Why You Need a Listing Agent To Know Your Home’s Value

By Carolina Collective Realty

Carolina Collective Realty is more than just a real estate team—we’re a family helping families achieve their goals. Our journey began with a mission to create a real estate company built on culture, training, and, most importantly, guiding families through one of life’s biggest decisions.

Are you wondering what your home is worth? There are plenty of reasons to figure out what your home is worth. Maybe you’re planning a move now or a few years down the road. Maybe you’re looking into refinancing and need to know where you stand. Or maybe you’re considering a home improvement project and want to be sure the investment makes sense. After all, no one wants to pour money into upgrades that won’t pay off in the long run.

So, how do you figure out what your home is worth? There are two key ways:

1. Looking at comparable sales (Comps). One of the first things we do is check comps, or recent sales of similar homes in the same neighborhood and surrounding area. Comps work well if your home is about five or six years old because, at that point, most houses still resemble how they were built.

If your home is older—say, 15 to 25 years—it gets a little more complicated. Even two homes on the same street with the same floor plan can have completely different values. One might be in original condition but well-maintained, another could be fully modernized, and another might show years of wear and tear. That’s where the second approach comes in.

2. Having an experienced listing agent evaluate your home. A good listing agent can look beyond comps and assess your home’s condition, updates, and unique features to give you a more accurate value. Many people don’t realize this, but it’s completely fair to ask an agent how many homes they’ve sold in the past year. You want to make sure the person giving you advice is active in the market and truly understands real estate in your area.

No matter your reason for asking, knowing your home’s value is always a smart move. Whether you’re selling, refinancing, or making improvements, having the right information helps you plan your next steps. If you have questions or need help with your home’s value, don’t hesitate to reach out and call me at 919-782-4503. I look forward to hearing from you!