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Home Values
What your home is worth, and why.
Every seller wants to know their number, and most of the estimates floating around online are a starting point, not a price to act on. These answers explain how value really gets set: what the market pays, what the county taxes, what a lender appraises, and what you will actually walk away with. Read them in any order. And if you want the real number for your address, I will run one for you, free and with no pressure.
What sellers ask about value before they call.
New answers are added as clients ask, so if yours is not here yet, that is what the consultation is for.
Why is my Zestimate wrong?
Online estimates are a useful starting point, but they lag the real market and cannot see your condition, your upgrades, or your block.
What is my home worth in today's market?
The real number comes from a comparative market analysis built on recent sales, active competition, condition, and your specific home.
Why did my neighbor's house sell for more than mine?
Condition, updates, the lot, the timing, and how the sale was marketed all move the final number.
Assessed value, appraised value, and market value: what's the difference?
Assessed is the county tax number, appraised is the lender number, and market value is what a buyer will actually pay.
What do appraisers actually look at?
An appraisal is a lender check, not a market read, and that is why it can differ from an agent valuation.
How much does a renovation really add to my home's value?
The return depends on your home, its price band, and what buyers there actually want, not on a national average.
How much will I actually net from selling?
Your net is the sale price minus the pieces that come out of it, and you should know that number before you list.
When is the right time to get a home value check-in?
A yearly pulse plus the big life changes, marriage, kids, a job move, retirement, inherited property, are all natural check-in moments.
Already answered in Selling Your Home
Two of the most common value questions live in the Selling Your Home library. If you are starting there, these are worth a read too:
Your real number
Ready to know what your home is worth?
Get a free online estimate in a couple of minutes, or book a 15-minute consult and we will run the real numbers together. No pressure, just a straight answer.