Appraisals

Except for child custody matters, dealing with the division of assets is always the main area of stress during divorce proceedings. But you can take concrete steps that will take at least some of the pain out of the process, as Part Two of our series explains.

PBS's Antiques Roadshow has inspired thousands of people to scour their grandma's attics. While few people strike it rich on the show, some turn out to have true treasure on their hands. Here are five of the biggest valuations from the U.S. show and where the items are now.

If you're having a problem with a business, Consumer Ally can help. Write us at HelpMe@WalletPop.com. Q. Last August, I sent a bracelet and a diamond from a ring to Cash4Gold. They sent me $50 for the gold bracelet, but said they never received the heart-shaped diamond. They asked that I produce...

Southfield, Michigan-based Park West Gallery is no stranger to controversy. The company, which does a brisk business selling art on cruise lines including Carnival and Royal Caribbean, has been the subject of numerous lawsuits chronicled by the New York Times back in 2008 and more recently has...

Elyse Luray is a professional appraiser who began her career at Christie's fine art auction house and moved on to your TV set as a personality on Antiques Roadshow, HGTV's Endless Yard Sale, and PBS's popular History Detectives, which just completed its seventh season. It's her job to take a...

Another cost to home buyers and sellers -- appraisals of a home for sale -- is going up, and going forward, it will likely take longer to get an appraisal done.A new layer of red tape is adding $100 to the cost of housing appraisals as a result of a May 1 change in how loans are purchased by Fannie...

The National Association of Realtors and other housing industry types are none too pleased with the effect that real estate appraisers are having on the market.The NAR reports that 17% of its members have lost a sale due to a low appraisal and 20% say that they've lost more than one deal. NAR chief...

Lawrence Yun, the discredited shill economist at the National Association of Realtors, has identified one culprit in the disappointing home sales numbers that have been coming out: the stupid appraisers aren't being optimistic enough. "Lenders are using appraisers who may not be familiar with a...

Home appraisals – the source of considerable mortgage-related stress during the acute phase of the housing crisis – could create a formidable speed bump as the housing sector starts to recover. Low appraisals – where the home's appraised value is less than the sales price...

The New York Times recently took a look at the home appraisal industry and how it works and doesn't work:Appraisers who work on behalf of these companies typically receive less pay than those who do not. Some appraisers say the lower fees mean consumers are less likely to get a high-quality...