Updated November 2026. Six ways to find out what your home is worth, from a five-minute online check to a licensed appraisal, and how each number is calculated.
To find out what your home is worth, start with two or three free online estimates, then check them against at least three nearby homes that sold in the last 12 months, the same minimum Fannie Mae asks appraisers to use. As of November 2026, that sold-homes check matters: the U.S. median sale price rose just 1.3% in a year.
Short on time? The Beycome home value tool gives you a free starting range for your address in a couple of minutes. Then come back here to test it.
Jump to: 🚶 6 steps · 📋 Methods compared · 🧮 How value is calculated · 📏 Price per square foot · ⚠️ Mistakes · ❓ FAQ
Key takeaways
- Your tax assessed value is not your market value; don’t price from it.
- Online estimates are a range, not an answer.
- Recent sold homes close to yours are the strongest evidence you can get for free.
- Appraisers build value mostly from comparable sales, adjusted for differences.
- Only a licensed appraisal works for a loan.
You can do most of this yourself, at the kitchen table, in an evening. The order matters. Each step narrows the range left by the one before.
How can I find out what my home is worth? 6 steps
1. Look up your county record
Search your county property appraiser or assessor site by address. Check the basics first: square footage, bedrooms, bathrooms, lot size, year built. Wrong facts here feed every online estimate. The assessed value on that page is for taxes. In many states it trails the market by a lot, so use it only as a sanity check.
2. Get two or three online estimates
Run your address through a few estimators. Zillow’s Zestimate page showed a 7.21% national median error for off-market homes on October 28, 2026, so expect a spread. Write down the low and the high. Our comparison of realtor.com, Zillow and Redfin estimates explains why they disagree.
3. Find three to six sold homes like yours
Look for homes that closed recently, close by, with similar size, age and layout. Fannie Mae’s Selling Guide asks appraisers for at least three closed comparables, ideally sold within the last 12 months (B4-1.3-08, Comparable Sales). Same street beats same ZIP code.
4. Adjust for the differences
Your home has a pool and the comp doesn’t? Add something. The comp has a new roof and yours is 22 years old? Take something off. Keep adjustments modest and write them down.
5. Check what’s for sale right now
Active listings are your competition. Pending sales show what buyers are agreeing to this month. If three similar homes have sat for 60 days at $450,000, that tells you something.
6. Get a CMA or an appraisal if the stakes are high
A comparative market analysis, done by an agent or by you, pulls it together. A licensed appraisal is the only number a lender will use. Our CMA guide walks through the full method.
Ways to check your home’s value, compared
| Method | Time | Cost | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|---|
| County assessor record | 5 minutes | Free | Your home’s recorded facts; a tax value |
| Online estimates | 10 minutes | Free | A rough range from models |
| Your own sold-homes check | 1 to 2 hours | Free | What buyers actually paid nearby |
| CMA from an agent | A few days | Usually free | A price range with adjustments |
| Licensed appraisal | About a week or more | Paid | A formal opinion of value a lender accepts |
If you only need a number for a free appraisal question, our guide on free home appraisals and what they cost covers it.
How is home value calculated?
Appraisers use up to three approaches, then weigh them.
- Sales comparison. Start with recent sales of similar homes and adjust for differences. For most single-family homes, this carries the most weight.
- Cost. What it would cost to build the home today, minus wear, plus the land. Useful for new or unusual homes.
- Income. What the property earns as a rental. Used for rentals and small multifamily.
Online models mostly copy the first approach at scale, without seeing inside your home. That’s why a renovated kitchen or a damp basement can throw them off.
The lender’s appraisal gets shared with the buyer. The CFPB says borrowers get a free copy before closing, and if it comes in low, its page on appraisals below the sale price explains the usual next step: renegotiate.
Sell smarter
List your home on the MLS from $99
A flat fee instead of a percentage, and $0 to Beycome at closing. You stay in control of your sale.
Sell your home →Buy smarter
Get up to 2% back at closing
On homes listed by other agents, Beycome credits you up to 2% of the price at closing (1% kept, $1,499 minimum; not on FSBO homes or homes listed by Beycome sellers).
Buy a home →Can you use price per square foot to check your home’s value?
As a quick filter, yes. Divide each comp’s sale price by its finished square feet, take the middle, and multiply by your square footage. If comps sold at $212, $226 and $231 per square foot, the middle is $226; a 1,900 square foot home lands near $429,400.
Then adjust. Price per square foot breaks down when homes differ in lot size, condition or layout, and it runs higher for small homes. Use it to spot outliers, not to set the final price.
What does the market say about home values right now?
The National Association of Realtors reported a September 2026 median existing-home price of $417,500, up 1.3% from a year earlier, with a 4.8-month supply. The FHFA House Price Index rose 2.4% from August 2025 to August 2026. Slow gains mean a sale from two years ago is a weaker guide than it looks. Mortgage rates near 7% also cap what buyers can pay; rate tables on sites like Bankrate show what a payment looks like at each price.
Regional medians differ a lot: $523,600 in the Northeast, $329,600 in the Midwest, $361,000 in the South and $613,600 in the West (NAR, September 2026). National numbers set the mood; your street sets the price.
Common mistakes when you check your home’s value
- Using the tax assessed value as the price.
- Picking only the highest sale on the street as your comp.
- Adding the full cost of upgrades; buyers rarely pay back every dollar.
- Ignoring condition you’ve stopped noticing.
- Forgetting the costs of selling when you plan your next move.
On that last point, run the net proceeds math early. If you’ve owned the home a long time, the IRS rules on gain matter too; Publication 523 covers the home sale exclusion and how to figure your basis. Once you have a range, our guide on your home’s current market value shows how to turn it into an asking price, and setting the right list price covers pricing strategy.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau also has free guides for buyers and owners on appraisals, loans and closing.
When you know your number and want to sell, Beycome puts your home on the major home search sites and the MLS. Basic starts from $99 in most states (see your state page on flat fee MLS), with $0 due to Beycome at closing, and you change the price yourself from the dashboard whenever you want. Prefer an expert working with you from pricing to closing? Look at Concierge (see current price): you keep every decision. Beycome lists in 17 states and DC and has helped 22,000+ homeowners save over $225 million (Beycome internal data, October 2026).
Frequently asked questions
How can I find out the value of my home for free?
Check your county record, run two or three online estimates, then compare them with recent sales of similar homes near you. All of it is free.
How do I find the market value of my home?
Look at what similar nearby homes sold for in the last few months and adjust for differences in size, condition and features.
Is my tax assessed value the same as market value?
Usually not. Assessed value is set for property taxes and often lags the market.
How many comparable sales do I need?
At least three closed sales. Fannie Mae asks appraisers for that minimum, ideally from the past year.
How do I check home value by address?
Enter the address in an online estimator or your county property search. Then confirm the home’s facts and compare nearby sales.
Do I need an appraisal to sell my house?
No. Sellers usually price from sold homes. The buyer’s lender orders the appraisal after you accept an offer.
Comparable-sales rules: Fannie Mae Selling Guide B4-1.3-08, read November 1, 2026; other loan programs have their own rules. Market data: NAR existing-home sales for September 2026; FHFA HPI release of October 27, 2026 (August data). Zestimate accuracy: Zillow, refreshed October 28, 2026. The price-per-square-foot figures are an illustration, not data for any market.
Beycome prices change over time: see the state page or /concierge for the current price. “$0 at closing” means no Beycome fee at closing; other closing costs, taxes and title fees still apply. Beycome doesn’t list homes in New York or New Jersey yet. General information, not appraisal, tax or financial advice.
Sources
- Fannie Mae Selling Guide, B4-1.3-08 Comparable Sales, read November 1, 2026.
- NAR, Existing-Home Sales Increased 1.5% in September, read November 1, 2026.
- FHFA, House Price Index, read November 1, 2026.
- Zillow, What is a Zestimate?, read November 1, 2026.
- CFPB, Do I have the right to receive a copy of my home appraisal?, read November 1, 2026.
- CFPB, My appraisal is less than the sale price, read November 1, 2026.
- IRS, Publication 523, Selling Your Home, read November 1, 2026.
Disclosure & Disclaimer
Beycome provides real estate services through affiliated licensed brokerages and has a commercial interest in the services and business models discussed on this blog. Content reflects Beycome’s perspective and may promote our services; it should not be treated as independent or neutral reporting.
Articles are provided for general informational and educational purposes only, not as financial, tax, legal, or investment advice or a recommendation for your particular situation. Reading this blog does not create a brokerage, advisory, or other professional relationship.
Information, opinions, pricing, service descriptions, and comparisons reflect the sources and information available when an article was published or last updated and may change. Although we aim for accuracy, we do not guarantee that all content is complete, current, or applicable to your circumstances. Laws, market conditions, and service availability vary by location. Examples and estimated savings are illustrative, depend on stated assumptions, and do not guarantee individual results.
Verify relevant information directly and consult qualified professionals before making decisions. Beycome services are subject to applicable agreements, eligibility requirements, and state-specific terms.
