A home valuation gives you an assessment of your property’s current market value. We have been valuing property across London and the South East since 1872, and we offer complimentary in-person valuations carried out by our local specialists.
How home valuations work
Our specialists inspect the property itself: its condition, size, layout, and any features that set it apart. They also review recent comparable sales in your area and take the broader local market into account.
Three methods are commonly used:
Comparative market analysis (CMA) looks at recently sold similar properties nearby. It gives a reliable indicator of current values.
Automated valuation models (AVMs) draw on data from HM Land Registry, records of sold prices, and listing histories to return an instant estimate. This gives a ballpark figure, but fails to take into account specific details that can have a big impact on the value of a house.
Professional market appraisals involve a specialist visiting the property in person. They can weigh things the data misses: the quality of a recent extension, original period features, or the condition of the garden. In this case, human judgement outperforms an algorithm.
Each has its merits. AVMs are quick and cost nothing. CMAs work well in an active market. Professional market appraisals are most thorough for unusual or higher-value properties. Our approach draws on all three.
Online home valuation vs in-person valuation
With an instant online valuation the main benefit is speed – you can get a free estimate within minutes just by entering your postcode and answering a few questions about the property. What an instant valuation lacks however is nuance. Instant valuations don’t take into account the condition of the property or its garden, let alone how the property benefits from natural light in a way that its neighbouring property might not.
That makes an in-person valuation a different matter entirely. One of our local specialists will visit the property and observe what no data can tell them. Was the kitchen finished to a high standard? How does daylight move through the rooms? Does the garden face south or back onto a railway line? Two identical terraced houses on the same street in Fulham may differ by as much as £200,000 once you have seen inside them. There is no substitute for being there.
We do not charge for in-person valuations and there is no pressure to commit.
What affects your home’s value
Location matters most, and it always has. In London, that means proximity to the nearest Tube station, the borough and postcode, whether the street falls inside a conservation area, and which local schools serve the area. A house three minutes from the District line in Richmond will be valued very differently from one a 25-minute bus ride from the nearest station. Location sets the floor and the ceiling.
Size and condition matter too, of course. The number of bedrooms and bathrooms, square footage, and quality of finish all feed into the figure. A well-finished loft conversion or updated kitchen will add to the value; damp, subsidence, or a poorly maintained roof will not.
Market conditions shift the picture over time. Supply and demand, interest rates, economic confidence: these all move property values across whole postcodes. The most direct evidence of what your home is worth comes from comparable recent sales on your street or in the immediate area, and we weigh this heavily when arriving at a figure.
Other factors, including age, outdoor space, parking, and any development potential, round out the assessment. No two properties are the same, which is exactly why a professional in-person valuation tends to give a more accurate picture than an online estimate alone.
When to get a home valuation
There are several situations where a proper valuation makes sense.
Selling. Pricing your property accurately from the start is one of the strongest drivers of a successful sale. Too high and the listing stales; too low and you leave money behind. A valuation before you go to market gives you a realistic figure to work from.
Remortgaging. Your lender uses property value to set the loan-to-value ratio, which directly affects the rates and products available to you. A recent valuation can help you secure better terms.
Probate or inheritance. If you are administering an estate that includes property, a valuation is required for inheritance tax purposes.
Divorce or separation. An independent valuation gives both parties a fair, agreed figure to work from when dividing assets.
Staying informed. Even with no immediate transaction in mind, knowing what your property is worth helps you understand your financial position. In a market that moves as quickly as London’s, periodic valuations are genuinely useful.
If any of the above applies to you, requesting a valuation is a good place to start.
