How to Look Up What a House Is Worth
Published by Cash Flow Deals · Last updated 2026-08-05 · Published and reviewed for compliance by Camilo Palacio, a Florida Licensed Realtor
A house worth lookup can mean three different things. Your county property appraiser's site shows a public assessed value used for tax purposes, which is not the same as market value. An automated estimate site gives you an instant market-value guess. Comparable-home sales records show what similar homes actually closed for. Each answers a slightly different question, and none replaces a real offer. You can compare our Fast Cash Offer, where we buy your house as-is and close, with our Premium Cash Offer, where a pre-approved FHA or conventional buyer we already have, ready to go, pays more and buys directly from you. You choose.
| Factor | Traditional Route | Cash Flow Deals |
|---|---|---|
| What you're looking up | A public assessed value, an algorithm's estimate, or MLS sold history | A direct written offer for your specific home |
| Who can access it | Assessed value is public, MLS sold history usually requires an agent | Open to any homeowner who requests it |
| How current it is | Assessed values often update annually, estimates update continuously | Based on your home's condition right now |
Public property records: free but not market value
Every U.S. county maintains a property appraiser or tax assessor office, and its site is a free lookup for your address. What it shows is an assessed value used to calculate property taxes, which frequently differs from what your home would actually sell for.
Automated lookup tools: fast but a range, not a fact
Sites like Zillow and Redfin let you type in an address and get an instant market-value estimate. It's built from the same public records plus recent comparable sales, and it carries the same limitation: no one involved has seen the inside of the house.
MLS sold history: the most accurate lookup, agent-gated
The Multiple Listing Service holds the fullest, most current record of what homes actually closed for, including details public records don't capture. Full access typically requires working with a licensed real estate agent.
What a lookup can't tell you about condition
None of these lookups know if your roof needs replacing or your kitchen was just renovated. Every lookup method is built on the assumption of average condition unless someone corrects it in person.
Turning a lookup into a real number
A lookup answers 'what's typical nearby.' A written offer answers 'what is my specific home worth today.' Cash Flow Deals sends someone to see your property so you can compare the Fast Cash Offer and the Premium Cash Offer. With Fast Cash, we buy as-is, with no repairs for you to make. With Premium, only what your buyer's lender requires gets fixed. We cover repair costs, and we figure out a way, so nothing comes out of your pocket; those repairs are settled from the sale proceeds, from our share rather than your agreed number. For either offer, the number is agreed before any work starts, and it changes only if you agree. The one exception: if something structural surfaces that was not visible or disclosed before we signed — foundation issues, hidden moisture, old wiring, cast-iron drain failure — we re-cost it and bring the number back to you. You decide. You can walk away. We disclose what we know at offer time so this almost never happens. If your Premium buyer's loan falls through, that is our problem, not yours, and you can still take the Fast Cash Offer at its own number.
Common questions
Is my county's assessed value the same as market value?
No. Assessed value is calculated for property tax purposes and often lags behind or differs from what a home would actually sell for on the open market.
Can anyone look up MLS sold history?
Full MLS access is generally limited to licensed real estate professionals, though some of that data is shared publicly through consumer-facing real estate sites.
How often does my county update assessed values?
Assessment schedules vary by county, but many reassess property values on an annual or multi-year cycle rather than continuously.
Why does an automated lookup show a range instead of one number?
Some tools show a confidence range because the underlying data, especially for off-market homes, supports a spread of likely values rather than one precise figure.
What's the fastest way to get an exact number instead of a lookup?
Requesting a written cash offer based on an actual walkthrough gets you a specific number rather than an estimated range.
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What this means for your options
A value estimate is a starting point, not a guaranteed number.
Wait and see
Keep the property as-is and hope conditions improve. The mortgage, insurance, and upkeep keep costing money while you wait, with no set date for things to turn around.
List with a traditional agent
Standard MLS listing, typically 5-6% in commission, and a financed buyer whose deal depends on appraisal, inspection, and lender approval — any of which can fall through after weeks on market.
Sell to Cash Flow Deals
Two offers for your house, Fast Cash or Premium Cash, and you choose. Cash: Cash Flow Deals buys the house as-is and closes. Premium: More money. A pre-approved FHA or conventional buyer we already have buys directly from you.
See your selling options before you decide anything.