The best comparisons will be within the same zip code with properties that have similar zoning.

Remember your calculations have to consider expenses and cost of repairs otherwise you are not making valid comparisons.

At the end of the day a property is what someone is willing to pay for it.Do your research, active and sold comps with comparison of upgrades etc and provide an offer you are comfortable with understanding your risks.

For comparison's sake, what was your usage a month or two before this spike?

I only wanted internet.I did my comparison shopping, and the cost of internet only with DSL compared to high speed internet (with no tv or phone) from the cable company was HALF!

I did a lot of comparison to try and vet them out.

Not so much in the surrounding citys.I actually receive a monthly report on the currently real estate market in comparison to the previous year to show the markets strength.MIDLAND HOUSING REPORT May 11, 2016 – The April 2016 housing report shows a steady market compared to this time last year.

@Jared Garfield@David Faulkner  A class apartments as a comparison that's laughable.  

@Ben Ballinger - typically I'll show the seller my calculations (income approach, sales comparison, cost and final value reconciliation) and reiterate the previous discussion that I'm an investor and if the numbers don't work, its nothing personal.Working with a realtor/agent can make this conversation more difficult, in my opinion.  

Folks,It is possible to build a Passivhaus compliant home (energy consumption <=15kWh/m^2 per annum) using off the shelf materials with a marginal increase in construction costs (~10-15% ... less as the workforce becomes more skilled).Primary heating and cooling of such a home can be accomplished via the ERV/HRV system with a small auxiliary heating source (there's a house here that has a 1500w auxiliary coil to provide additional heat to the fresh air supply during the coldest part of winter ... that's essentially replacing your furnace with a hair dryer).Even a near-Passivhaus construction (or retrofit) can lower energy costs 70% or more in comparison to the conventional (or even R2000) house being built in Canada these days.