What is a Zestimate? Zillow's Zestimate Accuracy (2023)

What changes are in the latest Zestimate?

The latest Zestimate model is our most accurate Zestimate yet. It’s based on a neural network model and uses even more historical data to produce off-market home valuations. This means the Zestimate is more responsive to market trends & seasonality that may affect a home’s market value. We also reduced overall errors and processing time in the Zestimate.

My Zestimate seems too low or too high. What gives?

I just listed my home for sale. Why did my Zestimate change?

When a home goes on the market, new data can be incorporated into the Zestimate algorithm. In the simplest terms, the Zestimate for on-market homes includes listing data that provides valuable signals about the home’s eventual sale price. This data isn’t available for off-market homes.

My home is on the market. Why is the Zestimate so far off?

Properties that have been listed for a full year transition to off-market valuations because they have been listed longer than normal for that local market. This can result in a large difference between the list price and the Zestimate.

I just changed my home facts. When will my Zestimate update?

Updates to your home facts are factored into the Zestimate. However, if the updates are not significant enough to affect the home’s value (eg: paint colors), your Zestimate may not change. Zestimates for all homes update multiple times per week, but on rare occasions this schedule is interrupted by algorithmic changes or new analytical features.

How are changes to my home facts (like an additional bedroom or bathroom) valued?

The Zestimate is based on complex and proprietary algorithms that can incorporate millions of data points. The algorithms determine the approximate added value that an additional bedroom or bathroom contributes, though the amount of the change depends on many factors, including local market trends, location and other home facts.

Is the Zestimate an appraisal?

Why do I see home values for the past?

We generate historical Zestimates for most homes if we have sufficient data to do so.

Do you ever change historical Zestimates?

Does the Zestimate algorithm ever change?

Yes — Zillow’s team of researchers and engineers work every day to make the Zestimate more accurate. Since Zillow’s founding in 2006, we have deployed multiple major Zestimate algorithm updates and other incremental improvements are consistently released between major upgrades.

How often are Zestimates for homes updated?

We refresh Zestimates for all homes multiple times per week, but on rare occasions this schedule is interrupted by algorithmic changes or new analytical features.

Are foreclosure sales included in the Zestimate algorithm?

No. The Zestimate is intended to provide an estimate of the price that a home would fetch if sold for its full value, where the sale isn’t for partial ownership of the property or between family members. Our extensive analysis of foreclosure resale transactions supports the conclusion that these sales are generally made at substantial discounts compared to non-foreclosure sales. For this reason, the Zestimate does not incorporate data about these sales.

Who calculates the Zestimate? Can someone tamper with my home’s Zestimate?

The Zestimate is an automated valuation model calculated by a software process. It’s not possible to manually alter the Zestimate for a specific property.

Can the Zestimate be updated?

Does Zillow delete Zestimates? Can I have my Zestimate reviewed if I believe there are errors?

I don’t know of any homes that have sold recently in my area. How are you calculating my Zestimate?

I’m trying to sell my home and I think my Zestimate should be higher.

The Zestimate was created to give customers more information about homes and the housing market. It is intended to provide user-friendly data to promote transparent real estate markets and allow people to make more informed decisions — it should not be used to drive up the price of a home. Zestimates are designed to track the market, not drive it.

Can I use the Zestimate to get a loan?

No. The Zestimate is an automated value model and not an appraisal. Most lending professionals and institutions will only use professional appraisals when making loan-related decisions.

I have two Zestimates for my home. How do I fix this?

If you see two Zestimates for the same property, please let us know by visiting the Zillow Help Center and selecting Submit a request. You may see more than one Zestimate for your address if you are a homeowner with multiple parcels of land. Zillow matches the parcels on record with the county. If you officially combine parcels, the county will send us updated information.

What’s the Estimated Sale Range?

While the Zestimate is the estimated market value for an individual home, the Estimated Sale Range describes the range in which a sale price is predicted to fall, including low and high estimated values. For example, a Zestimate may be $260,503, while the Estimated Sale Range is $226,638 to $307,394. This range can vary for different homes and regions. A wider range generally indicates a more uncertain Zestimate, which might be the result of unique home factors or less data available for the region or that particular home. It’s important to consider the size of the Estimated Sale Range because it offers important context about the Zestimate’s anticipated accuracy.

How can real estate professionals work with the Zestimate?