What does a remortgage survey involve?
When it comes to buying a home there are four main types of survey: a mortgage (or remortgage) valuation survey, a condition report, a homebuyer report and a building survey. The type of survey will depend on factors such as your home’s location, how old the property is and whether there’s anything unusual about its construction.
However when it comes to getting a house valued for remortgage a basic valuation is usually all that the lender will require. In some cases, a qualified surveyor will visit your property and put together a short report. In other cases, they will perform what’s called a “desktop valuation”. This is when surveyors use recent sales data from similar, close-by properties to calculate the value of your property. Sometimes, the surveyor may also do a “drive-by valuation”, which just involves seeing the property from outside.
The cost of completing a house valuation for remortgage is usually based on the price of the property and can range between £150 and £1,500. However, lenders often offer free valuations as part of their remortgage deals, for which they often use desktop valuations.
What happens after a property valuation for a remortgage?
After your remortgage valuation, the surveyor will give their assessment of the value of the property to your mortgage lender. If they agree on the remortgage valuation, and nothing is flagged as an issue the remortgage process will continue as normal.
Your remortgage valuation will also show you your current loan to value (LTV) ratio. Your LTV is the size of your mortgage compared to your property’s value. So if your home is worth £200k and your outstanding mortgage is £150k, your LTV is 75%. In general, the lower your LTV, the lower your interest rate – and the wider your choice of mortgage deals.
Sometimes, after getting your house valued for remortgage, a surveyor may conclude that the price is higher than the property’s actual value. When this happens, it is called a “down valuation”. If it occurs, your lender may want to reconsider the details of the remortgage offer and could either change the rate they are prepared to offer or reduce the loan amount available.
A surveyor might down value a property for a number of reasons. Some of the most common reasons include overstating the value on the application form or structural problems with the property.
If you're faced with a down valuation from your lender and are unsure of your next step, don’t panic as there are still pathways available to you.
The first step should be to talk to your adviser. They may be able to send you the report which details the valuer’s findings and supporting evidence. It’s a good idea to carefully look through this to see if there’s anything you disagree with or would like to question.
For example, if you feel the comparable properties the surveyor has used for their report are not similar to yours, you can send examples of other properties that you feel would be more suitable for comparison.
There are also ways to avoid a down valuation in the first instance, and keep your remortgage on track.
How can you avoid a down valuation?
To avoid a down valuation, you’ll want to do some research ahead of time so you have a good idea of what your property is worth. To do this, consider the following steps:
- Do some research online into how much properties, similar to yours, in the area have sold for over the past three to six months.
- A local estate agent may be able to give you a guide you on the likely valuation
- Remember that the valuer will be looking at the property in its current condition, so won’t be considering that you’ll be putting in a new kitchen for example.
Remortgage valuation tips
If you are planning to remortgage your property and want to switch to a better mortgage deal, here are some remortgage valuation tips worth keeping in mind:
Be sensible with your valuation estimate
Whilst next door might have been on the market for a record amount for your street, bear in mind that what was listed as the price on the estate agents website might not have been what it sold for. When a surveyor carries out a home valuation for remortgage they are looking at what similar properties in the area have sold for rather than what they were on the market for. There are some helpful tools online where you can check recent sale prices in your area.
Work with an experienced mortgage broker
It is always a good idea to work with a knowledgeable mortgage broker like L&C. Mortgage brokers have expert market knowledge and insight into the best ways to approach your remortgage. Based on your specific requirements and circumstances, a mortgage broker will be able to suggest the best options if you’re worried about getting your property value right on your application.
