Full inspection
Family law & settlements
The court requires the value to come from a single expert witness, jointly appointed, whose duty is to the court rather than to either party.
Read moreValuation purposes
Why people get a property valued
Almost nobody orders a valuation for its own sake. There's a bank, a court, an accountant or a decision behind it — and what that reader requires determines which report you need. Find your situation below.
Six situations, six requirements
Retrospective
Deceased estates & probate
The cost base is generally the market value at the date of death, so executors need a valuation assessed at that date — not today's figure.
Read moreRetrospective
Capital gains tax
A market value has to be substituted for a price that was never paid — usually at a date years in the past, evidenced by sales from that period.
Read moreDepends on LVR
Mortgage & refinancing
The bank's valuation protects the bank's security, not your interests. An independent figure tells you where you stand before you apply.
Read moreBefore you commit
Buying or selling
Every appraisal you get during a listing campaign comes from someone competing for the listing. A valuation doesn't.
Read moreDesktop often enough
Portfolio review
Consistent figures across every asset, assessed at one common date — otherwise the position is an average of several different markets.
Read moreThe rule underneath all of it
Who has to rely on the number?
Every purpose on this page reduces to one question. If the answer is only you, a desktop assessment is usually enough and you can have it quickly. If the answer includes a bank, a court, the ATO or the State Revenue Office, the report has to be able to withstand someone testing it — which means a full inspection, comparable sales evidence set out in the report, and a valuer who is accountable for the conclusion.
Only you
Early decisions, equity tracking, portfolio reporting. A desktop valuation is fast and inexpensive, and no one is going to challenge it.
A lender
The loan-to-value ratio sets the standard. Desktop at low LVRs, curbside in the middle, a full inspection once you pass 80 per cent.
A court, the ATO or the SRO
A full internal and external inspection, written to the evidentiary requirements of that specific purpose. Nothing less is accepted.
Got questions?
Common questions
When do I need a valuation rather than an appraisal?
Whenever someone other than you has to rely on the figure. Banks, courts, the ATO and the State Revenue Office all require a valuation from a qualified valuer, because an agent's appraisal is a free marketing estimate with no professional liability behind it.
Which report type do most purposes require?
Legal, tax, probate and related party transfer matters all require a full internal and external inspection with detailed market analysis. Desktop and curbside valuations are for lending decisions and for your own decision-making.
Can one valuation be used for more than one purpose?
Sometimes, but not always. A valuation is prepared for a stated purpose and a stated date, and reports written for different purposes carry different evidentiary requirements. Tell us every use you have in mind before we start, so the report is written to cover them.
Not sure which you need?
Send us the address and the purpose. We'll confirm the right report and a fixed price within 24 hours, at no cost and no obligation.