How long a CGT valuation takes depends on four things: whether the property is inspected, how old the valuation date is, how unusual the property is, and how quickly the records arrive. The valuer, the fee and the timing are confirmed in writing before anything is booked, so you know before you commit whether the timing suits your accountant’s deadline.
What are the stages of a CGT valuation?
| Stage | What happens | What can hold it up |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Request | You give the address, the date your accountant gives you and the reason | An unclear date or reason |
| 2. Confirmation | We confirm the valuer, fee and timing in writing, and you decide whether to accept | An unusual property that needs a closer look before it can be quoted |
| 3. Records | You send plans, photos and a list of changes since the date | Records that are hard to find |
| 4. Inspection, if chosen | The valuer inspects the property | Access, and notice for a tenant |
| 5. Research and analysis | Sales evidence from around the date, adjustments and the method | Few comparable sales, or an old date |
| 6. Report | The report is written, signed by the valuer and sent as a PDF by email | New information that changes the facts |
A desktop valuation skips the inspection, so there is no visit to arrange. The research and the report are still needed.
What slows a CGT valuation down?
- An old date. A valuation at a past date relies on sales evidence and records from the time, and the older the date, the longer they take to find.
- Missing records. Without plans, photos or a list of changes, the valuer has more work to do to establish the property as it was on the date.
- Thin evidence. Unusual properties and some regional areas have fewer comparable sales, so the valuer searches wider and explains more.
- Access. For an inspection, tenants are entitled to notice, and some properties can only be reached at certain times.
- Changes along the way. A second date or a different reason added after the work has started.
How do records speed it up?
The valuer has to establish the property as it was on the valuation date. Records do much of that work, so the sooner they arrive, the sooner the analysis can start:
- Be clear about the date and the reason from the start. If your accountant has asked for something specific, pass it on word for word.
- List the changes since the date, such as renovations or an extension, with approximate dates.
- Send plans, approvals, invoices and photos from around the date as soon as you have them.
- For a rented property, send the lease and the rent at the time, and give the tenant’s contact details if an inspection is booked.
- Answer the valuer’s questions promptly.
Records to keep lists what helps most, and what a valuer looks at explains how the valuer uses it.
How much notice does a tenant need for an inspection?
If the property is rented and you choose an inspected valuation, the earliest inspection date depends on the tenancy rules where it is:
| Where | Notice for a valuation |
|---|---|
| New South Wales | At least 7 days, and entry for a valuation once in any 12-month period |
| Victoria | At least 7 days, in writing, giving the reason |
| ACT and the Northern Territory | Set by each territory’s tenancy laws: check the tenancy agreement or the local tenancy authority |
A tenant can agree to an earlier time. A desktop valuation has no visit, so there is no entry to arrange.
Does a past date take longer?
It can. The valuer has to find sales from around the past date and records of the property as it was then, and the older the date, the longer that takes. For older dates the evidence is thinner, so the valuer may need to look wider for comparable sales, and the report says so.
Sooner is still better. The ATO’s guidance is to get a market valuation of your home when you first use it to produce income, and it says you can arrange one later if necessary. See retrospective valuations and home becomes a rental.
When can a 30 June 2027 valuation be done?
After the day. It relies on sales evidence up to 30 June 2027, so it is prepared after that date, and the ATO has said clients should not get one before then, because a valuation cannot be forward-looking. The law sets no deadline, but the evidence is easiest to gather close to the date. Register free and we get in touch after 30 June 2027. The 30 June 2027 change explained covers the new rules.
How long is a CGT valuation valid for?
A valuation does not expire, because it is a value at a stated date. For a past event, such as a date of death or the day a home was first rented out, it stays relevant. Keep it with your property records.
How does timing work with us?
Request a valuation online. A request is not a booking: we confirm the valuer, fee and timing in writing, and nothing is booked or charged until you accept. If the timing does not suit your deadline, you find out before you have paid anything.
Fees are on the pricing page, and desktop or inspected explains the two reports. Executors can see inherited property, accountants can see for accountants, our questions page has short answers, and the glossary explains terms such as retrospective valuation.
We value property. We do not give tax advice. Your accountant gives you the date to value at.