How do you Zillow?

25 Comments so far

1. David Porter on April 7, 2006 11:12 am

   I think your site is brilliant. I know that you are feverously working to improve accuracy and geographic regions.

   You out to keep an update link on your blog so people in different regions can keep track of your progress.

   My mortgage practice for example is in the Lansing, Michigan MSA and you are not here yet.

   My second home is in Scottsdale, Arizona and for some reason your system does not recognize my home, but yet all others around it are there.

   Rather than making your users keep checking, put updates here and keep us up to date.

2. vinod doshi on April 7, 2006 1:04 pm

   several entries in seattle craiglist referencing to zillow. Some of these postings are using zestimates and links to zillow to set a value for the property. Though one of them complains that the information found on zillow is incorrect.

   http://seattle.craigslist.org/rfs/143647547.html
   This posting says - Please check property at the zillow.com site http://www.zillow.com/ enter house address= 31049 9th ave south Federal Way, Wa 98003.

   http://seattle.craigslist.org/rfs/147858445.html
   This posting says -
   .Great value…if you Zillow this home,it is three bedrooms NOT four,and value is in excess of 425,000!

   http://seattle.craigslist.org/rfs/148434146.html
   This posting says - Zillow has the value at $263,436. However, it is not accounting for the work. Great equity builder here. If you were frugal and did the work yourself, you could most likely get this accomplished for $15-20K.
   Depending on the quality/ condition Zillow has it between $226K- $292K.

   http://seattle.craigslist.org/rfs/147631921.html
   This psoting says - Zillow has information incorrect.

   http://seattle.craigslist.org/rfs/147384284.html
   This positng says - Check it out at zillow.com and make sure square footage is 1514.

3. Vinod Doshi on April 7, 2006 1:46 pm

   Here are few more examples of posting on craiglist referencing to zillow.

   http://bakersfield.craigslist.org/rfs/143252263.html

   This posting says - The following link isn’t an exact science, but it will give you an idea of the value of homes in the area (copy and paste) - http://www.zillow.com/search/Search.z?addrstrthood=Corte+Calanda&citystatezip=92592&mode=browse

   http://baltimore.craigslist.org/rfs/140982184.html
   In one of the replies to the above post –
   it’s 50% overpriced… here’s the zillow.com comp @ 800k:
   http://www.zillow.com/HomeDetails.z?city=ANNAPOLIS+&state=MD&zprop=36080560

   http://boston.craigslist.org/rfs/147808400.html
   This posting says - Check out http://www.zillow.com for comparable sales!

   http://boston.craigslist.org/rfs/147617330.html
   This posting says - check out the zestimate at:
   http://www.zillow.com/search/Search.z?addrstrthood=154%20Lake%20Shore%20Rd&citystatezip=Boston%2C%20MA%2002135&mode=units

   http://boston.craigslist.org/rfs/147613506.html
   This posting says –
   List Price: $419,900 (underpriced according to http://www.zillow.com by greater than $20k after taking into account all the new updates)

   http://boston.craigslist.org/rfs/147448935.html
   This posting says –
   Well Below Zillow Zestimate(with improvements), check it out!

   http://boston.craigslist.org/rfs/147192798.html
   This posting says - Priced $40,000+ below market value (when updated/adjusted for 7 rooms/4 bedrooms) according to Zillow.com RE value website

   http://boston.craigslist.org/rfs/146785440.html
   This posting says - You also can go to zillow.com and punch in the address to get approximate value

   http://cleveland.craigslist.org/rfs/145832842.html
   Follow this link to compare prices for other units in the building: http://www.zillow.com/search/Search.z?addrstrthood=13600+Shaker+Blvd&citystatezip=44120&mode=search

   http://columbus.craigslist.org/rfs/146940059.html
   this posting says - According to Zillow.com, the house is worth $59,000. I don’t know how accurate it is, but this should give you an idea that it’s a good price. http://www.zillow.com/search/Search.z?addrstrthood=1655+Arlington+Avenue+NE&citystatezip=43211&mode=search

   http://dallas.craigslist.org/rfs/143257775.html
   This posting says -
   The following link isn’t an exact science, but it will give you an idea of the value of homes in the area (copy and paste) - http://www.zillow.com/search/Search.z?addrstrthood=Corte+Calanda&citystatezip=92592&mode=browse

   http://dallas.craigslist.org/rfs/142995887.html
   this posting says - ZILLOW.COM VALUE IS $55,614.

   http://denver.craigslist.org/rfs/147404714.html
   This posting says –
   zillow.com says this place is worth $176,854

   http://denver.craigslist.org/rfs/142982110.html
   This posting says - ZILLOW.COM VALUE IS $65,242!

   http://denver.craigslist.org/rfs/141780020.html
   This posting says - Appraises on http://www.zillow.com for over $147,000!!!

   http://denver.craigslist.org/rfs/135862992.html
   This posting says – Check it out on zillow.com to compare comps !

   http://detroit.craigslist.org/rfs/136258639.html
   This posting says – See and compare others for yourself at zillow.com

   http://fortmyers.craigslist.org/rfs/145333604.html
   This posting says – Check http://www.zillow.com for their estimate on this property in tip-top condition

   http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/rfs/147754346.html
   This posting says - Below appraised value…check zillow.com

   http://houston.craigslist.org/rfs/145093070.html
   this posting says - Zillow appraises it for… $167,427.00 http://www.zillow.com/search/Search.z?addrstrthood=8102+beechnut&citystatezip=77036&mode=search

   http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/rfs/145073414.html
   this posting says - The Zillow link isn’t an exact science, but it will give you an idea of the value of homes in the area - http://www.zillow.com/search/Search.z?addrstrthood=Corte+Calanda&citystatezip=92592&mode=browse

   http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/rfs/143377970.html
   this posting says -
   The following link isn’t an exact science, but it will give you an idea of the value of homes in the area - http://www.zillow.com/search/Search.z?addrstrthood=Corte+Calanda&citystatezip=92592&mode=browse

   http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/rfs/143355972.html
   If you go to http://www.zillow.com …… you will see that the value of the house is a lot more than what im selling it for

   http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/rfs/143246805.html
   The following link isn’t an exact science, but it will give you an idea of the value of homes in the area - http://www.zillow.com/search/Search.z?addrstrthood=Corte+Calanda&citystatezip=92592&mode=browse

   http://kansascity.craigslist.org/rfs/148964135.html
   This posting says - Also don’t trust zillow.com-the values and comps they use are way off.

   http://losangeles.craigslist.org/rfs/147325060.html
   this posting says - For comps, visit http://www.zillow.com. You will see that this house is currently listed for BELOW market value!

   http://memphis.craigslist.org/rfs/136722640.html
   this posting says - Look up on Zillow.com for property info

   http://miami.craigslist.org/rfs/140105025.html
   This posting says - Zillow.com shows this condo as being worth $315,000

   http://miami.craigslist.org/rfs/137809032.html
   See Zillow.com for comps.

   http://miami.craigslist.org/rfs/140384541.html
   (check out for estimates: http://www.zillow.com/search/Search.z?addrstrthood=5391+SW+32nd+Way&citystatezip=Fort+Lauderdale%2C+FL++33312&mode=search)

   http://modesto.craigslist.org/rfs/143252954.html
   This posting says - The following link isn’t an exact science, but it will give you an idea of the value of homes in the area (copy and paste) - http://www.zillow.com/search/Search.z?addrstrthood=Corte+Calanda&citystatezip=92592&mode=browse

   http://newyork.craigslist.org/que/rfs/149054929.html
   This posting says –
   • Zillow - $1,296,570
   • RealEstate ABC - $1,388,000

   http://newyork.craigslist.org/lgi/rfs/147736427.html
   this posting says - check out http://www.zillow.com for comps

   http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/rfs/147074361.html

   http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/rfs/145071926.html
   The Zillow link isn’t an exact science, but it will give you an idea of the value of homes in the area (copy and paste) - http://www.zillow.com/search/Search.z?addrstrthood=Corte+Calanda&citystatezip=92592&mode=browse

   http://orlando.craigslist.org/rfs/146362550.html
   This posting says The 3 BR house next door is valued at $254,742 by Zillow.

   http://orlando.craigslist.org/rfs/146350598.html
   this posting says - There is a beautiful 3/3 house next door with a pool, valued at $254,742 by Zillow.

4. Amy Bohutinsky on April 7, 2006 5:36 pm

   Hi, Amy from Zillow here. Comments for both of you…

   David: thanks for the suggestion. You’re right, the blog is a great place to have some updates on data additions. We’ll do this. I also want to make sure you’re aware of our data accuracy and coverage table, which breaks out state-by-state and county-by-county our cata coverage and Zestimate accuracy: http://www.zillow.com/howto/DataCoverageZestimateAccuracy.z

   Vinod: This could be a fun game!

5. Vinod Doshi on April 7, 2006 7:28 pm

   Hi Amy,

   I think this is cool stuff. I posted these as examples of how people are using zestimates. There are a more of these on craiglist I think. I browsed only about half the cities listed on craiglist.

   Thanks,
   Vinod

6. Meg Brizzolara on April 11, 2006 9:47 am

   How does one research when a particular house was built? Who originally built it? Would love to research that for the house I live in in San Quentin Village, CA
   Thanks to anyone who can answer this question!

7. Drew Meyers on April 11, 2006 5:27 pm

   Hey Meg, Drew from Zillow here. To research your home in San Quentin Village, CA, a very good place to start would be the Marin County Recorder’s Office.

   The address is:
   3501 Civic Center Drive, Suite 232, San Rafael, CA 94903

   or you can access them via the web at the following link:
   http://www.co.marin.ca.us/depts/AR/Main/index.cfm

   Good luck and let us know if you are successful!

8. Marilyn on April 12, 2006 6:01 pm

   I used to be able to zillow, but now cannot. When I attempt to download nothing happens.
   What gives?

9. Amy Bohutinsky on April 12, 2006 7:16 pm

   Hi Marilyn — check out this post from last month about troubleshooting if you’re having problems with the site. Hopefully this helps…
   http://www.zillowblog.com/zillow_blog/2006/03/having_trouble_.html

10. Vinod Doshi on April 13, 2006 1:44 am

    The site is giving me an error - We are sorry. We encountered a problem performing this search. Please wait a few seconds, then refresh the page and search again. This happens both in firefox and IE. I was tyring to loook up seattle, to check out this functionality - http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/1700AP_Microsoft_Zillow.html

11. Ryan Beesley on April 13, 2006 7:27 am

    Sorry about that Vinod, I’m a tester here at Zillow.com. It looks like you might have caught us in the middle of our upgrade. While we thought we took every precaution to keep our customers from experiencing something like that, we discovered new ways to get things wrong too. Hopefully things have cleared up for you now, but if not I would recommend trying to clear your broswer’s cache. If you don’t know how, or continue to experience problems let me know and I’ll do what I can to help out.

12. Ira Krakow's Newswire on April 26, 2006 8:56 am

    Red Sox: Did Coco Crisp Get a Good Deal On His Home?

    According to boston.com, Coco (aka Covelli) Crisp and I will be neighbors. They just bought a house in Middleton, MA. That makes us neighbors.
    I was wondering - did he get a good deal. According to the deed, a public record recorded at the Southern…

13. tom smat on April 28, 2006 12:12 pm

    All of us in the business know that the real estate commission standards are topsy-turvy with no fee no up to a negotiation. What is a real estate representative worth. With great information origins like Zillow should one be paying for this info from a real estate agent.

    We all know there are tasks like writing a sales contract that a professional would be a worthwhile investment as a purchased service but don’t we as consumers have much more ability to find a home and identify a mortgage and make the decision then ever before in the past.

    A service called SimpleMove actually finds you an agent or uses a real estate agent that you choose but goes one very important step further. SimpleMove cuts your real estate fee by giving you cash back. While not availlable in some States this is a chance for the consumer involved in the transaction the abilty to buy a home or sell a home, and in receiving the same great real estate service you also take rebate with you.

    Is this a discount or reduced fee real estate commission? Sure it is, but you get it without asking and with the same great service. So with the dynamics of the real estate fee changing why not get yours.

    I guess Zillow may not post this to avoid publicity for SimplMove. But with many similar rebate programs in the marketplace; why not let the readers choose themselves.

14. John Gillander on May 15, 2006 7:21 pm

    Zillow SUCKS! The “Zestimate” is based on an incorrect square footage number of 1,556. The correct sq. ft. for my home is 2,000. Also the map and satellite photo given on Zillow are of a home on the wrong street. Kathy Lane is one street to the South. The house shown as mine is on a street of half-acre lots. All of the lots on Kathy Lane including mine are on one-acre lots. The sq ft price difference using the zillow number of $227 per sq. ft. is $100,344 and the difference between the value of a ½ acre lot as shown and the 1 acre lots on Kathy lane is $100,000.

    I have three bedrooms, two bathroom, two thousand square feet home on a one-acre lot. Zillow uses 1,200 sq. ft. comps. Two of which are mobile homes, one in a MH Park, the other a condemned drug lab sold at auction.

    I tried to contact zillow and have received no answer. I don’t expect zillow to show all of the extras built into my property. But I would like the correct sq. ft. and the right property. Zillow is killing my Internet marketing.

    NOTE: Both Google and Yahoo maps give the incorrect location for Kathy Lane. They show Kathy Lane as Keith Lane. Entering 4328 ”Keith” instead of “Kathy” will get you the right satellite photo and map.

    John Gillander

15. Amy Bohutinsky on May 16, 2006 10:23 am

    Hi John, it’s Amy at Zillow. Ouch - harsh words! It sounds like what sucks is the data we have on your home. Occasionally county data can be off, particularly if there has been an addition or remodel to your home. That’s why we have the My Zestimator tool, which allows you to change beds/baths, square footage, etc to come up with a more accurate Zestimate based on things you know about a home that we may not. You can also choose your own comps that you think are most like your home. The output is a personal worksheet with your amended Zestimate. Here’s a link that explains how the tool works:
    http://www.zillow.com/howto/MyZestimator.htm

16. John on May 16, 2006 1:39 pm

    Yea, your bad data is messing with my Internet marketing. Did I mention that your database dropped the “zestamate” of the value of my home from $409k in Feb to $353k today? You think that home values have dropped here 20% in the past three months? Nagh, your zestimate of a smaller home three doors down from me is $535k.

    I don’t have any trouble finding the market value of my home. My complaint is that perspective buyers using the Internet were looking at my ads and then checking zillow. They don’t know that your data on my home and neighborhood is bad and there is no opportunity on zillow for me to offer a correction. I now run a zillow disclaimer on all my ads and website. But for the fist month my home has been on the market you have been out there discouraging perspective buyers unrefuted.

    People think your data is accurate. That’s a great service to the public when it is. When your data is bad it would be better if you did not exist at all because you do a lot of harm. There should at least be a way for me to delete my home from your database. It would be simple enough for you to add an opt out option. Instead of me having to explain to people that your data is bad and that isn’t even my home that they are seeing on zillow.

    PS: I know that the google and yahoo maps are bad. The good lord only know how to get that fixed.

    John Gillander

17. Gary on July 13, 2006 2:40 pm

    I see other users are getting the “We encountered a problem performing this search”. I’ve cleared my browser’s cache as suggested and still no luck. I’ve been getting this message for the past 2 weeks. Is the site just overwhelmed or been hacked or ?

    Thanks
    Gary

18. David Gibbons on July 13, 2006 3:05 pm

    Gary - there’s no problem with the site. We’re e-mailing you to figure out what’s causing the problem. I hope to have you up and running again soon.

19. Doug on July 14, 2006 9:26 am

    We are getting the same problem (“We encountered a problem performing this search”) with PCs running Windows 2000 and Flash Player 8/9, but not with Windows XP PCs. IE6, latest patches applied to both. Any help would be appreciated.

20. David Gibbons on July 14, 2006 11:10 am

    Hi Doug; we’ll be following up via e-mail.

    If any other readers have similar problems accessing the site; please note that it’s most often recent changes to your internet security or networking configurations that cause this.

    We’ve had a few cases we haven’t been able to resolve by resetting network configurations - it’s frustrating to us too. A last-resort that often works for these users is to reinstall your internet browser and flash.

    On machines that have problems connecting to Zillow, the firefox browser has also proved to be more reliable than IE. If all else fails, I strongly recommend trying firefox.

21. M. Burton on November 14, 2006 11:47 am

    Flashplayer 9 continues to cause my computer to crash, and has become an impediment to using zillow. I have un-installed Flashplayer 9 and no longer make use of the zillow.com site.

22. Drew M from Zillow on November 14, 2006 12:14 pm

    M Burton-
    I apologize for your difficulty with Flash 9. Did you try the previous version of flash?

23. Sourav on April 25, 2007 3:36 pm

    Hello,

    I am getting the same error
    “We encountered a problem performing this search” on windows XP, running the latest version of flash and shockwave players. What is wrong with zillow?

24. Drew Meyers from Zillow on April 25, 2007 3:44 pm

    Sourav-
    Please try the steps outlined on this wiki page: http://www.zillow.com/wikipages/HELP—-Site-Errors

    I hope this resolves your problem.

25. El Grande on November 24, 2008 12:29 pm

    It is clear that Zillow is useful if you use to for its intended purpose: wipe your behind. The estimates are a joke! Property facts are misrepresented! Changes are capricious!