How to Find a Home Appraiser in Miami-Dade County

Finding a home appraiser in Miami-Dade County starts with knowing which of two separate offices to contact. 

The Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser sets assessed value for property tax purposes only, while a private fee appraiser provides the independent valuation lenders, courts, and insurers typically rely on for lending, divorce, estate, or PMI-removal decisions. 

Acceptance standards vary by the lender, court, or insurer involved, but none treat the county’s assessed value as a substitute for an independent appraisal.

Key Takeaways

• The Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser, led by Tomas Regalado, sets assessed value under Florida Statutes § 193.023 for tax purposes only.
• A private fee appraiser must hold active Florida certification or licensure under Chapter 475, Part II of the Florida Statutes to legally issue an appraisal report.
• For mortgage-related appraisals, federal banking regulators require the lender or its agent—not the borrower—to select and engage the appraiser directly.
• Homeowners can verify any Florida appraiser’s certification or license status directly through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation before hiring one.

Homeowners who need an independent, USPAP-compliant appraisal for a lender, court, or insurer can request a free consultation with Home Value Inc. today.

What Is the Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser’s Office?

The Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser is a locally elected government office responsible for determining the assessed value of every parcel in the county for ad valorem tax purposes. 

Tomas Regalado currently holds the elected position, and his office, the Property Appraiser of Miami-Dade County, mails a Notice of Proposed Property Taxes (TRIM Notice) to every property owner each August.

Florida law assigns this office a narrow, statutory duty. Under Florida Statutes § 193.023, the property appraiser must complete an assessment of every parcel’s value no later than July 1 each year and physically inspect each property at least once every five years. 

That assessed value supports property tax administration, so property owners who need a valuation for a sale, mortgage, divorce, or estate matter should use a private appraiser instead.

What Is a Private Fee Appraiser?

A private fee appraiser is a Florida-certified or -licensed professional retained directly by a homeowner, attorney, lender, or court to determine a property’s fair market value for a specific transaction or legal proceeding. 

Under Florida Statutes § 475.612, Chapter 475, Part II, only a person certified, licensed, or registered by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation may issue an appraisal report or use a corresponding professional title. 

Florida currently recognizes two active certification tiers—certified residential and certified general appraiser—both administered through the same DBPR licensing system, which is why the state’s verification tool is called a “license” lookup even for certified professionals.

Home Value Inc., a Florida-certified residential appraisal firm based in Miami Springs, Florida, employs three Florida Certified Residential Appraisers: Rojas, Emily Rojas, and Renato Salgado. 

The firm does not subcontract assignments to outside appraisers, and every report carries full Errors & Omissions insurance coverage.

When Miami-Dade Homeowners Need the County Property Appraiser

Miami-Dade homeowners should contact the county property appraiser’s office directly for a specific, narrow set of tasks tied to property tax administration:

• Reviewing or disputing the assessed value on a TRIM Notice
• Applying for a homestead, senior, or disability exemption
• Requesting Save Our Homes portability when moving to a new homestead property
• Correcting property record errors such as square footage or ownership information
• Filing an agricultural classification application

Homeowners preparing a formal property tax appeal to Miami-Dade’s Value Adjustment Board can strengthen their petition with independent valuation evidence — an appraisal report is one of several accepted evidence types alongside comparable sales, repair documentation, and photographs.

When Miami-Dade Homeowners Need a Private Fee Appraiser

Situations involving a lender, a court, an insurer, or a legal deadline generally call for a private fee appraiser, though the exact documentation requirements depend on the specific recipient and transaction. Common triggers include:

• Mortgage lending, refinancing, or PMI removal, where a bank requires a USPAP-compliant report
• Divorce settlements, where an independent valuation supports both spouses’ attorneys
• Estate and probate administration, where executors need a report establishing date-of-death value
• Pre-listing pricing, where an independent valuation replaces an agent’s price opinion
• Rental and investment property decisions, where financing or portfolio planning requires a defensible valuation

For mortgage transactions specifically, the federal banking agencies’ Interagency Appraisal and Evaluation Guidelines require the lender or its agent to select and engage the appraiser directly —a borrower-ordered appraisal cannot be used for the loan itself. 

Separately, Regulation Z’s valuation-independence rule (12 CFR § 1026.42) prohibits any party from pressuring the appraiser’s independent judgment once selected. 

A homeowner can still order a private appraisal directly for non-lending purposes, such as a divorce, estate, or pre-listing decision.

Homeowners requesting a PMI removal appraisal need the same USPAP-compliant methodology as the situations above.

Miami-Dade homeowners facing a divorce settlement, estate deadline, or PMI removal request can schedule an appraisal with Home Value Inc. this week.

County Property Appraiser vs. Private Fee Appraiser

Feature	Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser	Private Fee Appraiser
Role	Sets assessed value for property tax billing	Determines fair market value for a specific transaction
Who orders the report	No one — assessment runs each year automatically	Homeowner or attorney directly; lender or its agent for mortgage transactions
Legal authority	Florida Statutes § 193.023, elected county office	Florida Statutes § 475.612, Chapter 475, Part II, DBPR-certified or -licensed
Typically relied on for	Property tax billing only	Lending, divorce, estate, sale, and insurance purposes, subject to the recipient’s specific requirements
Cost to the property owner	No cost — funded by tax administration	Fee paid directly to the appraiser
Who signs the report	Property Appraiser or staff appraiser	Individually certified or licensed appraiser

Private Appraisal Report Types by Situation

Situation	Report Type Typically Used	Who Selects the Appraiser
Refinancing a mortgage	Full URAR appraisal report	Lender or its agent, per federal interagency guidelines
Divorce property division	Fair market value report	Homeowner, spouse’s attorney, or the court
PMI removal	Full appraisal or exterior-only report	Homeowner or lender, depending on the loan servicer’s process
Estate/probate settlement	Date-of-death retrospective appraisal	Executor or probate attorney
Pre-listing pricing	Independent pre-listing appraisal	Homeowner or FSBO seller
Property tax appeal support	Supporting valuation exhibit	Homeowner or tax attorney

What to Tell an Appraiser Before Ordering a Report

Appraisers who handle Miami-Dade litigation, lending, and estate assignments routinely see the same intake gap: a homeowner names the situation — divorce, probate, refinance — but not the report’s intended use or intended user, and that gap can change scope, methodology, and turnaround before work even begins.

 Homeowners get a more accurate quote and a faster assignment by confirming the following before hiring:

• The intended use of the report (lending, litigation, estate settlement, sale pricing)
• The intended user or recipient (a specific lender, court, attorney, or insurer)
• Whether the recipient has a required report format or effective date, such as a retrospective valuation for probate
• The property’s complexity — waterfront, multi-family, or historic properties often require additional documentation
• Whether the recipient will accept an exterior-only or desktop appraisal, or requires a full interior inspection

How to Verify a Private Appraiser’s Credentials in Miami-Dade County

Homeowners hiring a private fee appraiser in Miami-Dade County should confirm three credentials before signing an engagement letter: active Florida certification or licensure, USPAP compliance, and Errors & Omissions insurance coverage.

Check the Florida DBPR License Registry

Every certified or licensed Florida appraiser carries a registration number issued by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. 

Homeowners can confirm status, expiration date, and any disciplinary history through the DBPR license lookup. 

A real estate appraiser who cannot produce an active DBPR number in Miami-Dade County should not be hired for any assignment requiring a certified appraiser’s report.

Confirm USPAP Compliance and Coverage

The Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) is a set of ethics and reporting standards published by The Appraisal Foundation. 

Under Florida Administrative Code Rule 61J1-4.003, every registered, licensed, or certified Florida appraiser must complete 30 hours of continuing education during each renewal period, including a 7-hour National USPAP Update Course. 

An appraiser who cannot confirm current USPAP training may not meet the baseline standard lenders, courts, and insurers generally expect, which homeowners should treat as a hiring red flag.

How Much Does a Private Appraisal Cost in Miami-Dade County?

Private appraisal cost in Miami-Dade County varies by property type, report complexity, and turnaround timeline rather than a single flat rate. 

Homeowners comparing quotes should ask for a written scope of work before hiring, since a standard residential report and a litigation-grade narrative report require different levels of documentation.

Homeowners refinancing a property can review Home Value Inc.’s mortgage lending appraisal service for lender-specific requirements. 

The Miami appraisal cost breakdown by property type and the appraisal turnaround time homeowners can expect both depend on which service category applies to a given property.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between the Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser and a private appraiser, and when should each be contacted?
The Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser sets assessed value for property tax billing under Florida Statutes § 193.023, and homeowners contact that office for TRIM Notice reviews, exemptions, or portability. A private appraiser is a DBPR-certified or -licensed professional retained for lending, divorce, estate, or sale purposes instead.

Does the county’s assessed value count as a home appraisal for a mortgage?
No. Lenders rely on a USPAP-compliant appraisal report from a Florida-certified appraiser their institution selects directly under federal interagency guidelines. The county’s assessed value reflects property tax administration under Chapter 193, Florida Statutes, and serves a different purpose entirely.

Can a homeowner choose their own appraiser for a mortgage refinance?
Not for the lender’s report. Federal interagency appraisal guidelines require the lender or its agent to directly select and engage the appraiser for a loan-related assignment, though a homeowner can separately order a private appraisal for non-lending purposes.

Can a TRIM Notice replace hiring a private appraiser?
No. A TRIM Notice estimates property taxes based on the county’s assessed value and proposed millage rates. It does not establish fair market value for a sale, refinance, divorce, or estate matter, which typically requires a licensed private appraiser’s report.

How do I verify a private appraiser’s license in Florida?
Homeowners can search the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s license lookup by name or license number. The search confirms whether the appraiser’s certification or license is active, its expiration date, and any disciplinary history before an engagement begins.

Who orders a private appraisal in a Miami-Dade divorce case?
Either spouse, their attorney, or the court can request a divorce appraisal. An independent, USPAP-compliant valuation generally carries more weight with both parties’ attorneys than a real estate agent’s price opinion, though the exact evidentiary standard depends on the case and the presiding judge.

Does a private appraiser need to follow USPAP standards?
Yes. Every Florida-certified or -licensed appraiser must complete a 7-hour National USPAP Update Course as part of continuing education each renewal period, under Florida Administrative Code Rule 61J1-4.003. Reports that fail to meet USPAP standards risk rejection, since USPAP compliance is the baseline professional standard Florida law expects.

How long does a private appraisal take in Miami-Dade County?
Turnaround depends on property type and report complexity — a standard residential report generally moves faster than a litigation-grade narrative report for an estate or divorce matter. Homeowners should request a written timeline estimate before hiring an appraiser for any Miami-Dade property.

Does hiring a private appraiser affect the county’s assessed value?
No. A private appraisal is a separate report for a specific transaction or legal proceeding, and it has no automatic effect on the county’s assessed value, though a homeowner can submit it as supporting evidence in a formal Value Adjustment Board petition.

Bottom Line

The Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser sets assessed value for tax purposes only, under Florida Statutes § 193.023. 

Lending, divorce, estate, and insurance situations typically call for a Florida-certified private fee appraiser; for mortgage transactions, the lender’s institution—not the borrower—selects that appraiser under federal interagency guidelines. 

Homeowners can confirm any appraiser’s status through the DBPR registry before hiring.

Homeowners weighing a lender deadline, a court date, or a probate filing can request a private appraisal from Home Value Inc. and confirm timing before committing to a transaction.