How I value homes
My approach to valuing a home comes from more than 15 years of prior experience as a licensed residential appraiser. I no longer actively appraise, but that training permanently changed how I look at property: I go beyond the asking price and price per square foot and examine what the market evidence actually shows about a home's worth.
Why my appraisal background changes how I price homes
Early in my career I spent more than 15 years as a licensed residential appraiser. I gave up that license and I no longer actively appraise, but the experience never left me. It changed how I evaluate property, select comparable sales and interpret market trends.
Today I bring both sides of that experience to my clients. I understand how homes are marketed and sold, and I also understand valuation, comparable selection and how lenders and appraisers look at property. That means I can tell you what a home is likely worth and why, before the appraiser on the other side weighs in.
Beyond the asking price and price per square foot
Asking price is a seller's hope or a strategy, not a value. And price per square foot, while a useful starting point, is the most misused number in real estate. It treats every square foot as equal, which the market never does.
A dated kitchen, a busy street, a view, an extra garage bay, an HOA that is well run or poorly run, all of these move value in ways a price-per-square-foot number cannot see. That is why I build a value from evidence, not from a ratio.
Four factors I weigh on every home
Condition
Updates, maintenance, deferred repairs and overall care change what a home is worth. Two homes built the same year can sit at very different values because of what has been done to them since.
Location
The community, the street, the view, the lot position and the neighbors all matter. A home backing to a busy road is not the same property as the identical floor plan on a quiet cul-de-sac.
Utility
How usable is the floor plan? Bedrooms, bathrooms, garage, lot size, layout and flow all affect value. A layout that fits how people actually live is worth more than one that does not.
Market behavior
What buyers actually paid recently, how long homes sat, and how list prices compare to sale prices. The market is the final judge, and it leaves evidence behind.
Comparable sales sit on top of these factors: recent, similar homes that actually sold, chosen because they are genuinely comparable in size, age, condition and location. Not every nearby sale is a comparable, and choosing the right ones is where valuation expertise shows up.
Two homes, same square footage, very different values
Picture two homes with the exact same square footage. One has an updated kitchen, an open floor plan, a view and a quiet lot. The other has original finishes, a choppy layout and backs to a busy road. The market will value them very differently, and no price-per-square-foot formula can explain the gap.
The comparable sales, the condition, the location, the utility of the floor plan and the behavior of buyers in that specific community tell the real story. That is why I never quote a value from a ratio, and why I show clients the evidence behind every number.
For sellers: what you will realistically walk away with
The number that matters to a seller is not the listing price. It is what you actually walk away with after the loan payoff, commissions, closing costs and concessions come out. I build that number from your paperwork, so you know where you stand before you decide to sell, not after.
See how the Walk-Away Number worksFor buyers: how to avoid overpaying
Overpaying rarely happens because a buyer fell in love. It happens because a buyer compared the wrong homes, or none at all. I help buyers compare a property against truly comparable sales, understand what any premium is actually buying, and know when a price is supported by evidence and when it is not.
Knowing what your home is worth is only part of the equation. Your selling options, your timeline, and what you will actually walk away with can change the entire decision, which is why I created the Seller Decision Room: a place to compare your options side by side before you choose how to sell.
When the appraisal comes in below the purchase price
The appraisal is the lender's independent check on value, and it happens after the contract is signed. When it comes in below the purchase price, the lender will only loan against the appraised value, so the gap has to be resolved.
There are a few honest paths: the buyer and seller renegotiate, the buyer brings more cash, the seller comes down, or the parties challenge the appraisal with better comparable sales. Because I understand how appraisers select comparables, I can help you evaluate whether the appraisal is right, whether it can be challenged, and which path protects your interests.
Experience you can verify
36+ years
of experience
100+
5-star reviews
Home sale prices I've represented
$400 thousand to $3.05 million
in Sales
More than 36 years in real estate, more than 15 years of prior licensed appraisal experience, and more than 100 5-star reviews from clients across Las Vegas, Summerlin and Henderson. Read them on the reviews page, or see the full record on Zillow and Realtor.com.
Questions people ask about value
Are you still a licensed appraiser?
No. I spent more than 15 years of my career as a licensed residential appraiser and I no longer actively appraise. That experience still shapes how I evaluate property, comparables and pricing for my real estate clients.
Why is price per square foot not enough?
Price per square foot is a starting point, not a value. Condition, location, utility, views, updates and market behavior all move a home's value, which is why two homes with the same square footage can be worth very different amounts.
What happens if the appraisal comes in below the purchase price?
The lender only loans against the appraised value, so the gap has to be resolved. The buyer can renegotiate, the seller can come down, the buyer can bring more cash, or the parties can challenge the appraisal with better comparables. I help clients work through each option calmly.
How do you help sellers know what they will walk away with?
I build a realistic picture from the paperwork: the sale price, the loan payoff, commissions, closing costs and any concessions. The number that matters is what you actually walk away with, which I call your Walk-Away Number.
Next resources
How an appraiser-grade pricing strategy lists a home right from day one.
Read it Know your Walk-Away NumberWhat you will actually walk away with after selling, built from your paperwork, not an algorithm.
Read it How to compare real estate agentsThe honest checklist for comparing agents in Las Vegas, Summerlin and Henderson.
Read itGet a home value estimate built from evidence
Whether you are thinking about selling, wondering what your home is worth, or comparing a property before you buy, I will walk you through the comparable sales and the numbers behind the value. The first conversation is free and there is no pressure.
Licensed in Nevada · S.0072707 · Real Broker LLC · 702-683-3362