Last updated: 20 December 2021. Looking for the best UK property valuation books? We've reduced the market of 50+ books down to the shortlists and top 5 ranking below.
Investing in property is a valuation game. The entry and exit points for investors have a large impact on the net yield earned by a landlord, or the capital gain earned by a developer. Valuation is key. The property valuation books below explain how qualified surveyors go about conducting both residential and commercial property valuation exercises.
All books featured are beginner friendly and don't assume much prior knowledge. With prices ranging from £13 - £40, stocking up on a few of the best property valuation books can deliver the same value as an expensive seminar or course for only a fraction of the cost. They can even be read for free with Amazon's Kindle Unlimited free trial.
Click on any title below to see the latest price from Amazon, you'll be shocked at how affordable the most popular titles are. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases which helps to support this site. This does not impact how I compile the list. Happy reading!
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You DON'T even need a Kindle device to download booksHere's a useful tip that will save you £100+ on property valuation books. Sign-up to Amazon's Kindle Unlimited free trial, which offers access to all titles for free for 30 days.
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If you're cost-savvy, you'll already be calculating the savings you could unlock and the knowledge you could gain by downloading 5 books over the next 30 days.
My Top 5 Property Valuation Books for 2022
Click covers to see latest reviews and prices1. Property Valuation Principles - David Isaac & John O'Leary
Financial Expert Rating:
Synopsis:
"Property Valuation Principles is a user-friendly introduction to property valuation for students and practitioners who are new to the subject. Packed with worked examples and photos, the text covers the five main methods of valuation, their application in a variety of markets and their relation to the wider economic context. The second edition features:
- Discussion on the impact of sustainability on valuation.
- Photographs to illustrate different property characteristics and settings.
- Even more worked examples, including buy-to-let residential properties and affordable housing"
Who this book is for:
A comprehensive guide for those who are serious about immersing themselves in property valuation as a beginner.
Filled with useful photos, charts and examples, and rated 4.6/5.0 on Amazon with over 17 reviews, Property Valuation Principles is the best rated widely sold property valuation title.
My personal favourite, which is why it sits atop the best property valuation books ranking for this year.
Financial Expert Rating:
Synopsis:
"This new edition of the ‘all in one' textbook for the postgraduate study of valuation on real estate courses retains its focus on the valuation and appraisal of commercial and industrial property across investment, development and occupier markets. It is structured from the client perspective and covers single-asset pricing, risk and return issues.
The author introduces valuation activities from a broad economic perspective, setting valuation in its business finance context and combining its academic and practical roots."
Who this book is for:
Property Valuation with its user-friendly format, using tried-and-tested teaching and learning devices and a clear writing style, remains the core text for students on real estate, estate management and land economy degree courses, as well as for fast-track conversion courses for non-cognate graduates.
Financial Expert Rating:
Synopsis:
"Discover the money secret understood by virtually every rich person in history. Turn hundreds into millions through the power of compound interest.
How to Own the World shows you that:
- No one is better placed than you to make the most of your money.
- You can do better than many finance professionals.
- Making money from your money is easier than you think.
- It's easier today than ever.
- It's time to start now."
Who this book is for:
Commercial Property Valuation is an essential resource for investors, appraisers, consultants, accountants, and students in real estate courses.
Rated 4.9/5.0 on Amazon with 10 reviews, a virtually perfect score. Students and practitioners alike just love this title!
Financial Expert Rating:
Synopsis:
"This new edition of bestselling textbook Introducing Property Valuation provides students with a comprehensive introduction to the concepts and methods of valuing real estate, helping them to progress successfully from basic principles to a more sophisticated understanding.
Taking a practically oriented rather than purely theoretical approach, the textbook equips readers with the skills to undertake their own valuation calculations. Fully updated to reflect recent developments in regulation and practice, experienced tutor and valuer Michael Blackledge demonstrates how the principles can be applied in professional practice in line with the requirements and guidance provided by the International Valuation Standards Council and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Online material accompanies the new edition with Q&As and pre-programmed excel spreadsheets enabling students to prepare their own calculations."
Who this book is for:
Accessibly written with a full range of worked examples, case studies, clear chapter summaries and extensive further reading suggestions, this book is essential for any student of real estate and its valuation.
Financial Expert Rating:
Synopsis:
"The twelfth edition of this essential valuation textbook reflects the changes in the regulatory and statutory framework for property valuations that have occurred since 2013, as well as presenting the tried and tested principles and practices of real estate valuation.
The twelfth edition is up to date as of June 2018 with the latest regulations, statutes and case law, including the RICS Valuation – Global Standards 2017. Its comprehensive coverage of the legal, economic and technical aspects of valuation make this book a core text for most university and college real estate programmes, and it provides students and practitioners with current and relevant guidance on the preparation of valuations for statutory purposes."
Who this book is for:
The Financial Expert™ Best Property Valuation Book Challenge
I challenge you to read one book per month and see if it revolutionises your investing style!
The Financial Expert™ Best Property Valuation Book Challenge is a well-loved feature of this website.
Beauty, (and value) is the in eye of the beholder. This places any investor, surveyor or property professional in a predicament. They must separate their own 'opinion' of a property from its market valuation.
The best way to form an objective view, with sensible benchmarks and appropriate adjustments, is to understand the theory and practice of property valuation in depth.
That's not really possible in just a single property valuation book. Even the best valuation book will lean towards either theory or practise. It cannot specialise in both!
That's why a small stack of property valuation titles is just the ticket to mastering all aspects of residential and commercial property & land valuation.
The rules of the challenge are simple:
I challenge you to read one property valuation book per month for the next year, and find your new favourite!
When I set myself a similar reading challenge for myself a couple of years ago, I initially set off at a rapid pace.
I soon discovered that one book per month is no tall order, especially when you consider that undergraduate students of literature are often set a reading list of multiple books per week!
Granted, property valuation books have more pages, and property valuation textbooks are designed to be read and re-read, which makes progress a little slower.
Nevertheless, I found myself clearing books in a week or two, rather than the allotted month. But this pace soon calmed down as the novelty of the valuation book reading challenge dissipated.
Learn from my experience and start at a sustainable pace to begin with!
Some guidance
- I found it helpful to stock up on books for the next few months, so that when a new month rolls around, my next book was my bed-side table asking to be opened!
- Pick a variety of styles. This will keep the challenge fresh and increase the diversity of opinion.
- Pick at least one book that you don't think you would enjoy, this book might be the one that surprises you the most!
- If you're time-starved, audio books are absolutely fine!
Where to begin?
My list of the best property valuation books above is as good as any place to start, as I have consciously included a mix of different writing and investing styles to ensure that it caters to a wide audience.
Good luck!
Selecting the best UK property valuation books for beginners
"The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn."
When searching for property valuation books online, you've probably bumped into a lot of US or global titles which don't cover the local nuances or quirks of the UK property market.
I advise starting out with UK property valuation books only. This way, you can be sure that the author is familiar with RICS valuation standards and other embodies other local 'know how' which UK valuation specialists will certainly need to know.
Fortunately, due to the thriving property market of the UK, there are no shortage of great property valuation books written by UK authors for UK investors, students and professionals.
Reading widely & getting properly educated in property
We have a selection of other great property-related book lists for you to review:
Each will open a new avenue of learning for anyone looking to learn how to invest in property. Alternatively you could consider property investment courses as a pricier but more engaging replacement.
How to pick your first property valuation book
To find the best property valuation book for novices or beginners, look for titles including phrases such as 'An introduction to..' or 'Principles of..' in the title.
More precisely, click through to Amazon above and check out the reviews for a title. It will quickly become obvious whether the book is resonating well with new readers, or whether it has become a mainstay for experienced professionals with experience in the field.
One piece of advice I'd have for any would-be-buyer is to not overreach with your first book. It can be tempting to go for the industry-leading title which veteran surveyors turn to, but this ambition can backfire if you find the title too difficult to read.
If you have the patience to build up gradually, you'll be an expert in no time. Soon you'll be assisting in a professional capacity or using your own hard-saved house deposit to make a shrewd property acquisition.
You don't want to be turned off from property valuation before you even get up to speed!
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