The most reliable way to find your home's value is to hire a professional appraiser, but you can get a rough estimate yourself using public records and online tools.
A professional appraisal costs between $300 and $700 and produces a formal report that lenders and courts accept. An appraiser inspects your home, compares it to recent sales of similar houses in your area, and accounts for condition, location, and market trends. This is the standard when you refinance a mortgage, sell, or challenge your property tax assessment.
If you need only a ballpark figure—to understand your net worth, plan a renovation budget, or decide whether to refinance—you can start with free or low-cost methods. These give you a sense of direction but are less precise than an appraisal and should not be used for legal or lending decisions.
Key Takeaways
- A professional appraisal is the only valuation accepted by lenders and courts, costs $300 to $700, and takes one to two weeks.
- Your county assessor's office publishes the assessed value used for property taxes, which is often lower than market value and updated only every few years.
- Online estimate tools (Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com) are free and updated monthly but can be off by 5 to 20 percent depending on how much recent sales data exists in your area.
- A comparative market analysis from a real estate agent is free and based on actual recent sales, but the agent's goal is to list your home, not give you an unbiased number.
- Recent sales prices of nearly identical homes on your street are the most reliable free data point you can gather yourself.
What your county assessor's office publishes
Every county assessor maintains a public record of each property's assessed value, which is used to calculate property taxes. You can find this by searching your county assessor's website (search "[your county] assessor" plus your state) and entering your address. The assessed value is free and official, but it is usually lower than what your home would sell for, because assessments lag behind market changes and use different methods than appraisers.
Assessed values are updated on a schedule set by your state—some counties reassess every year, others every three to five years. If your home has changed significantly (a major renovation, a new roof, an addition), the assessed value may not reflect it until the next reassessment cycle. You can also find the sale price your home last sold for in the same public records, which gives you a real data point, though it may be years old.
Online estimate tools and how accurate they are
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com, and similar sites offer free estimates called "Zestimates" (Zillow), "Redfin Estimates," or "Home Values." These update monthly and are based on public records, recent sales of comparable homes, and the site's own algorithms. They are convenient and free, but they are estimates, not appraisals, and their accuracy depends on how much recent sales data exists near you.
In neighborhoods with many recent sales, these tools are often within 5 to 10 percent of actual value. In rural areas, neighborhoods with few recent sales, or homes with unusual features, the estimate can be off by 15 to 20 percent or more. The tools also cannot account for condition—a home in poor repair will show a higher estimate than it would actually sell for. Use these as a starting point, not a final answer.
Comparative market analysis from a real estate agent
A real estate agent can prepare a comparative market analysis (CMA) at no cost to you. The agent pulls recent sales of homes similar to yours in your area—usually homes sold in the last three to six months—and adjusts for differences in size, condition, and location. A CMA is more detailed than an online estimate because it is based on actual closed sales and human judgment, not an algorithm.
The catch is that an agent's goal is to list your home for sale, so there is an incentive to estimate high. If you ask three agents for a CMA, you may get three different numbers. A CMA is useful as one data point, but do not treat it as unbiased. If you are seriously considering selling, get CMAs from at least two agents and average them.
How to do your own comparison using public records
You can gather your own data by looking at recent sales of homes similar to yours. Start with your county assessor's website or a site like Zillow or Redfin and search for homes that sold in your neighborhood in the last three to six months. Filter for homes of similar size, age, and condition. Note the sale price of each, then adjust mentally for differences—a home with an updated kitchen might be worth 5 to 10 percent more; one needing a roof might be worth 10 to 15 percent less.
This method works best if your neighborhood has had several recent sales and homes are fairly similar to each other. It is less reliable in areas where homes vary widely or sales are infrequent. The advantage is that you are looking at actual prices paid, not estimates. The disadvantage is that you cannot see inside the homes that sold, so you may miss important condition differences.
When you need a professional appraisal
If you are refinancing a mortgage, your lender will order an appraisal. If you are selling and want to price your home, an appraisal is not necessary—a CMA from an agent is standard. If you are challenging your property tax assessment, you may need an appraisal to support your case; check your county assessor's office for the process and deadlines, which vary by state.
To hire an appraiser, ask your lender for a referral (if they are ordering it), or search for a state-licensed appraiser in your area. The appraiser will schedule a visit, inspect your home inside and out, measure square footage, note condition and upgrades, and compare your home to recent sales. The appraisal report typically arrives within one to two weeks and includes the appraiser's final value estimate and the reasoning behind it.
Why your home's value matters for different decisions
If you are refinancing, your lender uses the appraisal to decide how much they will lend and at what rate. If the appraisal comes in lower than the purchase price or your current mortgage balance, you may not be able to refinance or may have to pay a higher rate. If you are selling, an overpriced home sits on the market longer; an underpriced home costs you money. If you are challenging your property tax assessment, a lower assessed value directly lowers your annual tax bill.
For personal net worth calculations or deciding whether to invest in a renovation, a rough estimate is usually enough. For any decision involving a lender, a court, or a large sum of money, use a professional appraisal or at minimum a CMA from a real estate agent.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I check what my house is worth?
If you are not planning to sell or refinance, checking once a year is reasonable. Online estimates update monthly, so you can watch trends. If you are actively considering a sale or refinance, check every few months as the market changes, especially in areas with rapid price swings.
Can I use an online estimate to refinance my home?
No. Lenders require a professional appraisal ordered through them. An online estimate is not accepted for any lending decision. If an online estimate is much lower than you expected, it may signal that an appraisal will also come in low, which could affect your refinance terms.
What if the appraisal is lower than I expected?
If you are refinancing, you can ask the lender whether you can challenge the appraisal or order a second one, though this costs extra. If you are selling, a low appraisal is a signal to adjust your asking price. You cannot force an appraiser to change their estimate, but you can provide documentation of recent upgrades or comparable sales they may have missed.
Do I need to pay for an appraisal if I am selling my home?
No. The buyer's lender will order and pay for an appraisal as part of their mortgage process. You do not need your own appraisal to sell, though a CMA from a real estate agent helps you price the home competitively.
Why do different sources give me different values for my home?
Each method uses different data and assumptions. Online tools use algorithms; assessors use tax-focused methods; agents use recent comparable sales; appraisers use inspection plus comparables. All are estimates except the assessed value, which is official for tax purposes only. Variation of 5 to 15 percent between sources is normal.