Having your house valued: what it costs, who does it and when it is free
“What is my house worth?” is the question at the start of every sale, every division of an estate and every divorce. The answer comes in four levels of quality: an online estimate in two minutes, a bank valuation for the mortgage, an on-site valuation by an estate agent or a written market value appraisal by a surveyor. They differ in price, from zero to several thousand francs, and in what you can do with them. This guide explains who values what, what it costs and which documents you should have ready. The methods behind it are explained in our guide to valuation methods.
In brief
- Online calculator: free, in 2 minutes, range of ±10 to 15 %: good for a first orientation, not for the asking price
- Agent valuation on site: free with ImmoBilà if you then sell or let through us; otherwise as a paid market value appraisal with a quote
- Market value appraisal by an independent surveyor: around CHF 1,500 to 3,000 for a single-family house; worthwhile for an estate division, divorce, court or tax dispute
- The bank values for the mortgage: its lending value is conservative and often below market value
- Ten documents speed up any valuation: land register extract, plans, building insurance certificate, list of renovations
Who values a house and what the valuation is worth
A valuation is only as good as the person who has seen the house, and only as binding as the paper it is written on. In the Baselbiet you have four options:
- Online valuation (portals, banks, insurers): hedonic model, you enter address, floor area, year of construction, condition. The result is a price range. Free, anonymous, but without a viewing
- Bank valuation: the bank values the property for the mortgage, usually also hedonically, with a viewing for larger properties. You receive the lending value, not necessarily the market value
- Agent valuation on site: viewing, comparable prices from the municipality, assessment of condition and demand. Result: a specific, reasoned asking price
- Market value appraisal: written report by an independent property valuer (e.g. with a Swiss federal diploma or SIV/SVIT certification), with intrinsic value, income value and hedonic value. Admissible in court
For a sale, the on-site valuation is enough in most cases. You need the appraisal where several parties demand a neutral figure: community of heirs, divorce, tax administration or court.
What a valuation costs
Prices range from zero to several thousand francs. Guide values for a single-family house in the Baselbiet:
- Online calculator: CHF 0. Some providers ask for your contact details and sell them on to agents: read the small print
- Bank valuation: usually included in the financing; without a mortgage, banks generally do not offer it
- Agent valuation on site: with ImmoBilà free, if you then sell or let your house through us. If you want a market value appraisal without a mandate, for the family or the bank for instance, we provide it as a paid service with a fixed quote
- Market value appraisal: around CHF 1,500 to 3,000 for a single-family house or a condominium, CHF 3,000 to 6,000 for an apartment building, depending on scope, property and valuer. Included are the viewing, a review of the documents and a report of 15 to 40 pages
Which option you need depends on the purpose, not the price. For a sale, the on-site valuation is almost always enough; the appraisal pays off where a neutral figure prevents a dispute.
When the valuation is free and when it is not
“Free valuation” appears on almost every agent’s website. The sentence is only honest with the addition of what it is free for.
At ImmoBilà the rule is: we come round, look at your house and give you a realistic sale or rental price, free of charge and without obligation if you are considering a sale or a letting. If you then decide in our favour, you only pay on success: from 1 % commission on a sale, one month’s rent on a letting. If you decide against selling, you owe us nothing.
If, on the other hand, you need a valuation without any intention to sell , for an estate division, a divorce agreement, the tax return or simply for information, that is a service in its own right, with work, a viewing and a written report. We offer it for a fixed fee that we quote you in advance. That is fair to both sides and prevents “free” from becoming a bait.
How an on-site valuation works
- 1. Preliminary call (phone or e-mail): purpose of the valuation, type of property, address, year of construction, rough details
- 2. Documents: you get together what you have (list in the next section); missing documents we obtain with your power of attorney from the land registry or the municipality
- 3. Viewing: 45 to 90 minutes. We record the condition of roof, façade, windows, heating, kitchen, bathrooms, pipework; layout, finishes, garden, garage, location and noise
- 4. Comparison: transactions of the last 12 to 24 months in the municipality and the neighbourhood, hedonic models, the income value for apartment buildings
- 5. Result: within 2 to 5 working days, a market value with a range and reasoning and, if you wish, a recommendation for the asking price
For the market value appraisal, a written report to a recognised standard is added; allow two to three weeks for that.
These documents speed up the valuation
- Current land register extract (area, easements, mortgage liens)
- Cadastral plan and site plan
- Building plans with floor plans, sections, elevations; for conversions, the building permits
- Building insurance certificate (insured value, volume, year of construction)
- List of renovations of the last 20 years with year and cost: heating, roof, windows, kitchen, bathroom
- Running costs: heating, electricity, water, insurance for the last two years
- For condominiums: regulations, minutes of the last three owners’ meetings, balance of the renovation fund
- For let properties: tenancy agreements and rent roll
- Official data: tax value, imputed rental value (until 2028, after which it no longer applies; see abolition of the imputed rental value)
- Any earlier valuations or appraisals
The complete checklist for a sale is in our guide to documents for a house sale.
Online calculators: what they can do and where they get it wrong
Online valuations take two minutes and cost nothing. For a standard single-family house in Pratteln or a 4.5-room flat in Liestal they deliver a usable range. The more unusual the property, the bigger the error.
- They do not know the condition : a house from 1965 in need of renovation and one completely renovated in 2019 get the same value
- They only know the micro-location roughly: hillside position with a view, road noise and neighbouring buildings are missing
- They underestimate special properties: large plots with building land reserves, farmhouses, mixed use, apartment buildings
- In the Baselbiet, in our experience, they are off by 10 to 15 % , upwards as well as downwards
Use the online value as a starting point, not as the asking price. A price that is too high costs months, one that is too low costs tens of thousands of francs.
Worked example: when which valuation pays off
Online calculator: CHF 820,000 to 980,000. Cost: zero. Statement: “somewhere in between”.
On-site valuation (ImmoBilà): CHF 910,000, asking price CHF 945,000, because roof and heating were renewed in 2017 and demand for houses with a garden in Frenkendorf is high. Cost: zero with a sales mandate.
Market value appraisal: CHF 905,000, in writing, with intrinsic and income value. Cost: around CHF 1,800. Worthwhile when three siblings share the parental home and one of them wants to take it over: then each of them needs a figure they do not question.
For a normal sale, the on-site valuation is the right choice. For an estate division or a divorce, the appraisal pays off because it saves disputes and legal fees that cost many times more.
Questions on this topic.
What does it cost to have a house valued?
Online calculators are free; an on-site agent valuation is free with ImmoBilà if you are considering a sale or a letting. A written market value appraisal by an independent surveyor costs around CHF 1,500 to 3,000 for a single-family house and CHF 3,000 to 6,000 for an apartment building.
Is a free property valuation really free?
Yes, if it is intended as the first step towards a sale or a letting: you only pay a commission on success. If you want a valuation without any intention to sell, for an estate division for instance, that is a separate service with a fee and a quote.
How accurate are online property valuation calculators?
For standard properties they are usually within a range of ±10 to 15 %. They do not know the condition, the micro-location or any special features. Useful as orientation, not as an asking price.
Who is allowed to value a house in Switzerland?
Anyone may give a valuation; there is no protected professional title. For appraisals admissible in court, choose a valuer with a Swiss federal diploma or an SIV, SVIT or CAS certification in property valuation.
Which documents do I need for the valuation?
Land register extract, cadastral plan, building plans, building insurance certificate, a list of renovations with year and cost, and the running costs of the last two years. For condominiums, additionally the regulations, minutes and the balance of the renovation fund.
How long does a house valuation take?
The viewing takes 45 to 90 minutes and the result is available within 2 to 5 working days. A written market value appraisal takes two to three weeks.
Want to know what your house is worth today?
We come round, look at your property and give you a realistic price, free of charge if you are considering a sale or a letting.
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