Free house price valuations
Tons of tools to investigate a property
Whether you’re buying, selling, or simply curious, the internet is a treasure trove of information for discovering everything you need to know about any property. Whether you’re interested in the selling price of the house next door or exploring property heat maps, this guide reveals 28 hidden online tools to help you get the information you want.
1 – Find what properties near you sold for
Estate agent valuations can differ significantly, but now several websites offer access to detailed, specific information that was previously only available to agents and mortgage lenders.
These major websites all source their data from the Land Registry and the Registers of Scotland, so the figures they provide are largely consistent. Newly sold properties typically show up in searches about three months after the sale is completed.
Many sites that list sold properties only provide basic details like the price and whether it was a house or a flat. This means the listing could describe anything from a rundown bedsit to a pristine three-bedroom home with high-end features, but there’s no information on how the final sale price compares to the initial asking price. However, a few sites offer a much deeper level of detail.
Rightmove
On Rightmove you can simply enter a postcode or street to see which properties have been sold and for what. You can refine your search by selecting a specific property type.
When a property is listed on the site, it usually includes photos and floor plans. Occasionally, there’s a detailed description, which might mention updates like a refurbished bathroom. Additionally, you can view images from Google Street View.
Zoopla
Zoopla also lets you match up sold prices with old property ads, including pics, asking prices, descriptions and floor plans. Navigate to the “sold prices” section, enter your desired area, and select “property history” next to a listing. While the available data may be inconsistent, even a few archived records from your neighborhood can be intriguing.
Zoopla also provides an estimate of the property’s present value—details on its valuation process are discussed further below.
2 – Track national price trends
It’s important to get a snapshot of the market now. These statistics provide insight into the number of properties being bought and sold in your region and at what prices. This can offer a rough estimate of your own property’s value.
The Land Registry compiles authoritative data on actual transactions, tracking nearly every home sale across England and Wales. Its UK House Price Index gives average house prices by country and region, breaking them down into different property types. But they’re a little out of date, usually by about a month or so.
Stats geeks will enjoy Halifax’s housing research, which features its official house price index and average prices including monthly and quarterly changes. This provides quicker updates than the Land Registry, although it relies on mortgage approvals, which don’t always lead to finalized transactions.
And for another take, see Nationwide’s House Price Index. You can download national and regional house price data, as well as more detailed analysis.
3 – Get a free ‘valuation’, but only use it as a rough estimate
Numerous websites offer free online tools to assist with property valuations, but we caution that these estimates can be quite inaccurate. For more accurate valuations, it’s advisable to cross-reference Land Registry sold prices and consider getting a professional survey. Keep in mind…
Approach instant valuations with skepticism. Don’t depend on the numbers provided—view them as a fun exercise rather than a definitive answer.
Here are your options:
Zoopla
The first to try is Zoopla, for a rough indication of what your home’s worth (click ‘get a Zoopla estimate’). Enter a postcode and choose a property to receive a personalized valuation. This estimate is generated using data such as past sale prices, current asking prices, property features, and the market environment.
Additionally, you can obtain projected rental values and see how they measure up against the local average. While Zoopla can provide a broad estimate, keep in mind that it’s an automated tool and may not account for details like renovations.
Property Price Advice
For a second opinion on how much you can hope for, try Property Price Advice. You’ll need to answer a few questions and provide an email address to proceed.
You’ll receive an estimated property value, which is influenced by factors like recent changes in local sale prices. However, it’s important to note that this method tends to overestimate property values.
Mouseprice
For another free basic valuation, try Mouseprice.com. The tool only requires your postcode, property type, and the number of bedrooms, making it far from a comprehensive assessment.
The valuation range provided is quite wide. For example, when we entered the postcode for a two-bedroom flat in London, the estimated value ranged between £500,000 and £719,000.
You are also asked for an email address, and there’s an option to purchase a complete, detailed valuation for around £20. However, the reliability of online valuations remains debatable—so if you’re seeking one, it’s best to stick with the free options.
4 – Find out how your home’s value might have changed
The Nationwide House Price Calculator is designed for people to put in their gaff’s price and when they bought it, to work out what it’s worth now.
If you’re unaware of the last sale price, look up the latest price for a comparable property on the same street and use that figure. While this tool is somewhat basic—it doesn’t account for home upgrades or specify exact locations—it can offer a general sense of how price changes impact property value.
5 – See housing market forecasts
If you want to see what the pundits predict, a useful place to do that is HousePriceCrash.co.uk. The website, true to its name, is dedicated to advocating for a decline in property prices. However, don’t let this deter you. It aggregates data from sources like the Land Registry, the Financial Times, and Hometrack to analyze and crunch price trends. If you’re really geeky then its blog is also worth a read.
In addition, the site monitors forecasts from various experts to provide insights into potential future trends in house prices.
While many may attempt to predict future changes in house prices, no one can provide definitive answers.
In a recent ITV News debate featuring a prominent estate agent and a City economist, there were contrasting predictions: one forecasted significant increases in house prices, while the other anticipated a 30% decline. I remarked, “Anyone claiming they can predict house prices with certainty is simply not being honest. No one truly knows.” To which both experts responded with “Nonsense!”
Real estate, like any other investment, is subject to uncertainties. Just as no one can consistently predict stock market movements with precision, the same uncertainty applies to property values.
6 – Find local asking prices
The days of solely relying on estate agents’ windows to check local property prices are long gone.
Today, numerous trustworthy property websites provide a wealth of information. Keep in mind that asking prices are frequently inflated, reflecting the seller’s ideal amount rather than the likely sale price. For a more accurate picture, consider checking several sites.
Additionally, some properties are sold before they are listed online, so building a good relationship with local estate agents can help you learn about new listings as soon as they become available.
Rightmove
The biggest of the home search websites, Rightmove boasts a dizzying number of properties, it plots listings on a Google map for ease.
Number of properties: Nearly a million for sale in the UK
Mobile: There’s a free Apple and Android app, where you can save past searches, or the mobile version of the desktop site.
Zoopla
Zoopla’s winning feature is its ‘listing history’, which allows you to see when the property was first listed for sale and for how much. Go to Zoopla’s sold prices section, search for an area and click on a property for historic listings.
Number of properties: 900,000 for sale in the UK.
Mobile: There’s a free Apple and Android app and a mobile version of the site.
onthemarket.com
As with the others, OnTheMarket.com lets you see what properties are for sale in your area and how much they are being sold for.
Number of properties: 600,000
Average monthly visits: 23 million
Mobile: There’s a free Apple and Android app.
7 – Monitor house prices on the go
The free Rightmove iPhone and Android apps use GPS technology to pinpoint pads for sale near where you’re standing. Just download the app, click ‘get my current location’ and it shows a list of gaffs up for grabs.
8 – New: Tool to find price drops
NEW. Clever tool to find properties where sellers have dropped the price. Introducing Property Log, a clever and free web browser extension that reveals which sellers have modified the prices of their listings. Created by a hobbyist frustrated with existing methods for monitoring property listings on Rightmove, this tool integrates with Chrome and Rightmove to highlight listings with adjusted asking prices, with a special focus on reductions. Note that it’s designed exclusively for use on desktop computers or laptops.
You can track the original date a property listing was posted online, along with every price reduction and the amount of each cut. These details can be valuable tools during negotiation, even if you’re not planning to purchase. The information is intriguing to explore.
To see this feature in action, simply give it a try. Installing it is straightforward: if you don’t have Chrome yet, download and install it by following the on-screen instructions. Then, visit Property Log and click on the ‘Add to Chrome’ button. After installation, perform a search on Rightmove, and you’ll see the sellers’ price changes conveniently displayed on the property’s listing.
9 – See property heat maps
For a colour-coded look at average sold prices, check out property heat maps from Mouseprice. Just enter a postcode to see if your street’s red-hot or chilly.
You can view street-by-street, or zoom out to see whole towns’ or counties’ hues. For a similar service, try Zoopla.
10 – Get free house price alerts
Get free monthly email alerts from Mouseprice on your chosen area, including house sale price info and homes where sellers have dropped prices.
You can even monitor individual properties. Sign up and click the ‘track a property’ tab to get an email when it’s bought, sold or the seller cuts the price.
11 – 50+ home buying tricks
Thinking of purchasing a home? You’ll need a solid strategy. Based on advice from forum users who’ve shared their “what I wish I’d known” experiences, we’ve crafted a comprehensive guide.
Our list of over 50 House Buying Tips covers everything from extracting key information from sellers to uncovering hidden costs. It includes a checklist for deal-breakers and offers valuable guidance on working with solicitors and surveyors. Additionally, we provide a crucial set of 10 final questions to ask sellers, such as “How do you turn off the water?”
12 – Analyse flood risk
While it might not be something you consider right away, flooding can greatly affect both insurance costs and property values. Handy free tools can swiftly assess a property’s flood risk, potentially sparing you from future headaches.
Before investing in a home, take advantage of these tools to check the flood risk prior to commissioning a survey. If they indicate a high likelihood of frequent flooding, you’ll avoid spending money on unnecessary survey fees.
The Government has flood risk maps with detailed reports on if and why an area’s at risk. Check the maps for England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
It will inform you whether your local area is susceptible to flooding and specify the type of flooding, such as from seas, rivers, or reservoirs.
13 – Check for pollution
Check if your area is a pollution hotspot by plugging your postcode into this BBC tool. The information originates from a project aimed at mapping nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations throughout the UK. Although the primary focus is on NO2 levels, elevated concentrations often suggest the presence of other types of pollutants as well.
For even more detail, see where the cleanest and dirtiest air in the UK using this interactive map from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.
Simply zoom into your location, and you’ll be guided to information, including weekly graphs and details on pollutants detected within the past hour. Additionally, you can apply filters to focus on specific pollutants like carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide.
14 – Use a police crime mapping site
Steel yourself and take a look at the Police.uk crime mapping website for England and Wales. It details recorded crimes by street, such as burglary, robbery, and anti-social behavior (yikes!), all of which contribute to higher insurance premiums.
15 – Check your council tax band
It’s not merely a matter of location, location, location. Reducing property expenses involves more than just the purchase price; it also encompasses debt costs, council tax, and home insurance. Fortunately, there are straightforward methods to cut these costs.
In England and Scotland, council tax bands were established in 1991, often based on a cursory glance by an estate agent. You can easily verify your band, and if you find it’s incorrect, you can contest it and potentially secure a substantial rebate. Read our Council Tax Reclaiming guide.
16 – Get the right mortgage
Securing a mortgage is the most significant financial choice you’ll make. Compare rates using our Mortgage Best Buys tool or refer to the guides below to find the ideal mortgage option for your needs.
Ready to get a mortgage? We’ve guides to help…
- First-time buyer’s guide – free pdf guide helps you take your first step onto the property ladder
- Remortgage guide – our free pdf guide has tips on when remortgaging’s right, plus how to grab top deals.
17 – Cut the cost of home insurance
You can significantly reduce your home insurance expenses by using comparison websites and taking advantage of hidden cashback offers. In fact, some individuals have even ended up making money on their home insurance policies because the cashback received exceeded the cost of the insurance itself. To learn how to achieve these savings, check out the Cheap Home Insurance guide.
18 – Find nearby schools
Many parents have experienced the frustration that simply relocating to a town with a top-rated public school doesn’t guarantee their child will secure a place. To help, use Rightmove’s School Checker option to discover the which schools are nearby, plus their Ofsted rating.
To find out about nearby schools, simply look up a town or postcode on Rightmove and select a property’s listing. Then, navigate to the ‘School Checker’ tab to view information about local schools.
To understand your likelihood of securing a spot (as nothing is guaranteed), you’ll need to do some research. Review the admissions criteria provided by your local authority, which is typically available in their brochures for primary and secondary schools. Different schools have various priorities: some focus on catchment areas, others on distance, religious affiliation, or academic ability. Additionally, many schools require proof of residency for a specified duration.
Scour the Department for Education’s School League Tables for England and Wales and check reports on Ofsted. Search Education Scotland for Scottish reports and, for Northern Ireland, the Department of Education.
Rankings and tables offer just a glimpse into a school’s quality—nothing compares to visiting the school yourself. Trust your instincts and don’t hesitate to inquire about aspects like discipline, school culture, staff stability, and extracurricular opportunities.
Lastly, keep in mind that a school’s reputation can shift over time. If young Finn is just starting to crawl, that well-regarded secondary school might not maintain its status by 2030.
19 – Get the lowdown on your neighbours
If you’re relocating to a new area, a great way to get a feel for the local community is by exploring Facebook groups specific to that location. Simply enter the name of your new town into the search bar and select the ‘groups’ tab to see what’s available.
A valuable tool to consider is Crystal Roof. By inputting a postcode, you can access a detailed neighborhood profile that covers various aspects, including demographics, average household incomes, and air quality. By selecting the ‘transport’ option, you can find out how far the nearest rail station is, while the ‘schools’ option provides information on the performance of local schools.
You might also explore the local nightlife scene. The “Beer in the Evening” platform offers extensive lists and reviews of numerous pubs and bars. By searching with a postcode, you can discover their proximity and see what the locals have to say about them.
If you’re managing the sale of your current home and conducting the viewings yourself, it’s important to be well-informed about the local area. Having answers to questions about the neighborhood can expedite the selling process. See our full guide on selling your property for more tips.
20 – Think about your health
For the health-conscious, NHS Choices can tell you how far away the nearest GP, dentist or hospital is. It also offers details on the available facilities and includes patient ratings for both healthcare quality and service.
Fitness enthusiasts can use GymsNearMe to locate gyms in their vicinity based on their postcode. After identifying gyms in a desired area, be sure to consult our Cheap Gym Membership guide to find affordable options.
21 – Check your broadband coverage
If a reliable internet connection is crucial for you, it’s essential to evaluate both the speed and coverage of the local network.
Utilize a free broadband speed test to assess your current internet performance and compare it with the local standards. Additionally, the guide offers tips for enhancing your internet speed.
22 – Inspect neighbourhood statistics
For serious number-crunching on everything from marital status to religion of residents, look at the Government’s local area reports.
Outside England and Wales, visit the Scottish Neighbourhood Stats and, for Northern Ireland, Neighbourhood Information.
23 – Look for transport links
New transport links can mean an area is on the up. Use the Highways England’s road project search to find new roads in England. Transport Scotland has a similar service and the Welsh Assembly is responsible for projects in Wales.
For London commuters, CommuteFrom shows which towns are the quickest hop from the office. Choose a key rail or Tube station in central London and set a maximum travel time, such as 45 minutes, and it will generate the optimal commuting routes for you.
24 – Check for road traffic noise
For certain English areas only, noisemapping is part of a Government project to track road traffic noise.
Enter your postcode, and you’ll get a color-coded ‘noise viewer map’ that reveals the noise levels in decibels for that location.
25 – Find yourself on Google Earth
Get a dizzyingly good view of your whole area using Google Earth, a free service that uses mapping technology to give aerial views from space.
To determine if your next-door neighbor enjoys sunbathing au naturel, visit the homepage and download the software. Then, enter the desired area into the ‘fly to’ field and click ‘search’.
Alternatively, search for 360-degree snaps of your house with Google Street View or check out Geograph, where users submit photos with the aim of capturing every grid square in the UK.
26 – Check how close you are to amenities or work
A handy tool called MilerMeter calculates both the distance you walk and the calories you expend. Initially, it may be a bit challenging to master, but once you get the hang of it, it’s excellent for gauging the walking distance between locations.
To determine your proximity to work or nearby stores, utilize Google Maps. Simply enter a postcode or perform a detailed search like “dry cleaners in Leeds,” and a map will appear displaying all the pertinent information.
27 – Check out the different mortgage schemes
Whether you’re a first-time buyer facing challenges or aiming to advance on the property ladder, several government-backed mortgage schemes could provide valuable assistance.
Our Mortgage Schemes guide offers details on options such as Help to Buy, shared ownership, 95% mortgages, and more. Keep in mind that these schemes differ from conventional property purchases, involving specific rules and restrictions. It’s worth considering whether a standard purchase might still be the most suitable choice for your situation.
28 – Property isn’t safe as houses
As a society, we’re captivated by the allure of real estate shows. Although it’s great to plan, budget, and purchase a home within your means, many people develop an unhealthy obsession with the idea of ownership.
Frequently, those without their own homes are portrayed as a lower class. While owning property is a commendable objective, it’s important to remember that not climbing onto the property ladder right away doesn’t make you a failure. In the grand scheme, achieving long-term financial stability holds more significance.