Selling · November 2026

What's my Davis County home worth? 5 things that actually move the price

By Pete Thomson, Realtor with RE/MAX Associates

If you've typed your address into a home value website, you've probably gotten a number, and maybe a second, very different number from another site. Those estimates are a fine starting point, but they work from public records and broad averages. They can't walk through your house, and they don't know what's happening on your street. Here in Davis County, two homes a few blocks apart can sell for very different prices.

After more than 400 transactions along the Wasatch Front, these are the five things I see make the biggest difference when a home actually sells.

1. The right comparable sales

Buyers and appraisers judge your home against recent sales that are as similar as possible: same area, similar size, age, and style, and sold recently. The key word is similar. A rambler with a finished basement in Kaysville shouldn't be priced off a two-story in a newer Layton subdivision just because the square footage matches. Picking the right comparisons is where most of the accuracy comes from.

2. Condition and updates

Online estimates usually assume an average home. Yours might have a remodeled kitchen, a new roof and furnace, or fresh flooring. Or it might need some work. Buyers notice right away, and so do appraisers. Major systems like the roof, HVAC, and water heater matter more than people expect, because buyers think about what they'll have to replace soon after moving in.

3. Location within the city

"Farmington" or "Bountiful" isn't one market. Lot size and usability, views of the valley or the lake, a quiet street versus a busy road, backing to open space, and how close you are to the freeway, FrontRunner, or a park all shift value. These details rarely show up correctly in an automated estimate.

4. Timing and interest rates

The same home can sell differently depending on the season and on mortgage rates. When rates move, buyers' budgets move with them, which changes what they can pay and how many people are competing for each home. The number of other homes for sale nearby matters too. Less competition usually means more leverage for sellers.

5. How the home is priced and presented

Price and presentation work together. A home that's clean, well photographed, and priced right from the first day tends to draw the most interest, and sometimes multiple offers. A home that starts too high often sits, and buyers start wondering what's wrong with it. The right list price is a strategy, not just a number.

The bottom line

A real home value comes from looking at your specific house, your specific neighborhood, and what buyers are doing right now. If you're curious what your home would sell for today, whether you're planning to move soon or just want to know, I'm happy to put together a market analysis based on recent sales near you. There's no cost and no pressure.