# How do I find out what houses in my neighborhood are selling for? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 20, 2009, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-out-what-houses-in-my-neighborhood-are-selling-for/490124 "2009-03-20T04:30:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-out-what-houses-in-my-neighborhood-are-selling-for/490124/21 "2009-03-23T13:00:52Z")
> [@berff](#): > > In addition to Zillow, I also use [realtor.com](http://realtor.com) to help determine property values of homes throughout the county. After entering the property address, you can filter the results by property type, gross living area, bed/bath count, age, lot size and price to view all **active listings…** _Active listings_ should not be used for comparable values. Those are what the sellers would like to get, not what the property sold for. A considerable gap may exist between those two figures in a rapidly changing market. I just logged on to our MLS and saw a property that had been originally listed for $325,000 now offered for $200,000. It may sell for less than that. Using the first number would be a poor guideline to contemporary property worth. I sometimes use active listings to show what NOT to ask for property, especially if they have been on the market for a long time. Why list at a price that the market has already rejected? ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-out-what-houses-in-my-neighborhood-are-selling-for/490124/22 "2009-03-23T13:08:32Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Look to your county web site first. You may very well have a legitimate complaint and be grouped in with the wrong neighborhood for mass appraisal. > > What you may need to do is protest your valuation. In Colorado, it’s a common procedure. My Wife works for the ‘bad’ guys. She’s an appraiser for the Assessors office in our county. Sometimes mistakes are made. Contact the Assessors office to do this. > > I work for the GIS department for the same county. Our system is a point and click that will give you all the latest sales information on any property. If you would like to give me the county that you live in, I would be happy to poke around on their web site and see what may be available. It can be a little convoluted. > > (Valuation in our county went up 30% this year. People are going to flip out. But that’s what the sales records show). Ditto this. My FIL and SIL both protested their tax bill. My SIL’s was accurate, but my FIL’s was wrong and it saved him some money. They do make mistakes! ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-out-what-houses-in-my-neighborhood-are-selling-for/490124/23 "2009-03-23T13:17:03Z")
I’m another real estate person who is telling you to contact a local real estate agent. We have access to all the area tax records and what sold through our service. Whenever someone comes in asking for information, I do it for free. People remember that and it has lead to some nice dividends. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-out-what-houses-in-my-neighborhood-are-selling-for/490124.md?page=1)