What Is My Baltimore Home Worth?

What is my Baltimore home worth? The best answer starts with a conversation, usually a phone call, where you tell me about the house and I tell you the price range I'm seeing.

I'm Eric Figurelle with the Figurelle Team of Cummings & Co. Realtors. I've been doing this for 25 years, and I start every home value the same way.

I don't start with a website. I start with you.

1. We talk. Usually that's a phone call. You tell me about your house. I ask a few questions, and I listen.

2. I look at what has sold nearby. Those are the homes buyers actually paid for. They tell us more than a guess does.

3. I walk through the house. This is where we see what no record shows: the layout, the light, the shape everything is in.

4. We fine tune the number. By the time I see the house in person, I usually have a pretty good idea of the price range. The walk-through tightens it up.

If you want to see how this fits into selling, here's how I price a home, step by step.

Tell me the good. The new roof. The updated kitchen. The windows you replaced.

Tell me the bad. The damp spot in the basement. The bathroom that still needs work. The things you've been meaning to fix.

And tell me everything you've fixed or updated, inside and out. Small things add up.

You don't have to worry about saying the wrong thing. A buyer's inspector will find the problems anyway. It's far easier to plan for them now.

"I want to understand what I'm doing before I commit." I hear that a lot. This is the first step toward it.

• They stop at a website number. An online estimate can be a fine starting point. It isn't a price, and it doesn't know your home. (More on that in the next post.)
• They leave out the bad news. The more complete the picture, the better the range.
• They skip the walk-through. Two houses on the same street can look alike on paper and be very different inside.
• They wait until the house is ready. You don't need the repairs done to ask. Many people call a year or two before they're ready to sell.

Here's an example. Say you own a home in Baltimore City. You replaced the roof, renovated the kitchen, and the basement still gets damp after a hard rain.

On paper, your house looks a lot like the one next door. On our call, I hear about the roof and the kitchen, and I hear about the basement. Each one moves how I see the range.

At the walk-through, I look at the kitchen, the basement and the rest of the house, and we fine tune the number together. You leave knowing where you stand and why.

This is an example, not a real client. Every house is different.

Do I have to be ready to sell to ask what my home is worth?

No. Some people call me when they're ready to list. Others call a year or two ahead. Both are normal. The answer helps you plan.

How soon do I get a price range?

By the time I see the house in person, I usually have a pretty good idea of it. The walk-through fine tunes it.

What should I have ready for our call?

It helps to know what you've updated and about when, what you know needs work, and when you'd like to move. If you don't know some of it, we'll figure it out as we go.

Is the number on a website the same thing?

No. It's a starting point. The next post explains what it leaves out.

My home valuation page has the bigger picture. If you want to see how value works in one neighborhood, here's what affects the value of a Federal Hill home. You can also read about real estate in Baltimore.

When you're ready, send me a message, and we'll set up a quick call about your home. Contact me here.

About: Eric Figurelle is a REALTOR® and Team Leader of the Figurelle Team of Cummings & Co. Realtors in Baltimore, MD, helping buyers and sellers across the Baltimore Metro area make clear, well-planned moves, especially sellers managing a transition or a sale from a distance.