Appraisals
by Carol
Beigel, RPT
To schedule an appointment, call
301-474-5606 or email to carol@carolrpt.com
Insurance claims. I do thorough, onsite evaluations of pianos that have been damaged due to moisture, fire, being dropped, etc. for both insurance companies and/or their clients. I prepare written reports of the damage I find, give repair estimates, and give an opinion regarding repair or replacement values and costs.
Buying a new or used piano. I will inspect an instrument on site to evaluate its condition and give an opinion as to whether or not I believe the "deal" to be a fair value. Rather than travel with a client to "look at pianos", I prefer that an instrument has already been chosen because its appearance, tone, playability, and price have been found acceptable to the purchaser. Should repairs be needed, I will also give an estimate. I have prepared three documents posted on this website to assist potential buyers: Advice on Buying a New Piano, Thoughts on Buying a Used Piano, and Advice on Buying a New or Used Disklavier. These articles sum up all the advice I would give you to improve your chances that the instrument purchase meets both your expectations and your needs.
Piano Values. I do not offer to assign a specific monetary value to an instrument as that is ultimately determined by market forces; i.e. how soon the piano is to be sold, similar offerings for sale, or consumer demand for like size, style, color, brand or price range. The true cash value of a piano is what it can sell for when you want to sell it. Usually retail stores will pay less for used instruments than the general public. Only in cases where a very new piano needs to be replaced does the current retail price determine its value. I will, however, offer my personal opinion as to a ballpark value.
Selling or trading in your piano. A good way to get a feel for market prices is to read the classified ads in the newspaper, and check prices of similar pianos in retail stores. You can always call a piano dealer and ask what they will pay, although this will probably be the lowest price you can get. If you plan to replace your piano with a new one, you can often negotiate an excellent trade-in price. Piano salespeople are often limited in negotiating a sales price, but trade-ins don't always affect their commissions. If you sell your piano, always advertise that you will pay for delivery, or negotiate at least a certain amount towards professional piano movers, so you will have recourse should damage occur or injury result while it is being removed from your home.