Home-value analysis offered online

Among new online tools for home buyers and sellers, Cyberhomes.com is offering a report card of home values.

The Market Forecasts aren’t free -- $3.99 or $9.99, depending on how much detail you want -- but they’re an easily grasped snapshot of how your home and neighborhood are weathering the storm. And the report offers a prediction of where the local market is headed.

The pricier version is an eight-pager that estimates the current value in context with other homes in the same ZIP code and nearby.

It offers recent sales data within half a mile, current listings, average days on market and the neighbors’ average loan amount.

Real estate agents will be quick to point out that they can get you similar reports, free. But if you want a picture of what’s happening out there that’s just between you and your computer, there’s a lot of sobering information here.

-- Mary Umberger, Chicago Tribune