The Towson Zillow Zestimate obsession can be a curse.

And of course, it isn’t just people living in Towson who have this obsession.

I just met with a potential client this past week, and I pointed out how their Zillow Zestimate didn’t seem to reflect the value of their home very well. It is interesting, because they told me when they had looked for homes in another state, they believed the Zestimates to be accurate. Then, once confronted with the Zestimate of the home they are considering selling, it really demonstrated how inaccurate they really can be. (I see the Zestimate to be at minimum 13% off a potential sales price – and that is being generous to the Zestimate, as that would be more than a $45,000 difference.)

I have written multiple times about how Towson Zillow Zestimates are not always accurate.

Zillow Zestimates Still Inaccurate

Zillow Zestimates May Be Inaccurate Again and Again in Baltimore

Zillow Zestimate for Towson Real Estate May Be Misleading

Misleading Towson Zillow Zestimates Explained Further

Incorrect Towson Zillow Zestimates Strike Again

Baltimore Zillow Zestimates Still Off

Towson Zillow Zestimates Incorrect and Problematic (I have links to five other posts in this one.)

A New Low for Incorrect Zillow Zestimates (This one is fun!)

Currently on Zillow’s page about “how accurate is the Zestimate,” (see screenshot of the page below) which was last updated April 27, 2023 (so quite some time ago at this point,) for the Baltimore Metro area, Zillow’s Zestimates in Baltimore are within 5% of a final sale price on an off-market house 41.54% of the time. The Zestimate is within 10% of a final sale price in Baltimore 63.70%. It is within 20% of a sales price 81.98%.

Let’s review those stats using a $500,000 final sale price on a house. A Baltimore Zillow Zestimate is only within 20% of a final sale price 81.98% of the time. Zillow Zestimates are within $81,000 of a $500,000 sale price only 81.98% of the time. That could mean a house in the Baltimore area, that sold for $500,000 could have a Zestimate of $409,900 or $581,000 if within that margin. That also means that 18.02% of the time, the Zestimate would be more than $81,000 off on that home. Reiterating the above, it is within 10% of a sales price only 63.70% of the time and within 5% of a sales price 41.54% of the time. That is a huge discrepancy from actual sales price value and Zestimate “value.”

To understand a realistic value of your Towson home, please contact me. I can do an in-depth analysis of the home and area, taking into account the condition of the home, and its’ location within a community and help you prepare to sell your home with me.