"Had two appraisals done within six months once—came back with a 20k difference. Same house, same condition, different person."
Yep, been there. Makes you wonder how much of appraisal is science vs. art (or mood!). Zillow's hit or miss, but at least it's free and quick for ballpark numbers. Always cross-check though...
"Makes you wonder how much of appraisal is science vs. art (or mood!)."
Haha, exactly my thoughts. Had an appraisal once where the guy barely glanced around, scribbled some notes, and left in under 15 minutes. Another time, the appraiser spent nearly an hour measuring every corner and asking detailed questions about upgrades. Guess which one came back higher? Yep, the quick one... go figure. Zillow's handy for a rough idea, but nothing beats a good old-fashioned reality check from recent neighborhood sales.
"Zillow's handy for a rough idea, but nothing beats a good old-fashioned reality check from recent neighborhood sales."
Yeah, totally agree with this. Zillow's algorithm is decent for ballparking, but it's still just an algorithm. Had one appraisal come in way under Zillow's estimate because the appraiser factored in some foreclosures nearby that Zillow ignored. Always best to pull up recent comps yourself and get a feel for what's actually moving in your area... keeps expectations realistic.
Yeah, Zillow can definitely be hit or miss sometimes. Had a client recently who was pretty surprised when we pulled actual comps—Zillow had their place valued way higher because it didn't factor in some recent lower-priced sales nearby. Doing your own quick comp check isn't too hard either... just hop onto your county's property records site or even chat with a local agent. Keeps things grounded and saves headaches later on.
"Doing your own quick comp check isn't too hard either... just hop onto your county's property records site or even chat with a local agent."
Good advice, but I'm wondering—do you think relying on county records alone is enough when considering something like a home equity loan? I've seen some discrepancies there, too... makes me cautious.
