Property Valuations and Prices for Homes in South Africa: A Simple Guide and How to Get Yours

Asking price, municipal value, and market value are three different numbers, and confusing them costs people money on both sides of a sale. This is how property value is actually determined in South Africa, and how to get a defensible figure.

Municipal valuation

The municipal value is set for rates purposes and is often out of step with the market — sometimes well below, occasionally above. It is useful as a reference but it is not a market valuation.

Market value

Market value is what a willing buyer and willing seller would agree on now. It is driven by recent comparable sales in the same area, the property’s own sale history, and its condition and attributes. The Deeds Office record of actual sale prices — not asking prices — is the most reliable input.

Sworn vs indicative valuations

A sworn valuation by a registered valuer is required for bond approval and certain legal purposes. For pricing decisions, verifying an asking price, or valuing estate property, an indicative data-driven valuation is faster and sufficient. The Property Valuation Report combines municipal data, comparable sales, and modelling into a low-to-high range.

Before you rely on a number

Understand who produced it and why — a free agent appraisal is not independent. See Understanding Free Property Valuations by Estate Agents, and to read the underlying sale data yourself, see Deeds Office Property Search Report Explained.

Last reviewed: 18 May 2026.