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 Google the Internet for the phrase "Can I trust Zillow?" or "Can I trust Z-Estimates" you'll find countless complaints by upset property owners and leery home shoppers who have discovered the hard way just out inaccurate Zillow's pricing can be. Many people in Catharpin report 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 market value. If the margin of error is an improbable 5% that means that a z-estimate is only within $25,000 of the asking price.

Yet Zillow still remains popular with some people. Real estate sellers and real estate shoppers should understand that there is not a single neighborhood in Catharpin where either a bank or tax collector uses Internet for tax assessment or appraisals. Our expert advice is to take "valuations" from any computer at arm’s length. Putting too much reliance into a computer can cause a great deal of irration.

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