How do you verify comps for a market you can’t visit?

Question

For anyone investing out of state or wholesaling remotely: how do you check ARV and rehab estimates when you can’t walk the property? Do you rely on an agent’s MLS comps, local contractors, or something else? Any tools or mistakes worth knowing about?

Jimmy Lieu · Answer

Good question, Obi. Maurice's point about keeping comps tight is the foundation, and a few things help once you're doing this remotely. Pull the county sale records alongside the portal data, since those are the actual closed numbers. Match on condition, not just square footage, because a gutted house and a lived-in one on the same street can sell far apart. For rehab, ask a local contractor for a walk-through video and a line-item scope instead of a lump sum, and hold a cushion for whatever a video can't show. A local agent willing to run a CMA and drive past the comps is worth a lot early on, too. On my own Columbus deals, the habit that's paid off is conservative ARV, a real scope of work and a reserve, so one surprise doesn't sink the deal. Happy to connect and compare notes.

Mike Paolucci · Answer

Hey Obi. Lots of different ways people get that info but the most reliable way is to pull comps from the MLS and compare the overall condition of each property (Can be done with public resources like zillow/redfin/realtor.co). County records are great for initial prices but don't show the interior condidition.

When it comes to assessing properties, I walk a lot of them for my clients, provide interior pictures/video walkthroughs when possible and also connect them with contractors that I trust and use on my own projects to get them rehab estimates.

Maurice Smith · Answer

@Obi Brown I operate in several remote markets. I get my comps from Zillow, Redfin, and Realtor. Those are MLS and county-reported sales and are sufficient for establishing ARV. The main thing is not to cross major roads, keep your distance tight, 0.2–0.5 miles (when possible) but no more than 1.0 mile, similar configurations, and you should be good to go. Lean conservative on ARV, especially in a buyer’s market.

One note: if you are in a non-disclosure market you will need a system that has MLS access (rare) or you need to make connects with some agents that can produce a CMA for you.

Ametria Chaney · Answer

All of this is great advice — and the one thing I'd add as an agent is to get the story behind the comps, not just the numbers. Two homes can look identical on paper, but one sold in a 12-offer bidding war and the other sat for 90 days because of a bad floor plan or a busy road. That context changes what the comp tells you about your property's ARV. When you ask an agent for a CMA, ask them to walk you through why each comp sold where it did — condition, days on market, concessions, and motivation. Data tells you what happened; the story tells you what it means for your deal.

Juan Hasbun · Answer

From a lender's perspective, I'd be careful about relying on any single source, especially when investing remotely.

What I've seen successful out-of-state investors do is verify everything through multiple independent sources:

• ARV: Get an agent's opinion and MLS comps, but also compare recent sales yourself on Zillow, Redfin, PropStream, or similar platforms. If all the data points point to the same value range, your confidence should go up.
• Rehab budget: Never rely on one contractor quote. If possible, get 2-3 estimates and ask for detailed line-item breakdowns. Large differences between bids usually reveal areas that need more investigation.
• Property condition: Request extensive photos, videos, inspection reports, and if possible a live video walk-through. Many investors will pay for a trusted local inspector or contractor to give an unbiased assessment before moving forward.
• Rental comps: Verify rents the same way you verify sales comps. Check actual listings, property managers, and local investors rather than trusting pro formas.

ARV: Get an agent's opinion and MLS comps, but also compare recent sales yourself on Zillow, Redfin, PropStream, or similar platforms. If all the data points point to the same value range, your confidence should go up.

Rehab budget: Never rely on one contractor quote. If possible, get 2-3 estimates and ask for detailed line-item breakdowns. Large differences between bids usually reveal areas that need more investigation.

Property condition: Request extensive photos, videos, inspection reports, and if possible a live video walk-through. Many investors will pay for a trusted local inspector or contractor to give an unbiased assessment before moving forward.

Rental comps: Verify rents the same way you verify sales comps. Check actual listings, property managers, and local investors rather than trusting pro formas.

A couple of common mistakes I see:

✅ Using comps that are too far away or in a different neighborhood.

✅ Assuming every dollar of rehab translates into a dollar of ARV.

✅ Underestimating holding costs and contractor delays.

✅ Trusting rent projections without confirming local demand.

For remote investing, I always tell people: your team matters almost as much as the deal. A good local agent, contractor, inspector, property manager, and title company can help bridge the gap when you can't physically be there.

One rule of thumb I've learned over the years: if the deal only works at the highest ARV estimate and the lowest rehab estimate, it probably doesn't work. Underwrite using conservative numbers and let any upside be a bonus.

The best remote investors aren't necessarily the ones with the best software. They're the ones who build enough verification steps that no single person's opinion can make or break the deal.

Obi Brown · Answer

That’s helpful. The 0.2 to 0.5 mile range and not crossing major roads are rules I can use right away, and I’ll lean conservative on ARV. Do you use a particular agent or tool when you work in a market where the portals fall short? And do you check county records as well, or do the portals usually catch everything?

Obi Brown · Answer

Thanks, Jimmy, this is really useful. Pulling the county sale records alongside the portal data and matching on condition are two things I hadn’t been doing. I’ll also ask any contractor for a line-item scope with a walk-through video and hold a reserve. I’d be glad to connect and compare notes. Out of curiosity, how do you find local agents or contractors you can trust in a market you can’t visit often?

How do you verify comps for a market you can’t visit?

How do you verify comps for a market you can’t visit?

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