You want to know what your home is worth.
But you don’t want to call a real estate agent yet, because you know what happens next. The phone calls. The emails. The "just checking in" texts.
Sometimes, you just want to run the numbers yourself.
Whether you are thinking of selling "For Sale By Owner" (FSBO) or just fact-checking your property tax bill, finding accurate real estate comps (comparables) is the single most important step in valuing your home.
If you get this number wrong, it costs you. In 2024, FSBO homes sold for a median of $360,000, compared to $425,000 for agent-assisted homes. That is an $65,000 gap.
Why? Because most homeowners guess.
Don't guess. Here are 3 free ways to find accurate real estate comps like a pro, without signing a contract.
Method 1: The "Detective" Route (County Tax Records)
This is the most accurate source because it is the law.
When a house sells, the deed is recorded with the county. This is public record. It’s not an "estimate"—it is the cold, hard cash price someone actually paid.
How to do it:
Search: Go to Google and type [Your County Name] Property Appraiser or [Your County] Tax Assessor Search.
Locate Your Neighborhood: Most sites have a map search. Zoom into your street.
Filter by "Sale Date": Look for neighbors who sold in the last 6 months.
Check the "Qualified Sales": Ensure the sale wasn't a "family transfer" or "foreclosure" (often marked as $100 or a very low price), as these skew your data.
The Downside: It’s tedious. County websites often look like they were built in 1998, and they rarely show interior photos, so you won't know if that neighbor had a brand-new kitchen or 1970s shag carpet.
Method 2: The "Filter" Hack (Zillow & Redfin)
You probably check these apps already. But are you using them correctly?
Most people look at the "Zestimate" and stop. Big mistake.
According to 2025 data, the median error rate for estimates on off-market homes is around 7%. On a $500,000 house, that means the algorithm could be wrong by $35,000.
To get real value, you need to ignore the estimate and look at the Sold Data.
How to do it:
Change the Filter: Switch the view from "For Sale" to "Sold".
Set the Timeline: Filter for sales in the last 3 to 6 months. (In a shifting market, data from last year is useless).
Apples to Apples: Only look at homes with the same bed/bath count and within 200-300 square feet of your size.
The "Visual Check": Click through the photos. Does that sold home have quartz countertops while yours has laminate? If so, deduct value from your home.
The Downside: It takes a lot of manual math. You have to create your own spreadsheet and honestly adjust for every difference (pool, garage, view) yourself.
Method 3: The "Instant" Route (The Locqube Calculator)
If digging through government websites sounds painful and doing your own math sounds risky, there is a third option.
We built a tool that does the "Detective Work" and the "Math" for you.
Most free calculators just give you a generic number. The Locqube Home Value Estimator pulls specific, recent comps from your neighborhood and shows them to you.
No Realtor Calls: You get the data without the sales pitch.
Real-Time Data: It pulls from active MLS feeds, not just outdated tax records.
Visual Comps: You see exactly which homes are being used to value yours.
It’s the speed of an algorithm with the transparency of a spreadsheet.
The "Golden Rule" of DIY Valuation
If you decide to price your home yourself, remember the 10% Rule.
Never price your home more than 10% above the highest comparable sale in your neighborhood. Buyers (and bank appraisers) have access to this same data. If you price at $500k when the best house on the block sold for $450k, you aren't "testing the market"—you are invisible.
Ready to see your numbers?
Skip the spreadsheets. Get your instant valuation and see your neighborhood comps right now.
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