Joel DyckReal Broker SK Ltd.
Saskatoon · Common questions

Are online home estimates accurate for Saskatoon homes?

Online estimates are a useful starting point but are not accurate for homes with renovations, unique features, or condition issues that public records do not capture. In Saskatoon, online estimates commonly undervalue homes with improvements because the algorithm only sees public data, not the actual condition of the home.

The Saskatchewan REALTORS Association benchmark of $444,700 is a city-wide figure, and an automated model is essentially adjusting outward from averages like it. The limitation is fundamental to how automated valuation models work. They pull from public records: square footage, lot size, year built, the bedroom and bathroom count from the original permit, and recent sales in the area. If you added a bedroom, finished a basement, or upgraded the kitchen without updating the public record, the algorithm does not know.

For a home that has not been renovated and is similar to other homes in the neighbourhood, an online estimate can land reasonably close to market value. For a home with improvements, the gap can be much larger. The only way to know the real number is a hand-reviewed valuation from someone who has been inside.

Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.

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