Zillow is a billion-dollar website that "gives" automated estimates that claim to calculate the value of each and every property in the United States. Zillow tries to achieve this this feat by using a fancy logarithm that compares factors which affect home values, but here's a story I have heard from home sellers in Northern Virginia:

Our home was recently appraised for 650K. Zillow estimates the value at 521K. The estimate makes us one of the lowest priced homes in the subdivision. We have all upgrades in our home and it is the largest of the homes that were originally built in this subdivision. It was appraised at 750K before 2009. Our home has a basement. Neighbors do not have basement on one side and you appraised higher. Really? -- James E. - Fort Hunt

If you search the Internet for the phrase "Can I trust Zillow?" or "Can I trust Z-Estimates" you'll discover countless testimonials by upset homeowners and leery home buyers who have discovered the hard way just out inaccurate Zillow's pricing can be. Many people in Virginia Hills claim that Zillow's estimates have a margin of error of around 20%. Even if we assume the margin of error is only 10%, in Northern Virginia that means a "z-estimate" is only within $50,000 of the actual sales value. If the margin of error is an astounding 5% that means that a z-estimate is only within $25,000 of the asking price.

Yet Zillow still remains popular with some real estate shoppers. Home sellers and real estate shoppers should know that there is not a single neighborhood in Virginia Hills where either a bank or tax collector uses Zillow for tax assessment or appraisals. Our expert advice is to take "valuations" from any website with a grain of salt. Putting too much stock into a computer can cause a lot of unnecessary anxiety.

Phone Nesbitt Realty today for a free comparative market analysis of your property's value. We promise that a website won't set the market value. Rather, your friendly neighborhood Nesbitt Realty real estate pro will account for the complicated variables which make up your real estate's value.