How a home is valued.

"How much is my home worth?" is the first question a seller asks, and the most delicate: timing, buyers and the final price all depend on it. Here’s what value really depends on, and how you reach a realistic figure.

The factors that determine value

A home’s price comes from the interplay of several elements: the area and location (proximity to the sea, services, centre); the commercial floor area; the floor level and whether there is a lift; the condition (renovated, liveable, to be renovated); light, orientation and view; outdoor spaces (terraces, garden, garage); energy efficiency (EPC class); and the context (building, condominium, running costs). In Sanremo and on the Riviera, sea view and orientation weigh more than elsewhere.

The factor that matters most: real sale prices

This is the most common mistake. Valuing by the asking prices on portals is wrong from the start: those numbers are requests, not sales, and include room to negotiate. Asking prices are typically 15–25% above real values. True value is built on the area’s real transactions — the figures at which similar properties actually changed hands at the notary. That’s the method we use: the data from our sales observatory and the picture of house prices in Sanremo.

Commercial floor area: why two "80 sqm" are not the same

Floor area is not just the walkable space. The commercial floor area also includes, with coefficients, balconies, terraces, cellars and garages: a terrace counts in part, a garage counts separately. That’s why two "80 sqm" homes can be worth different amounts. A serious valuation starts from the correct commercial floor area, not the round number in the listing.

OMI values and portals: how to read them without being misled

The OMI values from the Italian Revenue Agency give an official range by area and condition: useful as a starting point, but broad and not specific to your property. Portals show asking prices: useful to understand supply, not to set the price. Neither replaces the analysis of real sales. You’ll find both, organised, on the prices page.

The most common valuation mistakes

Three above all: overvaluing out of attachment or "what I spent"; relying on asking prices instead of sales; and comparing properties that aren’t comparable (different floors, condition, view). An inflated price is the main cause of homes that go unsold: the property "burns" its first weeks — the ones with peak attention — and then gets reduced anyway, but starting at a disadvantage.

How we value

We start from the area’s real transactions, cross-referenced with our observatory data; then a site visit calibrates the estimate to the property’s real features (condition, view, spaces, context). The result is a price at which the home actually sells, not a number to please. The valuation is free and with no obligation.

FAQ

How is the value of a home calculated?
You start from the prices at which similar properties actually sold in the same area (real transactions), adjusted for commercial floor area, floor level, condition, view and orientation. OMI values and portal asking prices are only references, not the real value.

What is the difference between asking price and sale price?
The asking price is what the seller requests in the listing, often 15–25% above the real figure; the sale price is what the property actually fetches at the notary. Value is estimated on sale prices, not asking prices.

What is commercial floor area?
It is the floor area that also accounts, with coefficients, for balconies, terraces, cellars and garages, not just the walkable space. That’s why two properties with the same internal metres can have different values.

Are OMI values enough to value a home?
No. They are an official range by area and condition, useful as a starting point but broad and not specific to a single property. They must be refined with real sales and a site visit.

How much does condition affect the price?
A lot: between a renovated property and one to be renovated in the same area the difference can be wide. Renovation, systems, fixtures, energy class and the spending the buyer expects all count.

Is online valuation reliable?
As a first orientation it can help, but an algorithm doesn’t see the real condition, the view or the context: for a figure you can sell at, you need sales analysis and a site visit.

General informational article. The precise estimate of a property depends on its specific features and must be made with a site visit; for technical and tax aspects, the surveyor, notary and accountant are authoritative.

Part of the complete guide to selling a home in Sanremo.