If you’re selling or refinancing, then a valuer will usually visit to carry out a valuation – and there’s a few ways you can help this along.

Valuers are usually doing several valuations per day and are often pushed for time.

Prepare your home as if a professional photographer is coming. If the valuer can evaluate your home as easily as possible, their lasting impression will be that your home was pleasant to visit and you were mindful of their busy schedule – and remember not everyone loves your dog.

Saving the valuer time, will also give you some time to point out anything that supports a good valuation.

Comparable Sales

Whether you are refinancing or selling, the valuer’s client is usually the bank and not you, so there’s a lot they can’t tell you. But there’s a few things you can tell them.

When they prepare their valuation they will look for comparable sales to help determine (and justify) their conclusion. You can do this too. A comparable market analysis (CMA) is a list of recent sales similar sales and their details. We can provide our clients with a CMA for free. Or if you are selling your agent may have already given you one. Use the CMA to identify three properties that will support your sale price and that are genuinely similar to yours. Then find the corresponding previous listings and leave them out for the valuer.

The things you can highlight on those past listings are superior/similar/inferior:

  • size

  • location

  • condition

  • landscaping

  • renovations

  • features

  • price.

Don’t go overboard – just a few key relevant points.

While you can’t expect a valuer to rely on those comparable sales specifically, hopefully you’ll have helped them be clearer about the value of your home well before they start their report.

This article and the contents provides general information only and does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs. You should assess whether the information is appropriate for you and talk with your financial or other professional adviser before making an investment or financial decision. The contents of this article are not to be relied upon as a substitute for financial or other professional advice. Figures quoted are indicative only