06/06/2026
The New York Times is talking about it, and I’ve been saying it for years — Zestimates can be dangerously misleading. 🏡
Zillow’s algorithm is a starting point, not a verdict. It doesn’t know that your neighbor renovated their kitchen last spring. It doesn’t know your mountain view, your custom finishes, or the fact that your street has more character than any spreadsheet can capture. And here in Western North Carolina, where so many homes are unique, that gap between algorithm and reality can be significant.
Here’s what worries me most as your local Realtor:
📈 An inflated Zestimate can lead sellers to overprice — and an overpriced home sits, loses momentum, and often sells for less than it would have with the right number from the start.
📉 A deflated Zestimate can make a fairly priced home look overpriced to buyers — costing sellers real money at the negotiating table.
The fix? A Comparative Market Analysis. A CMA is grounded in actual recent sales, real local conditions, and professional judgment — not an algorithm working from public records that may be years out of date.
If you’ve been watching your Zestimate and wondering whether it reflects your home’s true value, I’d love to run a complimentary CMA for you. No pressure, no obligation — just accurate, useful information so you can make confident decisions.
Drop a comment, send me a DM, or reach out directly. That’s what I’m here for. 👇

According to a real estate attorney, the estimate “is only as good as the data that is fed into the system.”
