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A property valuation is an informed opinion of the price a buyer will pay, or the rent a tenant will pay, for a particular home at a particular time. It rests on comparable evidence: what similar homes nearby have recently sold or let for, adjusted for the differences between them and yours. In Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch the adjustments that matter most are position, parking, a sea view, lease length, service charges and condition.
This guide is general information and not legal, tax or financial advice. A solicitor can advise on a lease, and a mortgage broker on what a lender will lend.
Three kinds of valuation, three different jobs
People use the word "valuation" for three different things. Knowing which one you have avoids most misunderstandings.
| Who it is for | What it tells you | Who pays | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agent's market appraisal | The owner | The likely sale price or rent, and how to market the home | Usually free |
| Mortgage valuation | The lender | Whether the home is adequate security for the loan | The buyer, often in the lender's fees |
| RICS Home Survey | The buyer | The condition of the building, defects and risks | The buyer |
An agent's valuation is a market opinion, made to help you decide whether and how to sell or let. It is not a survey and does not check the structure.
A mortgage valuation is carried out for the buyer's lender. It may be a short inspection or a desktop check, and it exists to protect the lender. If it comes in below the agreed price, the lender lends less, and the buyer has to find the difference or renegotiate.
A RICS Home Survey is a condition report the buyer commissions. RICS sets three levels: Level 1, the most basic; Level 2, available as survey only or with a valuation; and Level 3, the most detailed, which suits older, larger, altered or run-down buildings. Many homes on the East and West Cliffs are Victorian villas converted into flats, where a buyer is likely to want more than Level 1.
Comparable evidence
The core of any valuation is the comparables. A good agent looks at:
- Sold prices, which show what buyers actually paid, not what sellers hoped for.
- Homes under offer and for sale now, which are your competition this month.
- Let prices, for rental valuations, and how long similar homes took to let.
The best comparables are the same type of home, in the same street or block, sold or let recently. A two-bed flat in a purpose-built block with a lift and a parking space is not a fair comparison for a two-bed flat on the second floor of a converted villa without either, even if the postcode is the same. Ask the agent to show you which homes it used and how it adjusted for the differences.
What moves the figure on this coast
Position. A short walk to the beach, the station, a high street such as Westbourne's or Southbourne Grove, or a good school changes demand more than an extra bedroom does in some streets. Busy roads, a bus stop outside the window or a pub next door work the other way.
Parking. Across much of central Bournemouth, the cliffs and Boscombe, on-street parking is limited and some roads sit in permit zones. A garage, an allocated space or a driveway is a feature buyers and tenants search for by name.
Sea view. A view counts only if it is real: from the main living room, unobstructed, and likely to stay that way. A side glimpse from a bedroom matters much less. There is no standard uplift; only the comparables in the same block show what buyers have paid for it.
Lease length and the lease terms. For a flat, the years left on the lease affect both price and who can buy. Many lenders are cautious about short leases, and below 80 years the cost of extending rises because of marriage value. At the time of writing the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 changes to how extensions are priced are not yet in force, so the current rules still apply. Restrictions on letting, holiday letting or pets also narrow the market.
Service charge, reserve fund and ground rent. A high service charge with a healthy reserve fund and a well-kept building can be worth more than a low one with major works looming. Buyers' solicitors read the accounts, and so should the person valuing the flat.
Condition. Kitchens, bathrooms, windows, the roof and the heating are what buyers price as work to do. The EPC rating now sits on every listing, and an F or G rating will be read as a cost by a buyer planning to let.
Furnished or unfurnished. For a rental valuation, furniture can widen the market to people relocating, contractors and students, or narrow it to tenants who own their own. For a sale it usually makes no difference to the price unless the buyer is buying a furnished letting business.
Rental valuation against sales valuation
The same flat can value very differently for each purpose. A small flat close to the station, the universities or the hospital can let quickly while selling for less than a larger flat further out, because tenants pay for convenience and buyers also price in space, lease and potential. If you are deciding whether to sell or let, ask for both figures from the same visit. Our letting agents page explains how a let is set up.
Start with the instant rent estimate
For a first idea of rent, our instant rent estimate gives a figure from the postcode, the number of bedrooms and the property type. It is a starting point: it cannot see the condition, the view, the parking or the furniture. When you need a figure to plan around, book a visit for a full property valuation.
How to use a valuation
Invite more than one agent, compare the evidence rather than the headline numbers, and be wary of the highest figure if it has the weakest support. If you go on to sell, our guide on how to sell your home sets out the next steps, and selling a leasehold flat covers the extra paperwork a flat needs.
