When true comparables are scarce, pay a licensed appraiser for a formal opinion and let that number do the arguing. An appraiser produces a defensible value both sides can point to, whether you're a buyer worried about overpaying or a seller pricing something unusual. We've used this on the listing side when a seller's description of the home didn't match public records. On the buying side, an appraisal contingency does similar work inside the contract. Write the offer contingent on the home appraising at or above the price, and you're protected from paying more than an independent valuation supports. If both sides are reasonably motivated, that keeps the negotiation grounded in an outside number rather than two opinions. This situation is rare in dense metro markets where recent sales are everywhere. It shows up far more in rural areas with large lots and one-of-a-kind homes spaced far apart. There, lean harder on the appraiser and on any sales genuinely similar in size, condition, and location, even if they're older or a few miles out. The goal is one credible, third-party value everyone can work from.