Frequently Asked Questions

What is a certified property valuation?

A certified property valuation is a legally certified document that provides an accurate fair market value of any subject property. Certified valuation reports can be completed on any residential, commercial, or industrial property for a wide variety of purposes.

A certified property valuation contains a comprehensive analysis of the subject property and can be used for both private and formal matters. As such, a certified property valuation can only be completed by an independent valuer with the local knowledge and industry expertise to ensure all legislative requirements are met.

Real estate appraisals vs. property valuation reports

Real estate appraisals provide an estimated property value based on what is believe the property can be sold for under the current market conditions. With that being said, a real estate appraisal cannot be used for any kind legislative or legal purpose and should not be considered an accurate representation of value.

A property valuation report is a professionally detailed report based extensive research and industry expertise that determines the fair market value of the property. A property valuation is highly recommended for pre-purchase/pre-sale advice and provides a greater certainty to inform decisions in relation to any subject property.

What are the benefits of a certified property valuer?

Reaching out for the services of a certified property valuer means that you have access to an industry expert who is certified to provide a comprehensive analysis on any subject property. This means a certified property valuer can provide reliable advice based on local knowledge to inform decisions, create assurance, and minimise investment risk.

A certified property valuer is at the forefront of the property industry and is qualified to complete valuation reports based on a variety of purposes for private and legislative use. As such, a certified property valuer can produce a report based on extensive research and objective property data without bias or agenda.

What should you look for when employing a property valuer?

When seeking out the services of a property valuer, it’s important seek out someone who has gained their accreditation through the Australian Property Institute (API). The API is Australia’s leading industry body in property and as such, API certified valuers are highly regarded in the industry and are duty bound to perform fair, objective valuation services.

Furthermore, be sure to seek out a property valuer who is local to your area with extensive knowledge on your local property market to ensure a quality, transparent, and comprehensive analysis. As such, a property valuer with an extensive background of local knowledge will be able to provide reliable advice for any subject property.

What are the different valuation methods an API certified property valuer uses?

An API certified property valuer will use three main valuation methods when determining fair market value:

• The Direct Comparison Approach: this will directly compare the subject property to similar properties in the local area considering over 200 variables to determine value.
• The Summation Approach: this is utilised exclusively by API certified property valuers and is used as an ancillary check when determining value. It will calculate the replacement cost value of improvements made to the subject property and depreciate this value by its age. It will then measure this against the underlying land value to determine the property’s worth.
• The Capitalisation of Net Income Approach: this will be saved for valuing commercial properties and uses the net rental income. The property valuer will then capitalise this at a rate taken from local comparable sales to determine the subject property’s fair market value.

What is the difference between an “as is” and an “as if complete” property valuation?

An “as is” property valuation is based on the current condition of the subject property as of the date of inspection. An “as is” property valuation is utilised for most property’s while taking into account the local property market.

On the other hand, an “as if complete” property valuation can be completed if the subject property is undergoing renovations or is bought off-the-plan. As such, this kind of property valuation will value the property with the consideration of what its final condition will be.

Both kinds of property valuations utilise local comparable sales and property data to determine the fair market value. As such, the valuer can successfully determine the value of the subject property in either its current state, or if were complete, depending on the specific valuation requirements.

What is the difference between a bank valuation and an independent property valuation?

A bank valuation is conducted by a bank valuer to determine value for the sake of loan security. As such, a bank valuation will tend to be more conservative because of the underlying bias of wanting to minimise the risk should the loan be defaulted.

An independent property valuation, however, is conducted by a professional industry expert with the sole purpose of determining value based on objective data and research. In turn, an independent property valuation provides a comprehensive analysis of the subject property and the local property market without bias or conflict of interest.

What is the difference between a property valuer and a real estate agent?

A real estate agent is tasked with assisting in the buy and sell process of any subject property and can provide an estimation of property value based on an opinion of sale price. As such, a real estate agent is not an industry expert in valuing real property and is not qualified to provide a certified valuation report.

A property valuer is an industry professional that has been trained and qualified to perform valuation services on any subject property. A property valuer is certified to provide a comprehensive analysis using objective data, and industry expertise to provide an accurate fair market value without any kind of bias.