"Zestimate Can Be Off By As Much As 20%"

Is Zillow Accurate or Even Relevant? | Margaret Jackson, Keller Williams


How accurate is a Zillow Zestimate for my home value? 


It was a popular online real estate marketplace that used an algorithm to "zestimate" home values and rental estimates for more homes across the United States. Zillow used a proprietary algorithm to analyze the data from public sources, such as property records and MLS listings, to determine an estimated value of a home.


However, it's important to note that these estimates can be inaccurate, and by their own data were as much as 20% off on accuracy either too high or too low


(So on a home that Zillow estimated a value of 400,000, the ACTUAL value would be 80,000 more or less than- that-that's a HUGE RANGE).


Watch this short video for things to consider with online auto valuation tools...

NY Times: "Never heard of a tax assessor relying on Zestimate"

June 14, 2026
Can I Trust the ‘Zestimate’ for My Home on Zillow? | New York Times Real Estate Q&A Pretty remarkable statement in the middle of this short article: A Sotheby's agent is quoted as saying, "He has never heard of a tax assessor relying on a Zestimate." Don't rely on algorithmic valuations for your property's value. These estimates are interesting, but anything but the final word. Read the paywalled article on NYTimes.com >
3 reasons online home value estimates fail

"Discover the 3 reasons online home value estimates fail"

April 13, 2026
Why Your Zillow Estimate is Wrong | What Your Home is Actually Worth | Pauly Campanaro Discover the 3 reasons online home value estimates fail: they can't account for condition (your $40K kitchen remodel), they lag behind the market (using 60-90 day old data), and they don't know your competition (what's hitting the market this week). Learn why pricing right matters: homes priced correctly sell 19 days faster and for 3.8% more ($15K+ on a $400K home). Excerpted from this video posted by Pauly Campanaro:
Screenshot of a Twitter post by Ryan Lundquist, discussing a property's Zestimate history and price changes.

"Zestimate at $349K despite comps being above $600K"

September 15, 2023
@SacAppraiser | Ryan Lundquist Zestimate history. This property in Roseville listed at $349K, and the Zestimate matched the list price at $349K despite comps being above $600K. After 11 days the price went to $699K (sold $638K). Today's Zestimate shows no history of $349K. Maybe a brief Zestimate gets erased?
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