Divorcing? How property valuation and the valuation date determine what your home is worth

# Why the valuation date matters

Courts, lawyers, and appraisers frequently need a value tied to a specific date in the past. If you separated three years ago but only now settle finances, today's market price may not answer the legal question. The home could have been worth substantially more or less on the separation date than it is today.

# What a retrospective appraisal does A retrospective appraisal attempts to determine what the property would reasonably have sold for in the market that existed on the effective date. The appraiser reconstructs that historical market by finding comparable sales around that date and by considering the same buyer priorities that applied then: location, property type, lot size, living area, overall condition, renovations that existed at the time, and features that influence value.

Appraisers try to put themselves back into that market and answer: what would a typical buyer have paid for this particular property on that particular date?

# Why you can't just roll today's price back by a market percentage

# The property's condition at separation matters Retrospective valuations must reflect how the home existed on the valuation date. If one spouse stayed in the house and completed renovations after separation, those later improvements cannot be used to inflate the historical value. The appraiser needs evidence of the condition at the effective date—photos, invoices, inspection reports, or testimony can all help.

If major changes occurred after separation, the appraiser will value the pre-change condition and exclude post-separation upgrades.

# Steps you should take

• Confirm the effective valuation date with your family lawyer before commissioning an appraisal. The appropriate date depends on legal circumstances and the purpose of the valuation.
• Gather documentation that shows the property's condition at the valuation date: photos, renovation records, purchase receipts, or dated communications about repairs.

# Bottom line In divorce or separation, the property's dollar figure depends on more than a current online estimate or a neighbour's sale. The valuation date and an appraisal that reconstructs the market and property condition on that date determine the legally relevant value. Confirm the date with your lawyer and provide evidence of how the house looked and functioned at that time so the appraisal reflects the correct historical picture.