What is my property worth? Valuation methods explained simply
“What is my house worth?” is every owner’s first question – and the answer depends on who is asking and why. The bank means the loan-to-value, the tax office the tax value, the building insurer the replacement value. When selling, only one figure counts: the market value, i.e. the price a buyer actually pays today.
In brief
- Market value = the price a buyer pays today – only this counts when selling
- Hedonic method: comparison with thousands of transactions – the standard for single-family homes and flats
- Real value: land + building – for special properties and new builds
- Income value: capitalised rental income – for investment properties
- Our on-site valuation is free and non-binding
Market value, tax value, insurance value
- Market value: achievable price on the open market – basis for sale and mortgage
- Tax value: official assessment for wealth tax – in Basel-Landschaft usually well below the market value
- Building insurance value: cost of rebuilding – without land, therefore not comparable with the market value
- Lending value: the value the bank recognises for the mortgage – often somewhat more cautious than the market value
Hedonic valuation – the standard for houses and flats
The hedonic method breaks a property down into its characteristics (location, living space, plot, year of construction, condition, fittings, view, noise) and compares them statistically with thousands of actual transactions. This is how banks determine the lending value. Strength: objective and close to the market. Weakness: it only knows the actual condition if someone records it on site – which is why we come to you.
Real value (intrinsic value)
Land value plus current value of the building (new-build value minus age-related depreciation). Sensible for new builds, special properties and properties for which there is hardly any comparative data. The real value says what the property “costs” – not necessarily what a buyer pays.
Income value – for apartment buildings and commercial property
Investors buy yield, not living space. The income value capitalises the sustainably achievable net rental income at a market-based rate (capitalisation rate, currently around 3 to 4.5 % depending on location and condition). Example: net rental income CHF 60,000 per year at 4 % capitalisation = income value CHF 1.5 million.
What determines the value
- Location: municipality and tax rate, neighbourhood, public transport, noise, view, sunlight, schools – the biggest lever
- Property: year of construction, living space, plot, floor plan, standard of fittings, condition of roof, façade, heating, kitchen, bathroom
- Energy: heating system (from 2026 new rules for replacing fossil-fuel heating in Basel-Landschaft), insulation, photovoltaics
- Legal: easements, building rights, unused development potential, tenancy agreements
Online calculators: useful, but limited
Online valuations deliver a range in seconds – usable as a first orientation. But they know neither the condition of your kitchen nor the view from the balcony or the development planned next door. In our experience they are off by 10–15 % in the Baselbiet – in both directions.
The market in the Baselbiet 2026
- Liestal and surroundings: single-family homes around CHF 7,700–8,000/m², condominiums CHF 8,500–9,600/m² (asking prices)
- Vacancy rate canton of Basel-Landschaft: 0.6 % – lowest level in nine years
- Demand: high for family homes in Pratteln, Füllinsdorf, Liestal, Sissach; investors are looking for apartment buildings throughout the canton
- Interest rates: 10-year fixed mortgages around 1.5–2.1 % – financing remains cheap
Questions on this topic.
What does a valuation at ImmoBilà cost?
Nothing – free and non-binding, with no pressure to sell.
- On-site visit, analysis, market value with reasoning
- Written appraisal for banks, courts or estate division: on a time basis, quote in advance
How accurate is a valuation?
As accurate as the market allows – the final price is only ever determined at the sale.
- We state a range and a recommended asking price
- For sought-after properties a bidding process can achieve more
Why is the tax value so much lower?
Because it is calculated according to a cantonal formula, not according to the market.
- It serves the wealth tax, not the sale
- A low tax value says nothing about the achievable price
What is your property worth?
Free on-site valuation – we get back to you within 24 hours.
Let’s talk about your property.
Call or write to us – reply within 24 hours.
ImmoBilà GmbH · Schneckelerstrasse 1, 4414 Füllinsdorf
info@immobila.swiss · Mon–Fri 8:00–12:00, 13:30–17:30