I agree that it is hard in this market to come up with comps. Often the best comps are the pending sales because they are the latest sales. I sold 1043 Oddstad and it is an "F" plan. It was bank owned, needed work and my client paid cash. They got a great buy. Another TH on Oddstad just closed escrow for $363,000. It was a "D" plan and all fixed- smaller but in better condition.
Do you mean 1369 Terra Nova? It is tenant occupied so therefore harder to show and is now $325,000
1435 Terra Nova closed for $350,000. It was very nice and was vacant and easy to show.

There are many factors but in townhomes it is easier because you compare, location, model, and condition. Like everyone else says- work with a local agent who knows the details.

If it makes you feel better, you are not alone in your struggle to determine a fair price for a property. In addition to what the market is showing for recent (or lack of recent) sales there are other factors to take into consideration. Is this townhouse a short sale or an REO? What is the situation of the seller? Are they looking for the highest price or is time more of a factor in which case they might be willing to take less if it means getting out sooner. Finally, what is the place worth to you? Is it in a neighborhood you are dying to live in, does it have all the amenities you want, does it put you near family etc. It looks like the the SFH might be a good jump off point to figuring out a price but keep in mind that pricing can sometimes be more of an art vs. science.

Buying and/or selling can lead to loads of confusion because often the answer to your many questions may often be "it depends". If it would make life easier for you, I would be more than happy to sit down to discuss the market and home buying process in general. We can then move on to your situation in particular and finally, any property specifically. We can then sort through all your research and take some of the mystery out of it all.

Good luck with your search!

Hello there. Make your life easier by working with a real estate professional. Keep in mind that a buyer's agent gets paid by the seller. There are so many sites that we have access to that the public doesn't, one of them is Dataquick or the county records for homes sold in any area you're looking at. It automatically pulls up sold properties closest to the subject property you're interested in. It may not be as updated as the Multiple Listing Service because it takes time to get a sale reported to the county but it works. To help you out, here is the link (click or copy & paste on your browser) for the property profile, complete with comparables, a map, neighborhood demographics, commercial areas, etc.. The first is for 1369 Terra Nova Blvd. (both 1369 & 1435 should have the same comparables): http://www.niteowlplus.net/Anonym/ViewReports.aspx?Order=34420120

For 1435 Terra Nova: http://www.niteowlplus.net/Anonym/ViewReports.aspx?Order=34420207

To answer your question on what criteria to use, on your search for sold properties, try putting a wider date range (instead of 3 months, make it 6 months back or more until you get results); the same zip code; a range of the square footage (for example, if the subject property has 900 sq. ft., try 800-1000); a range for the number of bedrooms and bathrooms - if a comparable comes up having an extra half bath, then your subject property may be valued lower. You can determine the fair value of the subject property by averaging the prices of the results.

If you need further assistance, please do not hesitate to call or e-mail me. My info is on the reports & on my website.

Regards,
Fiona Santos

A professional real estate agent can help you sort out the information that is available for comparable property OR the lack of comparables. Trying to sort out the market on your own can be overwhelming to say the least. Why do it yourself? You can have representation in most areas at no cost!