Retail Property Appraisals
My ground-floor Hayes Valley shop is vacant after its lease ended. How does the appraisal treat the old rent?
Provide the expired lease and current vacancy details. The old rent is evidence about the prior agreement, not proof of achievable rent today. Any proposed lease-up needs separate assumptions about rent, costs, and the date. Kevin O'Brien can define a real estate appraisal for the parcel or specified interest at the agreed date. Business earnings, inventory, and tenant-owned equipment must not be silently included in a real estate value.
Kevin O'Brien, MAI, SRA. California Certified General appraiser, license #3005065.
Define the property before comparing values
For a Castro storefront with apartments above, provide separate leases and explain shared utilities, access, and maintenance costs. For a leased restaurant in the Mission District, identify which fixtures belong to the owner and which belong to the operator. Send percentage-rent provisions only if they are part of the actual lease, with the records needed to understand them. A busy sidewalk or a tenant sales figure alone does not establish the value of the property.
You do not need every document to start. Describe missing records at the first call.
| Bring or describe | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Block/lot and description of assets in the transaction | Separate land and improvements from business assets and inventory. |
| Retail leases, amendments, and payment history | Identify base rent, options, expense recoveries, and any percentage rent. |
| Operating statements and expense allocations | Separate storefront costs from apartments or offices in the same building. |
| Plans, frontage, access, and fixture information | Describe the actual premises and any rights needed for deliveries or shared access. |
| Purpose, interest, date, and intended users | Define the appraisal question before a purchase, tax, or estate assignment. |
Match the assessor block/lot on your notice to the parcel and provide relevant ownership documents separately. The San Francisco Office of the Assessor-Recorder has assessment and recorded-document information. SF Planning's Property Information Map helps locate planning records. A tax-roll value, recorded document, or map label does not establish the market value of the interest.
This page shows no market statistics. Commercial values depend on the specific property, its leases and its market segment on the valuation date.
From the first call to the report
- Describe the storefront and whether the request includes a business transaction.
- Set the real estate interest, date, intended use, fee, and delivery estimate with Kevin.
- Provide leases and cost allocations and arrange access to occupied and vacant areas.
- Kevin considers lease income, physical utility, and relevant retail sales and rental evidence.
- Read the report with its asset boundaries and assumptions before using it for the agreed purpose.
A real estate appraisal is not a business valuation, a tenant credit guarantee, or a forecast of shop sales.