Eagle Home Appraisal Grand Rapids
Questions we hear in Grand Rapids
Short answers to the things people ask first. If yours is not here, call.
A few questions that come up.
Someone has passed away and I do not know where to start. Can I still call?
Yes. You do not need the right words, or to know which kind of appraisal you need. Tell us the address and what has happened, and we will help you work out what to ask the estate’s attorney next.
Does Michigan probate require an appraisal for every home?
No. The personal representative does have to list what the estate owned within 91 days of appointment, at its value on the date of passing (MCL 700.3706), and may bring in a qualified, disinterested appraiser when a value is in reasonable doubt (MCL 700.3707). The estate’s attorney can tell you whether your house is one of those.
Is the taxable value on my Grand Rapids tax bill what the house is worth?
No, though it is easy to read it that way. Taxable value is a property-tax figure, and Michigan keeps it separate from assessed and state equalized value (glossary). It helps identify the house. An appraisal answers a different question: what this house was worth on one date, for one use.
What happens to the tax bill when a house is inherited?
It can go up the following year. Michigan generally resets taxable value after a transfer of ownership unless an exemption applies, and asks the new owner to tell the assessor within 45 days (MCL 211.27a). That clock does not wait for the estate to settle, so ask your attorney about it early.
What does it cost?
For a VA loan, the government publishes the fee: $650 for a single-family home in Kent County, effective May 1, 2026 (VA fee table). That is the VA’s program fee, not our private price. For anything else, tell us the address and what the report is for, and we will give you a fee in writing before anything is booked.
How do I check who would do the appraisal?
Ask us for the name and license number, then look them up yourself on the state license search. We would rather you checked.
The house is in East Grand Rapids, Kentwood, Wyoming or Walker. Does that matter?
It matters for the records. Each is a separate city with its own assessor, and a Grand Rapids mailing address does not always mean the City of Grand Rapids. Give us the full street address and we will tell you whether the home is within our coverage.
Can I appeal my Grand Rapids assessment?
Yes, but the City’s calendar is short, so watch the dates. The Assessor’s Review comes first, in February, then the Board of Review in March. A residential dispute that goes further needs a Tax Tribunal petition by July 31 (City appeal page; MCL 205.735a). An appraisal can support your case, but it cannot promise a reduction.
Do I need to be home?
Someone needs to let us in, and it does not have to be you. Tell us on the call who it will be and when they are free.
Eagle Home Appraisal Grand Rapids