Why is the Zillow number different from what my agent says my house is worth?
Because Zillow has never been inside your house. An algorithm prices from records and patterns — square footage, beds, baths, nearby sales. It can't see the kitchen you renovated, the water stain in the basement, the busy street, or the light. Everything that makes a buyer lean in or walk out is invisible to it.
Use it as what it is: a rough opening range. It's most reasonable on a typical house in a uniform subdivision. It's least reliable exactly where Minneapolis is most interesting — old housing stock, block-to-block variation, one-of-a-kind homes. An agent's number comes from inside your house and from the last 90 days of sold comps, adjusted by hand.
The part worth saying out loud: a high Zestimate can cost you real money. Anchor to it, overprice, sit, and cut — that arc nets less than pricing right on day one. When the two numbers disagree, don't ask which is higher. Ask which one can defend itself.
I wrote this answer, and I stand behind it. I'm Chris Deutsch, a Minneapolis Realtor (MN #20382264). Twenty-five years of walking these neighborhoods, checking basements, and sitting across kitchen tables from people making exactly this call. I re-check every answer and date it — this one was last verified .
If your situation is more specific than the market, that's the one worth talking through. Email me at chris@lakesarearealty.com.