Church entities are under particular pressure: membership and church tax revenue are falling while the upkeep of a historically grown property portfolio continues. At the same time, decisions on property are tied to governing bodies, consent requirements and a critical public. Together these place demands on a valuation report that go beyond the figure itself.
Who I work for
- Parishes and church foundations
- Church districts, deaneries and parish associations
- Dioceses, regional churches and their administrations
- Religious orders and clerical societies
- Church foundations and providers within Caritas and Diakonie
What counts in this setting
Suitability for governing bodies. A report submitted to a parish council, an administrative board or a synod must be intelligible to non-specialists as well. The reasoning is therefore structured so that it can be examined without prior valuation expertise — while still withstanding scrutiny by the supervisory authority.
Fitness for the consent procedure. Church disposals are subject to consent. What the supervising body requires by way of evidence of value differs between dioceses and regional churches. I clarify those requirements before instruction, so that the report does not have to be reworked during the procedure.
Independence. I do not broker property and have no interest in a transaction coming about. Where church assets are being disposed of, that separation matters not only professionally but also in the eyes of the public.
Discretion. Deliberations about giving up a church building are confidential until the governing body has decided. Instruction, inspection and results are handled accordingly.
Typical instructions
Most common are valuations connected with the merger of parishes, with the deconsecration and disposal of buildings no longer needed, with the creation or redemption of heritable building rights and with the raising of external finance. Added to these are valuations for financial reporting and for reviewing a valuation already on the table.
Procedure
After a free initial assessment you receive a binding fee quotation. There follow the review of documents, the site inspection and the preparation of the report; on request I present the result to the responsible governing body in person. The methodological principles for places of worship are set out separately under Valuation of churches and ecclesiastical property.
Where an existing report is called into question, the appropriate framework is the Second opinion.
