ABOUT VANETTEN APPRAISAL
You Need an Appraiser You Can Trust With the Number That Matters Most.
Whether the appraisal is for a closing, a courtroom, a tax hearing, or an estate filing, the person behind the report matters. Here's who we are and how we work.
We Know What's Riding on This
An appraisal sounds routine until it's yours. Then it's the number that determines whether your refinance goes through, how much you owe after a divorce, what the IRS accepts for your parent's estate, or whether the Board of Review reduces your tax bill.
Most people don't think about who's doing their appraisal until they're in the middle of one of those situations. By then, the deadline is real and the stakes are clear.
That's the moment we exist for.
Meet Your Appraiser
Scott VanEtten has over 20 years of experience in the appraisal industry, with deep expertise across Northern Illinois. He is a State-Certified Residential Appraiser — the highest state-issued credential for residential appraisal work, required for lending, legal, and tax purposes.
What that means for you: the report you receive meets the standards required by banks, attorneys, courts, and the IRS. The methodology is rigorous, USPAP-compliant, and defensible under scrutiny.
Scott personally inspects every property and signs every report. He shows up, measures your home, and documents the details that drive value. From Rockford bungalows in flood zones to lakefront estates on the Chain O'Lakes to new construction in Huntley, he's seen the full range of what Northern Illinois throws at an appraiser.
When you call, you get a real person. That's not a service promise. That's just how we work.
Why It Matters Who Does Your Appraisal
When a lender orders an appraisal, a management company assigns whoever's available. You don't get to choose. The appraiser might be from an hour away. They might not know your school district, your flood zone, or why homes on your street sell for $50,000 more than homes two blocks over.
For a routine mortgage appraisal, that might be fine. But for a divorce, an estate, a tax appeal, or a pre-listing decision, you're choosing your appraiser. That choice matters. You're hiring someone whose report will go into a courtroom, a probate filing, or a negotiation. It needs to be right, and it needs to hold up under scrutiny.
VanEtten Appraisal is an independent practice. No management company in the middle. You hire Scott, and Scott does the work.
Here's How It Works
You Call. We Answer.
Tell us what you need: sale, divorce, estate, tax appeal, refinance. We'll confirm pricing, timeline, and what to expect.
We Visit Your Property.
We measure the home, document condition, note improvements, and assess every feature that affects value in your specific market. The inspection takes 30 to 60 minutes.
You Get a Defensible Report.
A USPAP-compliant appraisal report, signed by our team, delivered within a few business days. Prepared to the standard that courts, lenders, the IRS, and county boards of review require.
What Clients Say
Verified reviews from Google
“I called four different appraisal companies. Scott got back to me immediately. Two of the companies never even called me back and the fourth person got back to me but told me it would be 2 to 3 weeks. I called Scott Friday at 4:00 p.m. he called me back Saturday morning. He came out on Monday to appraise the house and I had the report on Wednesday. Awesome job. I highly recommend him. Prompt, thorough and knowledgeable.”
“Scott was incredibly helpful. He answered my text the same day and found out I was in a time crunch and set up an appraisal within two days. I had lost my husband 6 months prior and my mom 2 months after. So with everything I had been going through, including an estate sale, Scott couldn't have been nicer or more understanding. I was very happy with the appraisal, too.”
“Due to varying listing price suggestions from realtors, we decided to have an appraisal done for more clarity. From the first phone call he was extremely professional. He showed up on time and was extremely pleasant to deal with. He took the time to discuss details about our neighborhood and our home. My husband and I felt extremely confident in his analysis of our home's value. We definitely would recommend his services.”
“Outstanding Service! Scott was absolutely excellent. He was extremely knowledgeable, thorough and took the time to understand the property. He was very responsive, great turnaround time on getting the report and available for questions. An absolute pleasure to deal with and would use them again in a heartbeat. Highly highly recommend them!”
Four Offices Across Northern Illinois
Rockford
555 S Perryville Rd Suite 102
Rockford, IL 61108
Winnebago & Boone Counties
(779) 207-6523
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DeKalb
1600 E Lincoln Hwy
DeKalb, IL 60115
DeKalb County
(815) 201-1307
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East Dundee
10 E Main St Suite 221
East Dundee, IL 60118
Kane & Western Cook Counties
(224) 208-5708
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McHenry
5403 Bull Valley Rd
McHenry, IL 60050
McHenry County
(815) 201-1866
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Questions About VanEtten Appraisal
Get Your Appraisal Started
Call us directly or fill out the easy form below. You'll hear back from us quickly.
- Fast communication, real answers. No waiting around.
- No obligation, just accurate information
- Serving all of Northern Illinois from 4 locations
- Reports accepted by all major lenders and courts