firearms appraisal

[craigkim]

I was hoping someone could help me. I find myself in an unenviable position this new year of navigating through a divorce. We are attempting to mediate, but as I am finding out, mediating puts an exceptional amount of work on the spouses to gather documentation. Our mediator insists that I have my firearms appraised, despite the fact that my ex wife does NOT want them. The mediator seems to have worked with individuals who had antique firearms of exceptional value. Mine are all modern, tactical, hunting and utilitarian types of negligible value in todays market I assume. She, the mediator, seems to think that I can have someone out to my home in Fishers and pay them to appraise what I have. Can anyone direct me to such an individual to have this done? I live in Fishers.

Thanks

 

[VUPDblue]

I recommend you lose them in a boating accident.

 

[jagee]

I'm curious as well, but for different reasons. My insurance guy needs an inventory with appraised value to write up my policy.

 

[WebSnyper]

I was hoping someone could help me. I find myself in an unenviable position this new year of navigating through a divorce. We are attempting to mediate, but as I am finding out, mediating puts an exceptional amount of work on the spouses to gather documentation. Our mediator insists that I have my firearms appraised, despite the fact that my ex wife does NOT want them. The mediator seems to have worked with individuals who had antique firearms of exceptional value. Mine are all modern, tactical, hunting and utilitarian types of negligible value in todays market I assume. She, the mediator, seems to think that I can have someone out to my home in Fishers and pay them to appraise what I have. Can anyone direct me to such an individual to have this done? I live in Fishers.

Thanks

I would think that you could provide a list with possible pictures to someone if they are actually all modern firearms and get a quick "appraisal" that way (via email. etc), vs having someone come out and charge you a fee for doing so or even taking them all into someone. In the situation you are in, I'd probably pick a shop that is known to provide extremely low offers and get them to provide you pricing, if your mediator will accept that, vs going the true appraisal route. Though the shop may not want to provide it in writing, unless they are sympathetic to your plight.

 

[mike trible]

I have been called a pessimist in the past. The part of your question that states " SHE, the mediator ", makes me feel like you are about to take it in the xss. Hope I am wrong, GOOD LUCK

 

[craigkim]

I have been called a pessimist in the past. The part of your question that states " SHE, the mediator ", makes me feel like you are about to take it in the xss. Hope I am wrong, GOOD LUCK

Oh, my assessment is pretty similar.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I have been called a pessimist in the past. The part of your question that states " SHE, the mediator ", makes me feel like you are about to take it in the xss. Hope I am wrong, GOOD LUCK

That's about what I was going to say. Sorry OP!

 

[AtTheMurph]

I'd see if they would accept something like the Gun Digest book values. Buy the subscription and print off the values.

 

[eric001]

Kind of like the above, I was thinking of visiting a book store and getting a recent copy of Standard Catalog of Firearms--values based on condition and you can guestimate pretty well, I'd think. And, if "SHE the mediator" doesn't like your values, I'd hand her the book and tell her to do it herself. Just sayin'.

 

[bwframe]

Might be a good time to sell them and start over, after the divorce?

The market is soft (and fluid.) It would be hard for an appraiser to give a more accurate figure than liquidation.

 

[Hop]

Appraised value has nothing to do with how much you could sell them for if you had to.
Garage sale value only is what my lawyer said. If you needed to sell some to get quick $ to split 50/50 in a dissolution (don't tell me how I learned this word), that's all you are going to get out of them anyway.

Guns you give away are worthless. My daughter owns 5 of the ones that used to live with me. Those are hers, not mine to divvy up.

In a pinch, load them all into the car, take them to a gun store and get a trade in value for them.

 

[Leadeye]

Sounds like your wife is only interested in the cash value. I agree with Hop, just sell them at a gun store, get a receipt and give her 1/2 of that. People can wrangle forever over what guns are valued, in the end the higher they are valued, the more you will pay.

 

[WebSnyper]

Sounds like your wife is only interested in the cash value. I agree with Hop, just sell them at a gun store, get a receipt and give her 1/2 of that. People can wrangle forever over what guns are valued, in the end the higher they are valued, the more you will pay.

I'd get the value from the gun store, and keep the guns. No sense in getting bent over twice. Get the lowest "appraised" value you can, and provide that. If the mediator hasn't been specific about the credentials of the appraiser, a friendly to me gun shop that would provide a lowball buy it price would be my vendor of choice for this paperwork exercise. I'd then ask to have whatever the soon to be ex has of value appraised as well...

 

[gunrunner0]

Two alternate options to consider.

Will your wife simply agree to a fair market value to assign your guns? If so, use that in mediation.

Otherwise, put a fair market value on the guns and if your Wife thinks they're worth more, let her have them and pay you half the value.

 

[bwframe]

Another thing to consider is to not count on the soon-to-be ex to be dumb. Even if she has been gullible in the past, you can bet that there are people in her ear with experience in these matters.

Is there original documentation of what was paid for these modern firearms and accessories in bank/card statements?



Again, just me but I'd list those guns in the INGO classifieds. Start over after the divorce.

 

[2in1evtime]

When we had a large loss my insurance company used the blue book of gun values, took my word on condition before the fire and i was very very pleased with how it came out monetary wise, but a few were irreplaceable though. Most Appraisers will use the blue book and what local sales are bringing if they are a legit appraiser, one reason my first wife nor my present one has or had any idea of what i collected!!!!!! Oh and didn't you trade some for work on house or vehicles that benefitted her????

 

[HoughMade]

Sounds like your wife is only interested in the cash value. I agree with Hop, just sell them at a gun store, get a receipt and give her 1/2 of that. People can wrangle forever over what guns are valued, in the end the higher they are valued, the more you will pay.

Makes sense to me.

Remember that a mediator can't force anyone to do anything and does not determine what the settlement is. They only try to get the sides to agree to a settlement.

Sorry for your loss.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

When we had a large loss my insurance company used the blue book of gun values, took my word on condition before the fire and i was very very pleased with how it came out monetary wise, but a few were irreplaceable though. Most Appraisers will use the blue book and what local sales are bringing if they are a legit appraiser, one reason my first wife nor my present one has or had any idea of what i collected!!!!!! Oh and didn't you trade some for work on house or vehicles that benefitted her????

I have to provide a list (with pics, serial numbers and value) to my insurance company for my "personal property" policy. I typically inflate the value (ie. what I think fair market value is) that I tell them by at least 10% to hedge against replacement cost, and I've noticed that most times, when they send me my declarations page, they've valued them a little higher than that, so maybe they're using blue book values as well?

 

[jedi]