How Do Estate Agents Value Your Home?
Estimated reading time 5 minutes
We love to put numbers on everything, from calorie counting on a diet to the miles per gallon of your car. And houses are no different, everyone wants to get the right price for their house. So how do you ensure you get the full value for your house? Knowing how estate agents put a value on your property is a great place to begin.
The Importance of a Correct Valuation
A classic situation for people trying to sell their house is that they go for the largest valuation offered by an estate agent. They hear the offer and see dollar signs. But the problem with simply opting for the largest offer is that it won’t exactly be the most accurate. Of course you want to sell for big bucks and make a profit, but if you get the right value, then you are more likely to receive multiple offers and sell your house quicker. So think about what they are actually going to do for you and your house sale, not just the money they are promising upfront.
An estate agent’s job is to achieve the correct value of what your property is worth and the best price possible, at least that’s their job description, what they really want is their commission and for you to sign-up to listing with them and not their competitors. Even still, what do they consider when valuing your home?
The Surrounding Area
One of the first things an estate agent considers is where your house is located. Most areas have an average property price for different house types, so they will look at this number and find comparable properties to yours in the area, they will even research prices of your neighbours houses and sold prices on your street. Estate agent’s will certainly factor in local supply and demand, with property sales before school term times commonly being more in demand as families rush for school places in catchment areas. Of course, every valuation is individual so other major factors that boost your value will be considered on their own merit such as proximity to transport links, and how good those links are. Schools, parks and open spaces. And even the types of shops and brands in your locality can have an effect on your house price, as research published in the Independent has found living near a Waitrose can boost your price by as much as 8% and a McDonalds can lower it by up to 24%. This is because the more premium stores are generally situated in more affluent and wealthy areas, providing a booster to your house value.
Home Touches
All the above mentioned factors are external to your home, and there are many property multipliers on the inside that count. All additions that you make to improve the aesthetics or the function of your house can pay dividends when you sell. Things like preserving original features to a high quality such as wooden beams, fireplaces and window settings will work in your favour as people enjoy the historical elements of a property. And of course, in some grade-listed properties these must be preserved by law. The fixtures and features are key additions that will help garner extra value if certain things like a fully-fitted modern kitchen, solar panels or even fully functional appliances are included in the sale. This can help persuade potential buyers to make an offer sooner as they can be promised a ready-to-go house, sold as it is with everything included.
The Details
Then there are the actual details of the property, such as number of bedrooms, bathrooms and floorspace on offer. As well as external features like garden size, sheds, garages, parking spaces and ornamental items. There are a long list of details that act as multipliers on the value of your home; from your choice of flooring i.e. carpet or hardwood, double or triple-glazed windows, insulation, energy efficiency of your home, age of boiler, recency of renovations, property extensions, landscaping etc.
Just make sure when you go to sell your home, you critique the valuations you receive from estate agents, and consider their motivations. If their commission is based on obtaining listings and not sales, then they are much less likely to give an accurate valuation of your home and the kind of service you want from a selling agent. And even if they are on commission by house sales, be careful in selecting the right valuation for your home. You want all the details and benefits of your home considered and fairly priced. If you can’t trust an estate agent to do all of that, then why not give sellhousefast a call and see how they can make the most of your property value in the shortest amount of time. Try and find an estate agent that will sell your house within 4 weeks!
