Unless you’re a billionaire with a fleet of luxury superyachts, your home is probably the biggest purchase you’ve ever made. So, you might be wondering ‘how much is my house worth’? Is its value on the crest of a wave or has it sunk?
The truth is, it’s hard to know exactly what a home’s value is. It’s only worth what someone’s willing to pay for it. And that might be more or less than you want. It could be different to a bank’s mortgage valuation if you’re looking to remortgage, too.
Luckily, though, there are plenty of ways to get a good estimate. So, let’s look at how each one can help you.
Studying market trends
This is a logical starting point. You simply take the price you paid for your home and consider how much house prices have changed since.
Here’s how much the average price of a UK home has risen over the last 40 years. You’ll see it’s rather a lot:
£25,600 in January 1985
£51,100 in 1995
£138,800 in 2005
£175,600 in 2015
£271,531 in 2025
What does this mean in practice? Well, your home’s value could’ve gone up ten-fold if you bought it 40 years ago. And it might have gone up around 50% - still a tidy amount - if you bought it 10 years ago.
But it’s important to remember that house prices vary from town to town and from street to street. They also vary according to house type. So, your home’s value might not have followed national trends. There’s no guarantee that house prices will keep going up in the future, either.
As a result, you shouldn’t rely on this method alone. Although you could get a more accurate estimate if you search by house type in your area, which you can do on the Land Registry’s House Price Index.
Trying online valuation tools
The online tools on property portals can be a useful guide. They compare sold prices in your area and come up with a broad estimate of what your home could be worth.
Some online tools have improved a lot over the years. For example, Zoopla’s website considers the type of property, how close it is to amenities, and even local crime rates.
Having said that, online tools do have weaknesses. For example, they don’t always consider that homes in the same street can vary enormously in size, appearance, and construction. So, it follows that their value can vary enormously too.
What’s more, online tools can really struggle if few homes in your street have sold recently. Why? Because the computer has less data to work with and there’s a lot more guesswork involved.
Another drawback is that many online tools don’t consider a home’s condition. Although you can sometimes input extra details – like your home’s special features and whether it’s been extended – a computer can’t tell whether your home needs a lick of paint or full renovations.
The bottom line is that online valuations aren’t always accurate. They’re quick and convenient, and can be a useful reference tool, but it’s important to know their limitations.
Using your local knowledge
Know who can fill in some gaps that online tools miss? You can. After all, you know your street better than a computer ever could.
So, use your local knowledge. Walk down the road and see if your home’s similar in size, architecture, and kerb appeal to recently sold properties. If your home looks the same, it could be worth a similar amount.
You could also research expired property listings. Although sold homes won’t be advertised for sale anymore, you can often find internal photographs and a floorplan of these properties in Rightmove’s UK sold prices archives.
Ask yourself whether your home is in better or worse condition than these sold properties. This should tell you whether your home could fetch slightly more, slightly less, or about the same.
Adjusting for home improvements
Remember that your home could be different to others in important ways. For example, you might have extended your home, added a conservatory, or renovated completely.
If so, you’ll need to think about the value you’ve added when asking ‘what is my house worth’. This can be tricky but it’s still possible to get a rough idea.
For example, Zoopla’s guide on which improvements add the most value to your home estimates a loft conversion could increase its value by 15%. And a full kitchen redesign could add just as much.
Meanwhile, the HomeOwners’ Alliance’s How to Add Value To Your Home says creating an open plan kitchen or adding an ensuite bathroom could add thousands to your home’s value too.
The exact amount, of course, will depend on the type of home you’ve got and where you live. But anything that creates a sense of space or improves your home’s flow should entice buyers to pay more. Improving your EPC can also help.
Talk to an estate agent
Try as we might to be fair when valuing our own home, it’s easy to be biased sometimes. This is because we’ve invested a lot in our home. And many of us have become very fond of it.
That’s why it’s sensible to speak to a good estate agent. They understand the local market inside out. And they know precisely what buyers in your area are looking for. They’ll also have a better idea about the value your home improvements have added.
But it’s important, of course, to find an agent you can trust. So, why not check with GetAgent, who publish reviews of local agents, before you make your choice?
The alternative is to talk to a surveyor. Our partners Countrywide can give you an independent valuation whether you’re thinking of selling or not. You can book one through My Home Manager in our Mobile Banking app.
So how much is my house worth?
There’s so much info on Rightmove and Zoopla these days that it’s easy to become an armchair property expert. You can look back at sold prices, study market trends, and guess your home’s value in just a few clicks.
But remember, it’s tough to work out an exact price on your own. And be careful not to value your home based on ‘for sale’ prices. Many sellers set a high asking price and then negotiate from there. Sometimes they accept up to 10% less than they originally asked for.
So, if in doubt, speak to an expert. Your own research has some value, but a professional valuation is worth so much more.
This content was accurate when published on 06/01/2026
Wondering what your home might be worth? Check out My Home Manager in our Mobile Banking app. It’s full of handy info and tools for homeowners. You can see your mortgage balance, edit your home valuation, and find your estimated equity - no matter who your mortgage is with.
We may get commission if you go on to sell your home using an estate agent you choose via GetAgent.
We may get commission when you book a Countrywide valuation through us.