How to Pull Accurate Comps Without MLS Access

“We have no idea what the house is actually worth because there are no real comps in the area.” — Real investor, Reddit

You don’t need MLS access to pull accurate comps. Here are methods that work.

Free Methods

Zillow/Redfin/Realtor.com

Filter for recently sold properties (last 3-6 months) within 0.5-1 mile of your subject property. Look for similar bed/bath count, square footage (within 20%), and year built (within 10 years).

County Records

Your county assessor’s website often shows recent sales prices. More accurate than Zillow estimates but less user-friendly.

Asking an Agent

If you have a relationship with a real estate agent, they can pull MLS comps for you. Many will do this if you’re a potential repeat buyer.

Paid Methods

PropStream / BatchData

$99-$150/month. Includes recent sales data, property details, and comp analysis tools.

RealEstateAPI / ATTOM Data

More advanced data providers with API access for automated comp pulling.

DealBase PropertyIQ

DealBase’s built-in PropertyIQ pulls property data, comps, and ARV estimates from a single address.

The Comp Selection Rules

1. Sold within 6 months (3 months preferred)
2. Within 1 mile (0.5 miles in dense areas)
3. Similar size (within 20% of square footage)
4. Similar bed/bath count (within ±1)
5. Similar condition (compare renovated to renovated, distressed to distressed)
6. Use 3-5 comps minimum (more is better)

Adjustments

No two properties are identical. Adjust for differences:

• Extra bedroom: +$5,000-$15,000 (market dependent)
• Extra bathroom: +$5,000-$10,000
• Garage vs no garage: +$10,000-$20,000
• Pool: +$5,000-$15,000 (market dependent — can be negative in some areas)
• Lot size: Adjust proportionally for significant differences

The Conservative Approach

When in doubt, use the LOWER end of your comp range. Overestimating ARV is how investors lose money. A conservative ARV that’s accurate is infinitely better than an optimistic one that leads to a bad deal.

Pull instant comps and ARV estimates with DealBase’s PropertyIQ. Try it for $1.