Pictures are crucial for accurate equipment valuations

Values derived from specifications and data alone are easy to generate. However, any good evaluator knows how much an accurate valuation depends on an asset's condition — which can't tell from just the year, make and model. We asked Bill Albaugh if pictures are necessary when performing an accurate equipment valuation.

Absolutely — you got to be able to  see it. Because what I can tell you after years of valuing equipment, both on the ag and construction side, is taking stuff on trade site unseen is not a good course of business. You don't know what you're getting. You want to make sure of it and if you have somebody insistent on not giving you pictures it usually means they're trying to hide something. Not always — but it usually means that. As a used equipment evaluator, you're not going to want to stick your neck out to put a good value on a piece of equipment that you can't see or maybe even hear run. I have seen dealership groups that send service technicians out and do equipment evaluations to make sure something runs right. Even videos nowadays are really key. Maybe you don't want to take pictures; maybe you can send videos in. Hearing it run and seeing it actually go into gear is a big win because anybody can sit and take pictures of something — but does it actually run? Those are big things, but back to the original question, yes, you want to be able to see the pictures in order to get your best value.

HeavyWorth's mobile apps make it simple to capture the right pictures and immediately sync them to the web for evaluators to view in real time. The simple, checklist-style layout means you get all the right pictures without forgetting the most important shots. Learn more about how the HeavyWorth platform can streamline your entire evaluation process — and put all the pictures in one place — at https://heavyworth.com/software