Welcome
It's about value.
Providing professional, reliable real estate valuation services since 1962
About Us
The company was founded by the late James M. Bagwell. Timothy Bagwell is a second generation appraisers focused primarily on the central Alabama area: Jefferson, Shelby, Blount and St. Clair Counties. We also cover the Dora/Sumiton area of Walker County. Clifford Bagwell retired in 2025 but remains available for consultation.
What is an appraisal
The simple definition of an appraisal is "an opinion of value."
It's a bit more than that when it comes to a real estate appraisal. To begin with, in Alabama and in most jurisdictions, only a licensed or certified real estate appraiser can refer to an opinion of value on real estate as an appraisal. We are required to meet certain profes
The simple definition of an appraisal is "an opinion of value."
It's a bit more than that when it comes to a real estate appraisal. To begin with, in Alabama and in most jurisdictions, only a licensed or certified real estate appraiser can refer to an opinion of value on real estate as an appraisal. We are required to meet certain professional qualifications and requirements and to maintain our educational qualifications. We have ethical and competency requirements which are not necessarily applicable to other avenues of value estimates, such as Zillow. We are a disinterested third party, an "honest broker" whose only agenda is rendering an unbiased and well supported opinion of value.
The Appraisal Process
The Appraisal Process
There are three basic approaches to value: The Cost Approach, the Market (or Sales Comparison) Approach, and the Income Approach.
The Cost Approach estimates depreciated cost basis, frequently derived from standardized cost sources, added to the land and site improvement value (as determined by appropriate methodology, usually including
There are three basic approaches to value: The Cost Approach, the Market (or Sales Comparison) Approach, and the Income Approach.
The Cost Approach estimates depreciated cost basis, frequently derived from standardized cost sources, added to the land and site improvement value (as determined by appropriate methodology, usually including some form of market comparison). This approach is most often more applicable to relatively recently completed structures, but can have utility in other circumstances. The Market Approach is usually applicable and employs a comparison approach to similar properties, adjusting for relevant differences and factors. The Income Approach is typically employed in income-producing properties, such as rentals and commercial/industrial spaces, and establishes a relationship between income potential and market value.