Home Value:
Frequently Asked Questions

They're a reasonable starting point, not a reliable number to price or negotiate around. Zillow's Zestimate and similar automated valuation models (AVMs) are built on public records and algorithms — they don't know that you just replaced the roof, that your kitchen was renovated last year, or that the identical-looking home two streets over backs up to a busy road and yours doesn't.

Zillow itself publishes a median error rate for its estimates, and that margin is wide enough to matter a great deal on a transaction the size of a home.

Market value is ultimately what a qualified buyer is actually willing to pay for your specific home, in its current condition, in the current market. I estimate it with a comparative market analysis (CMA) — looking at what genuinely similar homes near you have sold for recently, then adjusting for differences in size, condition, updates, and location that a computer can't fully account for. That is the rear view. Then I look at the current market at homes that are currently for sale and their pricing.

It's part data, part judgment, and the judgment part is where local, hands-on knowledge of your specific street and neighborhood matters most.

Each platform (Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com, and others) uses its own algorithm, its own data sources, and its own update frequency, so it's common to see estimates for the same home vary by tens of thousands of dollars. None of them can see inside your home or know about a renovation that hasn't been permitted or recorded yet.

If you're seeing a wide spread across platforms, that's actually useful information — it tells you the algorithms are uncertain, which is exactly when a human CMA matters most.

Treat it the same way you'd treat a Zestimate — a rough starting point, not a number to rely on. General-purpose AI tools like ChatGPT or Claude typically don't have live access to current listings, recent sales, or your home's actual condition unless they're specifically connected to real-time MLS data, which most aren't by default. They're often working from a knowledge cutoff and general patterns, not the specific comps on your street this month.

If you ask an AI tool for your home's value, ask it directly what data it's using and how current that data is — a good answer will be upfront about its limitations. If it gives you a confident-sounding number with no explanation of its sources, that's a sign to double-check it against something grounded in actual current sales, like a CMA.

If you're selling, a full appraisal usually isn't necessary before you list — a CMA gives you a strong, current read on pricing without the cost. Where a private appraisal can be worth it: refinancing, an estate or divorce situation requiring a formal, defensible number, or if you simply want a second, independent opinion alongside my CMA before making a major decision.

If you're buying, your lender will order an appraisal as part of your loan process regardless — that one's built in.

Sometimes, but rarely dollar-for-dollar. Most renovations recoup a portion of their cost at resale, not the full amount, and the percentage varies a lot by project type, your local market, and how the work compares to similar homes nearby. Kitchens and bathrooms tend to matter to buyers; highly personal or trend-specific choices tend to matter less, or can even work against you if they don't suit the home or neighborhood.

Before you spend money on a remodel meant to increase resale value, I'd rather walk your home with you and tell you honestly what's likely to pay off.

Check out my blog post Which Repairs Are Actually Worth Doing Before You List

Nationally, smaller, functional projects — things like garage door replacement, entry door replacement, and minor kitchen updates — tend to recoup a higher percentage of their cost than large-scale, high-end renovations like major kitchen overhauls or primary suite additions. Curb appeal and simple maintenance items (fresh exterior paint, landscaping cleanup) are also consistently strong value for the money because they shape a buyer's first impression.

That said, national averages are a guide, not a guarantee for your specific home and neighborhood.