Home Valuation

If you’re using a Zillow Zestimate to get an accurate home valuation, you may get a skewed result, which could then affect your home’s listing price. While Zillow has historically provided relatively accurate estimates based on the year the home was built, the number of bedrooms, square footage, and other quantitative data, they’ve recently changed their algorithm. Even when Zillow was fairly accurate, it still provided only an estimate as opposed to a true valuation done by an appraiser or Comparative Market Analysis. Here’s how to get an accurate home valuation and why relying on Zillow or similar sites is usually a bad idea. Outstanding client service, experienced business practices, and ingenious marketing strategies are what make our team the most trusted team in the area.Outstanding client service, experienced business practices, and ingenious marketing strategies is what makes our team the most trusted team in the area.

What is a Home Valuation?

A home valuation is just a fancy way of saying what the value of your home is. They are used during real estate transactions such as buy-sell or refinances to ensure homeowners or buyers are not overborrowing for a property. The home is used for collateral in a mortgage, and if the borrower defaults on his or her loan, the lender will sell the home to recoup the money lent to buy it. If the home was overvalued and they lent too much, they could lose money. The home valuation ensures they will be able to recoup costs should the mortgage not be paid in full.

What is a Zillow Zestimate?

A Zillow Zestimate is an automated home valuation tool and is recommended as a starting point when determining the value of your home. It incorporates user-submitted and public data and takes into account home facts, location, and market conditions. Zestimates are done entirely online, and no representative of Zillow will visit your home to perform an appraisal. Banks and lenders do not use Zillow or similar services to estimate property and instead rely on the expertise of a licensed appraiser. A Zestimate can be off by nearly 5% nearly 40% of the time in some markets, which amounts to around $15,000 on a $300,000 home.

What is the Main Difference Between a Zillow Zestimate and a Valuation Performed by an Agent?

The main difference between the two is that a Zillow Zestimate is simply an algorithm. You punch in data, and a value pops out. There is no actual human involved who views your home, compares it against others on the market, and produces a detailed report. When an agent conducts a valuation, they are actively involved in the process and create a valuation that is personalized and in-depth.

My Testimonials

See why my clients love working with me.

Lauren M.

Look absolutely no further than Tabitha, she is THE BEST in the business! She is so detailed and takes so much care throughout every single step in the process. She represented us as sellers, and we could not be happier, not to...

Peer R.

Tabitha was amazing to work with on my previous transaction. She is responsive, diligent, and a great problem solver. I hope we work on another transaction again soon!

Maggie A.

Tabitha always answered in an extremely timely manner when we had questions, comments, or concerns.

Meagan S.

Tabitha went above and beyond in helping us sell our house! Had amazing advice with what we could do to help the process, has amazing communication and super fast at getting back to you!

Karen S.

Helpful, personable, listens. She is helpful, personable, listens and is really an awesome person. She will help you just like she has helped me and will continue to help me.

Scott D.

Tabitha was wonderful! She was there from start to finish during the whole process. She was very knowledgeable and went above and beyond expectation. I would highly recommend her!

The Sherbacks

When I say we couldn’t have made it through selling our townhouse and buying our new home without Tabitha, I am not exaggerating. The amount of time, energy (and probably tears) that she put into the process for us blew me away...

Shelia & Todd R.

From the very first moment of contact, Tabitha’s communication, knowledge of the region, and the real estate market is far and above our highest expectations. With our prior experiences both professionally and personally with r...

Cory J.

Tabitha is truly a master of her craft. From day 1 she did everything and anything we asked of her. She went above and beyond and made sure that we were taken care of. Tabitha consistently checked in on me and my family through...

Brittany S.

Tabitha went above and beyond to make the sale of my first home seamless and easy. I was very nervous but Tabitha was quick to make me feel at ease and essentially handled everything! I can’t wait to work with her again when I’...

Brett G.

Tabitha was a joy to work with. She helped us sell our home during an international move and went above and beyond to make sure we had everything we needed during the entire process. Tabitha was quick to respond with accurate i...

Steve E.

I can't say enough about the job that Tabitha did for my family. We recently sold our vacation condo, part of our family for 37 years. We created so many great memories there. So, it was pretty bittersweet to move on from it. B...

Meagan S.

Tabitha is absolutely amazing! She was patient, understanding and always there through out the entire process of buying our house. She made sure we were getting everything we wanted/needed in a house and had great communication...

Katherine M.

Tabitha was an amazing real estate agent! I had little hope of selling my home that needed a lot of work for a decent price. Tabitha was undeterred, optimistic and managed to market and sell my house for an amazing price within...

Jeffrey R.

Buying a home from 1,600 miles away can be difficult at best. Thankfully, Tabitha Dalton (Liz Moore & Associates) was our Realtor. Over the course of time, Tabitha was patient, communicative, and always on the ball. Once we fou...

Dan H.

I came to know Tabitha Dalton through my parents. My parents spoke very highly of her.So after the sudden passing of both parents within a short span, I followed my parents lead and reached out to Tabitha. Living out of town an...

Megan M.

Tabitha was such a pleasure to work with. She was prepared and had excellent advice when it came to staging my house and what needed to be done. She took the time to walk me through the process and explain everything in detail ...

Paul S.

My experience with Tabitha Dalton of Liz Moore & Associates was excellent. She was always available during the many steps in selling my home of 51 years. I was particularly grateful for her work with contractors for necessary s...

Jon I.

I had the pleasure of working with Mrs. Dalton, Tabitha, and my family and I cannot recommend her highly enough! From the very beginning, she was incredibly professional, responsive, and attentive to our needs. She took the tim...

Caitlynn B.

We had a positive experience with Tabitha selling our home in Williamsburg. She was always responsive and thorough in her communication. We are especially thankful for that because we moved out of state and she made the process...

How much is your home worth?

Instant property valuation
Expert advice
Sell for more

How is a Valuation Performed?

There are two accurate ways to perform home valuations: with a Comparative Market Analysis and an appraisal. Here is how the two differ:

Comparative Market Analysis.

A Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) is a tool used by real estate agents to value a home. It evaluates similar homes that have recently sold in the same area. Agents find comparable sales and use them to conduct a sales comparison. In most cases, an agent will find three homes that have recently sold and are as similar to and located as close to the home being valued as possible. Each one is then analyzed to pinpoint differences between it and the home being valued. Once these differences are priced out, the price of each comp is adjusted to see what it would cost if it was identical to the home being valued were it to be sold in the current market.
Comparative Market Analysis.

A Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) is a tool used by real estate agents to value a home. It evaluates similar homes that have recently sold in the same area. Agents find comparable sales and use them to conduct a sales comparison. In most cases, an agent will find three homes that have recently sold and are as similar to and located as close to the home being valued as possible. Each one is then analyzed to pinpoint differences between it and the home being valued. Once these differences are priced out, the price of each comp is adjusted to see what it would cost if it was identical to the home being valued were it to be sold in the current market.

Why is a Valuation Important?

Though getting a valuation in order to sell your home is the most common reason to get a home valuation, it’s not the only one. Here are some more situations when a home valuation may be necessary:

Refinancing.

Lenders base the amount of their loans on the value of your property and usually allow you to borrow a maximum of 75% to 96.5% against your property. Knowing what your home is worth allows lenders to calculate your equity in the home. The more equity you have, the better terms you will receive on your refinance.
Home Improvements.

If you’re doing home improvement projects to increase the resale value, you want to make sure you’re not pricing it out of the market. If your home is already priced on the high-end for your neighborhood, making too many improvements could make it more difficult to sell. When you get a valuation, you can see how your home compares with others in the neighborhood and let this guide your home improvement decisions.
Qualifying for Lines of Credit.

If you want to borrow cash against your home, getting a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) could be a good option. To qualify, you must have a certain level of equity in your home. Most lenders require at least 20%. Getting a home valuation will help you determine if you qualify and will be used by the lender to make a decision on your loan.
Planning.

Though it’s not a necessity, simply knowing the value of your home is good information to have. It will help you plan for the future and deal with unforeseen circumstances when you might be in a position that requires extra money or a quick relocation. Knowing how much equity you have in your home and how much you may be able to borrow against it or sell it for will help you respond to any financial curveballs that life throws at you.

Leave a Message

Thank you for your message. I will be in touch with you shortly.

What is a Home Valuation?

What is a Zillow Zestimate?

What is the Main Difference Between a Zillow Zestimate and a Valuation Performed by an Agent?

My Testimonials

Lauren M.

Peer R.

Maggie A.

Meagan S.

Karen S.

Scott D.

The Sherbacks

Shelia & Todd R.

Cory J.

Brittany S.

B

Brett G.

Steve E.

Meagan S.

Katherine M.

Jeffrey R.

Dan H.

Megan M.

Paul S.

Jon I.

Caitlynn B.

GET YOUR INSTANT HOME VALUATION

Get the best price for your home

Reach out for more information

Luxury Presence Home Value

Estimate not available

How much is your home worth?

How is a Valuation Performed?

There are two accurate ways to perform home valuations: with a Comparative Market Analysis and an appraisal. ​​​​​​​Here is how the two differ:

Comparative Market Analysis.

Comparative Market Analysis.

Why is a Valuation Important?

Though getting a valuation in order to sell your home is the most common reason to get a home valuation, it’s not the only one. ​​​​​​​Here are some more situations when a home valuation may be necessary:

Refinancing.

Home Improvements.

Qualifying for Lines of Credit.

Planning.

Contact Us to Learn More.

CONTACT DETAILS

Tabitha Dalton

SUBMIT A MESSAGE

There are two accurate ways to perform home valuations: with a Comparative Market Analysis and an appraisal. Here is how the two differ:

Though getting a valuation in order to sell your home is the most common reason to get a home valuation, it’s not the only one. Here are some more situations when a home valuation may be necessary: