Alaska Real Estate Appraisals
Comprehensive USPAP Compliant Real Estate Appraisals in Alaska – From Private Deals to Complex Cases
At Rikrland Valuation Services, we deliver precise, on-time, USPAP-compliant real estate appraisals of real properties located across the entire state of Alaska—from Anchorage and the Matanuska-Susitna Valley (including Wasilla) to Fairbanks, the Kenai Peninsula (Soldotna, Kenai, Homer), and remote communities statewide.
Led by Lydia W. Larson, who holds the prestigious MAI and AI-GRS designations from the Appraisal Institute, and the rare RP-ASA (Real Property Accredited Senior Appraiser) designation from the American Society of Appraisers—making her one of the few (if not the only) appraisers in Alaska with this elite ASA credential—we bring unmatched expertise to every assignment.
Our team serves a wide range of clients, including select federally insured lenders and out-of-state institutions seeking reliable commercial real estate valuations, as well as private parties, attorneys, and individuals handling neighbor disputes, divorces, and other needs. Whether it’s a high-stakes litigation case or an economical budget-friendly restricted report for private use, we provide objective, accurate, and defensible results tailored to Alaska’s diverse markets and challenges.
Types of Real Estate Appraisals We Offer
Tailored to Alaska's Properties
Commercial Real Estate Appraisals
Valuations for office buildings, retail centers, industrial facilities, hotels, multi-family apartments, and other income-producing properties. We specialize in complex commercial assets from large cities (Anchorage, Fairbanks, Wasilla), to rural communities, including remote or fly-in developments.
We’ve appraised commercial properties in:
- Anchorage
- Fairbanks
- Juneau
- Wasilla
- Kenai
- Palmer
- Homer
- Soldotna
- Kodiak
- Valdez
- Bethel
- Dillingham
- Seward
- Greater Fairbanks area (including Fox, Chena Hot Springs, and nearby CDPs)
- Girdwood (submarket of Anchorage MOA)
- Eagle River (submarket of Anchorage MOA)
- North Pole
- Delta Junction
- Talkeetna
- Healy
- Ninilchik
- Glennallen
- Gustavus
- Nikiski
- Kasilof CDP (Kenai Peninsula)
- Tok CDP (Interior Alaska)
- Togiak
- New Stuyahok
- St. Mary’s
- and many other remote communities and fly-in locations statewide
Litigation & Divorce Appraisals (Commercial Focus)
Independent, court-ready valuations for high-stakes cases, especially marriage dissolutions involving commercial real estate. Our objective analysis helps attorneys, courts, and parties achieve fair outcomes.
Estate Planning & Private Trust Appraisals
We love working with private trusts and families for estate planning purposes. This includes accurate valuations to help with asset distribution, tax strategies, and long-term planning—ensuring fair and efficient handling of real property as part of a trust or will.Date of Death (Retrospective) Appraisals
We regularly perform “date of death” appraisals, which determine the property’s value as of the exact date someone passed away (a retrospective or historical valuation). These are commonly used for IRS reporting (Form 706), estate settlement, and fair distribution among heirs or beneficiaries—providing a reliable, compliant value based on market conditions at that specific time.Private Party & Neighbor Dispute Appraisals
Economical solutions for local residents or neighbors settling sales, encroachments, or agreements without agents or banks. Our popular Restricted Appraisal Report (often presented orally) provides a focused value opinion for your use only, typically significantly less expensive than other appraisal formats and types.
Agricultural & Farm/Ranch Appraisals
Valuations for farmland, ranches, timberland, and agricultural operations, including highest-and-best-use analysis in Alaska’s rural and remote settings.
Conservation Easement Appraisals
We offer appraisals for conservation easements (permanent restrictions on land use to protect natural resources while allowing continued ownership). These are handled selectively; we prioritize legitimate conservation goals and turn down requests where predetermined or improper values are expected.DNR (Alaska Department of Natural Resources) Land Purchase Appraisals
We provide appraisals to assist individuals purchasing land directly from the State of Alaska through DNR programs (such as over-the-counter sales or staking programs). These help establish fair market value for state land transactions, often required before final purchase. Lydia Larson, MAI, AI-GRS, ASA, GAA, MNAA is on the approved appraiser list for the State of Alaska, Department of Natural Resources.Special-Use & Unique Property Appraisals
Specialized valuations for properties like churches, schools, recreational facilities, mobile home parks, RV campgrounds, hospitals or medical offices, convenience stores with gas pumps, airports, and airport-leased properties.
Remote, Recreational, & Alaska Native Corp/Tribal Land Appraisals
Expertise in valuing remote fly-in properties, recreational cabins, waterfront lots, and Alaska Native/Tribal lands, accounting for logistical challenges and unique market dynamics.
Residential Appraisals
Available selectively for private clients (e.g., estates, private sales, or disputes). We’re happy to assist Alaskans with their pre-listing appraisals, private party transaction appraisals, and estate planning appraisals of residential properties. We do not typically accept single-family residential assignments through appraisal management companies (AMCs) due to ethics, volume, and profitability constraints.
Other-Specialized Valuations
Easements, condemnations, partial interests, USFLA (Yellowbook), and highest-and-best-use studies. Subsidized/low-income housing. Subdivision analysis and sellout analysis.
Appraisal Report Formats
How We Deliver Your Valuation
We tailor the report format to your needs, timeline, budget, and intended use—always in full compliance with current USPAP (Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice) standards. While USPAP now recognizes only two primary written report types (Appraisal Report and Restricted Appraisal Report), older industry terms like “summary” and “self-contained” are still commonly used by clients, lenders, and attorneys to describe levels of detail within those categories. Here are the main formats we offer:
- Narrative Appraisal Report (formerly often called “Summary” or “Self-Contained”)
This is the standard, comprehensive written report with detailed analysis, supporting data, comparable sales, photos, maps, and explanations. It provides enough information for intended users (even those unfamiliar with the property) to understand the facts, reasoning, and conclusions without needing additional explanation. The amount of exhibits and narrative varies per the client’s request and the scope-of-work determined by the appraiser.
Ideal for: Lending (banks/lenders), litigation, estates, complex commercial properties, IRS reporting, or any situation requiring full transparency and documentation.
Typical length: 30–100+ pages, depending on complexity.
- Restricted Appraisal Report
A concise written report that states the key facts, findings, and opinion of value with minimal explanation and supporting details. This is the recommended format for property tax appeal where Alaskan Statutes and MLS policies prevent the disclosure of closed sales information to assessor offices.
Ideal for: Private party needs, neighbor disputes, internal decisions, and property tax appeals.
Benefits: Fast turnaround, lower cost, and sufficient for informed clients who already understand the property/market.
Note: This is our most popular format for private, non-lending uses.
- Form Appraisal Report
A standardized, pre-printed form (e.g., Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac residential forms or custom commercial templates) is used to organize and present the appraisal efficiently. Forms are simply tools for reporting—they must still meet USPAP requirements and are often supplemented with addenda.
Common in: Lending and routine residential/commercial assignments where a familiar layout is expected. RVS can offer custom forms for specific situations.
- Oral Report (with Written Summary if Needed)
Verbal delivery of the opinion of value, often used with Restricted Appraisal Reports when speed is critical. It is important for a client to understand that an Oral Report will NOT include any opinions of value in writing, not even in email. Often, an Oral Report is requested first, and then an additional report format of the same appraisal is ordered later as an add-on option to the original contract. Ideal for: Quick consultations, preliminary discussions, or when formal written detail isn’t required.
All formats include objective, defensible results—no shortcuts in development, just the right level of reporting for your situation. We’ll discuss the best option during your initial consultation