Why Zillow Sucks

I don’t hate Zillow, I swear.  In fact, I advertise with them.  And as Alma suggested, maybe the title was a little harsh.  You know, I use Zillow from time to time to estimate rents, since I don’t track the rental market and sometimes I need a little help there.  But if you’re going to rely on Zillow – or any online pricing site – for accurate numbers, reconsider.  They’re just not accurate, yet.  So in reality they don’t suck, they just provide a product that’s become seen as truth when it’s really just the result of a proprietary formula. Read More

Sorry – Zillow is not accurate in Montgomery County

Much of the conversation with buyers lately has centered around what the market is going to do.  It seems everyone wants to know two things – (1) what’s the market going to do, and (2) when are rates going up?  At the risk of sounding flippant (and failing miserably, I’m sure), my response is usually “who cares?“. I mean, if you’re a serious buyer and the right house is on the market, in your price range, you buy it – right?  And with rates ranging somewhere between 3.87% and 4.63%, is 1/8th of a point going to make that much of a difference?  When you’re ready to buy, you buy – there’s no sense trying to time or “game” the market. Read More

New River Valley Mid-Year Market Report 2020

One of the things that attracted me to Nest Realty oh so many years ago was their focus on good, accurate data. Zillow is a popular tool, but it can’t replace solid, real-world data based on live sales. And that’s where the New River Valley Mid-Year (and Annual) Market Report comes in. Every quarter (every month, really), we put together a look at what’s happening in the market, both the good AND the bad, and we just published our 2020 Mid-Year Market Report for the New River Valley real estate market. Read More

Are Zestimates Right?

Ah, Zillow. Say the word in a crowded room full of Realtors and you’ll hear boos and hisses, as well as a few things you might not want your grandmother to hear. But the fact is, Zillow is getting some things right, and consumers are using the site. So what are we, as an industry, fighting them for? That’s a post for another day, and one I don’t think I’m ready to write – yet. I don’t hate Zillow. I like the site. Used it yesterday for personal research, in fact. It’s slick, easy to use, and has a ton of information. Read More