Sandeep Pawar
Broker
Home / Sell / What’s my home worth?
What’s my home worth? How a real valuation works
Start with a free instant estimate. Then get a written market analysis that sees what an algorithm cannot: your updates, basement, lot and street.
The short answer: your home is worth what a well-informed buyer would pay for it today. That is best estimated from recent sales of similar nearby homes, adjusted for your home’s size, lot, basement, updates and condition. An online estimate is a fast first look. A written comparative market analysis turns it into a range you can plan around.
How the valuation works, in three steps
Get your instant estimate
The online estimate uses sales data to give you a quick starting figure.
What happens
You enter your address and a few details, and receive an automated estimate.
What you do
Use the instant estimate. Note anything about your home it could not know.
Documents and people
Your address and basic home details.
Watch for
Treating the figure as final. It cannot see inside your home.
How I help
I review the estimate against the actual sales on your street, so you know whether it is high, low or close.
I prepare a written comparative market analysis
A CMA shows every comparable sale, every adjustment and the competing homes on the market now.
What happens
I select recent comparable sales, adjust each one for differences from your home, and check active and expired listings.
What you do
Tell me about updates, the basement, parking and anything that needs work.
Documents and people
Receipts, permits, your survey if you have one, and any basement unit documents.
Watch for
Comparables from a different market period, or from a busier street, that distort the range.
How I help
I explain the analysis line by line. How a CMA is built: pricing and market analysis.
We refine it after a walkthrough
Condition, layout and light change value in ways that photos and data miss.
What happens
I visit, note the condition and features, and adjust the range if needed.
What you do
Show me everything, including the furnace room, garage and backyard.
Documents and people
Your mortgage details if you want a net-proceeds estimate.
Watch for
Spending on renovations before you know which ones buyers in your area will pay for.
How I help
You get a realistic range, the reasons behind it, and a short list of what is worth fixing.
Why online estimates are only a starting point
| What the algorithm sees | What it often misses |
|---|---|
| Recent sales nearby | Whether those homes were renovated, dated or damaged |
| Recorded size and lot | A finished basement, a separate entrance or a second unit |
| Your neighbourhood | Backing onto a ravine, a park or a busy road |
| Past listing data | Updates made since the last sale: kitchen, roof, windows, furnace |
| Market averages | Your segment: a detached home and a townhouse can move differently |
Your MPAC assessment is not a guide either. MPAC confirms that 2026 assessments remain based on values as of 1 January 2016.
Start with the instant estimate. Then get the real analysis.
What’s my home worth?What I look at
- Recent sales of homes like yours, on your street and in your neighbourhood, adjusted for size, lot, parking and finishes
- Active competition: what buyers can choose from right now, and at what price
- Pace: days on market, and how many homes are selling above or below asking
- Your home’s specifics: upgrades, a basement unit or separate entrance, parking, school catchment, backing onto a ravine or a busy road
- Timing: what the market is doing now, and how it may affect your ideal closing date
What you get
| Deliverable | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| A price range with the reasons behind it | Not one flattering number. A realistic range, the sales that support it, and what moves you to the top of it. |
| A net-proceeds estimate | What you would walk away with after the mortgage payout, any penalty, legal fees, commission and HST. See selling costs. |
| A short list of what is worth fixing | What adds value before you list, and what does not. See preparing your home. |
| A read on your market | Whether conditions favour buyers or sellers for homes like yours. See buyers’ vs sellers’ markets. |
What to have ready
- A list of updates with approximate dates and costs
- Permits for renovations or a basement unit
- Your survey, if you have one
- Your mortgage lender and approximate balance, for a net-proceeds estimate
- Leases and rent details, if the home has tenants (see selling a tenanted home)
- Your timeline, even if it is a year or more away
Who asks for a valuation
Not everyone asking for a value is about to sell. People ask when planning a move up or a downsize. See upsizing and downsizing. Others need a value to settle an estate or during a separation.
The process is the same. You get the evidence, and you decide what to do with it.
Questions people ask about home values
Is the home evaluation really free?
Yes. The instant estimate is free, and so is the written comparative market analysis I prepare after it. There is no obligation to list your home with me.
How accurate are online home value estimates?
They are a useful starting point, but they cannot see your renovations, basement, lot details or condition. They can miss by a wide margin on homes that differ from their neighbours. A comparative market analysis based on recent nearby sales, adjusted for your home, is far more reliable.
Do you need to see the inside of my home?
A walkthrough gives the most accurate range. I can start with photos and a description, then refine the range after a visit.
Is my MPAC assessment my home’s value?
No. MPAC’s 2026 assessments are still based on values as of 1 January 2016. They are used for property tax, not to estimate what your home would sell for today.
What is the difference between a CMA and an appraisal?
A CMA is prepared by a real estate agent to set a listing strategy. An appraisal is prepared by a professional appraiser, usually for a lender. Both use comparable sales, but they serve different purposes.
How often do home values change?
Values move with the market, sometimes noticeably within a few months. A valuation is a snapshot. If you are not selling soon, update it before you make a decision.
Do I have to list with you if I ask for a value?
No. People ask for a value to plan a refinance, an estate, a separation or a move years from now. You get the number and the reasons for it, and you decide what happens next.
Sources
- MPAC: property assessment notices (2026 valuation date remains 1 January 2016)
- CREA: Canadian home sales pull back in September (released 16 October 2026)
- TRREB: Market Watch
Get your number, then the reasons behind it
Start with the free instant estimate. Then I will check it against the real sales on your street and send you a written analysis.