Property valuation questions, answered

Independent valuations of a standard Melbourne house or unit generally range from about $300 to $600. Prestige, architect-designed and rural properties typically sit between $600 and $1,000, because there are fewer comparable sales and both the inspection and the write-up take longer. Development sites and mixed-use property cost more again. Retrospective, family law and court reports also sit above a straightforward market valuation. We provide free quotes with no obligation and confirm a transparent fixed price within 24 hours.

Inspecting a standard home takes roughly 30 to 45 minutes. Standard property valuations are typically completed within three to five business days. Desktop valuations are faster because there is no site visit, and we offer expedited service for urgent matters.

As a general guide, lenders and courts treat a residential valuation as current for about 90 days. Past that, a moving market means the assessed value may no longer reflect current conditions. If your matter is likely to run for months, build a review point into the timetable.

No. Quotes are free and carry no obligation. Send us the property address and the purpose of the report and we will confirm the right valuation type and a fixed price within 24 hours.

We offer residential house valuations, rural house valuations, specialist house valuations, desktop house valuations, curbside valuations and full house valuations.

A desktop valuation is based on market data analysis without a physical inspection. A curbside valuation adds a quick external inspection from the street. A full house valuation includes comprehensive internal and external inspection with detailed market analysis, and is the only type suitable for legal matters, settlements and tax purposes. Lenders generally match the report type to the loan-to-value ratio, using desktop assessments at low LVRs and requiring a full inspection above 80 per cent.

A valuation is a formal, legally defensible assessment of market value prepared by a qualified independent valuer, supported by comparable sales evidence and backed by professional liability. An agent’s appraisal is a free marketing estimate with no professional liability behind it and no evidentiary weight. Banks, courts, the ATO and the State Revenue Office require a valuation, not an appraisal.

Automated estimates are generated from sales data and recorded property attributes. They cannot assess condition, orientation, the quality of a renovation, planning or heritage constraints, or whether a nearby sale was genuinely comparable. A valuer inspects the property and then selects and adjusts comparable sales deliberately.

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.

Yes. Our reports are court-recognised and prepared in compliance with Australian Property Institute and International Valuation Standards, and are accepted by Australian courts, financial institutions, government bodies and the ATO.

Valuations are conducted by experienced valuers accredited by the Australian Property Institute. Asset Valuations Group, of which we are a division, is fully licensed and registered in Australia and New Zealand, with more than 85 years of combined experience across the team.

Most lenders will only accept valuations from valuers on their own panel, so an independent report generally won't replace theirs. What it does is tell you whether the bank's figure is out of step before you commit to an application.

Someone needs to provide access, but it doesn't have to be you. A tenant, agent or family member can let the valuer in. Desktop and curbside valuations need no access at all.

The council rates notice, a floor plan or plan of subdivision, details and costs of any recent renovations with permits where relevant, and the contract of sale or lease agreement if there is one. None are essential, but each one sharpens the result.

Presentation does not change the assessment. A valuer is measuring, recording condition and assessing improvements, not judging housekeeping. Access to all rooms and any outbuildings is more useful than tidying.

Land size, shape, frontage and orientation; dwelling size, layout and configuration; condition, age and standard of finish; improvements such as garaging, outbuildings and landscaping; planning and heritage overlays and any development potential; and the position, aspect and streetscape.

If you and your former partner can't agree on what the property is worth, yes. The Federal Circuit and Family Court requires evidence about the value of property to be given by a single expert witness — a certified valuer jointly appointed by both parties, or appointed by the court if there's no agreement. The report must comply with the Family Law Rules and the Expert Witness Code of Conduct.

Yes. When a property is inherited, the cost base for capital gains tax is generally its market value at the date of death, so executors and beneficiaries need a retrospective valuation assessed at that historical date rather than today's figure. We prepare backdated valuations supported by sales evidence from the relevant period.

Usually, yes. In Victoria, land transfer duty is calculated on the greater of the price paid and the property's market value. For related party transfers the State Revenue Office accepts a valuation from a Certified Practising Valuer who is an Australian Property Institute member, dated within six months of the transfer. If the SRO considers the value understated it can refer the matter to the Valuer-General Victoria, and you may be liable for that cost if their figure comes back 15 per cent or more above yours.

Yes. We provide specialised valuations for farms, rural properties and lifestyle blocks, including agricultural productivity and water rights, as well as specialist valuations for heritage homes, development sites and special purpose residential properties.

Coverage is Melbourne wide, including all metropolitan suburbs and regional Victoria such as Geelong, the Bellarine, the Mornington Peninsula, the Yarra Valley, the Macedon Ranges, Gippsland, Ballarat and Bendigo.

Use the enquiry form on our contact page, or call 0422 026 728 between 9am and 5pm AEST, Monday to Friday. Have the property address and the purpose of the report ready and the call takes a couple of minutes.