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Finished container home at dusk with warm Corten steel exterior and glowing interior lights against twilight sky
Certified Appraisal

Est. 2019 · Portland, OR

APPR
Independent Container Appraisals
$0M

Total Appraised Value

0

Container Dwellings Certified

0%

Lender Acceptance Rate

"The number your lender needs."

Get Your Container Appraised
USPAP CertifiedMAI DesignatedFIRREA Compliant
"

Our construction lending committee had never approved a container-dwelling loan before this appraisal crossed my desk. The income approach was solid. We funded it. We'd fund another one tomorrow.

Soo-Yeon Lim

VP Commercial Lending · Cascadia Community Bank

Before & After

Three appraisals. Three outcomes. Each one a dollar figure a lender could act on.

All cases · 2023–2024
Single shipping container studio home with corrugated Corten steel exterior, wooden deck, and warm interior lighting at dusk
Case 01 · Single Container Studio
Bend, OR · 2023

The Studio That No Lender Would Touch

Megan Holloway had spent 14 months converting a 40-ft high-cube into a 480 sq ft off-grid studio. Three lenders refused to refinance. One called it a 'non-standard structure with no comparable sales data.'

"Unable to establish market value. Structure does not conform to conventional residential standards. Application denied." — Pacific Northwest Credit Union, March 2023

Lender's Value:$68,000
Certified Appraisal Value
$187,500
Certified
Methodology

Cost approach + paired-sales analysis across 6 comparable alternative dwellings within 40-mile radius. Documented 22 value-add improvements including spray foam insulation, mini-split HVAC, and permitted electrical.

Outcome: Refinanced

Cascadia Community Bank accepted the appraisal. Megan closed a 15-year fixed at 6.8% — pulling $94,000 cash-out to fund her next build.

Get Your Container Appraised
Two stacked shipping containers forming a modern two-story dwelling with cantilevered upper level and desert landscape backdrop
Case 02 · Stacked Dual Container
Taos, NM · 2023

An Insurance Dispute That Needed a Number

After a wildfire came within 200 meters of James Okafor's two-container stacked home, his insurer issued a notice of non-renewal. The adjuster's internal estimate: $112,000. James had receipts totaling $310,000.

"Replacement cost cannot be established by standard methods. Policy renewal pending independent certified appraisal." — Southwest Mutual, August 2023

Lender's Value:$112,000
Certified Appraisal Value
$328,000
Certified
Methodology

Marshall & Swift replacement cost methodology with container-specific unit costs. Line-item documentation of structural modifications, passive solar design, and custom architectural steel work.

Outcome: Insured

Southwest Mutual issued a new policy at $328,000 replacement value. James's annual premium actually decreased — the certified value triggered a preferred-risk classification.

Get Your Container Appraised
Six-unit container home development complex with landscaped courtyard, rooftop decks, and contemporary steel and glass facade
Case 03 · Multi-Unit Container Development
Austin, TX · 2024

A 6-Unit Development Stalled at Closing

Developer Priya Krishnaswamy's six-unit container compound was 90% complete when the construction lender's appraiser valued the finished project at $1.1M — $800K below pro forma. The bridge loan was about to expire.

"Appraiser unable to support value above $1,100,000 due to absence of direct comparable sales for container multi-family in subject market." — Austin Capital Lending, January 2024

Lender's Value:$1,100,000
Certified Appraisal Value
$2,140,000
Certified
Methodology

Income approach (market-rate rents for East Austin micro-units) + cost approach with contractor-certified build costs. Identified 11 comparable micro-unit developments across 3 Texas metros to establish market rent and cap rate.

Outcome: Sold

The certified appraisal supported a $1.6M bridge extension. Priya sold the development 4 months later at $2.05M to a private REIT — $950K above the original appraiser's number.

Get Your Container Appraised
"

This was the first appraisal I've submitted on a container dwelling that a bank didn't send back. The methodology was airtight — cost approach, paired sales, USPAP-compliant narrative. My client closed in 19 days.

Diane Kowalczyk

Real Estate Attorney · Portland, OR

Why Lenders
Accept
Our Numbers

Every appraisal uses the USPAP-prescribed methodology appropriate to the structure type and intended use — cost, sales comparison, or income. We document our reasoning. Lenders and courts can follow every step.

Turnaround

12–18

Business Days

CA

Cost Approach

Marshall & Swift unit costs calibrated to container-specific construction: container procurement, structural modifications, spray foam, MEP systems, and finish-out. Every line item documented against contractor invoices.

Primary method for owner-occupied single-unit
SA

Sales Comparison

Paired-sales analysis drawing from a proprietary database of 340+ alternative dwelling transactions across 28 states. Adjustments for size, finish level, site utility, and container count are fully documented.

Primary method where comparables exist
IA

Income Approach

Gross rent multiplier and direct capitalization for income-producing container dwellings. Market rent surveys from Airbnb, Furnished Finder, and local MLS. Cap rates sourced from NCREIF micro-unit benchmarks.

Primary method for multi-unit developments
"

I've been writing policies on alternative structures for 11 years. I need a replacement-cost number I can defend to an underwriter. Appraise gives me exactly that — documented, certified, no ambiguity.

Marcus Trevino

Senior Adjuster · Southwest Mutual Insurance

APPRAISE
Ready to Start

One appraisal.
Every door it opens.

Refinance. Insure. Sell. Every transaction starts with a certified number. Most container owners need 2–3 weeks from engagement to report delivery.

01

Schedule a 30-min intake call

Day 1

02

Site inspection + document review

Days 3–5

03

Certified report delivered

Days 12–18

Get Your Container AppraisedDownload Sample Appraisal Report
USPAP CertifiedMAI DesignatedFIRREA CompliantE&O Insured · $2M