Why do real estate agents give different appraisals?

Real estate agents give different appraisals because they may use different comparable sales, weigh your home's features differently and hold different views of current buyer demand. A higher appraisal is not automatically more accurate. Ask each agent to show the recent sales and assumptions behind their range before choosing who to appoint.

Knowing why appraisals vary, and how to test one, puts you in a much stronger position before you sign an agency agreement.

Why appraisal figures can differ so much

An appraisal is an agent's professional opinion of value, not a fixed valuation. Agents form that opinion by comparing your home with recent sales of similar properties nearby, so the comparable sales each agent chooses can shift the number significantly. One agent might weigh a recent sale down the street heavily, while another discounts it because of a difference in land size, condition or renovation level.

For the distinction between these figures, read our guide to online estimates, agent appraisals and formal valuations.

Agents also hold different views of current buyer demand, how many active buyers are looking in your price bracket, how quickly similar homes are selling, and how your property compares on presentation. Two experienced agents can look at the same market and reasonably land on different figures.

The problem of overquoting to win the listing

Not every gap between appraisals is a matter of professional judgement. Some agents quote a higher figure specifically to win your listing, knowing that sellers are naturally drawn to the highest number. If buyer feedback during the campaign does not support that price, you may be asked to reduce it weeks or months into the sale, after precious early buyer interest has already passed.

This is one of the most common reasons homes sit on the market longer than expected. A price that was never realistic can cost you the momentum of a fresh listing.

How to test an appraisal figure

Before accepting any appraisal, ask the agent to show you the comparable sales they used, not just the total but the full detail: address, sale price, sale date, land size and condition. Ask them to explain how your property compares to each one, and why they believe it will sell at the figure they have quoted.

It is also worth asking what evidence supports the upper end of their range, and what would need to be true in the market for your home to achieve that figure. A reasoned answer, grounded in actual sales, tells you far more than confidence alone.

The risk of simply choosing the highest number

It is tempting to appoint the agent who quotes the highest figure. But an unrealistic price can deter genuine buyers from the outset, lead to a stale listing, and ultimately result in a lower sale price than a well-priced campaign would have achieved. The appraisal is only useful if it reflects what buyers are actually prepared to pay.

What a reasoned appraisal looks like

A reasoned appraisal sets out a realistic range, backed by named comparable sales and a clear explanation of how your property sits against them. It should acknowledge uncertainty rather than pretend to be exact, and it should hold up when you ask follow-up questions. If an agent cannot explain their number when pressed, that is worth noting.

How BrokerMyAgent helps you compare appraisals

BrokerMyAgent is an agent matchmaker, not a sales agency. When you compare agents through us, we review agents' selling proposals, commission and marketing costs, and challenge anything that doesn't stack up, including appraisal figures that look out of step with the comparable evidence. Our service is free for homeowners, agents pay a standard introduction fee out of their own budget, never your pocket, and we stay available to you from comparison through to settlement.

If you have appraisals in hand and are not sure which one to trust, book a free intro call and we can talk through what the evidence actually supports.