Equipment Appraisal Blog | Understanding Machinery Appraisals

In both our business and personal lives, we expect to have to deal with unpleasant things on occasion. Paying taxes is a task nobody wants to undertake. But when you receive personal property taxes based on an assessment that is much too high, you may wonder if there's any point in fighting the system. Fortunately, many business owners find that having a machinery valuation helps when appealing your personal property tax assessment. Here are a few reasons why you may have received a high assessment and how getting equipment appraisals can help.

Personal Property Taxes: How an Equipment Appraisal Helps You Fight an Inaccurate Assessment

How your property taxes are determined

Your local tax assessor knows a lot about property values in your area, but typically on a very broad basis. The same assessor that's responsible for assessing your personal property tax on your equipment also estimates value on your neighbor's classic '65 Mustang, the local farmer's replacement cows for their operation and your uncle's latest RV purchase. Though they use some tools, such as value estimating software, there's no replacement for experience in a specific area when it comes to determining the value of your equipment, and an assessor who is overseeing a wide range of property can make mistakes.

Where mistakes can be made on your assessment

So where exactly can these mistakes be made on your assessment? One common mistake is basing the value only on the machine's original purchase price depreciated over a set number of years. We all have equipment in our operations that is still being actively used, even when it's been fully depreciated. We've also had equipment that wears out much more quickly than the standard depreciation table, so your relatively new cabinet saw is assessed at a much higher value than what it would actually bring on the free market. Another area where mistakes are made happens when the assessor uses the wrong model or year to determine the value. If you have a base model that was from an overseas market when the manufacturer was trying to broaden their market share, the assessor could be valuing it based on the domestically-produced version with all the bells and whistles.

How having an equipment appraisal can help

If you've had an inaccurate assessment made on your equipment, having a machinery appraisal is a great way to set the record straight. When you work with a certified equipment appraiser, their appraisal report bears weight. A certified appraiser has had training in the appraisal process and methodology, using standardized approaches and techniques to determine the proper value for the machine in question. If you end up having to fight the assessment in court, a certified machine appraiser's report provides a legal basis for the revised value. Many local assessors, when faced with a professionally prepared appraisal report from a certified machinery appraiser, will consider revising their assessment to match the report.

Receiving a high assessment on your personal property taxes can be a pain, but having a certified machinery valuation helps you fight an inaccurate assessment in an appeal. If you don't know what your equipment values are and need help determining an accurate value, please feel free to contact us today to be put in contact with an experienced certified equipment appraiser.

When you're looking at having equipment appraisals performed, you may hear about a specialist who is an ASA accredited machinery & equipment appraiser. But what does that mean? What's involved in the process of becoming an accredited appraisal specialist? Let's take a look at how the process works:

Becoming an ASA accredited machinery & equipment appraiser

1. Make sure you meet the prerequisites first. You need to have been a full-time appraiser for at least two years to become an Accredited Member (AM) or five years to become an Accredited Senior Appraiser. For this program, 2,000 hours is considered one full year of work, so you can still receive accreditation without working full-time. You'll also need a bachelor's degree or an equivalent as described in the accreditation guide.
2. Become a member of the American Society of Appraisers. This requires the membership form to be completed and submitted with a professional resume or statement of qualifications, three letters of reference and fees for application, one year's membership and any journals.
3. After the membership is approved, you'll have ten months to pass an ASA ethics exam and pass a 15-hour National Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP).
4. You'll also need to go through four classes specific to the machinery and equipment industry, specifically ME201, ME202, ME203 and ME204 which are collectively referred to as the Principles of Valuation (POV) courses. Passing is required to continue your application process. 
5. After passing these courses, you'll need to assemble your final application package. It should include:
   • A current, valid USPAP certificate on file with the ASA.
   • A copy of a college diploma or transcript, or other evidence of education per the education equivalency in the accreditation guide.
   • A copy of your log of two or five years summarizing your appraisal experiences, depending on whether you're considering the AM or ASA designation. An equivalent amount of part-time work may be submitted.
   • A narrative appraisal report completed for a client within the past two years.
   • A signed appraisal report release form.
   • A signed affirmation statement.
   • The accreditation fee.
   • The completed application for accreditation.
6. At this point, the package is sent along to a qualified member of the International Board of Examiners, who may take up to 40 days to review all the material provided. At this point in the process, you'll be notified every time your materials and application package is acted upon, helping you plan for the next steps. Once they have completed their evaluation, it is then sent on to a second member of the Board of Examiners who may take an additional 40 days to review the material. This phase of the process can last up to three months, once mailing time and review time is factored into the calculations.
7. A decision is rendered by the International Board of Examiners regarding the quality of the application and ability of the individual applying to the program, including experience, education, exam scores and quality of appraisal reports. At that time, it is decided by the board whether the applicant receives accreditation or must resubmit the application package with all appropriate corrections or additions made.

As you can see, becoming an ASA accredited machinery & equipment appraiser is hard work, but they provide the best results for their clients. If you need to have machinery valuation performed on your company's equipment, contact an ASA accredited machinery & equipment appraiser.

If you've been following our blog for any length of time, you've come to realize the many benefits of machinery valuation. But what exactly happens during a used equipment appraisal and how does each step affect the final equipment values report that is generated by the equipment appraiser? In this post, we'll show you what happens during the process and give you the inside track of what happens during equipment appraisals.

What happens during a used equipment appraisal?

1. We get into contact to determine what your needs are during the machine appraisal. This includes not only the basics of the equipment and your industry, but also the reason behind the appraisal. If you're getting an appraisal to sell equipment, it may be a very different amount compared to a buyout of a company or liquidating an asset that has ceased to function, so we want to ensure your appraisal meets your company's needs. There are different levels of value such as Fair Market Value, Orderly Liquidation Value, and Forced Liquidation Value, as well as others.  We'll also determine the needed date of appraisal, as insurance companies sometimes request an appraisal for equipment that has already been lost which will require a retrospective report.
2. We gather the details of the equipment and examine any related paperwork that gives us a better idea of the equipment's history. Why do we need details? Much like different options on a vehicle, different versions of the same model may have additional benefits or features that can boost its value. Paperwork is checked to see if the equipment has been well maintained and kept in good repair during its use. Keeping this type of paperwork accessible during this part of the process allows us to complete the appraisal more quickly.
3. We take a good look at its condition. This is the point that we actually get into the nuts and bolts of the machine. We'll take into account the conditions it is kept in, as dusty or damp conditions can quickly impact its expected lifespan. If the machine shows signs of abuse or poor repair, that will be taken into account in the final report for the same reasoning, as will signs of exemplary maintenance and care. Having the machine accessible helps speed up this part of the process.
4. The machinery appraiser prepares a valuation report for the equipment. Before you hire an appraiser, be sure that they are certified in equipment appraisal, as that helps ensure the final report is acceptable to insurance companies, financial institutions and the legal system. A machinery appraiser will take all the information provided and use it to determine the equipment's value for your purposes, including all the methodology used in determining that value, then write it up into a report for your purposes.
5. Any discrepancies are addressed. If something was missed in the paperwork or a vital facet of the machinery was missed, a good appraisal company will have a process in place so that you can explain your rational for why something may not have been taken into account to ensured it accurately reflects the machinery's value. 

Now that you know what happens during a used equipment appraisal, you'll be better prepared for your next valuation. If you still have questions about how the appraisal process works or need to have an equipment appraisal performed by a highly-qualified equipment appraiser, please feel free to contact us. At Equipment Appraisal Services, our certified appraisers only work with industrial equipment, providing the expertise your business needs.

In the first part of this series, we looked at the truck appraisal end of a tractor trailer. But what about trailer appraisal? What does an equipment appraiser look for when determining equipment values in standard, flatbed or reefer trailers? By knowing what is taken into consideration during equipment appraisals, it's much easier to make sure the process goes quickly and smoothly. Here's what is usually looked at when a trailer is appraised:

Valuing a Semi Part 2: Trailer Appraisal

• Where are the logs? An equipment appraiser will want to take a good look at repair and maintenance logs, especially on refrigerated trailers and other types that have high-maintenance systems on board. But even on standard trailers, there should be some documentation on the tires, the maintenance that has been done on mechanical systems such as the brakes and similar concerns. Having documentation of these tasks, whether as a log book or a collection of receipts, will show that the trailer has been kept in good condition.
• What is the condition? A trailer that has been well maintained will always have a higher valuation than one that has been poorly kept. Why? A trailer that is poorly kept will often fail faster than well kept counterparts. This can have a drastic effect on the value, especially if there appears to be problems with key systems on the trailer.
• Kick the tires. Replacing trailer tires can be an expensive proposition, so newer tires or retreads can help boost the valuation of your trailer. But even beyond tread depth, what kind of condition are the tires themselves in? Are there cracks or signs of damage to the sidewalls? Tires in good repair and with decent tread left will help improve your trailer's overall valuation and are another sign of good maintenance of the entire unit.
• Over the top wear and tear. Though we've been talking about signs that a trailer has been well maintained, now we're going to look at the other end of the spectrum. A trailer that has been abused will often have a much shorter expected life cycle, lowering its appraised value drastically. This can show up in terms of serious dents, bends in the frame, poorly made repairs, failing refrigeration units, worn or damaged tires, worn or failing brake systems and other areas where the condition indicates abuse and poor maintenance.
• Special features. This will depend specifically on the type of trailer that you're having appraised. It can include the cooling unit on a reefer trailer, heavy brakes on nine axle trailers, scrapes or dents on the bottom of a low boy or any other numerous features for non-standard trailers. As with the other features mentioned above, having these features in good condition with evidence of regular maintenance will boost the value, while signs of abuse or excessive wear will decrease the value.

By having a grasp of what will happen during a trailer appraisal, you can use your equipment in a way that protects the equipment values in the long run. If you didn't have a chance to read the first part of this series dealing with semi tractors, please take a look now and you'll know exactly what to expect from the entire machinery valuation process.

When you run a big rig and need to have a truck appraisals conducted, how do you know what will come into consideration during the process? Knowing what the equipment appraiser is looking for helps you know how to judge equipment values, whether you're considering making a new purchase or figuring out when to upgrade from your old standby. Here are a few things to keep in mind when having your semi tractor appraised:

Valuing a Semi Part 1: Truck Appraisals

• Show us the paper. Though it seems like it wouldn't have as much to do with your truck's machinery valuation, having proof of maintenance and repairs is vital to the process. Whether you keep a regular maintenance and repair log, have an envelope with all the repair receipts in it or can get a copy of the records from the shop you always use, documentation helps prove good care of your truck.
• In good condition. Though it's normal to have some average wear and tear on your truck, it should show that it has been keep up, whether that's through regular washing, a clean interior or an engine compartment that is well kept and in good repair. Much like documentation, this step also proves that your truck has been well maintained.
• Mileage matches wear. Though most people wouldn't dream of messing with the odometer, some shady shops will try to tamper with it to gain a few dollars in the sale price. Equipment appraisals will take a good look at the wear and tear of the entire vehicle, and if it appears to have much more wear and tear than the odometer would support, you may want to have documentation on hand in the form of mileage logs or similar paperwork to back up your claim. Excessive wear is often related to early failure of a variety of systems, lowering the final appraised value.
• Free from signs of abuse. Much like the mileage concern above, this step is to ensure that the truck will continue to operate for an expected period of time. Abuse can include repairs that have not been seen to, too much play in steering, suspension, brakes and similar systems, poorly made repairs, cracks or dents, bends in the frame and similar concerns. Trucks that have been hard used and not cared for often have much earlier failure rates than trucks that have been well maintained.
• Manufacturer-added or -approved features. Everyone can buy a basic truck, but one that has a few more bells and whistles will demand a higher price in the market, which is reflected in the appraised value. But what about additions that were manufactured by third parties or part of customization outside the manufacturer's specifications? You may actually end up lowering your truck's value. Why? If a feature was added that causes additional wear and tear on a particular system or circumvents a safety feature, it can actually cause the truck to fail sooner instead of adding value to a normal life cycle.

Knowing what to expect during a machine appraisal helps you get through the process quickly and easily by allowing you to have everything you need on hand and accessible for the process. But now that you know what to expect in truck appraisals, what about the trailer? Tune in next time for the second part of this series, dealing with trailer appraisals, and don't forget to contact us for all your appraisal needs.