Equipment Appraisal Blog | Understanding Machinery Appraisals

Should You Get an Appraisal? A Variable Business Cost That's Worth it

Posted by Equipment Appraisal Services on Mon, Jul 25, 2022 @ 07:30 AM

Machinery Equipment Appraisals Appraisers Variable Costs Value

Many businesses have been feeling the sting of unprecedented economic change since 2020 for reasons I don’t need to elaborate on. By now, we all understand the toll these past couple of years has taken on a broad range of companies, across a multitude of markets and industries. Those fortunate enough to not be overly affected by these challenges have done so by the skin of their teeth, and, therefore, the vast majority are counting their pennies a bit more closely when it comes to variable expenditures.

An unplanned variable expense you might be considering could be an appraisal, either for newly acquired or existing machinery & equipment, industrial & commercial real property, or an overall business valuation. When budgeting for expenses that are not already engrained in your company, the question may arise as to whether the benefit outweighs the cost. Is this type of expense absolutely necessary, or can your business live without it for another year or so

Some unforeseen costs are necessary but have no beneficial measurement, such as increases in overhead, like rent, insurance, and maintenance/repair costs. Others, such as asset valuation, can be weighed against the potential to save money when acquiring used equipment, or maximizing potential value in a sale or financing transaction.

When weighing these costs, it is important to consider paying a bit more for a better quality product, which will provide the best “bang for your buck,” with the benefit further supported by an experienced service provider, who won’t sacrifice quality to provide the cheapest available option.

It is always a difficult decision when entering into a relationship with any new vendor or contractor, to choose a business that not only fits with your company’s profile but can remain a long-term option, should you need to complete the process again down the road. An accredited, certified appraisal professional is one of those types of providers who will fit both your short and long-term needs, and make the expenditure easier to justify, given the overall benefit you will reap as a result.

Supporting variable costs will always be a difficult challenge facing businesses every year. Making sound decisions will come down to choosing the right partners who understand your requirements and will provide the best overall product that maximizes future benefits.

Tags: machinery & equipment appraisal, business appraisal, variable costs, value

Used Equipment Listings vs. Public Sales Databases

Posted by Equipment Appraisal Services on Mon, Jul 11, 2022 @ 07:30 AM

 

Machinery Equipment Appraisal Public Database Equipment Listing

Equipment appraisers are sometimes asked which is the better source for researching used machinery market activity: current listings or public databases which reflect recent historic sales.

The answer is that both sources are very useful, and should be considered wherever possible, to create a balanced perspective when valuing machinery & equipment. Each has its pros and cons which need to be understood in order to reach the most reasonable conclusion when weighing the data. Experienced M&E appraisers know that taking any particular source of information at 100% face value, without the broader context of related data and approaches can lead to poor results.

Here are a few additional insights to consider when reviewing both used equipment listings and sales databases:

Equipment Listings for Sale

When appraisers are able to locate a significant amount of available listings for the assets they are researching, it may seem only logical that this would be the best source of information, given it is coming directly from an active secondary market. That may be true up to a point, however, you need to qualify these listings and consider only those that come from valid resellers, and are not priced out of any reasonable range of value. Even when you narrow these down in this way, you should also consider discounting the listing price to reflect what would typically be realized with a final sale. It is common practice for used equipment dealers to price their machines over fair market value, to allow room for negotiating.

Other things to consider would be location; how long the machine has been for sale; how many similar items are available; if it is refurbished and being sold with a new short-term warranty.

Machinery Sales Databases

Historic sales databases can be found either through annual subscription providers or in the public domain and can include both dealer and auction-level activity. The key thing to keep in mind with this information is that it can be based on very small samples or, on the flip side, consider too broad of a market, which in both cases can skew the results.

Some of these databases can be a good source to confirm the new cost, year, make, and model of the assets being appraised, as well as capacity specifications. Certain databases also attempt to create estimated values for the machinery over time, which is useful when forecasting future values with used equipment. That said, it is prudent to consider if the data makes sense in the context of the other sources you are researching and relying on.

In summary, both of these types of market data should be researched and considered when available to an appraiser. They should always use their judgment based on the reliability of the information, in the broader context of their experience and overall approach, to reach a reasonable conclusion of value when completing a machinery & equipment appraisal.

Tags: used equipment values, Machinery & Equipment Appraisals, public sales databases, used equipment listings