Any ideas how to ensure the house valuation is on the low side?

[Iliveinahovel]

I need a valuation to be on the low side for the house I now live in. Not out-of-this-world low, but somewhere realistic, i.e. 10% to 15% lower than an "average" similar house would be valued at. Currently the house is probably "average" with respect to the overall appeal and condition.

Have around 6 months until the valuation will be done. Any ideas? Let the garden overgrow?

Just being nosy but why?

You can’t ask us that without telling us why you want it to be low

Unless you are the current tenant and buying it

Let the garden go.
Let weeds grow in driveway.
Chip paint wherever possible
Scuff the walls up a bit
Make some damp patches on indoor walls or ceilings, just enough to stain ( easy to paint over afterwards)
Generally run down the kerb appeal as much as you can.

Couldn't possibly answer without knowing why.

But needing the grass cut doesn't devalue a house by 15%

I'm assuming this is for divorce proceedings or similar?

Why would you need this?

Surveyors and valuers won’t knock much off for minor stuff like an overgrown garden. You’d have to do something like rip out the kitchen or have a subsidence problem.

Why ?!
And also if I was a buyer I’d be asking why it was 10-15% lower than other similar properties
I’d assume an issue

If it is for probate estate agents will usually value it low for you. In fact if you are asking for the valuations they will value it low if you ask.

I was about to post a suggestion but deleted it as I don't think it would be honest!

I assume for divorce, so you can buy out.

Rip our the kitchen and bathroom so they are not functional. Lots of mortgage providers won't lend on a house without bathroom or kitchen

Commit a horrendous crime in the house so it will forever be known ad the crime house and no wants to live there

We got a help to buy valuation done in our old house, the surveyor asked us what we wanted him to value it at and so we told him. That’s what he put on the forms and the help2buy accepted it. It doesn’t have to be a matter of letting the house run into disrepair, but the why is probably important

Is it a valuation being done by a surveyor for probate/divorce/legal purposes, or done by an estate agent for a landlord to sell to you?

If it’s th former, a surveyor will be able to see past an overgrown garden or clutter. The things they will consider to reduce the value are things that will cost money to put right
And a court-worthy valuation has to have supporting comparables etc

It’s probably easier to pull the wool over an agent with mess and clutter on the day of the valuation, but IME, a house that’s valued at 10-15% has structural issues or needs renovations, not just a lawnmower

I think it’s clear why she needs to know. It may not be morally right but sometimes people have no choice if the priority is the children's home and the area they live in has gone up massively in the time they have been there. The person in question (OP) may feel in order to continue living there the val needs to be lower to meet affordability (low income and low mortgage capacity may mean the current house is just out of their reach). Once upon a time they may have had the career but joint decisions may have left that person in a financially worse position despite the decision that was made at that time was for the greater good of the family and allowed one member to gallop ahead in their career and income earning potential,

I hear you OP but sadly no suggestion for you. Hopefully someone can come along and advise.

Can you get hold of some mice or a few bed bugs? Create a nice leak and let the leak stain some walls. Let gutters overgrow; change double glazing for single.

Assuming it's for divorce, just ask the estate agent.

@Dishwashersaurous

I assume for divorce, so you can buy out.

Rip our the kitchen and bathroom so they are not functional. Lots of mortgage providers won't lend on a house without bathroom or kitchen

There could be lots of reasons why, and my advice would differ massively on the circumstances. If the house is owned by the op and needs to be sold for screwing over her ex reasons, then there’s all sorts of ways to damage it to lower the value. But it could be that she’s currently renting but it’s going up for sale and she wants to put an offer this. Obviously then she’ll need to lower the value without damaging the property

@meganorks

If it is for probate estate agents will usually value it low for you. In fact if you are asking for the valuations they will value it low if you ask.

This. Some agents will offer a pessimistic value for probate properties.

From your username it sounds like you have let it go already?

@CastleCrasher

I'm assuming this is for divorce proceedings or similar?

We benefited from a low valuation for this reason when we were buying our house.

The not-so DW left all her papers, and she was to get a new, smaller, house out of the proceeds of the sale. The DH got very little.

Wear a low cut top and flirt with estate agents. Which is what my mate’s ex wife did.

I need it low as I need to buy out my ex-H's share in it (before anyone jumps on me, it is my pre-marital property, our marriage was shorter than 2 years and he has never paid anything towards it, neither does he pay any maintenance for the children now).

It has more than doubled in price since I bought it. I agreed to give him a minor share as a "go away" agreement in divorce, not to spend an equivalent amount on legal fees, but did not expect the property prices explosion that followed. Just had a chat with a mortgage advisor now and unfortunately my borrowing capacity is unlikely to stretch to the full amount.

@Idontlikeworms

From your username it sounds like you have let it go already?

It is aspirational