Name: Zillow
Rating: 4.5

LAST UPDATED: August 19th, 2024

Zillow was developed as an online real estate search engine that was incorporated in 2004. It was created by Rich Barton and Lloyd Bring, former Microsoft gurus who were key in the development of the Expedia website. Spencer Rascoff serves as the company CEO. The company has data on over 110 million homes in the United States, in addition to the 2 million that are currently listed on the website for sale. The site offers value estimates on homes, gives key data on how the price of a home will change over a given timespan, gives aerial views of homes and helps customers find data on similar homes that exist in the same search area. The website accesses basic public data on a home and also gives information on the square footage and number of bedrooms listed in a home. If a home has a recently added feature, such as a renovation, this information is also tracked on the website for the home. Zillow also has API integration and developers can also network Zillow's search feature into websites developed for other realtors. Zillow has a unique functionality that is not found on many realtor websites. The "Make Me Move" feature is a great way to get a pre-market price on the home out there. One of the nice features of the Zillow website is the rental search feature, which was launched in 2009. The website doesn't list as many rentals as homes, but this helps renters find an affordable website. Zillow is also used to power other key real estate search paradigms, such as AOL Real Estate and MSN Real Estate, in 2013 and 2014 respectively. Zillow also was one of the first companies in the industry to begin using apps to access its real estate search database. Here is a list of apps available and the dates that they were launched:

April 2009, iPhone app
March 2010, Android app
April 2010, iPad app
March 2011, Blackberry app
July 2012, Windows phone app
November 2013, Windows 8.1 app.

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The Good

Search functionality
Apps

The first thing that we noticed about the Zillow website was its functionality. We liked the number of listings that we saw available. The search feature is also easy to use. Site users can do multiple types of searches. It is possible to search by address, state, map, type of home, rental or home purchase, the number of bedrooms in a home, and other search criteria. It also includes a "Make Me Move" price, where customers can see new homes that are just starting to enter the market. Another thing that we liked about the website was the feature that lets users see factors that increase a home's values. Price valuation increases in a home can be projected for a 5- or 10-year timespan. Also, the site lists recent renovations to a home that may also increase its price. We also liked the number of apps available for Zillow. When we looked at apps in the industry, many of the apps were only geared for the iPhone. We saw apps available for the iPad and Google tablets as well. The Zillow app is very flexible to use on the Windows 8.1 phone, a major plus in our opinion, given the Zillow functionality of the MSN Real Estate website. We found that the Zillow "Zestimate" was also accurate. We looked at homes on the website and then checked these prices with real estate websites and other listings. The Zestimate feature allows users to see a price that is projected based on several factors, including prices of homes that are also going in the same search area. Zestimate, however, is not always accurate. One of the problems that we found with "Zestimates" was that the price accuracy varies by location and current offers if buyers are negotiating for the home.

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The Bad

Customer support
Zestimate accuracy

One of the things we noticed right away was the lack of support available for the Zillow website. They don't offer a toll-free number for customers to call in. There is also no live chat app for customers who are looking for information about a particular home. Another problem that we found with Zillow was that the Zestimate and home prices listed on the website was not always accurate. We found that a homeowner who rented had lost income on a property because the property was incorrectly listed as being "in foreclosure." The client asked to receive funds to help compensate for their losses, but Zillow responded by saying that their information is received from third-party sources. We found that the pricing critiques of the website hinged on the following factors:

Some data used to compile the Zillow price estimate can be as old as twenty years and is based on old bank data, public data, and sales transactions.
Only 65% of Zillow's listing stock can be considered "accurate," according to Fortune magazine.
Real estate agents and brokers are more likely to know the most up-to-date and factual information about a home that is listed for sale.

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The Bottom Line

Overall, we would recommend Zillow as a website for listing your home or looking for a new home. Here is what we liked about Zillow's website:

Accurate data, for the most part, that is compiled from trustworthy and up-to-date public sources.
The "Zestimate" price that is listed for homes.
The search functionality of the website.
The ability for site users to ask real estate questions in a public forum.
The map feature and aerial views offered for homes.
Price valuation information for a home that is listed in timespan intervals.
Rental listings that are almost as extensive as sales listings.

We saw a pattern of complaints such as occasional inaccurate price information for a new home. Some landlords lost money due to homes being listed as "in foreclosure" on the website when they were in fact not. Also, we had concerns with some property information on the website, especially bank data, as being as much as two decades old. Even though Zillow gets its information from third-party sources, more supervision of the data is needed to ensure its accuracy.

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User Reviews

Star Rating

1,132 Reviews

Review Breakdown

5 grade

58%

4 grade

28%

3 grade

10%

2 grade

1 grade

Sentiment Criteria

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Laurie Spencer

Love Zillow!! Before we even started searching for our home, I started watching the trends in the area through Zillow to see what houses were going for and how long they were on the market. I used this information when talking to realtors to find the best ones. I also saw several degrees of advertising on there and that was an eye opener. So much information available at your fingertips. I trust the pros!

2 months ago

Chris

Love that it will find every address you search. It lets you know the school districts and how long the property has been occupied or vacant. I always search Zillow before anything else.

Dusty Baca

I used Zillow when buying our home in 2020. I find the site easy to navigate with very helpful filters. I’m also a writer and use Zillow to get information about neighborhoods, housing costs, etc. when I’m writing about settings I’m not very familiar with. It’s been very useful!

3 months ago

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Charli Peaden

Zillow is easy to use and the app is simple to navigate. There has been a couple of properties that listed available that actually were already sold. Which is to be expected. I will say that Zillow's listings are much more accurate and up to date then some of it's competitors, though. Several times I have recommended Zillow when the topic of house hunting come up and will continue to do so!!

Lia Savage

Zillow is great for all my house searching needs. Whether I am looking for a house or just browsing the website and help is wonderful.

Michelle Thomas Anaheim, CA

Zillow is my favorite site when looking up the price of homes in areas I search for homes. This site is valuable for searching homes for sale across the US. I have helped friends to find new homes in Washington and Nevada. Overall you will find every thing you need to know about a home you own or are looking to purchase. Zillow is a definitely a 5 star site.

10 months ago

Nora Mosley

I love to use Zillow because it helps us see who is selling and at what cost in our service area. I am looking for a new home and Zillow always sends me an email update when something new comes up. We can also look up different locations and it allows you to search only what you can afford versus just giving you everything that is out there. So you are able to search for only what you need. :)

6 months ago

Janessa P Logan, UT

I have used Zillow to keep me up to date on houses posted and listed on the MLS. I have found it to be almost always accurate and equal to what other MLS sites state. Usually Utah Real Estate is a little quicker but Zillow keeps up well. I appreciate that Zillow has house estimates and a graph of the history of the value of the house over time. I also appreciate that many times Zillow will also list when the house was listed and purchased previously and sometimes for how much. It is very helpful when searching for a home inside of Utah and also searching in other places across the United States.

7 months ago

Deborah Dyer Hendersonville, TN

We have used Zillow in the past when we were considering a move from one city to another. The Real estate Agent I worked with was very personable, professional and extremely knowledgeable in her line of work. We informed her what our interests were in what our next house would have to have, in order to please us. From that first day, she worked rapidly emailing me daily several pictures and information on at least 6-10 houses she thought we would like within our price range. She performed market values of the homes that had sold within our neighborhood and surrounding areas comparing them with the price we had decided to sell our home for. Unfortunately, due to an Unexpectedly and quite involved health issue, we were not able to move at the time we had hoped. However, she kept in touch with us, even mailing me a beautiful ‘Thinking of you’ card which I thought was very nice. I still receive quotes for our home as the home market continues to go up and down. We will use her again someday if and when we decide to move.

1 year ago

Ariana Ruiz

Found my correct home to rent. Safe community, new home to rent, loved that we moved from Lockhart so quickly!!

Chris G

I love their search features! Go by zip code or draw a circle around the area you want a house in. This allows more freedom to find less populated or more populated areas. Another fantastic feature is giving the history of the property. How many times it has been on the market, the last time it was sold, for how much etc. So when someone buys a piece of land for $15k 6 months ago and are now trying to sell it for 200k, you have more bargaining room - or can just run! It also has information if the land was harvested for the trees, then replanted with cheap pine. (A healthy woodland has various types of trees. All pine says it has already been strippe d of anything valuable). They can be a little generous in estimating your homes value, but it's not too far off. Their search features can't be beat! I tried a few.

11 months ago

derin Williams

I saw it had quite alot of listings, good photos and it gave me estimates on home values a nice site to get the feel of the market.

Areddwolf

Zillow is a great tool for real estate hunting. It's very accurate and I like the tools they offer. It's very convenient to be able to search properties anywhere you choose.

Amani Patel Harrisonburg, VA

Fantastic website with very reliable and accurate information! Have used Zillow when looking into properties multiple times and I feel like I get a comprehensive overview of each property I look at! Would recommend!

8 months ago

JenniferS

Zillow is a great site to look for homes. The filter function works great to show the exact area I am looking into. I set up notifications and get regular updates on homes that fit my specifications.

4 months ago

Alexandra Rosado

It is excellent for finding properties and updates of such properties. It needs to be a little bit more user friendly for Puerto Rico residents because getting effective communication with realtors from the island or being able to get a loan approval for the island through the app is not effective.

Joseph West

Easy to use website that I totally use to see how much my neighbors and friends houses are “worth.” Put in quotations though because this is for entertainment purposes only as the valuations are usually way off. I love that it keeps old listings though so that we can see what the inside of the house used to look like.

Osotomilayo

I remember the first time I used Zillow to search for my dream home. I was amazed by the vast array of listings available at my fingertips. With just a few clicks, I could browse through different properties in various neighborhoods, filtering my search based on my preferences. The ease of navigation and user-friendly interface made the whole process seem almost effortless.

Stephanie Bloniarz

We loved using Zillow when we sold our house by owner! It was easy to list, and found a buyer within 24 hours! I love using it as tool to find the value in my home, and always keeping an eye out for others we might be interested in.

Brittney Anderson-Martinez Austin, TX

Zillow is very user friendly and up to date. You can save homes for easy viewing as well. Zestimate on properties seem accurate and there is a payment calculator on each listing to give an estimate of monthly costs dependent on property.

Stephanie M. Oceanside, CA

My husband and I were interested in buying a small condo in Chicago. Since we live in San Diego, we can't get information or see places in person. Zillow allowed us to search the area codes we wanted and see photos of the inside and outside of places. They also provided a breakdown of the costs.

8 months ago Edited February 20, 2024

Candice S Milan, TN

Easy to navigate and very informative. For buyers, I like that Zillow may have different information on a property that may also be listed elsewhere. For sellers, Zillow is very easy to list your own property and reaches a broad market. I also enjoy the updates on properties that are listed through them.

Robbie NJ

Zillow is our go to real estate company. I use it not only to see what the housing markets are all over the country, but have an account to rent out or search for property purchases. I like the new rental application that provides everything you need to rent properties. They should expand in to vacation rental and give VRBO etc. a run for their money [their fees are ridculous now].

2 years ago

Brittney Mac Gregor Louisville, KY

I have been using Zillow for a couple of years to monitor houses for sale in areas that I am interested in moving to. Zillow gives a lot of feedback to the users. It let's you know how much the houses are going for, what it was sold for, average statistics and demographics in the area. There are usually pictures listed as well. There is also information on who to get in touch with for properties that you are interested in.

3 years ago

Deanna Ryde Madison, WI

Zillow Home Loans was wonderful to work with. The process was smooth and quick. They gave us quick responses to questions. The closing was one of the quickest we and our closing company have ever experienced. I would definitely recommend them! As an experienced real estate agent, I have worked with many mortgage companies and this is one of my top picks!

Arooj Naeem Washington, DC

I find Zillow incredibly useful in my home search. The user-friendly interface and detailed property information make it a go-to platform. The Zestimate feature adds value, although I'm mindful of occasional inaccuracies. Overall, it streamlines the house-hunting process, offering a comprehensive and accessible resource for potential homebuyers like myself.

Debra Fort Lauderdale, FL

I can always count on Zillow for ease of use and help with a sale or rent. I bought my apartment a few years ago and would never have found it If the seller had posted on Zillow and I had not looked!. My daughter just rented a home after selling her home and used Zillow. Super easy to use and we are always successful! Keep up the great work Zillow!

Kelsey T.L. Lansing, MI

I've been using Zillow for a while now, and I must say it's a fantastic resource for both homebuyers and sellers. While it's not perfect, there are many aspects of Zillow that I truly appreciate. Zillow's user-friendly interface makes it easy to search for homes in your desired area. The filters are incredibly helpful, allowing you to narrow down your options by price range, property type, and various other criteria. I've found this feature especially useful in my home search. Another aspect I find valuable is the wealth of information available for each listing. You can view detailed property descriptions, high-quality photos, and even take virtual tours. This helps you get a better sense of a property before deciding to visit it in person. Another aspect that I've appreciated is the "Zestimate" tool. This has proven to be very helpful when assessing the value of a home, and in our experience, it's been very accurate. Our house's appraisal came in at the exact Zestimate. However, this was not accurate for our friends in the same home-buying process. It may depend on the location of the home. Overall, Zillow is a reliable platform for real estate research, and it has been a valuable tool in our homebuying journey. With a few minor improvements and more accurate data, it could easily earn a solid five-star rating.

Sierra Jo Smith Pomeroy, WA

Zillow.com is the go-to website for real estate. With a user-friendly interface, robust search functionality, and a vast database of listings, it revolutionizes the way we navigate the housing market. The site provides comprehensive property details, including price history, amenities, and neighborhood data, allowing informed decision-making. Innovative tools like the interactive map view and "Zestimate" feature enhance the home search experience. Zillow's mortgage calculator simplifies financial planning. Whether you're a buyer, seller, or enthusiast, Zillow.com is an invaluable resource for all your real estate needs.

Ilspbeth Bruce

I have been using Zillow for years and just love it! It is a fantantic tool has everyting neat and organized, very user friendly. All of the tools like the payment calculator are wonderful and its great to not have to go between diferent sites and apps to get everything that you need. We were out looking at properties over the weekend and where we were looking the cell service is VERY limited but with Zillow i was able to go thru and add the 8 properties we wanted to see all in a row and in line with the best routes to get to each and the quickest ways to get from one to the other and send all of that information from my pc at home to my phone so that no matter if i had cell service or not we could see exactly where we were going. It was a great day and we say everything that we wanted. Zillow is what i will always use!!!!

Sa Bellevue, WA

My wife and I have been using Zillow for about 6 years now, and it has become like part of our family! We’ll typically sit around the dining table after dinner, pour some coffee, and review the properties Zillow has presented to us that week. We’ve made a very handsome profit in the last few years from our property investments—enough to guarantee us a great retirement, with travel options and exploring all the wonderful places in the world we’ve always wanted to see! For us—and often several family members at a time—Zillow has made looking at potential investment properties in the evenings an enjoyable pastime, providing us with details it would take us too much time to research by ourselves. Their info is comprehensive and trustworthy. Six years in, we wouldn’t know what to do without Zillow—thanks guys!

Frank Herbert Portland, OR

Zillow has been my go-to source for real estate valuations and listings since 2008. I own residential property in Portland and rental property in Seattle and Southern California. Zillow gives me accurate FMV rental estimates and property valuations in all locations. I can also enter my owner's information to fine tune the valuations. I have sold property in Northern Virginia and Southern California and my real estate agents have always listed on Zillow to gain maximum exposure. The listed valuations are accurate based on actual sales prices in the area. Zillow is easy to use and comprehensive in coverage, so I continue to use in all my real estate transactions.

Wendy Barney Vancouver, WA

Zillow has been fantastic the last two years as we have been wanting to move out of our current state to another area of the US. We want more land and need a home with a mother in law suite for our family needs. Zillow has wonderful filters to narrow down the property searches. There are often great pictures with the properties and Zillow dictates which schools the property is in (including their score comparisons). There is an easy tool to consistently show the time to specific locations for places that you may work. Above all, Zillow is easy and there is an easy way to tell which properties you have already seen and which ones you texted to a friend to see too! Zillow has enabled us to zero into one specific location from three very large areas in the US to potential move locations. Thank you Zillow! We have found where we can afford to live and still get what we want!

abw fsu Tallahassee, FL

Zillow is easily one of the best website for finding a home! I love how specific the filter and map functions are. I can see EXACTLY where the property is, which leaves little room for doubt or ambiguity. I also like that I can specify whether I am looking to rent or own a home/apartment. I feel like a big misconception is that Zillow is only for grown people who are looking for somewhere to start a family and settle down but this is so wrong! Zillow is great for young people who are starting a new job or phase in their academic career, to find an apartment within their price range without worry of being scammed. Zillow is a great resource!

3 years ago Edited September 14, 2021

Whitney Simmons

Great website to find homes for Rent, to buy and can list your home as well. I found my apartment I am currently living in now. I also have listed a property with Zillow before and everything was easy to list.

Carol

Very thankful for this site. Its easier to use than the other sites out there and it seems more people use Zillow than any other site because some postings I found were only on Zillow.

Drey Greg

I like Zillow listing and I alway get what I see on their website I got my first house from them with affordable price their customer service make the buying process easier for me anytime I had issue

dana pace Universal City, TX

It was easy to use and so helpful when we were searching for a home. We recieved an email when there were new listings. We found our new home on zillow and are so happy here.

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Herbert Mills Anniston, AL

Great site for starting the home buying process. Very easy to look around and find potential house/apartments/etc. Their user interface is easy to use once you get the hang of it, but setting filters is not as easy as on realtor. Their team is very helpful and prompt in getting you in touch with real estate agents in your area, and it's very easy to get a mortgage pre approval through them. I didn't use them for my mortgage, so I can't speak to how good their lenders are, but from my experience they were fantastic.

Rachel

Very easy to work with and search for homes using their site. Highly recommend to narrow down choices and mase it easy to find what I was looking for in the area I wanted to be in.

Russ Hamstring Lake Havasu City, AZ

I always use Zillow's free services when I'm looking to buy a home. The information they provide is honest and to the point. It's a great tool to use if looking for home values in a certain area or to see your home's value. They show you a map with values. It's just great.

Joseph Faenza Washington, DC

Zillow is a great resource when I was searching for my last home. I like how you can takeoff the boundary part of the map and keep searching all around the country if need be. Their zestimate is also a great option if you want to know what your current house is roughly worth.

1 year ago Edited August 7, 2023

L. Jones11 Philadelphia, MS

I’m a HUGE fan of Zillow! The site is really easy to navigate and understand, it would be easy for anyone to use. I’m not a fan of the app though, the setup is completely different so I definitely prefer the app but it’s a decent app overall. I love the option for having virtual walkthroughs, it’s so fun and a good way to get a good feel for a property if you aren’t in the situation to go visit it in person! Would definitely recommend to anyone!

Carlos M. Hercules, CA

I like Zillow because you can see houses for rent and for sale. you can set your zip code and you can see all houses around your city. Zillow is up to date on houses for sale. it's pretty easy to use. Ill used it for my next house I buy.

Anoushka Ahuja Orlando, FL

It’s very easy to find houses on Zillow especially listings that are not on An actual MLS. You can find listings from pre-foreclosures two for sale by owners. Zillow also gives you Zestimate That sometimes may not be very accurate but overall a very good website to use when looking for houses

Luke Swierczynski Franklin, MI

Found our current home on zillow, flagged an open house and we placed an offer. There search filters and criteria make is super simple to find what your looking for. Just wish I had noticed the "No HOA" filter before falling in love with our home.

2 years ago Edited November 30, 2021

JJ Jenkins Phoenix, AZ

Zillow is one of the best companies for buying and selling homes. They keep homes listed even if they are no longer for sale so that you can go back And find out Facts about homes even after they have sold. They give reliable Information and photos for homes in the area that you are looking to buy or sell a home property.

Leonard Leo Potomac, MD

One of favorite go to site to check home sale prices and current comps in the area, i.e. Zestimates. You can search by type of property, prices and areas. Zillow gives you free information that a typical MLS service would, including school districting, taxes, previous sale price. Unfortunately, this free service cannot complete with the paid MLS service.

Eddie Rios Ogden, UT

Zillow is industry leading in search tools in real estate. I found that they had more variables to choose from, more options and more comprehensive search results. I made Zillow my choice tool when I was in the real estate market. I will do so again very soon.

4 years ago

Tanner Cook Gilbert, AZ

Using Zillow was a great resource for my wife and I, as many listings on there or not on the MLS. Even though we had a realtor, we found the property that we most like through Zillow. When it comes time to rent in a year, will be using Zillow again

5 years ago