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How to get a house valued without an estate agent

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So, you’ve decided to sell your home. Before you put your property on the market, one of the most important things to do is decide on a realistic asking price. To do this, the current market value of your home will need to be determined so that you don’t undervalue your home or have it on the market for longer than it needs to be with an unrealistic price tag.

You may wish to use a local high street agent to complete all aspects of the sale of your home, including the valuation. Whilst it can certainly be reassuring to hand over the reins to an industry expert, particularly if this is your first property sale, doing so will also come at a significant cost. Indeed, estate agent fees are generally the most expensive aspect of moving home and can cost anywhere in the region of 0.75-3% of your total property price. 

You will also need to factor in the cost of solicitor fees, stamp duty, energy performance certificate and removals, not to mention any redecorating, remortgaging and extra costs such as the additional fees for selling a buy-to-let property or second home. If you do not factor in all of the costs which your sale will incur you many leave yourself without enough money to purchase your next property or free up necessary capital. Since the average cost of selling a property in the UK is a not unsignificant 2% of the total property price, it is important to make the process as cost effective as possible.

When it comes to valuing your property, some local estate agents will offer this service free of charge. However, always check the fine print as arranging a valuation with a high street agent could mean you are obliged to market your property with them should you choose to proceed with a sale within a certain timeframe of the valuation date. Unless you have signed a no sale, no fee contract it can also cost you money if an agent is then unsuccessful in selling your property. In such situations, it can make sense to approach an auction sales or quick house buying company - although you may have to take a bit of a hit on the price (but things will be done much more efficiently relative to using an agent).

Alternatively, you can undertake the valuation yourself by researching the local housing market and the recent sold prices of properties which are of a similar type and location to your own. Local planning authority websites will also provide further information on any renovations and extension work undertaken for a given property. However, this will likely only give you a rough estimate in terms of an asking price to place on your own property since no two properties (or prospective buyers and their budgets) are entirely the same.

For a more comprehensive valuation of your property, there are now a number of free of charge online valuation tools available. However, it is very tricky to sell your home completely independently unless you already have a buyer lined up, since your ability to reach prospective buyers will be very limited for a private sale. This is because the main online property portals like Zoopla, Rightmove and On the Market do not list properties for individual vendors.

If you are keen to put in more effort for a higher financial reward, an alternative option is to use an online or hybrid agent. An online only agent offers fees from as little as £99 for selling your property (with some even undertaking the sale free of charge and recouping their costs through optional extras) but you will still need to undertake a lot of the leg work yourself and your property valuation will generally be based on online data only rather than a physical appraisal.

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A hybrid agent is the middle ground between an online and high street estate agent. They offer a fixed fee for the sale of your property in the region of £999-£1999 so you know exactly how much the sale will cost you from the get-go and can budget accordingly. There are also pay now or pay later and no sale, no fee options available and services such as property photographs, creation of listings, hosted viewings and support with buyer negotiations so you are not doing all of the legwork for the sale. Most importantly, they will also undertake in person valuations via a dedicated and knowledgeable local agent to ensure an accurate asking price for your property.

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