What to Adjust and What to Leave Alone
When using AVM Optimizer to refine your home’s valuation, it’s important to understand how to get the most accurate results. The key is to only adjust for factors that were missed by the original Automated Valuation Model (AVM)—not to override details that the AVM already accounts for.
What Traditional AVMs Already Consider
Most AVMs, even basic ones, already factor in: ✔️ Age of the Home – The year built is typically included. ✔️ Site Size – The overall lot size is usually in the data. ✔️ Living Area (Square Footage) – AVMs generally rely on public records for this. ✔️ Parking (Garage, Driveway, etc.) – This is often noted if available.
What AVMs Often Miss
To truly enhance accuracy, focus only on details that traditional AVMs frequently overlook, such as: 🔹 Basement Finish – Many AVMs don’t differentiate between an unfinished and a fully finished basement. 🔹 Interior & Exterior Updates – AVMs often ignore renovations like new kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, or modernized HVAC systems. 🔹 Quality of Finishes – Higher-end finishes can significantly impact value, but standard AVMs may not reflect this. 🔹 🔹 Poor or Dated Condition – One of the biggest benefits of AVM Optimizer is that it allows for adjustments due to poor or dated condition, something most AVMs completely miss. Many AVMs assume that a home’s condition is at least average for the neighborhood, which can overestimate the value of homes that are dated or in need of repair.
How to Get the Most Accurate Results
To optimize your home’s valuation, follow these guidelines: ✅ Stick to the six questions in AVM Optimizer—answering them as accurately as possible. ✅ Only adjust for things that were not considered in the original AVM estimate. ✅ Use AVM Optimizer to reflect poor or outdated conditions if applicable, since most AVMs assume a home is in at least average condition.
By using AVM Optimizer correctly, you ensure that your home valuation is not just different—but genuinely more accurate.