AI-powered reports (Basic, SMSF) are typically ready in under 20 minutes, the moment your payment clears our engine pulls the comparable sales and compiles the report automatically. Desktop valuations prepared by a valuer are delivered within 24 hours. Certified reports require a physical inspection, so allow 3–5 business days for the valuer to attend the property and complete the signed report. Whichever you choose, the PDF is sent by both email and SMS the moment it's ready, and if a property needs a longer timeframe, we tell you before you pay, not after.

No. Pay-as-you-go orders need only your email address, there's no password, profile or subscription involved. Creating a free account is worth it if you expect to order again: you get a dashboard that keeps every report in one place, full order history and one-click reordering, which is especially handy for annual SMSF valuations or accountants managing several clients. You can also create an account after ordering and your existing reports will be there waiting.

No. Valato doesn't prepare valuations for lending, mortgage or refinancing purposes. Lenders order those through their own panel of valuers, so a report from us wouldn't be used for that. What our reports do cover is everything else a property value is needed for: SMSF annual reporting under SISR 8.02B, capital gains tax and cost base, stamp duty on transfers, insurance declarations, and your own buying and selling decisions. If a bank has asked you for a valuation, go back to the bank or your broker.

Yes. Desktop valuations can be assessed at a nominated past date. The valuer works from comparable sales and market data drawn from that period, not today's market, so the figure reflects what the property was genuinely worth at the time. Retrospective reports are most commonly used for CGT cost-base determination, for example the date a home first earned rental income, the date a property was inherited, or a transfer that has already occurred. Just nominate the date when you order and we handle the rest.

Check your spam and junk folders first, automated PDF attachments occasionally get filtered. It's also worth confirming the email address on your order confirmation is correct, and checking your SMS for the delivery notification. If the report still hasn't arrived, get in touch through our contact form with your order number or property address and we'll resend it immediately at no charge. Account holders can also download every report from the dashboard at any time, whatever happens in the inbox.

Yes. Valato has qualified valuers across all Australian states and territories, including regional and rural areas. Desktop and AI-powered reports are unaffected by location, they draw on the same land records and sales data everywhere, at the same price and turnaround. For certified valuations, remote properties may take slightly longer because a local valuer needs to schedule the site visit, and any difference in fee or timing is confirmed upfront before you pay.