Online home value tools may be convenient, but how accurate are they really? Tim Lucas and Craig Berry explore the strengths and weaknesses of automated valuation models like Zillow’s Zestimate—and why relying too heavily on them could lead to costly mistakes.

Connect with Mortgage Research Network:

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@MortgageResearchNetwork⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/mortgageresearchnetwork/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/mtgresearchnews⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠MortgageResearch.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

First Time Homebuyer Cheat Sheet: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/4w8CiVM⁠⁠⁠⁠

Homebuyer Calculators: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/4n0hDPv⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with a lender: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/426Gyaw

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why online home estimates can be wildly inaccurate: Even Zillow’s former CEO reportedly saw his own home misvalued by a massive margin.
• How automated valuation models (AVMs) work: These tools rely on public records, recent sales, and historical market data to estimate home values.
• What AVMs often miss: Unique home features, renovations, views, landscaping, neighborhood nuances, and buyer emotions are difficult for algorithms to measure.
• Why local expertise still matters: Real estate agents and appraisers can provide context and market insight that online tools simply can’t replicate.
• The risks of overpricing or underpricing a home: Relying too heavily on an online estimate could impact negotiations, time on market, and final sale price.
• Why AVM accuracy varies by market: Error rates can differ significantly depending on location, especially in high-priced or unique housing markets.
• How home valuations affect more than just sales: Estate planning, refinancing, insurance, and financial planning decisions can all be impacted by inaccurate valuations.
• What Zillow’s published error rates really mean: While AVMs can provide a useful starting point, even small percentage errors can translate into huge dollar amounts.
• Why technology should complement—not replace—human judgment: Algorithms are useful tools, but they can’t fully capture the emotional and subjective side of real estate.
• The big takeaway: Online home value estimates are helpful for rough guidance, but major financial decisions still require local knowledge and professional expertise.

Read the full article: https://www.mortgageresearch.com/articles/how-reliable-are-online-automated-home-valuations/

Is the 2026 housing market finally becoming affordable, or are we stuck in a "new normal" of high rates and low inventory? In this episode of the Real Estate Update, Paul Centopani sits down with Mark Fleming, Chief Economist at First American, to break down the complex realities of today’s home financing landscape.

Fleming provides a deep dive into why entry-level homes are the hardest hit and which regions, like the Midwest and Northeast, are defying national trends with 6-7% price appreciation. You’ll learn actionable strategies for navigating high mortgage rates, including the benefits of hybrid ARMs and how to use points to buy down your rate. Fleming also addresses the massive impact of energy prices on home buying in 2026 and why "upzoning" might be the only long-term solution to the inventory crisis.

Whether you're a first-time buyer trying to get on the housing ladder or a seasoned investor tracking housing market crash 2026 rumors, this interview offers the expert perspective you need to make a lifestyle-driven decision. Don't buy a home until you hear Mark Fleming's "stepping stone" philosophy.

Connect with Mortgage Research Network:

YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@MortgageResearchNetwork⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/mortgageresearchnetwork/⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/mtgresearchnews⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠MortgageResearch.com⁠⁠

Connect with Mark Fleming:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-fleming-4a0a07b/

First Time Homebuyer Cheat Sheet: ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/4w8CiVM⁠⁠

Homebuyer Calculators: ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/4n0hDPv⁠⁠

Connect with a lender: ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/426Gyaw

------

0:00 Intro

0:10 Meet Mark Fleming

00:44 Regional Heat Map: Why the Midwest is still appreciating

01:45 The Entry-Level Struggle: Why first-time buyers are stuck

03:38 Budget Hacks: Down payments and buying down points

04:15 The Hybrid ARM Advantage: A safer way to lower payments

06:28 2026 Rate Forecast: Why 6% is the new target

11:22 Fixing Inventory: Zoning laws and multi-unit dwellings

13:28 The "Stepping Stone" Strategy for First-Time Buyers

------

For more information about the housing market, visit MortgageResearch.com.

#HousingMarket2026 #MortgageRates #RealEstateInvesting

Climate risk is no longer a distant concern—it’s becoming a major factor in where and how Americans buy homes. Tim Lucas and Craig Berry discuss how climate change is already affecting home values, insurance costs, mortgage performance, and the future of the U.S. housing market.

Connect with Mortgage Research Network:

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@MortgageResearchNetwork⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/mortgageresearchnetwork/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/mtgresearchnews⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠MortgageResearch.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

First Time Homebuyer Cheat Sheet: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/4w8CiVM⁠⁠⁠⁠

Homebuyer Calculators: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/4n0hDPv⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with a lender: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/426Gyaw

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why climate risk is influencing homebuying decisions: Buyers across all generations are increasingly considering flood zones, wildfires, hurricanes, and other environmental threats.
• How attitudes toward climate change are shifting: Even older generations and traditionally less vulnerable regions are growing more concerned about housing-related climate risks.
• The hidden financial impact on homeowners: Homes in high-risk flood areas are appreciating more slowly, reducing long-term wealth building potential.
• Why insurance is becoming a growing problem: Some insurers are raising premiums dramatically—or leaving high-risk markets entirely.
• How climate disasters affect mortgage payments: Delinquency rates often spike after major weather events, creating financial stress for both homeowners and local economies.
• What happens when communities become harder to insure: Housing markets could face declining values, slower recovery, and long-term instability.
• The possibility of climate-driven migration: As risks intensify, some regions may see population declines while others experience housing pressure from incoming residents.
• Why infrastructure and building standards matter: Investments in resilience could play a major role in protecting future housing markets.
• The debate over insurance reform: Policymakers may face difficult decisions about how to balance homeowner protection with growing climate exposure.
• The big takeaway: Climate change is no longer just an environmental issue—it’s becoming one of the biggest forces shaping the future of housing and homeownership.

Read the full article: https://www.mortgageresearch.com/articles/climate-risk-becoming-major-factor-homebuyers/