{"id":12813,"date":"2026-08-26T09:08:26","date_gmt":"2026-08-26T08:08:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rightmove.co.uk\/guides\/?page_id=12813"},"modified":"2026-08-26T09:11:22","modified_gmt":"2026-08-26T08:11:22","slug":"how-do-online-valuations-work","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.rightmove.co.uk\/guides\/how-do-online-valuations-work\/","title":{"rendered":"How do online valuations work?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If&nbsp;you&#8217;re&nbsp;wondering&nbsp;what your home might be worth today, an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rightmove.co.uk\/house-value.html\">instant online valuation<\/a> can be a useful place to start. In just a few moments, it can provide an estimated value based on property data, local market&nbsp;activity&nbsp;and recent sales.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But how does it actually work?&nbsp;And how much trust should you put in the result?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here&#8217;s&nbsp;everything you need to know about online property valuations, how Rightmove&#8217;s Instant Valuation works, and&nbsp;when you might need a different type of valuation.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"what-is-an-instant-online-valuation\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is an instant online valuation?<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rightmove.co.uk\/house-value.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Instant Valuation<\/a>&nbsp;is an estimated property value&nbsp;calculated&nbsp;using&nbsp;property information&nbsp;and local&nbsp;data rather than&nbsp;by an estate agent or other expert.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An online valuation analyses information about your property and compares it with local market activity.&nbsp;The result is a quick estimate of what your home could be worth in today&#8217;s market.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Online valuations are designed to give homeowners a useful starting point.&nbsp;They&#8217;re&nbsp;free,&nbsp;fast&nbsp;and easy to access, making them ideal if&nbsp;you&#8217;re&nbsp;curious about your home, or another property\u2019s,&nbsp;value,&nbsp;or&nbsp;are&nbsp;keeping an eye on the market before making your next move.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rightmove.co.uk\/house-value.html\"\n   target=\"\"\n   class=\"my-5 c-calculator-module c-calculator-module--slim c-calculator-module--layout-1 c-calculator-module--light c-calculator-module--no-content\" \n   data-module-admin-id=\"ca7dfe05c8c37fd7eaad0bf8f2396c70\">\n    <div class=\"c-calculator-module__media\" ><\/div>\n    <div class=\"c-calculator-module__body c-wp c-wp--flush\">\n        <h2 class=\"c-calculator-module__title\">\n            <span class=\"c-calculator-module__title__icon\" style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/www.rightmove.co.uk\/guides\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/InstantVal-300x267-1.png);\"><\/span><span>Check what your home&#8217;s worth<\/span>        <\/h2>\n        \n        <div class=\"c-calculator-module__footer \">\n                        <div class=\"c-calculator-module__footer__item c-calculator-module__footer__item--cta\">\n                <div class=\"c-calculator-module__cta\">\n                    <svg class=\"c-icon c-icon--arrow-line-right\"><use xlink:href=\"#icon-arrow-line-right\"><\/use><\/svg>                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/a>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"what-information-does-an-online-valuation-use\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What information does an online valuation use?<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Online valuations rely on a combination of property data and local market information.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some of the main details used include:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The property&#8217;s location&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Number of bedrooms&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Property type&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Property size&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Key features and characteristics&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This information is combined with wider market signals, including:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Recent&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rightmove.co.uk\/house-prices.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sold prices<\/a>&nbsp;nearby&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Properties&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rightmove.co.uk\/property-for-sale.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">currently for sale<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rightmove.co.uk\/news\/rental-price-tracker\">Rental<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rightmove.co.uk\/news\/house-price-index\/\">sales activity<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Search demand on property websites&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Historical listing information&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Estate agent marketing data&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The more reliable&nbsp;the information is&nbsp;about a property and its local area, the more confident the valuation model can be in its&nbsp;valuation&nbsp;estimate.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"how-does-the-rightmove-instant-online-valuation-work\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How does the Rightmove Instant Online Valuation work?<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rightmove&#8217;s Instant Valuation is calculated using industry-trusted machine learning models that combine public information, Rightmove&nbsp;data&nbsp;and information about similar nearby properties.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The model uses two main approaches.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"1-historic-house-prices-updated\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1.&nbsp;Historic house prices, updated<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This method starts with a property&#8217;s&nbsp;previous&nbsp;sale price.&nbsp;The model then adjusts that historic value to reflect changes in local market conditions since the property last sold.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"2-similar-properties-nearby\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2.&nbsp;Similar properties&nbsp;nearby<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This approach looks for&nbsp;similar properties&nbsp;nearby.&nbsp;The system&nbsp;will&nbsp;compare factors such as:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Bedrooms&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Property type&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Size&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Features&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Location&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Properties are scored based on how closely they match the home being valued. The&nbsp;online&nbsp;model then uses the most&nbsp;similar properties&nbsp;to help calculate a valuation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For this reason, homes that are surrounded by&nbsp;similar homes&nbsp;may&nbsp;be easier to value&nbsp;accurately&nbsp;than homes that are&nbsp;very different&nbsp;to other homes in the area.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"bringing-the-results-together\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Bringing the results together<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The final&nbsp;instant valuation estimate&nbsp;combines the results from both models, along with&nbsp;an indication&nbsp;of uncertainty.&nbsp;This&nbsp;generates&nbsp;both&nbsp;the estimated value&nbsp;and the \u2018valuation range\u2019&nbsp;shown alongside it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A confidence assessment is also applied.&nbsp;The&nbsp;less confident the system is in the result, the wider the valuation range given.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the model does not have enough reliable data to produce a trustworthy estimate, a valuation may not be shown at all.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"are-online-property-valuations-accurate\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Are online property valuations&nbsp;accurate?<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Online valuations can provide a useful estimate, but they&nbsp;aren&#8217;t&nbsp;exact.&nbsp;Their accuracy depends&nbsp;largely on&nbsp;the quality and quantity of information available&nbsp;on the property.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Generally, valuations&nbsp;tend to be more&nbsp;accurate&nbsp;for homes that are typical of their local area.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, a standard two-bedroom terraced home in a&nbsp;neighbourhood&nbsp;full of&nbsp;similar properties&nbsp;is likely to have more data available for comparison.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Properties that are more unusual can be harder to value accurately. This might include:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Architect-designed homes&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Converted buildings&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Luxury properties&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Homes with unusual layouts&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Properties with bespoke features&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In these cases, there may be fewer comparable properties available. This&nbsp;makes&nbsp;it more difficult for an automated model to estimate value precisely.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this case, your next best&nbsp;option&nbsp;for a quick valuation could be an&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rightmove.co.uk\/agent-valuation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Online Agent Valuation<\/a>. This involves sending details to a local&nbsp;agent for them&nbsp;to assess your home\u2019s value without the need for a home visit.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"why-is-an-online-valuation-given-as-a-range-not-a-single-number\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why is an online valuation given as a range, not a single number?<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Property values are never completely certain.&nbsp;Even professional surveyors and estate agents&nbsp;recognise&nbsp;that a home&#8217;s value can vary depending on market conditions and buyer demand.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That&#8217;s&nbsp;why online valuations are&nbsp;sometimes&nbsp;shown as a range rather than a single figure.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The range reflects the model&#8217;s confidence level&nbsp;in its estimate. A narrower range usually means there is more certainty in the available data. A wider range suggests more uncertainty.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This allows homeowners to see not only the estimated value, but also how confident the model is in that estimate.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"what-does-an-online-valuation-not-account-for\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What&nbsp;does&nbsp;an online valuation not account for?<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While online valuations can&nbsp;analyse&nbsp;a lot of data, there are some important things they&nbsp;can&#8217;t&nbsp;see.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, an automated model&nbsp;generally can&#8217;t&nbsp;assess:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Interior decoration and presentation&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Renovations completed since the property last sold&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Home extensions&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Loft conversions&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Structural improvements&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Damage or maintenance issues&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The condition of your kitchen or bathroom&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because of this,&nbsp;two apparently&nbsp;similar homes&nbsp;could have&nbsp;very different&nbsp;real-world values if one has been&nbsp;modernised&nbsp;and the other has not.&nbsp;This is why&nbsp;an online estimate shouldn&#8217;t be viewed as a substitute for a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rightmove.co.uk\/agent-valuation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">professional property appraisal<\/a>  by an estate agent.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"why-is-my-neighbours-house-valued-differently-to-mine\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why is my&nbsp;neighbour&#8217;s&nbsp;house valued differently to mine?<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is one of the most&nbsp;common questions&nbsp;homeowners ask.&nbsp;Even&nbsp;neighbouring&nbsp;properties can have different values for several reasons:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Different numbers of bedrooms&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Different floor areas&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Extensions or conversions&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Separate sale histories&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Different property types&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Unique features&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Different market demand&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, two houses on the same street may look similar from the outside, but one could have an extended kitchen, larger&nbsp;garden&nbsp;or converted loft.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A valuation model considers many factors beyond postcode alone, which is why&nbsp;neighbouring&nbsp;properties can receive different estimates.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"how-often-are-instant-online-valuation-estimates-updated\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How often are Instant Online Valuation estimates updated?<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Property markets are constantly changing.&nbsp;To keep valuations as up to date as possible, Rightmove attempts to refresh Instant Valuation estimates every&nbsp;30 days&nbsp;using the latest market information available.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sometimes a valuation may stay&nbsp;largely unchanged&nbsp;between updates. Other times,&nbsp;new information&nbsp;about the property or local area could lead to a more noticeable change.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Users who track a property can view valuation updates in their&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rightmove.co.uk\/myrightmove.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">My Rightmove<\/a>&nbsp;account and choose to receive notifications when values change.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"why-cant-all-uk-properties-get-an-instant-online-valuation\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why can&#8217;t all UK properties get an Instant Online Valuation?<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Online valuations depend on having enough reliable property data available.&nbsp;At present, valuations can only be provided for properties where&nbsp;there is enough&nbsp;historic sales information.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This includes many residential addresses in England,&nbsp;Wales&nbsp;and Scotland, but not every property.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some homes may not receive a valuation because:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>There is&nbsp;not enough&nbsp;sales history<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The property has sold very recently&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is a new-build property&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is a commercial property&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The address falls outside supported areas&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The model lacks confidence in the available data&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When there&nbsp;isn&#8217;t&nbsp;enough information to generate a reliable estimate,&nbsp;it&#8217;s&nbsp;often better not to show one at all.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"online-valuation-vs-estate-agent-valuation-which-should-i-use-and-when\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Online valuation vs estate agent valuation: which should I use, and when?<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An online valuation&nbsp;is very useful for specific purposes.&nbsp;However, a&nbsp;local estate agent can visit your home, assess its&nbsp;condition&nbsp;and understand factors an automated model cannot see.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That&#8217;s&nbsp;why an&nbsp;agent&nbsp;valuation will typically provide a more complete picture&nbsp;for when&nbsp;you\u2019re&nbsp;ready to sell.&nbsp;You can read a more in depth look at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rightmove.co.uk\/guides\/different-types-of-property-valuation\/\">different types of property valuation here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Use an online valuation when:&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You&#8217;re&nbsp;curious about your home&#8217;s value&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You&#8217;re&nbsp;monitoring&nbsp;market changes&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You&#8217;re&nbsp;researching before selling&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You want a quick estimate&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You want to compare homes in your area&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Use an estate agent valuation when:&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You&#8217;re&nbsp;preparing to sell&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You&#8217;ve&nbsp;recently renovated your home&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You&#8217;ve&nbsp;added an extension&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your property is unique or unusual, and there aren&#8217;t other properties it can be realistically compared against<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You need a detailed market appraisal&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another alternative may be to get an Online Agent Valuation. This falls somewhere between an online valuation and an in-person agent valuation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To get an&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rightmove.co.uk\/agent-valuation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Online Agent Valuation<\/a>, you provide details about your property and any recent photos which&nbsp;get&nbsp;sent to an agent. They will then draw on their local knowledge and&nbsp;expertise&nbsp;to provide an estimate which&nbsp;you&#8217;ll&nbsp;receive the next working day.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rightmove.co.uk\/agent-valuation\"\n   target=\"\"\n   class=\"my-5 c-calculator-module c-calculator-module--slim c-calculator-module--layout-1 c-calculator-module--dark c-calculator-module--no-content\" \n   data-module-admin-id=\"0057b78fcdde486a589c3fa09ac45476\">\n    <div class=\"c-calculator-module__media\" ><\/div>\n    <div class=\"c-calculator-module__body c-wp c-wp--flush\">\n        <h2 class=\"c-calculator-module__title\">\n            <span>Get a free valuation from an agent<\/span>        <\/h2>\n        \n        <div class=\"c-calculator-module__footer \">\n                        <div class=\"c-calculator-module__footer__item c-calculator-module__footer__item--cta\">\n                <div class=\"c-calculator-module__cta\">\n                    <svg class=\"c-icon c-icon--arrow-line-right\"><use xlink:href=\"#icon-arrow-line-right\"><\/use><\/svg>                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/a>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"what-should-i-do-after-getting-an-online-valuation\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What should I do after getting an online valuation?<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Think of your online valuation as a starting point, not the&nbsp;final answer.&nbsp;To get the most value from it:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Track your property over time&nbsp;with&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rightmove.co.uk\/myrightmove.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">MyRightmove<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sign up for&nbsp;monthly&nbsp;email price&nbsp;updates&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Compare nearby&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rightmove.co.uk\/house-prices.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sold prices<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Look at comparable&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rightmove.co.uk\/property-for-sale.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">homes in your area<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use the valuation range rather than focusing on a single figure&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Consider getting&nbsp;an&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rightmove.co.uk\/agent-valuation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">estate agent valuation<\/a>&nbsp;before listing your home&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tracking your home&#8217;s estimated value over time can help you understand market trends and see how your property compares with others nearby.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"faqs\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>FAQs<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n<ul class=\"c-faqs\" id=\"\">\n            <li class=\"c-faqs__item\">\n            <h3 id=\"how-do-online-property-valuations-work\" class=\"c-faqs__question\">How do online property valuations work?\u00a0<\/h3>\n            <div class=\"c-faqs__answer\">\n                <p>Online property valuations use machine learning models and property data to estimate a home&#8217;s value.\u00a0They\u00a0analyse\u00a0information such as location, property type, size,\u00a0features\u00a0and recent sales activity nearby.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/li>\n            <li class=\"c-faqs__item\">\n            <h3 id=\"how-accurate-are-rightmove-valuations\" class=\"c-faqs__question\">How\u00a0accurate\u00a0are Rightmove\u00a0valuations?\u00a0<\/h3>\n            <div class=\"c-faqs__answer\">\n                <p><!-- wp:heading {\"level\":3} --><!-- \/wp:heading --><!-- wp:paragraph -->In terms of an online valuation, which is an estimate of a home&#8217;s value, accuracy varies by individual property and area. Valuations are\u00a0generally more\u00a0accurate\u00a0for homes that are typical of their local market and have plenty of comparable sales data available.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/li>\n            <li class=\"c-faqs__item\">\n            <h3 id=\"can-i-use-an-instant-online-valuation-for-a-mortgage-application\" class=\"c-faqs__question\">Can I use an instant online valuation for a mortgage application?<\/h3>\n            <div class=\"c-faqs__answer\">\n                <p>No. An online valuation is an estimate only and isn&#8217;t a formal valuation for mortgage lending purposes. Lenders will usually require their own valuation process. You can read more about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rightmove.co.uk\/mortgages\/guides\/how-to-get-a-mortgage\/lenders-valuation\/\">mortgage lender&#8217;s valuations here<\/a>.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/li>\n            <li class=\"c-faqs__item\">\n            <h3 id=\"how-accurate-is-an-instant-online-valuation-compared-to-an-in-person-estate-agent-valuation\" class=\"c-faqs__question\">How\u00a0accurate\u00a0is an instant online valuation compared to an in-person estate agent valuation?<\/h3>\n            <div class=\"c-faqs__answer\">\n                <p>An online valuation can provide a useful\u00a0indication\u00a0of value, but an estate agent can assess the property&#8217;s condition,\u00a0presentation\u00a0and unique features in person. For this reason, an estate\u00a0agent\u00a0valuation is typically more comprehensive and accurate.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/li>\n            <li class=\"c-faqs__item\">\n            <h3 id=\"can-an-online-valuation-take-into-account-my-extension-or-renovation\" class=\"c-faqs__question\">Can an online valuation take into account my extension or renovation?\u00a0<\/h3>\n            <div class=\"c-faqs__answer\">\n                <p><!-- wp:paragraph -->Most online valuations will not take extensions or renovations into account.\u00a0If improvements were completed after the property last sold, an automated model may not have access to that information.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph -->However, Rightmove\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rightmove.co.uk\/house-value.html\">Instant Online Valuation<\/a> tool allows you to include renovations by tracking a property, then adding more detail about renovations you&#8217;ve made.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/li>\n            <li class=\"c-faqs__item\">\n            <h3 id=\"can-i-get-an-online-house-valuation-for-free\" class=\"c-faqs__question\">Can I get an online house valuation for free?\u00a0<\/h3>\n            <div class=\"c-faqs__answer\">\n                <p>Yes. Rightmove&#8217;s Instant Valuation provides a free online estimate, helping homeowners understand what their property could be worth today.\u00a0You can also use the tool to track the value of other homes you&#8217;re interested in, and how that might change over time.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/li>\n            <li class=\"c-faqs__item\">\n            <h3 id=\"why-doesnt-my-property-have-an-online-valuation\" class=\"c-faqs__question\">Why doesn&#039;t my property have an online valuation?<\/h3>\n            <div class=\"c-faqs__answer\">\n                <p>This usually happens when there\u00a0isn&#8217;t\u00a0enough reliable data\u00a0available\u00a0or the model lacks confidence in the estimate. Rather than showing a potentially misleading figure, no valuation is provided.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n\n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rightmove.co.uk\/house-value.html\"\n   target=\"\"\n   class=\"my-5 c-calculator-module c-calculator-module--slim c-calculator-module--layout-1 c-calculator-module--light c-calculator-module--no-content\" \n   data-module-admin-id=\"ca7dfe05c8c37fd7eaad0bf8f2396c70\">\n    <div class=\"c-calculator-module__media\" ><\/div>\n    <div class=\"c-calculator-module__body c-wp c-wp--flush\">\n        <h2 class=\"c-calculator-module__title\">\n            <span class=\"c-calculator-module__title__icon\" style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/www.rightmove.co.uk\/guides\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/InstantVal-300x267-1.png);\"><\/span><span>Check what your home&#8217;s worth<\/span>        <\/h2>\n        \n        <div class=\"c-calculator-module__footer \">\n                        <div class=\"c-calculator-module__footer__item c-calculator-module__footer__item--cta\">\n                <div class=\"c-calculator-module__cta\">\n                    <svg class=\"c-icon c-icon--arrow-line-right\"><use xlink:href=\"#icon-arrow-line-right\"><\/use><\/svg>                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/a>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If&nbsp;you&#8217;re&nbsp;wondering&nbsp;what your home might be worth today, an instant online valuation can be a useful place to start. In just a few moments, it can provide an estimated value based on property data, local market&nbsp;activity&nbsp;and recent sales.&nbsp; But how does it actually work?&nbsp;And how much trust should you put in the result?&nbsp; Here&#8217;s&nbsp;everything you need [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":12833,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","author_profile":[9893]},"class_list":["post-12813","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":{"author_profile":["9893"]},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How do online valuations work? | Rightmove Guides<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Everything you need to know about online property valuations and\u00a0when you might need a different type of valuation.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rightmove.co.uk\/guides\/how-do-online-valuations-work\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How do online valuations work? 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