More people hire appraisers, consider...
"The appraisal came back pretty strong, and it kind of gave us a light bulb moment," said Francis, 39, a stay-at-home mom. "I think everybody's having a tough time, and we're no exception. We really don't want to sell them, but we feel like it's a pretty good option for us."
It's a story personal property appraisers are hearing more and more, as the recession leaves thousands out of work, with a home they can't sell or, at the very least in need of some extra cash.
Appraisers, who can specialize in items such as jewelry, antiques or fine arts, are seeing a rise in business, according to the American Society of Appraisers, a trade association. Clients want to know whether they can strike gold with their grandmother's china or the table they picked up at a yard sale years earlier.
"I feel like I'm an economic barometer," said Jan Robbins Durr, the appraiser who researched Francis' pieces. "People are calling saying, 'I think I need an appraisal because I want to sell something,' whereas a year ago, it was, 'I need an appraisal because I want to be insured.'"
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