Automated valuations read square footage and a sale price from down the street. They can’t see the updates you made, the condition of the roof, or whether the finishes are current. They’re also working partly from asking prices, and with inventory rising through the October 2026 briefing, an asking price tells you what a seller hoped for rather than what a buyer paid.
What you get
- A written value range, not a single number.
- The comparable sales behind it, so you can see the reasoning.
- The two or three things that would move the number, which is the part you can still act on.
How it works
- A look at the property and its condition. I come see the house. Roof, finishes, what’s been updated, and what condition is costing you, which is usually the most useful part because it’s the part you can still do something about.
- The sales that actually compare. What’s genuinely sold nearby lately, not what’s sitting, plus what’s competing with you right now.
- A value range and the reasoning behind it. If I give you a number and can’t explain it, you shouldn’t trust it.
More on how a home’s value is actually worked out, including what automated estimates miss and why they are as often high as low.
What it isn’t
This is not an automated estimate, and asking for one does not commit you to listing. Some people are preparing to sell. Others are trying to work out whether a move makes sense at all.