The short answer
Your home is worth what a ready buyer will pay today, and the best evidence is closed sales of similar homes nearby within the last three to six months. Adjust those sales for size, condition, and location, then sanity-check against what is currently active and pending. Automated online estimates are a starting point only — they cannot see condition, view, flood zone, or association health.
- Best evidence
- Closed comps
- Comp window
- 3–6 months
- Ignore
- Asking prices alone
- Adjust for
- Condition
01
Start with closed sales, not listings
Anyone can ask any price. Only closed sales prove what buyers paid. Pull three to six sold properties with similar square footage, bedroom count, age, and location, then look at what pending listings suggest about the direction of the market.
02
Make honest adjustments
| Factor | Direction | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Living area | Up or down | Price per square foot within the same style |
| Condition | Often the largest | Updated kitchen and baths command a premium |
| Roof / AC age | Down if aged | Buyers price in replacement and insurance |
| Impact windows | Up | Insurance savings and buyer demand |
| Water or view | Up | Scarcity premium |
| Association dues | Down if high | Reduces buyer purchasing power |
03
Why online estimates miss in South Florida
- They cannot see interior condition or finish level
- Flood zone and elevation differences are flattened
- Association assessments and reserve health are invisible
- Insurance cost, a major buyer input, is not modeled
04
Pressure-test your number
- Would you buy your home at that price against the comps?
- Does the price per square foot fit the closed range?
- Are similar homes selling in weeks or sitting for months?
- Would an appraiser find support at that figure?
A number you can defend beats a number you like, so before you list, have the best realtor in Hollywood, FL walk you through the closed comparables line by line rather than handing you a single figure.
The same rules apply for clients across Emerald Hills and Hallandale Beach and the surrounding South Florida communities.