Getting your home valued: online estimates, agents and surveyors

By Chris Pollitt · Last checked 6 November 2026 · 2 min read

There's no single correct value for a home. What it's worth is what a buyer will pay for it, at a particular time. But you can get a very good idea of that figure before you speak to anyone, and knowing how valuations are worked out helps you judge the ones you're given.

Online estimates

Online tools, including ours, start from known facts: what the home last sold for, what similar homes nearby have sold for, and how local prices have moved since. They're quick and free, and a good starting point. What they can't see is the condition of the home, an extension that was never recorded, a new kitchen, or a busy road out the back. Treat an online figure as a rough range, not an answer.

Estate agent valuations

Estate agents will value your home for free, usually in the hope of selling it. A good agent will walk round, ask about any work you've done, and back up their figure with recent sales of similar homes. Ask to see those comparable sales. If an agent can't explain how they reached a figure, be wary.

Agents sometimes suggest a high price to win the instruction, then recommend reductions later. Getting two or three valuations and checking them against sold prices yourself protects you from this.

Surveyor valuations

A RICS Registered Valuer gives an independent, formal valuation that you pay for. These are used for things like divorce settlements, probate, tax and disputes, where you need a figure that will stand up to scrutiny. A mortgage valuation is also done by a surveyor, but for the lender, and is usually cautious.

How to check a valuation yourself

1. Find genuine comparables. Look for homes of the same type and roughly the same size on your street or very nearby, sold within the last year or two. Terraced houses should be compared with terraced houses, and so on.
2. Adjust for time. If a comparable sold two years ago, apply the change in local prices since. The official House Price Index for your council area is a good guide.
3. Adjust for differences. An extra bedroom, off-street parking, a larger garden or a recent renovation all add value. A home needing a new roof or kitchen is worth less.
4. Look at your own home's history. If it last sold a few years ago, the price then plus local growth since gives another useful check.

What adds and removes value

Location usually outweighs everything else. After that, the number of bedrooms, the condition, parking, the garden, and the energy rating matter most to buyers. Things that put buyers off include short leases, very poor energy ratings, flooding history, and unusual construction that some lenders won't lend on. See adding value to your home for improvements that tend to pay off.