Updated 10 October 2026
A kerbside valuation views the property from the street, a desktop valuation is built from sales databases and records without a visit, and a full valuation adds an internal inspection. The ATO accepts any of them for CGT where the process is sound: independence, recognised methodology and comparable sales evidence at the valuation date. For CGT and retrospective dates, desktop is usually the right product.
At a glance
- Desktop, kerbside and full inspection valuations can all satisfy the ATO when properly evidenced
- The ATO assesses the valuer's qualification, evidence and reasoning, not the inspection type
- Desktop valuations suit CGT because most CGT valuation dates are historical; no inspection can recreate the past
- Full inspections earn their fee for unique properties or where condition is genuinely in dispute
- A desktop report from a Certified Property Valuer is $297 inc. GST for residential, delivered in 24 to 48 hours
In this guide
The three types, defined
- Kerbside (drive-by). The valuer views the property externally from the street and combines that with records and sales data. Historically a lender's product for low-risk loans. It confirms the property exists and its external condition, and little else the databases do not already show.
- Desktop. No site visit. The valuer works from sales databases, council and title records, listing photographs, floor plans and building records, applying the same direct comparison methodology a physical valuation uses. Turnaround is fast and the cost is low because travel and inspection time are removed.
- Full (short-form or long-form with inspection). The valuer walks through the property, measures and notes condition, then values against comparable sales. The traditional product for mortgage security, litigation and unique assets.
What the ATO actually cares about
The ATO's Market valuation for tax purposes guidance does not prescribe an inspection. It assesses valuations on process: who prepared it, the methodology applied, the evidence relied on, the valuation date, and whether the report explains itself to a third party. A valuation by a professional valuer is treated as more credible than one by anyone else, and properly instructing a professional valuer brings the penalty safe harbour with it.
That is why the inspection question is a red herring for most CGT work. An inspected report with weak comparable evidence is worse than a desktop report with strong evidence. The evidentiary spine of any market valuation is the comparable sales analysis, and that lives in the databases, not behind the front door.
Why desktop suits CGT work
- Retrospective dates make inspection meaningless. A retrospective valuation at a 2019 rental-start date or a 2022 date of death values the property as it stood then. Walking through it today shows the valuer the wrong property: the renovated kitchen, the new deck, five years of wear. The property's condition at the valuation date is reconstructed from records, listing photographs and building approvals, which is desktop work by definition.
- The 1 July 2027 reset is a volume event. Hundreds of thousands of properties need a value at one date. Desktop methodology is how that gets done at $297 in 24 to 48 hours rather than $800 and a fortnight per property.
- The signature is the same. Our desktop reports are prepared and signed by a Certified Property Valuer, state their methodology, and present the comparable sales relied on, exactly what the ATO's guidance describes.
Note
Desktop is not an online estimateAn automated price estimate from a listings portal is a statistical model with no valuer, no methodology statement and no accountability, and it carries no weight with the ATO. A desktop valuation is a professional valuation delivered without a site visit. The distinction is the professional judgment and the signature, not the absence of a car trip.
Whichever product you choose, the report ends up feeding a tax calculation. To see how the figure flows through under the CGT discount changes from 1 July 2027, run the property through our CGT calculator.
Need an ATO-ready number without the wait?
Desktop CGT valuations signed by a Chartered Accountant and Certified Property Valuer. $297 residential, $595 commercial, incl GST, any date current or retrospective, 24 to 48 hours, Australia-wide.
Start your orderHow it worksWhen a full inspection earns its cost
Some jobs genuinely need eyes on the asset: properties with unusual improvements or condition issues the records cannot capture, specialised commercial and rural assets with no meaningful comparable pool, matters already in dispute where the report will face cross-examination, and family law matters where a single expert is appointed under court rules that expect inspection. If your matter is headed to a courtroom rather than a tax return, brief that at the start and the scope changes accordingly.
Side by side
| Kerbside | Desktop | Full inspection | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Site visit | External only | None | Internal and external |
| Evidence base | Sales data plus street view | Sales data, records, photographs, plans | Sales data plus inspection notes |
| Retrospective dates | Poor fit | Purpose-built for them | Inspection shows the wrong point in time |
| Typical market cost | $200 to $400 | $250 to $600 | $500 to $1,200 and up |
| Typical turnaround | 2 to 5 days | 24 to 48 hours with us | 5 to 10 business days |
| ATO-suitable when signed by a professional valuer | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Lender risk checks | CGT, retrospective, estates, 1 July 2027 | Disputes, unique assets, court matters |
Common questions
Does the ATO accept a desktop valuation?
Yes, where it is prepared by a professional valuer using recognised methodology and comparable sales evidence at the valuation date. The ATO's guidance assesses the process and evidence, not whether the valuer physically visited the property.
What is a kerbside valuation?
A valuation where the property is viewed externally from the street only, combined with sales data and records. It is primarily a lender product for low-risk security checks and adds little for CGT purposes over a well-evidenced desktop report.
Is a desktop valuation the same as an online property estimate?
No. An online estimate is an automated model with no valuer behind it and no standing with the ATO. A desktop valuation is prepared, reasoned and signed by a qualified valuer; only the site visit is absent.
When should I pay for a full inspection instead?
For unique or specialised assets the databases cannot capture, for matters already in dispute or headed to court, and for family law single-expert appointments. For standard CGT, retrospective and 1 July 2027 dates, the inspection adds cost without adding evidence.
