If you go online and Google “how to get the value of my home” you will immediately come across instant home seller programs that advertise to do the work for you. “Open house” and “Zillow Instant Offers” are just a few of the many options that allow sellers to bypass the role of the realtor and obtain quick offers on their home direct from the host site within 48 hours.

On the surface, these types of programs seem great for those looking to get a quick offer on their home without having to involve the realtor. But as a realtor who has been a part of the industry for a while, I’d like to warn home sellers to be cautious, as this could end up creating more stress over time.

When you enter your home to receive a home valuation, most instant offer programs will offer a value that is way below the property’s real worth.

Unfortunately, these types of programs are often used by the uninformed seller who thinks it is going to cost too much to do the repairs/inspection plus the 6% cost of having an agent help them with the process. But at the end of the day, if they look at the numbers, it will probably end up costing them 14–18% as they got offered less money than they would have been offered if they went with the traditional process.

When a realtor takes charge to ensure the seller gets the best value on their home, he or she will do a competitive market analysis to see what other properties are valued at in your neighborhood. The agent will also take the time to walk you through how the economy might be affecting the value of your home and what you could improve to increase its value.

My best advice to you — consult a realtor to get the value of your home. While getting a quick value with the click of the button sounds easier, having the patience to schedule a meeting with a realtor to talk about your home’s worth will save you more money in the long run. At the end of the day, computers are a great resource to get an estimate, but when it comes to the complexities of valuing your home, you will want a realtor to crunch the numbers and negotiate the results.

Are you interested in learning the value of your home? Call me right now and I can help today!