Zillow is a billion-dollar Internet marketer that provides computerized estimates that purport to calculate the market value of each home in the United States. Zillow tries to reach this goal this feat by using a sophisticated program which compares factors which affect real estate values, but here's a story I have heard from real estate 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 research the Internet for the phrase "Can I trust Zillow?" or "Can I trust Z-Estimates" you'll find countless testimonials by upset homeowners and skeptical property purchasers who have discovered the hard way just out inaccurate Zillow's pricing can be. Many people in Crystal_springs_knolls claim that Zillow's valuations have a margin of error of about 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 ideal price. If the margin of error is an impressive 5% that means that a z-estimate is only within $25,000 of the asking price.

Yet Zillow (for now) remains popular with some real estate shoppers. Property owners and real estate shoppers should know that there is not a single neighborhood in Crystal_springs_knolls where either a bank or tax collector uses Internet for tax assessment or appraisals. Our expert advice is to take "valuations" from any online site at arm’s length. Putting too much reliance into a computer logarithm can cause a lot of confusion.

Get in touch with one of our local experts today for a free comparative market analysis of your property's value. We promise that a computer won't set the sales value. Instead, your friendly neighborhood Nesbitt Realty real estate agent will take into account the complicated variables which make up your real estate's ideal price.