What a home valuation really looks at

When we value a home, the first thing we look at is not the kitchen or the paint colour. It is the street, the light and the layout.

Comparable sales from the last six months set the range. Within that range, the details decide where your home lands: how the rooms connect, how much storage there is, how the garden faces and how much work a buyer will see ahead of them.

Small fixes before photography often matter more than big renovations. A repaired gutter, a repainted front door and a cleared hallway change how the first five seconds of a viewing feel.

If you are thinking about selling in the next year, a free valuation now gives you time to plan the work that will pay for itself.