property Appraisal for Charitable Donation
I've dealt with several appraisers, and this was my first time using AppraiseItNow. They were by far the best. They did a great job. Their process was honest, efficient, and very detailed. Their staff was highly credentialed, and they provided IRS-compliant guidelines in their evaluation process, which was exactly what we were looking for. Their customer service also had prompt response times and was a pleasure to work with. If I need this service again, I won't go anywhere else.
Personal Property Appraisal for Charitable Donation
We had an excellent experience working with AppraiseItNow. From start to finish, their team was professional, responsive, and incredibly thorough. They took the time to understand our specific needs and delivered a detailed and accurate appraisal that was well organized and easy to understand. Communication was clear and timely throughout the entire process. They were always available to answer our questions and provided thoughtful explanations whenever we needed more clarity. Their attention to detail and strong market knowledge gave us complete confidence in the final report. It’s clear that they take pride in their work and genuinely care about providing high-quality service. We would absolutely recommend AppraiseItNow to any business or property owner looking for a reliable and professional appraisal company. Five stars all the way.
Personal Property Appraisal for Charitable Donation
I asked AppraiseItNow to value a piece of sports memorabilia for purposes of a charitable donation. The item is rarely sold. Their research unearthed an important recent sale of a similar item, which I had not found previously, and which the first appraiser I used had not found either. AppraiseItNow was a good deal more expensive than the first service, but they crafted a detailed report in which I have much more confidence. They also helped me make sure the correct tax forms are used. Thank you!
Sports Memorabilia Appraisal for Charitable Donation
I used AppraiseItNow for the first time last month and I was extremely pleased with the results. I needed an appraisal done for insurance purposes and the level of detail about each of my antique furniture pieces was thorough and very helpful in my being able to get the highest amount possible from my insurance company for the antique items that were damaged. I could see that they spent time making sure that the information she included was correct and current for my antique furniture items in the current market. The team responded to my emails timely to answer any questions I had. I would highly recommend Appraise It Now to get a thorough and professional appraisal done on antique items. I do intend to use them again for other antique furniture and jewelry that I have. Job well done! 😃🤗
Antique Furniture Appraisal for Insurance Claim
It is a pleasure to work with Joe and his team. They communicate every step along the way and made the process simple for us to have more than 35 firearms appraised. It was all done in a timely manner and the final report is easy to understand. I highly recommend their services.
Gun Appraisal for Probate
Submit estimate or list of items for our review.
We'll share a flat fee quote for your approval.
Submit details on all of your items for our review.
We'll conduct detailed research and prepare a written USPAP-compliant report.
Delivery of your report and supporting documents (e.g., signed IRS Form 8283) by email.
Given the USPAP-compliant nature of AppraiseItNow’s appraisal reports, we prepare our deliverables for major legal, tax, and financial reporting purposes for individual and commercial clients.
Popular uses of our appraisal reports include:
Three methods dominate: comparable sales of similar brand, model, age, and condition; structured depreciation from new retail price; and the idealized value minus cost of restoration method, which compares a fully rebuilt example against what it would take to bring your piano to that condition. Appraisers cross-reference the Blue Book of Pianos, marketplaces such as PianoMart, and dealer pricing for the specific make.
No, and this is the most common misconception we encounter. Many mass-market uprights over 30 years old trade between zero and negative value once moving, tuning, and deferred maintenance are counted, and older instruments from discontinued American makers often bracket between $0 and $5,000. Age and sentimental history are poor indicators; brand tier, condition, and market demand set the price.
Dramatically. Dealer valuation data show a 5 to 10 year old Steinway can retain around 80 percent of its new price, and even a Steinway over 40 years old may carry shell value of $1,000 to $15,000 before rebuilding, while similar-age mass-market instruments may have little or none. A credible appraisal segments by brand tier and build quality instead of applying one flat age curve to every piano.
Brand, model designation, serial number, and measurements: height for uprights, length for grands. Condition documentation covers the finish, soundboard, strings and tuning pins, hammers and action, and pedals, supported by 10 to 15 photographs including the serial number and interior components. Missing serials or undocumented interior condition materially weakens any value conclusion.
Only for a ballpark. Published schedules, such as 75 percent of new price at one year declining to about 55 percent at ten years, are useful starting points for younger instruments, but they ignore local oversupply, regional price differences, and mechanical issues like soundboard cracks or pinblock instability. For insurance scheduling, donations, or estate work, unadjusted guide numbers can lead to over- or under-insurance and disputes.
