Appraisal Umpire and Alternative Dispute Resolution Services require independent third-party neutral valuation experts qualified to resolve disputes between two or more parties who have provided conflicting valuations of a property. The umpire reviews the evidence and findings of the parties and makes a final determination of the property’s value. This process is often used in real estate transactions or insurance claims when there is a disagreement about the value of a property.
EDS pioneered the appraisal review profession—the cornerstone of appraisal umpire and dispute resolution services—and directed the development, writing, and implementation of the appraisal review Principles of Valuation and best practices taught to and in use today by professional valuers, legal experts, and government agencies throughout-the-world.
EDS holds the only RICS Dispute Resolution Service (DRS) Certification in the United States and all of the Western Hemisphere—one of only a handful of such Certifications in the world.
EDS Appraisal Expert Witnesses, having prevailed at trial and Alternative Dispute Resolution in multiple multi-billion dollar matters, are highly trained—highly skilled—highly credentialed multidisciplinary appraisal review instructors with decades of courtroom experience who master the facts and are able to present clear, objective, and compelling findings to judges and juries.
EDS Appraisal Umpire Services specialists are qualified independent-neutral third-party valuation experts who are appointed to resolve disputes between two appraisers who have provided conflicting valuations of a property. The umpire reviews the evidence and findings of both appraisers and makes a final determination of the property’s value. This process is often used in real estate transactions or insurance claims when there is a disagreement about the value of a property.
Appraisal Umpire Services require highly-trained—highly-skilled—highly-credentialed—unimpeachable discipline-specific and multidisciplinary Review Appraisers with decades of appraisal experience who are specifically trained and accredited to appear and represent clients in such proceedings or to serve as an independent—third-party—neutral Umpire to adjudicate appraisal disputes.
In appraisal arbitration the findings of the arbitrator are usually binding on both parties. The appraisal clause is meant to be the method for determining disputed values. Appraisal cannot be used to determine what is covered. That is for an Arbitrator or court of law to decide.
EDS holds the only RICS Expert Witness Accreditation Service (EWAS) and Dispute Resolution Service (DRS) Certifications
in the Western Hemisphere—one of only a handful of such Certifications in the world.
EDS is an Elite-Rated member of the peer-voted Super Appraisers® Global Network of internationally recognized appraisal luminaries.
EDS has prevailed in billions of dollars at issue in some of the world’s most complex— important—high-profile—and valuable—valuation litigation.
EDS pioneered the appraisal review profession—the cornerstone of appraisal umpire and dispute resolution services—and directed the development, writing, and implementation of the appraisal review Principles of Valuation and best practices taught to and in use today by professional valuers, legal experts, and government agencies throughout-the-world. Our appraisal experts and umpires have handled billions of dollars at issue, and U.S. regulators have cited our body of work as “The measure by which all appraisal reviews should be judged”.
Our dispute resolution umpires, mediators, and arbitrators are discipline-specific and multidisciplinary appraisal experts uniquely qualified—internationally accredited—American Society of Appraisers (ASA), Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), Appraisal Institute (MAI), well-published luminaries in the global valuation community. Our appraisal dispute resolution specialists include Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) and International Valuation Standards (IVS) instructors, Value Adjustment Board (VAB) Magistrates, and former state/federal appraisal regulatory compliance officers. We hold the only RICS Expert Witness Accreditation Service (EWAS) Certification in the United States and the Americas—one of only a handful of such certifications in the world.
We provide comprehensive appraisal dispute resolution services in all disciplines of valuation and asset classes, tangible and intangible, i.e., Real Estate, Business Valuation, Intellectual Property, Personal Property, and Business Income and Economic Damages.
EDS specializes in handling complex multidisciplinary and multi-jurisdictional appraisal dispute resolution matters. For example, a dispute wherein multiple international locations/jurisdictions and multiple valuation disciplines and insurance claims are at issue, e.g., Real Property, Business Valuation, and Machinery and Equipment. Unlike others, EDS will assign one of its internationally accredited valuation experts from each valuation and insurance discipline at issue and possessing the requisite jurisdictional and geographic competency to contribute to the process. This ensures independent—credible findings that will withstand scrutiny and challenges from regulatory, judicial, and taxing authorities.
Our Valuation & Litigation Appraisal Services Group is headed by Executive Managing Director Steven N. Siegler, ASA, FRICS. Mr. Siegler is an Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) and was honored to serve as the founding International Chairman of Appraisal Review and Management (ARM) for the American Society of Appraisers from 2002-2011. Mr. Siegler co-authored and directed the development and implementation of the ASA’s Appraisal Review and Management Principles of Valuations series of courses and best practices that are now taught to professional valuers, government officials, legal experts, and many others throughout the world.
When, as part of Dodd-Frank, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) acting for and on behalf of the U.S. Federal Reserve and all inter-agency regulators sought the expertise to develop, implement and monitor the new National Appraisal Ordering and Appraisal Review Protocols for the United States and all U.S. territories, it came to Mr. Siegler and EDS.
Mr. Siegler holds international valuation accreditation as Fellow, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (FRICS), and he is the only RICS accredited expert witness in the United States and the Americas—one of only a handful of such expert witnesses in the world holding the much-coveted RICS Expert Witness Accreditation Service (EWAS) Certification.
Mr. Siegler holds TS Clearance with the U.S. Government and he is uniquely qualified to practice before U.S. Government agencies in national security-related valuation and in other special matters.
Steven is an Elite-Rated member of the peer-voted Super Appraisers® Global Network of internationally-recognized valuation expert witness testimony luminaries. He has served as an expert witness valuer in U.S. state and federal courts, at international tribunals, and in valuation-related Alternative Dispute Resolution and he has personally prevailed in billions-of-dollars at issue in some of the world’s most important—high-profile—and valuable valuation-related cases.
Steven is an Elite-Rated member of the peer-voted Super Appraisers® Global Network of internationally recognized appraisers. He has served as an Appraisal Expert Witness in U.S. Courts, at international tribunals, and in Alternative Dispute Resolution, and he has prevailed in billions of dollars at issue in some of the world’s most important—high-profile—and valuable valuation-related cases.
Mr. Siegler holds international valuation accreditation as a Member of the College of Fellows, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (FRICS). He is the only RICS-accredited expert witness in the United States and the Americas—one of only a handful of such expert witnesses in the world holding the much-coveted RICS Expert Witness Accreditation Service (EWAS) Certification.
Mr. Siegler holds TS Clearance with the U.S. Government and is uniquely qualified to practice in national-security-related valuation and other special matters before U.S. Government agencies.
Our Appraisal Umpire Services is a cost-effective, out-of-court, alternative dispute resolution format that helps parties resolve complex and contentious valuation/appraisal/insurance matters in a fair, equitable, and unbiased way.
EDS’s unparalleled level of expertise is recognized and appreciated in boardrooms and courtrooms throughout the world. How may we be of service to you?