How much is my house worth?
Your house is worth what a buyer will realistically pay for it on the open market. The most reliable guide is what similar homes near you have actually sold for recently, which you can check for free using HM Land Registry's sold prices for England and Wales. Add valuations from three local estate agents, and pay a qualified valuer if you need a formal figure.
Online estimates and asking prices are useful starting points, but they're not your home's value. This guide shows you five ways to find out what your house is worth, how to compare it with sold prices, and what moves the price up or down.
Five ways to find out what your house is worth
| Method | Cost | What it tells you | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| HM Land Registry sold prices | Free | What homes nearby actually sold for | Takes 2 weeks to 2 months to appear |
| UK House Price Index | Free | Average prices and trends for your area | An average, not your home |
| Estate agent valuations | Usually free | A local expert's view of the likely price | Some overvalue to win your business |
| Formal valuation by a qualified valuer | Paid | An independent, written valuation | You'll rarely need one just to sell |
| Online estimates and asking prices | Free | A rough starting point | Can't see your home's condition |
1. Check sold prices from HM Land Registry
GOV.UK's sold house prices service shows what properties in England and Wales sold for. HM Land Registry's price paid data covers residential sales registered since January 1995 and is updated monthly.
It has limits. HM Land Registry says the gap between a sale and it appearing in the data typically ranges from two weeks to two months, so the latest couple of months are incomplete. It also leaves out some sales that weren't at market value, such as Right to Buy sales at a discount and transfers by gift or court order.
2. Look at the UK House Price Index
The official UK House Price Index shows average prices and how they're changing. In August 2026, the average price was about £294,000 in England (up 0.4% on a year earlier) and about £216,000 in Wales (up 3.1%). These figures are provisional and get revised as more sales are registered. They're useful for seeing whether prices in your area are rising or falling, but an average tells you little about one particular home.
3. Get three estate agent valuations
Which? suggests inviting three local agents who've recently sold homes like yours. Most will give you a figure on the spot and follow it up in writing. Ask each one which recent sales they based it on.
Don't automatically choose the agent with the highest figure. Which? warns that some use a high valuation as a tactic to win business. An overpriced home can sit unsold and end up needing price cuts. Our guide to getting a house valuation explains how to judge them.
4. Pay for a formal valuation
GOV.UK says you may want a formal valuation, carried out by a qualified valuer who will charge for it. Chartered surveyors regulated by RICS (the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) do this work. You don't usually need one to sell, but it can help with probate, divorce, selling to a family member, or when you want an independent figure.
5. Treat online estimates as a starting point
Online estimates are worked out automatically from data such as past sales and price trends. They can't see your new kitchen, your damp problem or the busy road outside. Asking prices on property websites show what sellers hope to get, not what buyers paid.
How to compare your home with sold prices
- Search your street first, then nearby streets with similar homes.
- Match the type: a semi-detached house with a semi, a flat with a flat. Note the number of bedrooms and the size.
- Check the dates. A sale from three years ago may be a poor guide if prices have moved since.
- Allow for condition. A modernised home sells for more than one that needs work, and vice versa.
- Look up energy certificates. GOV.UK's energy certificate search lets you search by postcode, which can help you compare homes' energy ratings.
- Write down a range, not one number. A sensible range is more useful than a single figure.
An example
Here's how that might work, with made-up figures. You own a three-bedroom semi. In the past year, three similar semis nearby sold for £235,000, £242,000 and £250,000. The £250,000 one had a new kitchen and a loft conversion; the £235,000 one needed updating throughout. Yours is in fair condition with an older kitchen, so a realistic range is perhaps £238,000 to £245,000.
If one agent then values it at £270,000, ask which sales support that figure. If they can't point to any, treat it with caution. If all three agents land between £240,000 and £248,000, you can be fairly confident about the range.
What affects your house's value?
Which? lists the main factors as:
- The home itself: number of bedrooms, size, age, garden, parking, structural soundness and condition.
- The area: schools, local amenities, transport links and crime rates.
- Demand: a family home in an area short of similar homes may fetch a higher price.
Problems such as damp, subsidence or an unmortgageable construction type can reduce what buyers will pay, and how many buyers can get a mortgage on it. For flats, the length of the lease matters a lot. If a survey might reveal an issue, it's better to know before you set a price.
Asking price vs sold price
Which? says it's very common for buyers in England and Wales to offer below the asking price, though in some areas homes routinely sell for more than the asking price. That's why sold prices, not asking prices, are the better guide to value. Price your home in line with recent sales of similar homes, then leave room for negotiation.
If your home has been on the market for a while without offers, check the asking price against recent sales first. Our guide to a house not selling covers what to do.
Market value vs a quick-sale price
"Market value" is roughly what a willing buyer would pay when the home is properly marketed and there's time to find that buyer. A quick sale is different. Cash house buying companies, including us, usually pay below market value, because they buy quickly, take the home as it is, and carry the cost and risk of reselling it. Our offers are based on recent sales of similar homes nearby, and we explain how we worked out the figure.
That's why it pays to know your home's open-market value first. If you have time and your home is in reasonable condition, selling through an estate agent will usually get you more. A quick sale can make sense if you need certainty, speed or a sale as it is. Our guide to below market value explains how to judge whether an offer is fair for you, and our cash offer vs estate agent calculator compares what each route would leave you with.
Mistakes to avoid
- Picking the agent with the highest valuation without asking how they reached it.
- Relying on old sales when prices have moved since.
- Comparing different types of home, such as a flat with a house.
- Ignoring condition, in either direction.
- Taking an online estimate as fact.
- Setting the price too high, then having to cut it after weeks without offers.
Questions people ask
What is the most accurate way to value my house?
Start with what similar homes on your street or nearby have actually sold for recently, using HM Land Registry's free sold prices search. Then invite three local estate agents who've sold homes like yours to value it. If you need a formal figure, for example for probate, divorce or a family sale, pay a qualified valuer such as a chartered surveyor. Using all three gives you a realistic range.
Are online house price estimates accurate?
They're a rough guide. Online estimates are worked out automatically from data such as past sale prices and price trends, so they can't see your home's condition, layout, improvements or problems. They can be well above or below what a buyer would pay. Use them as a starting point, then check them against recent sold prices for similar homes and against valuations from local agents.
How much does a house valuation cost?
Estate agents normally value your home for free, because they're hoping you'll choose them to sell it. A formal valuation by a qualified valuer, such as a chartered surveyor, is a paid service, and the price depends on the property and the purpose. You'll usually only need a paid valuation for things like probate, divorce, a sale between family members, or a dispute over value.
Why are sold prices lower than asking prices nearby?
Asking prices are what sellers hope to get, and Which? says it's very common for buyers in England and Wales to offer below the asking price. Sold prices are what buyers actually paid, so they're the better guide. In some areas homes routinely sell above the asking price. HM Land Registry data takes from two weeks to two months to appear, so the most recent sales may be missing.
Will a cash buyer pay what my house is worth?
Usually not. Cash house buying companies, including us, normally pay below market value, because they buy quickly, take the home as it is and carry the cost and risk of reselling it. Knowing your home's open-market value first lets you judge any offer properly. If you have time and your home is in decent condition, selling through an estate agent will usually get you more.
Sources
Related guides
How to get a house valuation
You can get a house valuation in three ways: free market appraisals from estate agents, a paid formal valuation from a qualified valuer such as a RICS member, or your own research using HM Land Registry sold prices and online estimates. For a sale, check sold prices first, then compare two or three agent valuations and their evidence. Formal valuations are mainly needed for probate, divorce, tax or disputes.
Selling fastBelow market value explained
Below market value (BMV) means a price lower than a home would be expected to fetch on the open market, given proper marketing and a reasonable amount of time. Cash and quick-sale buyers usually offer below market value because they take on costs and risk and need to make a profit. Whether a BMV offer is fair for you depends on what you'd actually keep from each route, and how soon you need the money.
Selling fastHouse not selling? Why it happens and what to do next
When a house isn't selling, the cause is usually the asking price, the photos and listing, how it shows on viewings, the agent, or a problem with the property that puts buyers or lenders off. GOV.UK says selling takes about 5 months on average. If you're getting few viewings, or viewings but no offers, review the price against recent sold prices first, then the marketing, and consider another route if that fails.
General information for England and Wales, not legal, tax or financial advice. Last checked 26 October 2026.