@mollypop51797 & @lilikoi, no, if the question is “These are houses?” then the word “estes” = “these” (which I believe to be the correct word) is NOT “estas”, which is “you are”.
Estes son casas? is, word for word:
These are houses?
Como estas? is, word for word:
How you are?
Spanish does have words, same as English, that “look the same” but are not. Just not so many.