Appraisers of Personal and Business Property

Appraise and estimate the fair value of tangible personal or business property, such as jewelry, art, antiques, collectibles, and equipment. May also appraise land.

The occupation "Appraisers of Personal and Business Property" has a calculated automation risk of 58.9%, indicating that just over half of the tasks currently performed by professionals in this field are susceptible to automation. This risk level arises primarily from the routine and data-driven nature of many appraisal tasks. For instance, the most automatable aspects of the role include calculating property values based on recent sales data, cost estimates, or income streams—processes that artificial intelligence and database technologies can handle efficiently due to their reliance on structured data and statistical comparisons. Creating and maintaining databases of completed appraisals also falls firmly within the realm of automation, as systems today can store, update, and retrieve complex records with minimal human input. Similarly, determining the appropriate valuation method (such as fair market, replacement, or liquidation) based on property owner needs often involves decision trees or logic flows, which are well-suited for algorithmic implementation. Despite these advances, several core tasks in the appraisal process remain highly resistant to automation, serving as bottlenecks in achieving full automation in this occupation. Writing detailed descriptions of properties requires nuanced judgment, contextual awareness, and careful observation—attributes that current AI systems struggle to replicate, especially in cases involving unique or one-of-a-kind items. Composing comprehensive appraisal reports, particularly for complex or specialized items such as jewelry, art, antiques, or equipment, involves synthesizing facts, legal requirements, market context, and subjective expertise in a way that still exceeds the capacity of automated tools. Additionally, verifying that property matches legal descriptions or certifications often involves onsite inspections, cross-checking documentation, and applying professional skepticism, all of which are challenging to fully automate due to variability in property types and potential for irregularities. The main bottleneck skills that limit automation in this occupation are advanced written communication (required for property descriptions and appraisal reports), analytical reasoning (needed to interpret ambiguous information and assess unique items), and legal or regulatory knowledge (important for verifying property and compliance issues). These skills generally require intermediate to advanced proficiency, combining specialized training, experience-based judgment, and human interaction. While automation tools can augment appraisers by streamlining data handling and calculations, they are unlikely to fully replace the combination of detailed observation, contextual synthesis, and regulatory expertise that defines the most resistant tasks. As a result, while significant portions of the occupation are at risk, a substantial human component will remain critical, moderating the overall automation risk level.