Getting Your Home Valued: 3 Ways to Find Its True Worth
Tips · October 1, 2026 · 5 min read
Want to get your home valued before selling or refinancing? Here are the three methods that determine its true market value, the mistakes that skew the price and how to get a reliable estimate in seconds.
Thinking of selling your home in the coming months, looking to refinance your mortgage or simply curious about what your place is worth today? The first question is always the same: how much is it really worth? And the answer matters more than you think.
In August 2026, the Canadian market posted a sales-to-new-listings ratio of 49.1%, right in balanced territory. In a market like this one, a poorly set price is costly: too high, and your property sits for months and ends up selling for less; too low, and you leave tens of thousands of dollars on the table.
So how do you get a reliable number? There are three methods, each with its own strengths. Here is how they work and when to use them.
Method 1: the certified appraiser, the official reference
This is the most rigorous method. A certified appraiser visits your property, takes measurements and photos, compares it with recent sales in the area and hands you a written, signed report. The document carries official weight: banks generally require it when you refinance or want to borrow against your home equity.
Expect to pay between $300 and $600 for a single-family home in Quebec, sometimes more for an unusual property, with a turnaround of a few days to two weeks.
Use it when you need a number that will hold up in front of a financial institution: refinancing, separation, estate settlement. For a simple listing, it is often more than you need.
Method 2: the broker's comparative market analysis
If you work with a real estate broker, they will prepare a comparative market analysis, or CMA. They select comparable properties recently sold in your area, adjust for the differences (size, renovations, lot) and suggest a listing price range.
The upside: it is free as part of a listing agreement, and a good broker knows your micro-neighbourhood better than anyone. The limit: the analysis is first and foremost meant to set a strategic selling price, not a neutral value. A broker eager to win your listing may be tempted to inflate the number slightly.
Use it when you have decided to sell and want a price in line with what buyers are actually paying right now.
Method 3: the online estimate, the instant starting point
Online estimation tools combine public data, such as Quebec's property assessment roll, with comparable sales in the area and market trends to produce an estimate in seconds. It is free, immediate and commitment-free.
Their limit: they cannot see inside your home. A renovated kitchen or an unfinished basement changes the picture, and only a human eye catches it. Treat the number as a solid starting point, not a final verdict.
That is exactly what the Hom24 online valuation tool does: you enter a Quebec address, it combines the property assessment roll, area comparables and the market trend from the QPAREB (APCIQ) barometer, then gives you a central value, a range and a price per square metre. You can even compare it with a listing's asking price to see at a glance whether it sits above or below the market.
The 5 mistakes that skew a valuation
Confusing municipal value with market value. The assessment roll is used to calculate your property taxes, not to set a selling price. In Quebec, rolls are revised every three years and often lag behind the market.
Relying on 2022 prices. The market has changed: the national MLS index was down 3% year over year in August 2026. Memories of the peak are not comparables.
Overestimating your renovations. A $40,000 kitchen does not add $40,000 to the value. Appraisers apply a conservative recovery rate, often around 50%.
Comparing with the wrong area. Two streets can be worlds apart in value. Comparables must come from your micro-neighbourhood, not the next town over.
Letting emotion decide. Your home is worth what the market pays, not what your memories have invested in it. It is the most expensive mistake, and the most common one.
Where to start, in practice?
If you want a reliable first number, start with an online estimate: it is free and takes less than a minute. Then, depending on your project:
Selling? Ask a broker in your area for a comparative analysis to fine-tune the listing price.
Refinancing or need an official document? Go through a certified appraiser, whom you can find in the Hom24 professional directory.
Looking at a property to buy? Run the listing through the Hom24 analysis engine to check that the asking price holds up before making an offer.
A bit of context that makes all of this even more important: in September, the Big Six banks raised their fixed rates by 10 to 20 basis points while the policy rate held at 2.25%. Buyers are running tighter numbers than before, so a fair, defensible price has never mattered more to sell quickly and well.
The bottom line
Getting your home valued is not a formality; it is the decision that shapes everything else: your selling price, your negotiating room, your refinancing. The three methods complement each other: the online estimate to frame things, the broker to sell, the certified appraiser to make it official.
Start at the beginning: get your free estimate with the Hom24 valuation tool, and you will already know where you stand.
Sources: Canadian Real Estate Association (August 2026 statistics), nesto.ca (mortgage rates as of September 30, 2026), Bank of Canada (2.25% policy rate).