How to Find Sold Home Prices

Sold home prices can help you determine your own home value, listing price for your home, equity for refinancing mortgage, or simply satisfy your curiosity. Since sold home prices are public knowledge, you can always find out what a home sold for if you are willing to look.

Instructions

1. ~ Get the exact address of the home for which you want the sales price ~

   Make sure you know the directional label on the street (N, S, E, W), the street number, the town, and the zipcode. Having all of this information will help you in searching for the home's sale prices.

2. ~ Check with the office for the recorder of deeds ~

   Every county has a deeds office where deeds are kept on file that includes all the previous sale prices of a particular home. Some counties keep this data online. Either go in person to the county office building, make a phone call, or do a search online for sold home prices.

3. ~ Use the assessor's office ~

   Eventually the recorder of deeds will give the information gathered at sale of a home to the assessor's office. The Assessor's information is usually more accessible on the internet, but not always as up to date on new sales. The benefit of the assessor's office is you can not only find sold home prices, but unsold home values. This allows you to start to get a range of real valuations. Sold home prices are always more accurate than assessment however.

4. 

   ~ When searching online, use the right address format ~

   Some county websites use data systems that require search queries in all capital letters. Other prohibit punctuation of any kind or they will give you a 'not found' notice even if the address is in their database. Play around with the systems until you know how to find sold home prices quickly.

   * See more tips on sold home prices below.

Tips & Warnings

• Sold home prices have to be compared qualitatively. Recognize square footage and key amenities that might raise or lower the price.

• To get a more accurate market picture, have a real estate agent run the comps or comparable properties and give you an estimated sale value.

• See related articles on this page for more information.

Resources

• When to Refinance Rule of Thumb
• Realtor Search Site