You typed your address into a website, got a number in three seconds, and now you're wondering: is that actually what my home is worth?
Short answer: it's a starting point, not the final word. Automated estimates are a useful gut-check, but they're built from public records and broad patterns, not the details that make your home yours. Here's how to read that number, and what actually moves it.
The online estimate is a starting line
An automated valuation model (AVM) pulls tax records, past sales, and square footage, then compares them to nearby homes. That's genuinely helpful for a ballpark. What it can't see: whether you renovated the kitchen last year, that your lot backs to a park instead of a wall, or that the identical floor plan two streets over sold high because of a bidding war.
In a market like Las Vegas, where two homes on the same street can differ by a hundred thousand dollars in condition and view, those blind spots add up fast.
What actually moves your number
- Recent comparable sales. Not listings, sales. What buyers actually paid in the last 90 days nearby.
- Condition and upgrades. Kitchens, flooring, HVAC, roof, and finishes an algorithm never sees.
- Location within the neighborhood. View, lot, corner vs. interior, proximity to schools and parks.
- Timing and inventory. How many similar homes are competing with yours right now.
An algorithm can price a zip code. It can't walk your kitchen.
Why a custom valuation is different
A comparative market analysis (CMA) starts where the algorithm stops. I look at your home in person, pull live comps that truly match, and adjust for the things that make it stand out, or the things worth fixing before you list. The result is a realistic range and a plan, not just a number.
It's free, there's no obligation, and it takes about a day to turn around.