The three ways to find your home's value
You can find your home's value through a professional appraisal, an automated online estimate, or a comparative market analysis from a real estate agent. Each method costs different amounts, takes different time, and gives you different levels of detail. An appraisal is the most thorough but costs $300 to $700. Online estimates are free but can be off by 5 to 20 percent. A market analysis from an agent is free but works best when you are actually planning to sell.
The method you choose depends on why you need the value. If you are refinancing a mortgage, your lender will order an appraisal themselves — you do not need to pay for one first. If you are selling, a real estate agent's analysis is more useful than an online number because it accounts for your specific house condition and recent sales on your street. If you just want a rough idea for net worth or property tax questions, a free online estimate is usually enough.
Key Takeaways
- A professional appraisal costs $300 to $700 and is the most accurate method, but your lender will order one if you refinance, so you may not need to pay for it yourself.
- Online estimates from Zillow, Redfin, or your county assessor are free and take five minutes, but they can miss important details about your specific house.
- A real estate agent will provide a market analysis at no cost if you are considering selling, and it reflects actual recent sales in your neighborhood.
- Your county assessor's office has a public record of your home's assessed value, which is different from market value but available for free online.
Professional appraisals: when to use them and what they cost
A professional appraisal is an in-person inspection by a licensed appraiser who examines your home's structure, condition, systems, and recent comparable sales. The appraiser walks through every room, checks the roof and foundation, notes updates and repairs, and then compares your house to three to five similar homes that sold recently in your area. The result is a written report with a single value figure and the reasoning behind it.
You pay for an appraisal out of pocket unless you are refinancing a mortgage — in that case, your lender orders and pays for it as part of the refinance process. If you are buying a home with a mortgage, the lender also orders the appraisal and includes the cost in your closing fees. If you want an appraisal for your own reasons — to settle a divorce, to understand your net worth, or to challenge a property tax assessment — you contact a local appraiser directly and pay $300 to $700 depending on your home's size and your region. The appraisal usually takes one to two weeks from the time you schedule it.
An appraisal is the most reliable method because it is based on an actual person's inspection and knowledge of your local market. However, appraisers can also make mistakes, and their value is only a snapshot in time — if six months pass, the value may have shifted. If you are challenging a property tax assessment, some counties allow you to submit an appraisal as evidence, but check your county's rules first.
Free online estimates and how accurate they are
Websites like Zillow, Redfin, Trulia, and Realtor.com offer free home value estimates in seconds. You enter your address, and the site's algorithm pulls public records, recent sales data, and property details to generate a number called a "Zestimate" (Zillow's term) or similar. These estimates are free and instant, which is why they are popular for a quick check.
The catch is accuracy. Online estimates can be off by 5 to 20 percent or more, especially if your house has unusual features, recent major renovations, or if few homes have sold near you recently. The algorithm does not know that you replaced the roof last year or that your kitchen is outdated. It also struggles in rural areas or neighborhoods with few recent sales. If your county assessor's data is incomplete or slow to update, the online estimate will be based on stale information.
These tools are useful for a rough sense of your home's ballpark value, for comparing neighborhoods, or for tracking how your home's estimated value changes over time. They are not reliable enough to use for major financial decisions like refinancing or selling. Most real estate agents and lenders will not accept an online estimate as proof of value.
Real estate agent market analyses: free but with conditions
If you contact a real estate agent and say you are thinking about selling, the agent will usually provide a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) at no cost. The agent pulls recent sales of similar homes in your neighborhood — typically homes that sold in the last three to six months — and adjusts for differences in size, condition, and features. The result is a range of likely selling prices, not a single number.
A CMA is more accurate than an online estimate because it is based on an agent's knowledge of your local market, recent actual sales, and an in-person look at your home. However, the agent has a financial incentive to list your home, so the value may be slightly inflated to encourage you to sign a listing agreement. Always get a CMA from at least two agents to compare their estimates.
A CMA is most useful if you are actually planning to sell within the next few months. If you are just curious about your home's value, the time investment of meeting with agents may not be worth it. If you do meet with agents, be clear that you are in the early thinking stage and not ready to commit to selling yet.
County assessor records: public data that is free but outdated
Your county assessor's office maintains a public record of every property in the county, including your home's assessed value. This is not the same as market value — it is the value the county uses to calculate your property taxes. Assessed values are usually lower than market values and are updated on a set schedule (every one to four years depending on your state).
You can find your county assessor's records online by searching "[your county] assessor" plus "property search" or "property records." Most counties have a free searchable database on their website. You will see your address, lot size, square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the assessed value, and sometimes recent sales history. This information is public record and costs nothing to view.
The assessed value is useful for understanding your property tax bill and for a very rough estimate of market value, but it lags behind actual market conditions. If your home was last assessed three years ago and your neighborhood has appreciated significantly, the assessed value will be too low. Use this as one data point, not your primary source for market value.
Comparing the three methods side by side
| Method | Cost | Time to Get Result | Accuracy Range | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professional appraisal | $300–$700 (or free if lender orders it) | 1–2 weeks | Within 5% of actual value | Refinancing, divorce settlements, property tax appeals |
| Online estimate (Zillow, Redfin, etc.) | Free | Instant | Within 5–20% of actual value | Quick ballpark check, tracking trends over time |
| Real estate agent CMA | Free | 1–3 days | Within 5–10% of actual value | Planning to sell, understanding local market |
| County assessor records | Free | Instant | Often 10–20% below market value | Understanding property tax basis, very rough estimate |
What affects your home's value and why estimates differ
Different methods give different numbers because they weight different factors. An appraisal looks at your home's condition, age of systems, and comparable sales. An online estimate relies on public records and algorithm adjustments. An agent's CMA focuses on recent sales and neighborhood trends. An assessor's value is based on a formula set by state law.
Your home's actual value also depends on things that are hard to measure: the quality of your school district, whether your street is quiet or busy, whether the neighborhood is appreciating or declining, and whether buyers in your area prefer older character homes or newer construction. A home that looks identical to a neighbor's house can sell for 10 percent more if it has a better view or is on a corner lot. These details are why a professional appraisal or agent analysis beats an algorithm.
If you get very different numbers from different sources, the most likely reason is that one method is not accounting for a major feature of your home — a recent renovation, a problem with the foundation, or the fact that your home is in a pocket of the neighborhood that is appreciating faster than the rest. If the numbers are far apart, an appraisal is worth the cost to get a definitive answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use an online estimate to refinance my mortgage?
No. Lenders require a professional appraisal ordered by the lender themselves. They will not accept an online estimate or an appraisal you paid for independently. The lender orders the appraisal as part of the refinance process and includes the cost in your closing fees, so you do not pay for it separately.
How often should I check my home's value?
If you are tracking your net worth or following your neighborhood's market, checking once or twice a year is reasonable. Online estimates update frequently as new sales data comes in. If you are planning to sell, get a fresh agent CMA within 30 days of listing because market conditions can shift quickly. Do not obsess over monthly changes — home values move slowly except in very hot markets.
What if my online estimate seems way too high or too low?
Check your county assessor's records to see if the property details are correct — sometimes the database shows the wrong square footage or number of bedrooms, which throws off the estimate. If the details are wrong, you may be able to contact the assessor to correct them. You can also get a CMA from a local agent to see if the online number is an outlier or if your neighborhood has actually shifted in value.
Do I need an appraisal to challenge my property tax assessment?
It depends on your county's rules. Some counties allow you to submit a professional appraisal as evidence that your assessed value is too high. Others require you to use comparable sales data or hire an appraiser who specializes in tax appeals. Contact your county assessor's office to ask what evidence they accept before you pay for an appraisal.
Is my home's assessed value the same as its market value?
No. Assessed value is what your county uses to calculate property taxes and is usually lower than market value. It is also updated on a schedule (every one to four years) so it lags behind actual market conditions. Market value is what a buyer would actually pay for your home today. They can differ by 10 to 30 percent or more depending on how long it has been since your home was last assessed.