A few recent sales can still give you good guidance if you stay selective.
If you are worried about overpaying, I would narrow your focus to the most relevant recent sales instead of the loudest asking prices online. In Sumner, WA, 10 homes closed over the last three months, with prices ranging from $305,000 to $770,000, so fair value depends on matching the right sale to the right home.
Over the last three months, Sumner, WA had 10 recently closed properties. Their prices ranged from $305,000 at the low end to $770,000 at the high end, with a typical price per square foot of $320 in that three-month closed set.
For buyers, that tells me comparison quality matters more than comparison quantity. A smaller town can still offer strong pricing clues, but I would rather use a short list of well-matched recent closings than grab every nearby sale and pretend they carry equal weight.
Choose three to five recent closings that match your target home closely. Compare price per square foot only after you align for size, age, and property type. Keep your offer anchored to the most similar sales, not the broadest range you can find.
