What a good valuation actually includes

A valuation is more than a number. A good one shows you how the number was reached, so you can test it, and tells you what would move it. Here is what you should expect from ours, and from anyone else's.

Three numbers, not one

You should get a range: the price we would list at, the price we expect to agree, and the lowest offer we would advise you to accept. The gap between the first two is usually three to five percent. If an agent gives you a single figure, ask what they expect the first offer to be.

Two comparables you can visit

Every figure should rest on recent sales nearby, not on asking prices. We include at least two homes sold in the last six months within a few streets of yours, with their floor areas, so you can walk past them and judge for yourself.

If the comparables are all from another neighborhood, the valuation is a guess.

What would change the price

A fresh coat of paint rarely moves the figure. A second bathroom, planning permission or a south facing garden often does. We list the few things that would make a real difference to your home, with a rough cost for each, and the ones we would not bother with.

Before you sign anything, ask for these in writing:

• The listing price, the expected price and the lowest offer worth accepting

• The two nearest sales the figures rest on, with dates and floor areas

• The fee, the notice period and what happens if you change your mind

One honest conversation

The last part is the hardest. If your home needs work before it goes on the market, or if the price you hoped for is not there yet, we will say so at the kitchen table, before anything is signed. A valuation that only tells you what you want to hear is an advert, not advice.