Why your CV is not your Sale Price

This is one of the most common points of confusion for sellers.

A CV is a rating tool, not a pricing tool. It exists so councils can distribute rates fairly, not to reflect buyer demand or market timing.

CVs are calculated using historic data and broad assumptions. They do not account for presentation, renovation quality, layout functionality, or emotional appeal. Two homes with the same CV can sell for very different prices.

In rising markets, CVs often lag behind reality. In changing or softer markets, CVs can sit above buyer comfort. Buyers rarely anchor to CVs. They anchor to recent sales and current alternatives.

When sellers rely heavily on CV, frustration follows. Buyers feel sellers are unrealistic. Sellers feel buyers are wrong. Negotiations stall due to misaligned expectations, not because the home lacks appeal.

CV can be a reference point, but it should never drive pricing strategy. Sale price is determined by competition, confidence, and urgency at a specific moment in time.

If you want to understand how this applies to your property or your buying position, I’m happy to talk it through.

FAQs

• Is CV a good starting point when selling?

  It can be a reference, but it should never be the strategy.

  
  

• Why do buyers ignore CVs?

  Because CVs do not reflect condition, presentation, or current competition.

  
  

• Can a house sell for more than CV?

  Yes, particularly when buyer competition is strong.

  
  

• Why is my CV higher than buyer feedback?

  CVs can lag behind market shifts and buyer sentiment.

  
  

• Should I challenge my CV before selling?

  It rarely changes buyer behaviour or sale outcomes.