Gift giving to an appraiser?

[Nick L.]

I just had a bank-ordered appraisal done as part of a refi. I was extremely happy with the results. The appraiser has valued some of my other properties in the past, and I've always been happy.

I'd like to give him a gift to show my appreciation, but don't want to break any professional ethics code of conduct, or make it seem as if I'm paying him off. 

USPAP doesn't have any useful guidelines and anyway I'm not technically the client, the bank is. I was thinking of maybe a $100 gift card for a local restaurant - enough to be more than a token thanks, but not enough to suggest I was swaying him.

Any thoughts or experiences?

[Clint Dorris]

I don't see a huge problem with it being that it is for work completed and it isn't an ongoing gift that implies he's getting a gift for hitting a value.

Once, I was at a house in the country, and this guy made BBQ sauce, and he gave me a gallon jar of it.  At the time, I thought nothing of it.  I took it home, took it to the family BBQ.  Everyone loved it.  A month later the guy calls and was mad about my appraisal.  I couldn't help him.  I had forgotten about the gift, and I had taken it innocently, and I obviously didn't take it expecting to hit a value.  The worst part was, every one wanted to more of his sauce, but he was too mad for me to call him.

Anyway, it made me think twice about taking a gift of any kind.  However, if my good clients or realtors send me a gift at Christmas or in a Thank You note, as a regular part of business communication, and without expectation, I really don't see a problem.  You might should make sure you are showing appreciation for his work and not the value.