163. Stop Using Zillow to Value Properties — It Almost Bankrupted Them!
🌟 How Real Investors Determine Property Value — The CMA Explained🌟Welcome to the Ekabo Home Financial Freedom Mastermind Webinar! In this session, host Niyi Adewole breaks down how real investors and appraisers actually determine property value — and why trusting Zillow could cost you thousands. With live examples and real appraisals, this episode gives you the exact framework his team uses across Georgia, Florida, and Texas.🔥 Quote of the Day: "Investors don't hope on price. They run the ARVs based on the CMA and arrive at the true value." — Niyi Adewole💡 What This Means: Relying on a Zillow estimate is not a strategy — it's a gamble. Real investors use Comparative Market Analysis to know exactly what a property is worth before they buy, rehab, or refinance.🎙️ What You'll Learn:Why Zillow Will Get You Into Trouble: A Zestimate can be off by 5–20% or more. Zillow nearly went bankrupt in 2021–2022 relying on its own estimates when buying properties through its iBuyer program.What a CMA Is and How to Run One: Find recently sold properties similar in size, bed-bath count, and location — then make adjustments to arrive at the true value. Niyi walks through this live using real properties on FMLS.The Golden Rules of Finding Good Comps: Sold within the last 3–6 months, within 1–2 miles, with similar square footage and bed-bath count. The tighter the comps, the more accurate your ARV.Above-Ground vs. Below-Ground Square Footage: Above-ground is valued at roughly $50 per square foot in adjustments. Below-ground drops to around $20 per square foot in Georgia — a costly surprise if you're not prepared.How to Make Adjustments Like an Appraiser: Add $10,000 for each extra full bathroom. Add or subtract $5,000 per bedroom. Multiply square footage differences by $50 above ground and $20 below ground.A Real BRRR Deal Walked Through Live: Niyi's team helped a client buy a bank foreclosure for $450K with a $200K rehab budget and a conservative ARV of $850K. It ultimately appraised for $1.15 million — allowing the client to pull all their money back out and walk away with cash.Finding the Highest and Best Use: A 3-bed, 1-bath over 1,200 square feet almost always has room to add a bathroom, dramatically increasing the ARV. Over 1,600 square feet? You may be able to add a bedroom too.🏡 Key Takeaways:➤ Never Trust Zillow Alone — Run a CMA before making any offer, especially on a flip or BRRR deal.➤ Above Ground and Below Ground Are Not Equal — In Georgia, below-ground square footage is valued at roughly half of above-ground. Know this before you buy.➤ Tight Comps Win Every Time — Same neighborhood, sold within 3–6 months, similar size and bed-bath count. The tighter your comps, the better you can negotiate.⚛️ Why This Matters:Whether you're flipping, BRRRing (Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat), or just buying your first investment property, knowing how to determine true market value is the skill that separates investors who build wealth from those who lose money on bad deals. The CMA is not just a realtor tool — it's your unfair advantage in every negotiation, every refinance, and every exit strategy you'll ever execute.🗓️ Tune in every Wednesday at 7 PM Eastern! Don’t miss out on our journey toward financial freedom through smart investments.👉 Hit that subscribe button and turn on notifications so you never miss an update! Let’s unlock your potential together! Our Links➣ Financial Freedom Mastermind Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/53083... ➣ Peer Space Host Referral Link https://www.peerspace.com/referrals/g... ➣ AirBNB Host Referral Link https://www.airbnb.com/r/niyia41 ➣ Ekabo Home Network (IG, Youtube, Email) https://linktr.ee/ekabohomeNiyi Adewole is a licensed realtor in Georgia, brokered by EXP Realty. Feel free to reach out at Niyi.Adewole@exprealty.com if you would like to work with an investor friendly real estate agent.




