BRAVE CSV Format Guide
Technical guide to the BRAVE CSV file format for appraisal data. Covers column structure, data types, encoding rules, and common formatting errors.
Understanding the BRAVE CSV Format
The BRAVE standard supports two file formats for data exchange: XLSX and CSV. While XLSX is the more robust option, CSV remains widely used because it is simpler to generate, easier to inspect in a spreadsheet, and compatible with virtually every software system.
This guide provides a technical reference for the BRAVE CSV format, covering the column structure, data types, encoding requirements, and formatting rules that your file must follow to pass validation.
File Structure
The official BRAVE format uses a two-column layout in XLSX, with Field Name in Column A and Response in Column B. Each of the 99 fields occupies its own row. Field names use the official BRAVE dot-notation format (e.g., Job.ClientRef, Property.AddressStreet, Income.NetOperatingIncome).
The Value section supports two response columns (As-Is Market Value and Prospective Upon Completion), and the Appraiser section supports two response columns (Appraiser 1 and Appraiser 2).
| Column | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| A | Field Name | The BRAVE field identifier in dot notation (e.g., Property.Name, Value.CapRate) |
| B | Response | The data value for this field |
Field rows follow in category order: Job (3), Property (52), Income (16), Value (24), Appraiser (4).
Data Type Rules
Each BRAVE field has a defined data type. The CSV format enforces these types through the value column:
- String fields (addresses, descriptions): Enclosed in double quotes if they contain commas. UTF-8 encoding is required.
- Numeric fields (dollar amounts, areas, rates): Raw numbers without formatting. No dollar signs, commas, or percentage signs. Use a period as the decimal separator.
- Date fields (effective date, sale dates): ISO 8601 format:
YYYY-MM-DD. - Boolean fields (e.g.,
Property.SoldLastThreeYrs): Accept "Yes"/"No". - Enum fields (e.g.,
Property.DevelopmentStatus): Use the exact BRAVE enumerated values.
Encoding Requirements
- Character encoding: UTF-8 without BOM (byte order mark). Files saved from Excel often include a BOM, which can cause parsing failures in some systems.
- Line endings: Either LF (Unix) or CRLF (Windows) are accepted.
- Delimiter: Comma only. Tab-delimited files will not validate.
- Quoting: Fields containing commas, line breaks, or double quotes must be enclosed in double quotes. Double quotes within a field value must be escaped as two consecutive double quotes.
Example CSV Content
Field Name,Response
Job.ClientRef,2026-001
Job.ReportDate,2026-03-15
Job.CurrencyType,USD
Property.Name,Springfield Office Park
Property.AddressStreet,"123 Main Street, Suite 100"
Property.AddressCity,Springfield
Property.AddressState,IL
Property.Type,Office
Income.PotentialGrossIncome,1250000
Income.VacancyLoss,62500
Income.EffectiveGrossIncome,1187500
Income.NetOperatingIncome,712500
Value.CapRate,0.055
Value.ReconciledFinal,12954545
Common CSV Formatting Errors
Cap rate range. The official validator enforces a 0-20% range on Value.CapRate. A value outside this range will fail validation. See our BRAVE Cap Rate Fields Explained guide for more on rate formatting.
Missing field names. Every row must include the BRAVE field name in dot notation in Column A. Rows without proper field names will not be recognized.
Excel auto-formatting. Excel frequently converts dates, large numbers, and leading zeros into unexpected formats. After saving your CSV from Excel, open it in a plain text editor to verify the raw content.
Commas in addresses. Addresses containing commas must be enclosed in double quotes. Unquoted commas in the value column will shift all subsequent columns, corrupting the row.
Validating Your CSV
Before submitting a BRAVE CSV to any lender, validate it for both format compliance and data completeness. AppraisalAPI.com accepts CSV uploads and checks every field against the BRAVE specification, returning a detailed error report.
For an alternative approach using XLSX, most lenders also accept BRAVE XLSX files, which avoid many of the formatting pitfalls inherent to CSV. If you are using appraisal software with a BRAVE export function, XLSX is generally the safer choice.
For help generating BRAVE files, see our BRAVE Excel Template guide or our software-specific guides for Valcre and ARGUS. For a step-by-step tutorial, read how to create a BRAVE file.
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