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Valuer

Kaiwhakatau Wāriu

Alternative titles for this job

Valuers assess the value of real estate or personal property such as art and jewellery, for sales, rentals, mortgages, insurance or rates.

Pay

Valuers with up to three years' experience usually earn

$56K-$87K per year

Valuers with over three years' experience usually earn

$87K-$138K per year

Source: Hays, 2022.

Job opportunities

Chances of getting a job as a valuer are good for those in real estate and average for those in personal property.

Pay

Pay for valuers varies depending on experience.

  • Valuers with up to three years' experience usually earn $56,000 to $87,000 a year.
  • Valuers with over three years' experience can earn $87,000 to $138,000 a year.

Source: Hays, 'Hays Salary Guide FY 22/23', 2022.

(This information is a guide only. Find out more about the sources of our pay information)

What you will do

Valuers may do some or all of the following:

  • inspect and record details of properties, or items such as jewellery
  • work out the value of a property or item
  • advise clients on values for sales, insurances or rates
  • check planning regulations and legal documents
  • assess annual rent and running costs of properties
  • write reports
  • research market information
  • give evidence in court.

Skills and knowledge

Valuers need to have knowledge of:

  • the principles and procedures of valuation
  • the history and details of the items they are valuing
  • the market value of items, or how to find out this information
  • styles and trends in their area of work
  • valuation ethics.

Property valuers also need to have knowledge of:

  • architectural and engineering plans
  • building methods and materials
  • property, land ownership and resource laws
  • building codes and local government laws
  • real estate markets
  • how the economy affects the value of property.

Working conditions

Valuers:

  • usually work regular business hours, but may work longer hours to meet deadlines or visit clients in evenings or weekends
  • are based in offices, auction rooms, art galleries, museums, and jewellery or antique shops
  • can spend a lot of time travelling locally, visiting clients in their homes, or inspecting businesses and factories for valuations. Senior valuers may travel nationally and overseas to do valuations.

Entry requirements

To become a valuer you need to be of good character and reputation. 

Real estate valuers

To become a real estate valuer you need one of the following degrees, and to be registered with the Valuers Registration Board.

Urban real estate valuer

  • Bachelor of Property
  • Bachelor of Business (Property)
  • Bachelor of Land and Property Management (Urban Valuation and Property Management)
  • Diploma in Business Studies (Urban Valuation) or equivalent certificate

Rural real estate valuer

  • Bachelor of AgriCommerce (Rural Valuation)
  • Bachelor of Land and Property Management (Rural Valuation and Agricultural Management)
  • Diploma in Business Studies (Rural Valuation) or equivalent certificate

Graduate diplomas

A Graduate Diploma in Valuation or Rural Valuation may also be accepted. Contact the Valuers Registration Board for approval before starting study.

Personal property valuers

To become a personal property valuer you can complete:

  • on-the-job training with an employer or valuation company
  • a valuation course offered by an international appraisers' organisation such as the American Society of Appraisers (ASA) or the International Society of Appraisers (ISA).

Secondary education

A tertiary entrance qualification is required to enter further training to be a real estate valuer.

A minimum of three years of secondary education is recommended to become a personal property valuer.

Useful subjects include art history, business studies, English, economics, mathematics and painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking combined.

Personal requirements

Valuers need to be:

  • honest, trustworthy and responsible
  • confident and clear communicators
  • observant and accurate, with an eye for detail
  • able to work well independently and as part of a team
  • able to keep information private and confidential
  • analytical, with good decision-making skills
  • good at maths and keeping records.

Useful experience

Useful experience for valuers includes:

  • real estate or land development work
  • rural/farm work
  • building or construction work
  • banking, finance or insurance work
  • work as an auction room attendant
  • insurance work
  • selling, repairing or making art, jewellery and antiques
  • mechanical engineering work 
  • photography.

Physical requirements

Valuers need to be reasonably fit and healthy because they often visit sites and spend long periods on their feet. They should have good eyesight (with or without corrective lenses), good hearing, and normal colour vision.

Registration

Real estate valuers need to be registered with the Valuers Registration Board and have a current Annual Practising Certificate.

Find out more about training

American Society of Appraisers
asainfo@appraisers.org - www.appraisers.org
International Society of Appraisers
isa@isa-appraisers.org - www.isa-appraisers.org
Jewellery Appraisers Society of New Zealand Inc
027 4496 960 - carver.petersen@xtra.co.nz - www.jasnz.co.nz
Jewellery Valuers Society of New Zealand
(09) 377 0730 - info@jvsnz.co.nz - www.jvsnz.co.nz
Property Institute of New Zealand (PINZ)
0800 698 258 - www.propertyinstitute.nz
Valuers Registration Board
 (04) 471 6331 - vrbregistrar@linz.govt.nz - https://valuersregistrationboard.org.nz
Check out related courses

What are the chances of getting a job?

Demand for real estate valuers strong

Chances of getting a job as a real estate valuer are good because:

  • a booming housing and construction industry has created demand for their services
  • natural disasters have increased the need for insurance valuations
  • not enough people are training to replace valuers due to retire soon.

According to the Census, 1206 valuers worked in New Zealand in 2018.

Demand for personal property valuers average

Chances of getting a job as a personal property valuer are average due to limited vacancies.

As New Zealand's population is ageing, demand for personal property valuers to value items for wills may rise.

Technology may impact valuer jobs

Technology has been developed that can research multiple sources of information to provide quick values on items, especially in real estate. This technology may help valuers with their work in the short term, but in the long term it may replace the work they do. This could lead to job loss.

Types of employers varied

Most valuers work for:

  • property valuation companies
  • investment property companies
  • real estate agencies
  • banks
  • district councils
  • auction houses
  • second-hand dealers
  • insurance companies
  • museums and art galleries
  • jewellery and antique shops.

Sources

  • Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, 'National Construction Pipeline Report 2017', July 2017, (www.mbie.govt.nz).
  • Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, 'Occupation Outlook', 2017, (www.mbie.govt.nz).
  • Nilsson,P, jewellery valuer, Careers Directorate – Tertiary Education Commission interview, August 2017.
  • Property Institute of New Zealand, 'Construction Peak to be Higher, Last for Longer', 7 August 2017, (www.propertyinstitute.nz).
  • Property Institute of New Zealand, 'Lincoln University Doubles Property Studies Intake after Fears of Shortfall', 8 April 2017, (www.propertyinstitute.nz).
  • Stats NZ, '2018 Census Data', 2019.
  • Stylianou, N et al, 'Will a Robot Take Your Job?', 11 September 2015, (www.bbc.com).

(This information is a guide only. Find out more about the sources of our job opportunities information)

Progression and specialisations

Valuers may specialise in:

  • art and heritage items
  • furniture
  • jewellery
  • machinery
  • real estate.

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A property valuer has her hand on the side of the outside of a house she's inspecting. She's holding a clipboard.

Valuers may assess the value of houses

Last updated 7 August 2024