Let’s be real — Zillow is the first place most homeowners turn to when they’re looking to gauge the current value of their home. With one click, you can pull up your Zestimate and feel confident that you’ve got a good, solid number to work with. But if you’re selling your home, that number might be hurting you more than helping.

Here’s why: Zillow uses a computer program to calculate a Zestimate, which uses details such as your home’s square footage and recent home sales in your area to spit out an approximate price for your home. However, your home is not just a data point. It’s used, renovated, tended to (or not), and part of a local market that shifts week by week. The reality? Zillow doesn’t walk through your house. We do.

At Wentworth Real Estate Group, we frequently see homeowners relying on Zestimates, which can often be tens of thousands of dollars off the actual value. At other times, they’re too high, leaving you terrified you’ll walk away with less than you deserve. Other times, they’re way too high, which gives you false hope and perpetuates an excess of teetering-on-overpriced listings that sit on the market for months.

So, what does Zillow miss?

Renovations & Upgrades: New kitchen with granite countertops, finished basement, and roof replacement. These are things that don’t necessarily get factored into the Zillow Algorithm.

Neighborhood Trends: When a new school, park, or shopping center goes into your neighborhood, your home will be worth more — but Zillow isn’t going to see that for quite a while.

Home Condition: Two homes could have the same amount of square footage, but if one is beautifully staged and move-in ready, it will command a much higher price.

Market Demand in Real Time: We’re here every day. We know what the interest and offers reveal about whether we’re attracting buyers to a neighborhood or whether we need to lower the price.

Your home is unique. The layout, finishes, size of the lot, views, natural light, and even the scent when prospective buyers walk in — all of these things count. Zillow doesn’t even factor that in.

At Wentworth, we provide tailored valuations of your home, examining current market conditions and real buyer activity in depth. We conduct a walk-through of your home, review comparable sales, and speak with our buyer agents to provide you with a pricing strategy tailored to meet your needs.

In truth, many of our listings sell more quickly and for higher prices than Zillow projected, because pricing it right from the beginning attracts better offers.

Don’t base marketing decisions on an algorithm if you’re even contemplating selling. We want you to have a proper understanding of what your home is worth right now.

Contact us to get a free home valuation. There is no pressure, just real numbers and genuine intel from a team that knows the area inside and out.