Property Valuers in Gaborone 

What a property valuer in Gaborone is actually assessing

A valuation is not an estate agent's asking price. A registered valuer inspects the property on site, measures the improvements, records the condition and finishes, and then tests that evidence against recent comparable transactions in the same area — Block 8 behaves differently to Phakalane, Mogoditshane differently to Tlokweng. The output is a written report with a defensible figure that a bank, an insurer, the Master of the High Court or BURS will accept.
Two figures usually appear in the same report and are often confused. Market value is what a buyer would pay for the property in its current condition. Insurance replacement value is what it would cost to rebuild it from scratch. They are rarely the same number, and using the wrong one is how owners end up under-insured.

In Botswana a valuation report only carries weight if the valuer is registered with REAC and the Valuation Surveyors Registration Board of the REIB. Those registrations are what make a report legally recognised and acceptable to banks, insurers and the courts. It is a one-question check, and it is the single most useful thing you can do before paying for a report.

Ask the valuer directly: Are you registered with REAC and the Valuation Surveyors Registration Board? If the answer is vague, your bank will likely reject the report — and you will pay twice.

Which valuation do you need?
The purpose determines the method, so say up front what the report is for.
Bond & mortgage valuation: Required by Botswana banks before a home loan is approved. It confirms open market value so the bank can set the amount it will advance.

Insurance replacement valuation: Establishes the full cost of rebuilding the property from scratch. Underwriters use this figure to set your cover amount and premium.

Market value valuation: What a willing buyer would pay a willing seller in today's market — the figure that matters when you are selling or buying.

Estate & deceased estate valuation: Reports accepted by the Master of the High Court, executors and legal practitioners when winding up an estate.

Land valuation: Tribal, freehold and state land: valued for development feasibility, acquisition or disposal.
Statutory & BURS valuation Prepared for Property Transfer Tax and Withholding Tax purposes as required by the Botswana Unified Revenue Service.

Plant & Machinery valuations: Determines the true economic worth of industrial equipment and fixed assets for financial, legal, and operational decisions

Equity release & refinancing: Required when an owner wants to access equity in an existing property or refinance. Reports remain valid for 12 months.

Residential, Commercial & industrial valuation: Full valuations for residential, offices, retail units and warehouses, including investment and portfolio reporting.

1. Request a written fee quotation, stating the property type, location and the purpose of the valuation.
2. Gather your documents — title deed, site plan, and lease agreements if the property is tenanted.
3. Site inspection: the valuer attends the property, measures and photographs the improvements.
4. Written report issued within a few working days, with both market value and replacement cost where relevant.
5. Submit to your bank, insurer, executor or BURS. Diarise the 12-month validity window.

Beyond Gaborone

Gaborone-based valuers travel nationwide for inspections. Sam Associates has valued properties in Francistown, Maun, Palapye, Serowe, Lobatse and Kasane, as well as rural and tribal land — so a property outside the city does not mean a different valuer or a different standard of report.

Frequently asked questions

Q: How long does a property valuation take in Gaborone?
A: The on-site inspection itself is usually completed in under an hour for a standard residential property. The written report follows within a few working days of the inspection, and urgent reports can be accommodated — discuss your timeline when you request a quote.
Q: Will Botswana banks accept the valuation report?
A: Yes, provided the valuer is registered. Sam Associates' valuers are registered with REAC and the Valuation Surveyors Registration Board of the REIB — the registrations required for a report to be legally recognised and accepted by Botswana banks, insurers and the courts. Always confirm registration before instructing any valuer.
Q: How long is a valuation report valid?
A: Valuation reports are generally valid for 12 months in Botswana. After that, banks and insurers typically require a fresh report. If the report is for a bond application, confirm your bank's specific validity requirement before commissioning it.
Q: What documents do I need?
A: Typically your title deed, site plan, and any lease agreements if the property is tenanted. Commercial properties may require additional financial documentation. The exact list is confirmed when you enquire.
Q: Do valuers travel outside Gaborone?
A: Yes. Sam Associates conducts on-site inspections anywhere in Botswana, including Francistown, Maun, Palapye, Serowe, Lobatse and Kasane, as well as rural areas.

Need a property valuation in Gaborone or other areas?

Sam Associates has been valuing property in Botswana since 1992, with REAC and REIB registered valuers covering the whole country. See property valuation services >   Request a no-obligation written fee quotation