Five ways to estimate value, compared
| Method | What it is | Cost | Good for | Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agent CMA | An agent's opinion based on recent sales of similar nearby houses and your house's condition | Free | Pricing a listing | Different agents can differ; some "buy" a listing by quoting high |
| Appraisal | A licensed appraiser's written opinion of value, usually ordered by a lender | About $400 to $600 (see above) | Disputes, estates, refinancing, a number you can rely on | Costs money; reflects one day's evidence |
| Assessed value | The town assessor's value for tax purposes | Free | A free check of the building facts and a rough floor | Lags the market; built for tax fairness, not for pricing |
| Online estimate (Zestimate) | An automated model's estimate | Free | A first look | Cannot see condition or updates |
| Cash offer | What one buyer will pay for a fast, as-is sale | Free | Knowing the price of speed | Not market value by design; see cash home buyers |
How to get a CMA
Call two or three local agents and ask each for a written CMA. A good one lists 3 to 6 recent sales of similar houses nearby, adjusts for differences (size, condition, lot, updates), and gives a price range and a suggested list price. Agents do this free because they hope to list your house, so there is no obligation. Ask each agent what they would price at, what the house would sell for, and why those differ.
Be wary of the highest number. A high estimate wins your signature but can leave you with a stale listing. If three CMAs differ by more than about 5%, ask each agent to explain which sales they used.
Home Options MA does not give you a number. We do not run an automated home value, because no model knows the condition of your house. We can introduce you to a licensed agent who will prepare one, and to investors who can make a cash offer; our disclosures say how we are paid.
What an appraisal costs and when to pay for one
A Massachusetts broker's 2024 article says appraisals typically run $400 to $600, with simple houses sometimes $300 to $400, and the fee varies with house size and complexity (Mass Real Estate News). We could not find an official fee schedule; appraisers set their own prices.
Sellers usually do not need an appraisal to list, because the buyer's lender orders one. Consider paying for one if you are settling an estate or a divorce, need a value for a family buyout, or want to check an unusually high or low offer. For estates, see inherited or probate home.
How to read your town assessor's value
Massachusetts assessors value property at its "full and fair cash value" as of January 1 each year. That is the amount a willing buyer would pay a willing seller, and the state Department of Revenue certifies each town's values on a recurring cycle (the Mass.gov assessor page describes a 5-year certification) (Mass.gov). So the value on this year's bill is based on a market date that is already many months old, and in a fast-moving market it can fall well behind. Do not use it to price your house.
- Find your property record card on your town assessor's page. Most Massachusetts towns put property records online; the state library guide explains how (Mass.gov). Check bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage and lot size, because errors there skew value.
- Look at the fiscal year (FY) shown with the value. The MassGIS data keep this in a field because it dates the value (MassGIS).
- Compare with neighbors, but remember that assessor extracts are "as is" copies of town records with "errors and discrepancies," as MassGIS warns.
Find real recent sales: MassGIS and the registry
Two free tools show actual sales near you.
- MassGIS Statewide Property Sales Viewer. A map of sales assembled from the annual "LA3" sales reports that assessors file with the state, searchable by property type, sale date and price. These reports lag, so they confirm older prices and are not a live list (MassGIS).
- Registry of Deeds. Every recorded deed is a public record, and the Secretary of the Commonwealth's Massachusetts Land Records site gives free online access to all 21 registries (Mass.gov). Use the Secretary of the Commonwealth's find a registry by town page to see which registry covers your town. A deed shows the price and the date it was recorded, but not condition, list price or days on market.
Online estimates: how far to trust them
Zillow reports a nationwide median error of 7.20% for the Zestimate on homes that are off the market, and says in plain words that "it is not an appraisal" (Zillow). On a $750,000 house, a 7% error is about $52,000, and half of houses are further off than that. Zillow's page showed no on-market median or Boston figure when we read it, so we cannot give you a Boston-specific error.
The typical home value index on our town pages comes from Zillow's town-level ZHVI (Source: Zillow Group Data) and describes the typical home in town, not yours. Use it for context, then get a CMA.
Where a cash offer fits
A cash offer tells you the price of selling fast with no repairs or showings. Industry sources report about 65% to 85% of value for cash buyers overall; the real number for your house comes only from real offers. The way to use it: get a CMA first, so you know the market price, then compare the net of listing with the net of a cash offer using the net proceeds calculator or the cash vs listing tool. More in how to compare cash offers.