Why is my Zestimate wrong?

Short answer

Online estimates are a useful starting point, but they are built from public data that lags the real market. They cannot see your condition, your upgrades, or your block, so they should not be the number you price from.

Full answer

I should start out by saying that this estimate isn't always wrong, but you know the old saying about a broken clock. An online estimate is an automated model. It pulls public records, tax data, and recent sales in the area, then runs them through an algorithm that treats most homes like an average. That works fine for a general sense of the neighborhood, but it updates slowly and it cannot see the things that actually set your home apart: the kitchen you updated, the finished basement, the condition a buyer sees the moment they pull up, and the specific street and block your house sits on. Two homes a few doors apart can be worth very different amounts, and you want to be careful about relying on an algorithm to tell the difference.

So treat the estimate as a free first look, not a price to act on. The number you can trust comes from a real read of the market: recent sales of comparable homes, what is competing with you right now, and a walk through your actual home. That is what I do, and it is free and with no obligation. Start with a free online estimate to get your bearings, then book a 15-minute consult to discuss how you can get a better number for your home.

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