Public housing portals can report three different Bethesda prices and all three can be accurate within their own definitions. The mistake is treating them as interchangeable.
My Bethesda three-source market snapshot records a Zillow typical value of $1,121,468 as of August 31, a Redfin median sale price of $1,349,107 for the three months ending August, and a Realtor.com median listing price of $1,212,450 for September. Those figures answer different questions.
Start with the metric label
Zillow's Home Value Index estimates the typical value of homes in a geography. It is an index, not the median price of that month's closings. Redfin's figure is a transaction median over a three-month period. Realtor.com's figure describes the midpoint of asking prices in its current listing set.
Before copying a number into a decision, record five fields:
| Field | Question |
|---|---|
| Measure | Is this an index, asking-price median, sale-price median, ratio, count, or time measure? |
| Geography | Bethesda city page, Montgomery County, Washington, DC, or a broader region? |
| Period | A date, one month, three months, or year to date? |
| Population | All homes, active listings, closed sales, rentals, condos, or another segment? |
| Source method | Provider estimate, MLS calculation, public records, or a combination? |
Do not average unlike prices
Averaging the three headline numbers would create a figure that none of the providers publishes and that has no defined housing population. It would combine an estimated value index, a closed-sale median, and an asking-price median from different periods.
Instead, use each measure for its proper job. An index can orient broad value direction. A transaction median can describe the mix of homes that recently closed. A listing median can describe the current asking-price mix. None prices a named home without a property-specific comparison.
Read speed measures the same way
The portals also reported 28, 35, and 57 days. Zillow's 28 was days to pending. Redfin's 35 was median days on market for the three months ending August. Realtor.com's 57 was median listing days on market in September. Different endpoints and windows explain why these are not one disputed number.
Build a local decision file
Once a home is named, replace the broad orientation layer with current evidence:
- exact address and property form;
- current status, asking price, and price-change history;
- recent same-product, same-area sales;
- active and pending alternatives a buyer would genuinely consider;
- condition, renovation documentation, permits, and material defects;
- condominium or association fees, reserves, insurance, and assessments where applicable;
- financing, appraisal, timing, and contract constraints; and
- an explicit list of unknown facts with owners and deadlines.
The provider pages remain useful. They help test whether an assumption is plausible and show what needs deeper review. They should not become a shortcut around the property record.
Source and scope note
This analysis uses the public Zillow Bethesda page, Redfin Bethesda page, and Realtor.com Bethesda page, accessed September 29, 2026. City-level portal figures do not measure a particular neighborhood, condominium building, luxury segment, or home's value.
Contact Liz with the exact property or search criteria if you want to turn the broad Bethesda data into a current comparison.