ASA AM case studies

ASA AM · Put your knowledge to work in context.

The ASA AM (Accredited Member) credential is one of the professional credentials conferred by the American Society of Appraisers, a multi-discipline appraisal organization. Candidates pursue AM accreditation within one of ASA's six appraisal disciplines: Appraisal Review & Management (ARM), Business Valuation (BV), Gems & Jewelry (GJ), Machinery & Technical Specialties (MTS), Personal Property (PP), or Real Property (RP). The ASA AM case studies are 5 cases and about 2,494 words.

Reviewer's Scope Creep on a Retrospective Real Property Report

A bank orders a retrospective appraisal of a 12,000 sq ft suburban office building effective 18 months ago for a loan file. The appraiser, under a tight fee and 10-day turnaround, develops only the sales comparison approach, stating the income approach was 'not necessary given ample comparable sales.' The reviewer notices the subject was 62% leased at the effective date, the market is heavily investor-driven, and the report's own highest-and-best-use analysis concludes the property's value is driven by income potential.

538 words, about 3 min 2

Business Valuation: Normalizing Owner Compensation in a Small Services Firm

You are valuing a 100%-owned IT managed-services company for a buy-sell dispute. Revenue is 4.2M; EBITDA as reported is 610K.

487 words, about 2 min 3

Machinery & Technical Specialties: Forced-Liquidation vs. Orderly Value Conflict

A lender forecloses on a plastics injection-molding operation. You are engaged to value a 2016 500-ton molding machine and associated robotics for a liquidation scenario.

485 words, about 2 min 4

Personal Property: GJ Appraisal - Treatment of a Synthetic Stone in a Signed Estate Inventory

An estate executor provides a jeweler's 'appraisal' on a 2.10 ct center stone in a platinum ring, described as 'diamond' with a stated replacement value of 38,000, signed but with no gemological report, no measurements, and no clarity/color grades. You are asked to value the ring for estate tax purposes (fair market value, IRS definition).

470 words, about 2 min 5

ARM: Reviewer Independence When the Original Appraiser Is a Friend and Colleague

You are the review appraiser at a regional bank. A commercial real estate appraisal of a strip center comes in for review.

514 words, about 3 min