The valuation of a property is the first and most important step on the way to a successful property sale. This is because the valuation has a major influence: Only with a reliable valuation can you optimise the marketing of your property.
You should be aware that the valuation will accompany you through the entire sales process: You will determine the marketing price on this basis, conduct negotiations accordingly and it will also guide your patience when an initial offer arrives.
Furthermore, even if you are selling your property in order to buy a new property or plan your retirement, a reliable valuation is essential. If you do not have a reliable valuation, the sale price may differ greatly from your expectations. As a result, you risk making decisions on the wrong basis when buying a new property or planning your pension.
It is therefore in your interest to be able to narrow down the value of your property as objectively and accurately as possible. Emotions or wishful thinking should not play a role here. But of course, thanks to professional marketing by a motivated and qualified estate agent, you can then sound out the top end and maximise the sale price.
Remember: Values such as the tax value or the insurance value are not a good guide. They do not take current market developments into account. As the name suggests, the market value is determined by the market: It therefore corresponds to the buyers' willingness to pay.
In this article, we will show you how you should proceed in order to obtain a property valuation that is as reliable as possible. You will receive an overview of the various valuation providers and the costs involved. We also explain the different valuation methods that are normally used. Last but not least, we will show you how Bestag proceeds in order to obtain the most reliable valuation.
Here you can find out how you should proceed with the valuation of your property if a sale is imminent. You can find out how Bestag can support you in this in the last chapter.
The first thing you should do is compile the relevant information about your property so that you can carry out the valuation with the correct details. We have listed the most important information and documents for you:
The land register extract contains important information such as the plot area (for houses), the value ratio (for condominiums), the ownership structure, easements, etc.
If you do not have an extract from the land register for your property at home, you can request one from the cantonal land registry.
Normally, you can find the floor area information on the floor plans. The net living space, for example, is very important for the valuation. In addition, nicely prepared floor plans can be used later for marketing purposes.
In the building insurance policy you will find, for example, the year of construction of the property, but also the building volume (which is relevant to the valuation of detached houses).
If you do not have your policy, you can order it from the cantonal buildings insurance company.
If you have invested in your home, this should be taken into account in the valuation. Summarise these investments and expenses from the last few years, preferably in a clear renovation list.
To satisfy curiosity and get an initial indication, we recommend an online valuation. This is based on just a few details and the range of the valuation is correspondingly wide. Nevertheless, this gives you a first impression of the value of your property. This rudimentary price range will also help you in the next step.
Select two to three suitable estate agents for your property sale. Pay attention to the local specialisation of the estate agents. Also check whether your property fits into the estate agent's portfolio - both in terms of property type and price level.
When visiting the estate agent's website, you can also check their training, the quality of their marketing documents and their references.
As soon as you have selected two or three qualified and suitable estate agents, have them evaluate your property. In order to make a serious valuation, the estate agents will want to view the property and ask for various information and documents. It is important that you provide this information truthfully and do not conceal any hidden defects.
With regard to step four, the exception proves the rule. You want the estate agent to assess the property as objectively and impartially as possible. If you state the purchase price, the amount of the mortgage, the expected price or your desired price, this can distort the valuation. What's more, estate agents do not need this information. Conclusion: Avoid giving details about the price.
After the estate agents have valued your property, they will send you the relevant documents and usually explain them to you in person. You will now have two or three valuations, which may differ greatly from one another. Many people tend to trust the highest valuation at this stage, as this promises the highest profit.
We recommend that you compare the ratings in detail. If they are all similarly high, this gives you certainty about the value. If you notice large differences, you can compare the entries and try to understand the discrepancies. In many cases, estate agents rely on hedonic valuation models, so you can compare and check their entries.
Important: Remain as rational and realistic as possible. By comparing, you can narrow down the true value and identify upward and downward outliers.
If you want to sell your property, a reliable valuation is the basis for a successful sale, but that's not the end of the story.
Are you wondering how to optimize the sale of your property? Then read our article “Selling property made easy” here.
If you research the topic of property valuation online, you will find a wide variety of offers: From free estate agent valuations to expensive expert appraisals. Various valuation methods are used (see next chapter) and the costs also vary greatly.
Here you will find an overview of the various offers, including costs, so that you know exactly what you can expect.
One of the most common methods for valuing property is the hedonic valuation, a statistical comparative value method. The most renowned providers in Switzerland are IAZI and Wüest Partner. You receive a neutral and data-based valuation of your property. Although the hedonic method is considered accurate, you should not carry out the valuation yourself, as specialised knowledge is required to record the information correctly and interpret the results correctly.
Costs: approx. CHF 500.
Many estate agents offer a free valuation as part of their service. However, these valuations are often not purely objective, but primarily serve to attract new customers. As estate agents have an interest in winning the sale, their valuations can be biased. If the estate agent feels secure about the contract, the valuation may be lower, as this makes a sale easier. If several estate agents are involved, properties are usually valued somewhat higher in order to secure the contract.
Nevertheless, an estate agent's valuation can provide an initial orientation if you do not wish to incur a large financial outlay.
Costs: CHF 0.-
A valuation is also usually free of charge for fixed-price estate agents and is part of their business model. The big difference to traditional estate agents is the remuneration. As the name suggests, fixed-price estate agents charge a flat fee - regardless of the sale price. At first glance, the offer is very tempting.
However, the business model is geared towards quick sales. There is therefore a risk that your property will be valued too low, as this speeds up the sale. In addition, the fixed-price brokers have no incentive to realise the best price for you, as this has no influence on their flat-rate remuneration. In our view, they should therefore not be an option if you want to have your property valued.
Costs: CHF 0.-
Property valuers and architects offer particularly detailed valuations. They usually use the real value method (more on this in the next chapter). This approach can be very helpful for collector's items, for example, where there are no comparative values.
However, the lack of market proximity is problematic: in the event of a pending sale, you are relying on a theoretical value that does not take the current market situation into account. In addition, the usually high costs can act as a deterrent.
Costs: Vary, usually in the low four-digit range
Several valuation methods were mentioned in the previous chapters. In the following sections, we present the most commonly used methods and show in which cases they are ideally used.
Many companies offer brief valuations on their website. Only a few details about the property need to be provided, resulting in a wide valuation range (e.g. CHF 750,000 to CHF 1,000,000).
These short valuations are based on simplified, hedonic methods. More on this in the next section.
Suitable for: House, condominium (first point of reference, curiosity)
The hedonic valuation is a statistical comparison method in which characteristics such as macro-location, micro-location, size, condition and age of the property are recorded and statistically weighted and compared. Sales data from past transactions is used as a basis. The data basis and the calculation methods of the various providers differ. For this reason, it is advisable to obtain two valuations. The accuracy lies within a range of up to 20 %.
The hedonic valuation is the most commonly used valuation method for standard properties and is also used by banks when granting mortgages. It is cost-effective and provides a reliable range of values.
Suitable for: House, condominium
In the case of unique properties, the data basis of hedonic tools is often insufficient because there is too little comparative data available. In these cases, a real value calculation makes sense.
The real value is made up of the land value and the current value of the property. The land value takes into account factors such as the municipality's tax rate, the price per square metre in a comparable location and the proximity to the city. For the current value, a reduction in value due to age and condition is deducted from the hypothetical new construction costs (including ancillary construction costs and environmental work).
The current market situation is therefore only taken into account in the land value. Accordingly, this method is usually used to supplement or validate hedonic valuations.
Suitable for: Luxury properties, collector's items
The capitalised earnings value method is future-oriented and is only suitable for properties that generate long-term rental income. The long-term achievable net rental income of the property is divided by the respective capitalisation rate.
There is no generally applicable capitalisation rate; it is determined individually. Possible vacancies, pending renovations, the investor's yield requirements, the investment volume, etc. are taken into account. Experience shows that the capitalisation rate is between 2.5% (for new large residential properties, 50+ million) and 7-8% (for very small, outdated, rural properties).
Suitable for: Investment property
The DCF method (discounted cash flow) determines the current value of a property by discounting expected future income. This method is particularly suitable when income is limited in time or fluctuates. It is an internationally recognised calculation method.
Suitable for: Usufruct, residential rights, building rights
Investors use the residual value method to determine how much a property may cost if it is subsequently developed and the new units are to be let or sold.
The residual value results from the potential sales proceeds or capitalised earnings value minus the necessary investments (construction and marketing costs). The remaining amount corresponds to the potential value of the property or building land.
Suitable for: Project developments, conversions, demolition properties, building land reserves, building land
You have now read how you should proceed with the valuation, which providers are available and which valuation methods can be used. Depending on the reason for the valuation, you now know your options and the costs involved.
If you are just curious, you can find various free tools to satisfy your curiosity. However, if you are considering a sale, you should leave nothing to chance.
Bestag helps people sell their property and optimizes the property sale. Part of the recipe for success is the Bestag valuation. We claim that it is the most reliable real estate valuation on the market. Here we show how the valuation is obtained and who already relies on Bestag's tried and tested model.
When you go through the Bestag process, you will receive the Bestag valuation report. This contains a total of five valuations from two sources:
These three agents evaluate your property after an on-site inspection. You benefit from the agents' market experience, which allows them to narrow down the price more precisely.
Your Bestag customer advisor will guide you through the entire process. You always have a neutral contact person with expertise and experience at your side. With regard to the evaluation, your customer advisor can explain the broker evaluations to you, categorise them and draw your attention to any anomalies. Thanks to this assessment, you have a sound basis for decision-making and can narrow down the value of your property fairly accurately.
Have we caught your interest? If you have any questions about real estate valuations or real estate sales, you can contact us at any time without any obligation.
Since 2017, we have been able to optimise and support many property sales. We have already been recognised for our unique concept, have received countless positive customer feedback and are pleased to have a constantly growing network of partners:
Last year, we won the Swiss Real Estate Award in the ‘Marketing’ category. A great honour for the work we have done in recent years.
Since 2024, we have been an official partner of the Vaud Bar Association (OAV) and a recommended partner of the Swiss Association of Professional Counsel (SVBB).
Our locations in Zurich, Lausanne and Bern have received numerous great Google reviews.
Customer feedback is a valuable asset for us, which we always take into account when developing our services.
Our customer, Cornelia Sütterlin, talks about her collaboration with Bestag (in german).