Zillow Review: When any person plans to buy or sell a house, the first place they tend to look at is the internet. Zillow is a home-searching platform, with an estimated 36 million monthly visitors. It features several sites as one of the best real estate websites.
It is simple and free to list a home on for sale by owner websites and even by an agent. But the ease of doing things doesn’t always guarantee efficiency. So if you want to start the home search/selling process and wondering if Zillow is a good place to start that, we bring to you some Zillow reviews.
How effective is Zillow?
- Accuracy of Zillow Zestimate
The company coined the term “Zestimate”, which is an estimation of a home’s value, computed through a proprietary formula.
Though this is not an official appraisal, the Zestimate is considered to be a good starting point for first-time home sellers and new agents to gauge the market value of a house.
However, as per Zillow for sale by owner reviews and even the company itself, the tool’s accuracy relies on location and availability. Some localities do not provide a Zestimate at all.
Pricing a home correctly demands a lot more than just taking random neighborhood data and fitting it into a formula. So it is not advisable to depend on the tool to make an offer on a property or fix its selling price.
- Exposure of your house
In the past, when a seller would want to list their house and promote it, some lead time was needed. Now, the agent can promote the property on several channels through multiple listing services.
It syndicates with several websites and widens your pool of potential buyers. This can increase competition and lead to selling your property faster.
- Agent match
Getting the right agent is a key factor for homebuyers, especially in a market that is so competitive. According to Zillow reviews, the platform will pair users with an agent-based on whether or not that agent is paying them for the lead.
So basically it has nothing to do with the agent’s experience or if they know anything about the locality. It could be tempting to go the easy way i.e. clicking yes to the first offer Zillow makes. But remember that this is one of the most important buys of your life so be careful in screening your agent.
Budgeting recommendations
As per Zillow reviews, the platform provides an estimated monthly payment to buyers for each property. While this can be a helpful rough guide, it could be off by some hundred dollars when several factors are considered. Listing price is the only basis of this estimate, but in today’s competitive market homebuyers usually have to offer above the asking price to bag the deal.
- Property status
Several homebuyers claim that Zillow doesn’t always update its properties’ status timely. This gives the buyers a wrong impression of the local real estate market when it seems that reasonably priced houses are not moving quickly, when in fact, they could have gone for a great price many days ago.
Hence, it is not the ideal source for a buyer to look at what is currently on the market. Also, if an agent is listing their client’s property, they should ensure the listings are accurate, else they will have an angry client who feels his/her house has been presented wrongly.
Zillow Reviews
The platform has a 1.6 rating out of 5 based on 193 Zillow Reviews on TrustPilot, which is a popular customer review website.
An example:
“Zillow is a scam and is very rude and unprofessional … when I finally got someone on the phone, Alex, C … he ended the call by hanging up on me. No one will return my calls from a corporate office, and the issue has never been resolved.”
On another website called Consumer Affairs, Zillow has a 3.8 rating out of 5.
An example:
Zillow is a wonderful source for home searching. It is easy to use. The search bar can take just simply a zip code or even a broader search by counties. I liked that I could put in my own filters. It definitely cut down on wasted time swiping through homes that I shouldn’t even be looking at.
Some of the best real-estate websites
Besides Zillow, here are some of the best real-estate websites:
- Houzeo
- Realtor.com
- Trulia
- FSBO.com
- Apartments.com
Bottom Line
Zillow definitely ranks among the best real-estate websites. It is apt for what it is – a tool that lets buyers begin their home search. Having said that, it should not replace due diligence.
Purchasing a house is one of the most costliest and important buys of your life. Hence, take your time to know them inside and out of the deal. Build a plan based on your budget and needs and not Zillow’s rough estimates.
Also Read – Jovicloset Reviews (Feb 2022) Is This Scam Online Site?
Jorden Smith is a passionate writer and researcher with a knack for exploring news and website reviews. With a keen eye for detail and a love for uncovering hidden gems, Jorden’s work is always thorough and informative. When not busy writing, Jorden enjoys traveling and discovering new places. Stay tuned for more insightful articles from this up-and-coming writer.