What actually happens after I put my address into one of those instant home-value sites?

Entering an address into an instant home-value site triggers an automated model that pulls public records and recent nearby sales, then applies a formula with no one ever walking through the actual property. The result can miss condition issues, upgrades, or a flood zone that materially changes true value, and it often exists mainly to capture a lead for that company's own agents. Brian Beatty offers a walk-through-based comparison instead, built from sales that genuinely match the property.