A property valuation runs in seven stages: scoping the instruction, inspecting the property, researching the market, selecting a valuation method, analysing and calculating, preparing the report, and delivering it with support. For a standard Gold Coast home, the whole process takes about three to five business days.
The seven stages
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1
Instruction & scope
You tell us the property and why you need the valuation. Purpose drives everything that follows — a family law valuation, a refinance and a retrospective capital gains assessment are three different jobs on the same house. We confirm the scope, the effective date, the applicable standards and a fixed fee before any work starts.
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2
Property inspection
A registered valuer attends the property and assesses land size, building structure, layout, condition, renovations, outlook and any features that set it apart. Typical homes take 30–60 minutes. For commercial property we also review leases, tenancy schedules and rental income at this stage.
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3
Market research
We gather comparable sales, recent transactions and evidence of market movement, then layer in zoning, Gold Coast City Plan overlays, planning constraints and the property's relationship to beaches, transport, schools and employment. Selecting the right comparables is where local knowledge earns its keep.
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4
Method selection
The valuer chooses the approach the property and purpose demand: comparable sales, income capitalisation, discounted cash flow, or the summation method. Some properties warrant two approaches cross-checked against each other.
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5
Analysis & calculation
Adjustments are made for differences in land size, condition, position, aspect and improvements against each comparable. This is where a defensible valuation separates itself from an estimate — every adjustment is reasoned and documented.
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6
Report preparation
You receive a written report covering the property description, land and building measurements, condition, zoning, the comparable evidence relied on, the methodology, and the assessed value at the stated effective date. It is a legally recognised document.
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7
Delivery & support
The report is delivered and the valuer who inspected the property stays available — to you, your lender, your solicitor or your accountant. If a figure needs explaining, the person who formed it explains it.
Before the inspection
How to prepare
Presentation helps a little. Documentation helps a lot — it lets us credit improvements we would otherwise have to discount.
Provide full access
Every room, plus garage, sheds and under-house areas. Unmeasured space can't be valued.
Renovation paperwork
Council approvals, building plans and receipts for recent work.
Lease documents
For investment or commercial property: leases, rent rolls, outgoings and tenancy schedules.
Tidy the obvious
Mow, declutter, fix the leaking tap. It won't change the market, but it does show condition honestly.
Flag the unusual
Easements, dual occupancy, solar, subdivision potential, structural work — tell us up front.
Know your date
Tax and legal matters often need a past effective date. Tell us which date applies.
Methodology
The four valuation methods
Comparable sales
Recently sold, genuinely similar properties adjusted for differences in location, size and condition. The primary method for houses and units.
Income capitalisation
Net rental income divided by a market capitalisation rate that reflects risk and demand. The standard approach for tenanted commercial property.
Discounted cash flow
Projected income and expenses over a defined horizon, discounted to present value. Used for investment-grade and development assets.
Summation
Land and improvements valued separately, then combined. Applied to unique, rural or hinterland property where comparable sales are scarce.
Start at step one
Tell us the address and the purpose, and we'll scope it properly the first time — fixed fee, no obligation.