How accurate are online house valuations?

Short answer: an online valuation is a useful starting point but it is usually only accurate to within 10% either way, which on a Ruislip home can mean a gap of £50,000 or more. It cannot see your extension, your new kitchen, your garden or the condition of the house next door. For a price you can actually put on the market, you need a valuer to visit.

How online valuations work

Instant valuation tools take Land Registry sold prices for similar homes nearby, adjust them for the general market and give you a range. That is helpful for a quick check, and it is why we offer a free instant online valuation ourselves.

Where they go wrong

• Improvements. A loft conversion or a rear extension can add well over £100,000 in Ruislip. The tool does not know you have one.
• Condition. Two identical 1930s semis on the same road can differ by £75,000 depending on the kitchen, bathrooms and windows.
• The road itself. Being nearer the station, the Lido or a good school changes the price. Postcode averages blur this.
• Timing. Sold-price data is months old by the time it is published. A valuer knows what is under offer today.

What an expert valuation adds

One of our valuers visits, looks at the whole property, talks through your plans and gives you a figure backed by what has genuinely sold and what buyers are paying right now. It takes 30 to 45 minutes, it is free, and there is no obligation. Most sellers use both: the online estimate first, then the visit before they decide.

Get both, free

Start with the 60-second online valuation, then book the expert visit on the same page. Or call Lawrence Rand on 01895 632211.