Millions of people go to this website every month. They’re looking at listings, checking values and enjoying pictures.
Let me warn you, again, DO NOT make any important decisions based on the information you find there!
This company exists solely to attract viewers and collect information to sell to real estate agents. The data doesn’t have to be good, it just has to be attractive.
Notice how many places on the screen grab offer me the opportunity to spend money with them: Advertise; Advertising; Promote Yourself on Zillow. Clickable links all over that page for one purpose only.
This week I noticed my Zillow profile says I have had no sales in the last 12 months. The last sale they show was 17 months ago. I periodically look at my profile to see if it is up to date, and rarely is it.
Strange, because Zillow has no problem pulling my photos (either that I personally took or paid a photographer for), my marketing remarks and the data I enter into the Multiple Listing System (MLS). They even show me as the listing agent on my listings during the listing period (that is the main thing I check when a property is listed).
So why do they have such a problem crediting me when the property sells? They have access to the information. Why is it a constant battle with them to get correct information? My theory is that I am not a willing victim to their money squeeze, so they punish me (and tens of thousands of other agents).
Speaking of ten$ of thousand$ (of dollar$) my blog post Your Home Valuation is Wrong from July 30, 2018 shows how you can find out the margin of error that Zillow admits to for your market area. https://jimsweat.wordpress.com/2018/07/30/your-home-valuation-is-wrong/
You could lose tens of thousands of dollars if you just take their information as fact.
Their information is faulty, incorrect, inaccurate and/or misleading. Beware.
My blog post Boom! Yes That Was My Head Exploding! from August 6, 2015 tells when I found out Trulia and Zillow wiped my slate, again. After over 20 years as a full-time licensed real estate professional, part of which I was broker/owner of a real estate company, Trulia credited me with 1 (one) total career sale and Zillow showed me having 2 (two) sales in my entire career!
https://jimsweat.wordpress.com/2015/08/06/boom-yes-that-was-my-head-exploding/
Blog post January 16, 2015 titled Real Estate Misinformation and Extortion details some back ground on these companies that don’t really care about accurate data, all they really want are eyeballs looking at their site.
https://jimsweat.wordpress.com/2015/01/16/real-estate-misinformation-and-extortion/
I sell two or three times as much real estate as the average agent, but you can’t tell that from looking at Zillow!
http://www.SweatSellsFlorida.com
All the Best!
Jim Sweat, ABR, CLHMS, CRS, CDPE, GRI, e-PRO, ILHM
Featured in Scene Magazine’s Men on the Scene 2016 issue
Author of REAL ESTATE CSI: CONTROVERSY, SECRETS, INSIGHT (coming soon)
Jim Sweat – Helping Buyers & Sellers Choose Wisely Since 1995 ™
Re/Max Alliance Group
Mobile: 941-306-7384
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