Are They Accurate?

“Rightmove says your home is worth £1.5 million. Is it really?”

We hear this all the time—from Chelsea homeowners, curious sellers, and even first-time buyers trying to get a sense of the market. Online property valuation tools like Rightmove, Zoopla, or even your mortgage app offer a quick estimate of your home’s worth.

But here’s the question:
Can you trust those figures?

Let’s take a closer look at what these online tools get right—and where they miss the mark.

 What Are Online Valuation Tools, Really?

Online valuation tools use automated valuation models (AVMs). These rely on data such as:

• Land Registry sale prices

• Local market trends

• Basic property information (bedrooms, square footage, postcode)

The result? A rough estimate of what your home might be worth—based on general data, not the unique features of your property.

It’s the property equivalent of asking Google to diagnose an illness. Sometimes it’s spot on. Often… not quite.

 What They Don’t Consider

Here’s what online valuations often fail to factor in:

• Interior condition – Newly refurbished vs. dated décor? The algorithm can’t tell.

• Curb appeal and natural light – Two identical flats can feel worlds apart.

• Extensions or loft conversions – Many online tools don’t know what’s been added unless it’s registered on official records.

• Local demand – In Chelsea, buyer appetite for a particular street or mews can raise values significantly—something only agents on the ground truly understand.

• Leasehold terms – A short lease can knock off thousands, but online tools often ignore this entirely.

So while the number might be £1.5 million online, the real-world value could be £1.35m—or even £1.65m.

 Chelsea: A Hyperlocal Market

In areas like Chelsea, Belgravia, and South Kensington, small details make a big difference:

• Is your flat on the garden square or the main road?

• Does your mews house come with parking?

• Has the block recently completed major works?

These nuances are not visible to algorithms, but they absolutely influence your home’s market value.

“I recently valued a riverside flat in Chelsea where an online tool gave it £1.7m,” says Sam Akbay.
“But after factoring in the view, refurbishment, and secure parking, we sold it for over £2m. That’s the gap between online estimates and real market insight.”

 So Are Online Valuations Useless?

Not at all—they’re a good starting point. But that’s exactly what they are: a starting point, not a final answer.

If you’re just curious, an online estimate might satisfy that.
But if you’re:

• Planning to sell

• Re-mortgaging

• Dividing assets

• Inheriting a property
  …then accuracy matters.

 Want to Know What Your Property Is Really Worth?

At Sam Akbay Property Agency, we offer free, bespoke valuations for homeowners in Chelsea and central London.

We’ll look at:

✅ Local buyer demand
✅ Property condition and upgrades
✅ Your lease or freehold status
✅ Recent comparable sales (on and off-market)
✅ What buyers are actually paying right now

And it’s all confidential, no-pressure, and tailored to your property—not a postcode.

Book your free valuation today—and get the truth behind the online numbers.

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