Rating vs Market Value

Rating Value vs Market Value

Your property’s rating value and its likely selling price answer different questions. Understanding the difference helps you use each figure appropriately when planning a sale in Invercargill.

What a rating value is for

Invercargill City Council uses rating valuations as part of the process for allocating rates. A rating value reflects a property at a stated valuation date. It is not intended to set a sale price or serve as a mortgage or insurance valuation.

For the 2026 revaluation, the Council uses property values at 1 July 2026, with those values used to calculate rates from 1 July 2027. Check the Council’s current rating-values information for publication details, your property’s effective date and any objection process.

What a market appraisal considers

An agent appraisal estimates a likely selling range in the current market. Your agent looks at the property and recent comparable sales, considering location, land, condition, improvements and the differences between homes.

The date matters. A rating valuation may reflect an earlier market, while changes to a home or the alternatives available to buyers can affect today’s appraisal. Current asking prices show the competition; completed sales provide evidence of transactions that have taken place.

When you need a registered valuation

An agent appraisal is different from a registered valuation. If you need a value for lending, an estate, a legal matter or another formal purpose, your adviser can explain whether a registered valuation is required.

Plan your sale with current evidence

Arrange an appraisal with Ray White Invercargill to understand the evidence for your home and discuss your plans. Your agent can explain the relevant comparable sales and the factors behind the estimate.