Updated November 2026. A neutral side-by-side of the three big free home value estimates, realtor.com, Zillow and Redfin, read on November 1, 2026.
Realtor.com, Zillow and Redfin each give a free home value estimate by address, but they build it differently. As of November 1, 2026, Redfin publishes a median error of 1.92% for homes for sale and 7.57% for off-market homes, Zillow publishes 7.21% off-market, and realtor.com shows estimates from three outside valuation providers instead of one number.
Want one figure for your own address, checked against nearby sales? Get a free home value estimate from Beycome, then use this page to read the others.
Jump to: 🏠 Realtor.com · 📊 Zillow · 📈 Redfin · 🔎 Side by side · ⚖️ Why they differ · ❓ FAQ
Key takeaways
- Realtor.com shows values from three independent providers, so you see a spread, not one answer.
- Zillow’s off-market median error was 7.21% at its October 28, 2026 refresh.
- Redfin reports 1.92% for listed homes and 7.57% off-market.
- Half of all estimates miss by more than the median, so treat any of them as a range.
- For a sale, recent sold homes near you beat all three.
Most people type their address into two or three of these sites in one evening. Then they see three different numbers and wonder which one is “right”. None of them is, exactly. Each is a model’s guess, and each model sees slightly different data. Here’s how each one works, where it’s strong, and what to do with the gap between them.
How does the realtor.com home value estimate work?
Realtor.com doesn’t run a single house-brand number. Its own advice page says its estimator shows valuations from three different independent providers (realtor.com, “What is my home worth?”, September 23, 2025). Those providers sell automated valuation models, or AVMs, to lenders, which is why their numbers can sit lower or higher than a portal’s.
The upside: you see the spread. If the three values sit within $10,000 of each other, the data on your home is probably solid. If they’re $60,000 apart, the models are guessing. The downside: realtor.com doesn’t post one national median error on that page, so you can’t benchmark it the way you can with Zillow or Redfin. We tried to open its estimate pages on November 1, 2026; they block automated reading, so we rely on its published advice article.
Searching “realtor.com home value by address free”? It is free. You enter the address, and you can claim the home to track it over time.
How does the Zestimate work, and how far off is it?
Zillow’s Zestimate comes from Zillow’s own model. Its Zestimate page says off-market values lean on tax assessments, prior sales and other public records, while listed homes also use the list price and recent market activity. At its October 28, 2026 refresh, Zillow showed a 7.21% national median error for off-market homes. The on-market figure read “NA” that day.
Zillow moved to a neural network model in June 2021 (Zillow press release). You can edit your home’s facts on Zillow, and it can move the number. Add the remodel, the extra bath and the finished basement.
For a deeper look at the Zestimate alone, read our page on which estimator is most accurate.
How does the Redfin Estimate work?
Redfin is a brokerage with direct access to many MLSs, and it says its estimate uses that MLS data on recent sales. Its Redfin Estimate page reported, on November 1, 2026, a median error of 1.92% for homes for sale and 7.57% for off-market homes. It updates daily for listed homes and weekly for the rest.
That on-market number looks great, and it is. But notice why: once a home is listed, the model knows the asking price. Before you list, you’re in the 7.57% world, like everyone else.
Realtor.com vs Zillow vs Redfin: side by side
| Estimate | Who builds the number | Published median error | Updates | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Realtor.com | Three outside valuation providers | Not posted on its advice page | Not stated on that page | Seeing a spread from lender-style models |
| Zillow Zestimate | Zillow’s neural model | 7.21% off-market; on-market shown as NA (Oct 28, 2026) | Refreshed regularly | Tracking value; editing home facts |
| Redfin Estimate | Redfin’s model, MLS-fed | 1.92% for sale, 7.57% off-market | Daily for sale, weekly off-market | Homes in areas Redfin covers well |
| Beycome estimate | Beycome tool plus nearby sales | Not published | On request | A starting range before you list |
What does 7% mean in dollars? The U.S. median existing-home price was $417,500 in September 2026, per the National Association of Realtors. A 7.21% miss on that home is about $30,100, either way.
Why do realtor.com, Zillow and Redfin give different values?
Different inputs, different math. One model may know about a sale on your street from last week; another may still be using last spring’s sales. One may read your county record that says three bedrooms; you know there are four. None of them has walked through your kitchen.
Big gaps show up most for unusual homes: rural lots, waterfront, a full renovation the county never recorded, or a street where nothing sold in a year. Townhomes in a big subdivision, with plenty of near-identical sales, usually line up well.
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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 →Prices are moving slowly right now, which helps the models. The Federal Housing Finance Agency reported U.S. house prices up 2.4% from August 2025 to August 2026, and Freddie Mac had the 30-year fixed rate at 7.24% on October 29, 2026. Rates set what buyers can afford, and models catch that change only after it shows up in sales.
Which home value estimate should you trust for a sale?
Trust the spread, then check it by hand. Here’s what we’d do:
- Write down all of them. Realtor.com’s three, Zillow’s and Redfin’s. Note the low and the high.
- Fix your home’s facts where the site allows it. Wrong square footage is the most common reason for a bad number.
- Pull 4 to 6 sold homes from the last three to six months, close by and similar. Our comparative market analysis guide shows how.
- Adjust for condition. A new roof is worth something. Original windows cost something.
- Price for search filters. $399,000 shows up in “under $400K” searches; $402,000 doesn’t.
If you’ll need a loan-grade number, that’s an appraisal, which is a different thing. Our guide on free home appraisals vs online estimates explains when you need one. And before you pick a list price, see how to read your home’s current market value and run the net proceeds math.
Does listing your home change the estimates?
Yes, and fast. As soon as your listing hits the MLS, the portals pull the list price, photos and description. That’s why on-market errors run so much lower. It also means a listing priced too high can drag the estimate up for a while, then down again when buyers don’t bite. Price it from sold homes, and the estimates tend to follow.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has plain-English pages on appraisals and loans if a buyer’s lender orders a valuation later.
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).
Buying instead? The Beycome buyer program has no upfront fee and can credit part of the buyer-agent commission back to you at closing, on homes listed by other agents. Rules on buyer credits vary by state.
Frequently asked questions
How much is my house worth on realtor.com?
Enter your address on realtor.com to see its estimates from three outside providers. Treat the low and high as a range, then check it against recent nearby sales.
Is the realtor.com home value estimator free?
Yes. Looking up a home value by address costs nothing. Some features, like tracking a claimed home, may ask you to sign in.
Which is more accurate, Zillow, Redfin or realtor.com?
Zillow and Redfin publish similar off-market error rates; realtor.com doesn’t post one on its advice page. Accuracy depends more on how much sales data exists near your home than on the site.
Why are the realtor.com estimates different from my Zestimate?
They come from different models with different data. A wide gap usually means few recent comparable sales or wrong home details somewhere.
Can I change my home value on realtor.com?
You can update home facts on many portals, but third-party estimates follow public records and sales. Fix your county record if it’s wrong.
Is an online estimate the same as an appraisal?
No. An appraisal is a licensed appraiser’s opinion of value, usually ordered by the buyer’s lender. An online estimate is a model’s guess.
Should I list my home at the online estimate?
Use it as a starting point. Set the price from recent sold homes, your home’s condition and what’s for sale near you.
Estimator figures were read on November 1, 2026 from each company’s own page: Zillow (data refreshed October 28, 2026), Redfin Estimate page, and realtor.com’s advice article of September 23, 2025. Beycome is not affiliated with realtor.com, Zillow or Redfin, and this comparison is not an endorsement. Median price: NAR, September 2026. Prices: FHFA HPI release of October 27, 2026. Rates: Freddie Mac PMMS, October 29, 2026. Buyer credit: Beycome keeps 1% of the price (minimum $1,499) and credits the rest of any buyer-agent commission at closing, with lender approval; not on FSBO homes or homes listed by Beycome sellers; state rules vary.
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
- Zillow, What is a Zestimate? (accuracy data), read November 1, 2026.
- Redfin, About the Redfin Estimate, read November 1, 2026.
- Realtor.com, What is my home worth?, September 23, 2025.
- NAR, Existing-Home Sales Increased 1.5% in September, read November 1, 2026.
- FHFA, House Price Index up 0.3 percent in July and FHFA, House Price Index up 0.3 percent in August, read November 1, 2026.
- Freddie Mac, Primary Mortgage Market Survey, read November 1, 2026.
- Beycome, listing package features, November 2026.
Disclosure & Disclaimer
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