An asking price is what a seller hopes for, a sold price is what somebody actually paid, and an online estimate is a model's guess built from sold prices. Only one of the three is a fact, and it is the middle one.
buying
Asking price, sold price and online estimate — what each one actually means
An asking price is what a seller hopes for, a sold price is what somebody actually paid, and an online estimate is a model's guess built from sold prices.
- 1 min read
- Updated 21 September 2026
Part 1 of 4
Three numbers, three different things
| Number | Where it comes from | How much weight to give it |
|---|---|---|
| Asking price | Set by the seller on the agent's advice | Low — it is an opening position, and agents win instructions by being optimistic |
| Sold price | HM Land Registry record of the price paid | High — it is a recorded fact, though it can be a few months old |
| Online estimate | A model applied to sold prices and property attributes | Medium — only as good as its inputs, and it has never seen inside the house |
An estate agent's appraisal will typically sit at or above the top of any honest range — that is a pitch, not a prediction. It is not dishonest, it is how instructions are won; just do not treat it as evidence.
When we show an estimate on this site we show a range, and we show every sale the range rests on, so you can judge the evidence rather than the number. It is an estimate produced from data, not a RICS valuation, and no survey has been done.
Part 2 of 4
Check it yourself, free
Instant house valuation — with the sales it rests on — no account, no email wall.
Part 3 of 4