Four different numbers called home value
An online estimate, an agent's comparative market analysis, a certified appraisal and a cash purchase offer all answer a different question. Knowing which one you are holding is most of the decision.
The four compared
| Question | Automated estimate | Agent CMA | Certified appraisal | Cash purchase offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who makes it | An algorithm on a website | A licensed real estate agent | A state-licensed appraiser | A buyer, in writing |
| Does anyone see the house | No | Usually, or from photos | Yes, an inspection of the property | Here, yes: an in-person walkthrough |
| What it is based on | Public records and nearby sales, averaged | Recent comparable sales, adjusted by the agent | A standardized method and the appraiser's comparables | The house as it sits, the buyer's costs and the comparable sales |
| What it is for | A rough starting point | Setting a list price | Lenders, courts, estates, taxes | Selling now, as-is |
| Is it an offer to buy | No | No | No | Yes, subject to title and a purchase agreement |
Which one you need
Deciding whether to sell, and how: you need what the house would net on each path, not a single estimate. That is the two-number consultation: an as-is cash offer and an open-market read on the same house, each with the comps, the deductions and the net. How both are built.
A court, an estate, a trust or a tax filing needs a certified appraisal, and a buyer's lender orders its own. This site never performs one. How an appraisal differs from the other three numbers is explained by a certified appraiser at Mr. Cali Appraisals, a separate appraisal practice that shares the Mr. Cali name.
Any value the two-number report shows is a preliminary estimate from the walkthrough and the comparable sales, not an appraisal.
Get both numbers on your house
The property and how to reach you. The walkthrough call collects the rest.