Here’s our top tips on how to make sure you get the right valuation for your home.
Use online valuations as a starting point, but not as your only source of truth.
Online valuation tools can be a great place to start. They’re quick to access, easy to use and can give you an idea of a ballpark value for your home. You could do your own calculations by looking at similar properties in the area that have sold recently or you could use an online tool to gauge the value of your property. The land registry has a form you can fill in to search for recently sold house prices. However, online valuations are no substitute for a valuation from a local agent. Online valuations simply use data from neighbouring properties so are more likely to be accurate if lots of properties have sold nearby. A three-bedroom Victorian terrace on a London street is much easier to value in this way than a unique rural house.
For an accurate valuation choose a local agent.
We’d recommend that you get valuations from at least three local agents in order to gauge the best price for your home. A local agent is always best, they should have a better understanding of house prices in your specific neighbourhood where even within the same postcode different streets or different ends of the same street could command different prices. They will also be able to evaluate the various benefits of your property such as size of your garden, how newly renovated your home is, the proximity to local amenities - something an online tool just can’t do. We’d also recommend that you don’t just jump at the agent who offers you the highest price. Think about who you have the best relationship with, who you trust and who you think you’d most like to work with whilst also considering that the value of your home probably falls somewhere between your lowest and highest valuation.
Remember, the value of your home comes down to the buyer.
No matter what your home is valued at, it’s really only worth what a buyer is prepared to pay for it. This may sound obvious but its worth remembering that the offers you receive will most likely be influenced by the kind of buyers who are viewing your home. Generally, buyers who are looking to live in the property themselves are more likely to make a higher offer than those looking to buy-to-let. Again, sounds obvious but it’s your agent's job to make sure your home is being seen by the right buyers.
Put your best foot forward
Before you get agents to value your property, it's worth making sure it’s looking its best so that you get an accurate valuation. Check out our article with all our top tips on how to increase the value of your home here.
Speak up
Let your agent know about anything that might be relevant when it comes to valuing your home. Have you just replaced your boiler? Have you recently upgraded your insulation or installed underfloor heating? These things can make a difference when it comes to valuing your home so make sure you point them out. Listen You’ve chosen your agent for a reason, so they can guide and advise you and ultimately get you the best possible price for your home. So take their advice when it comes to making changes to your home ahead of putting it on the market. Perhaps they’ll tell you to paint a vibrant room a more neutral colour or to retile a tired bathroom - it’s worth paying attention to this advice in order to secure a better price for your home. Similarly it pays to listen to your agent when it comes to asking price. The right estate agent is on your side and has your best interests at heart so if they’re recommending a lower asking price than you were originally hoping for it might be worth considering trusting them and adjusting accordingly. Equally beware of anything that sounds too good to be true. Anyone who promises to sell your home, way above market value and extremely quickly too may well be overpromising and we all know what that leads to.
If you’d like to request a free valuation from us, simply fill in our valuation request form. Or you can get in touch with us any time for a chat with our friendly team. We’re happy to offer advice and guidance no matter what stage you are in your journey.
