Property valuers - RICS-registered valuers in the UK, or MAI/SRA appraisers in the US - produce reports that determine lending decisions, tax assessments, compulsory purchase compensation and litigation settlements. Their conclusions must be supportable, traceable, and defensible under challenge. Contemporaneous inspection records are the foundation of this defensibility.
Dictating inspection observations on site
During the property inspection, the valuer dictates observations systematically: physical characteristics, condition items, comparable market evidence noted, and any unusual factors affecting value. The transcript provides the detailed working notes from which the formal report is drafted. For inventory and condition assessments of residential tenancies, see our article on schedule of condition reports.
Dictate the comparable transactions you're relying on during the inspection - these working notes, created contemporaneously, strengthen the evidential basis for your comparable market analysis if challenged.