How to value your home before you sell
Price it right and a home sells quickly and close to asking. Price it wrong, usually too high, and it lingers, then drops. Here's how to land on a realistic figure.
In short: use three methods together, an instant online estimate, recent sold prices of similar homes, and two or three in-person agent valuations. And be wary of the agent who values highest just to win your business.
1. An instant online valuation
A quick, free estimate based on data is the ideal starting point, it gives you a ballpark in seconds, before anyone visits. Treat it as a guide, not gospel: it can't see your renovated kitchen or your tired bathroom.
2. Recent comparable sold prices
This is the backbone of any serious valuation. Look at what similar homes on or near your street actually sold for recently, straight from HM Land Registry, not what they were listed at. Like-for-like comparables (size, type, condition) are far more telling than asking prices, which are often optimistic.
3. Agent valuations, get two or three
Nothing replaces an experienced local agent walking through your home. Get two or three so you have a range. The key is to look past the headline number: ask each agent why, and check it against the comparable sales you've already found.
Beware the inflated valuation
The highest valuation is tempting, but agents sometimes quote high purely to win the instruction, then push for a price reduction weeks later. An overvalued home sits on the market, looks stale, and often sells for less than a correctly priced one. Choose the agent whose valuation is backed by evidence and whose performance data shows they achieve close to asking.
Value your home, then find the right agent
Get a free online valuation and compare local agents on real fees and performance.
Get a free valuationFrequently asked questions
How can I find out how much my house is worth?
Start with an online valuation for an instant estimate, sense-check it against recent sold prices of similar homes on your street, then get two or three agent valuations in person. Together these triangulate a realistic figure.
Should I trust the agent who values my house highest?
Be careful. Inflated valuations are a common way agents win instructions, and a leading cause of homes that sit unsold and then need a price cut. Pick the agent whose figure matches recent comparable sales and whose track record shows they achieve close to asking price.
How many agent valuations should I get?
Two or three. It gives you a range to compare, exposes any outlier (high or low), and lets you judge each agent's reasoning and local knowledge, not just their number.
What's the most accurate way to value a home?
There's no single perfect method. The most reliable approach combines recent comparable sold prices for similar nearby properties with an in-person valuation from an experienced local agent who knows current demand.