Zillow: Homes For Sale & Rent
How does the Zestimate feature work, and is it accurate for determining a home's value?
Zestimate is Zillow's automated home valuation tool that uses public data and user-submitted information to estimate a property's market value. However, as noted in the review, it can be off by thousands of dollars—like $15,000 in one case—so use it as a rough starting point rather than a precise appraisal.
Can I set up notifications for price drops on saved listings in Zillow?
Yes, you can save favorite properties and enable notifications for price drops. The review mentions saving a two-bedroom apartment and receiving a ping the next day that the rent dropped by $50, making this a useful feature for tracking deals on homes or rentals you're interested in.
Why do some listings on Zillow seem outdated or stale, even when marked as 'just listed'?
Zillow aggregates listings from multiple sources, which can lead to delays or duplicates—some 'just listed' properties may have been on other sites for months. To avoid wasting time, cross-check recent listings with the listing agent or other real estate apps for the most current availability.
How can I filter out unwanted property types, like mobile homes, when searching for apartments?
Zillow's search filters allow you to set criteria like price and bedrooms, but the review notes that excluding specific property types (e.g., mobile homes) isn't straightforward. To work around this, use the 'Home Type' filter and select 'Apartment' or 'Condo' only, though results may still include some mismatches.
How does Zillow compare to other real estate apps like Redfin or Realtor.com for finding rentals?
Zillow offers a larger database of listings and unique features like Zestimates and school ratings, but its data can be less reliable, with stale or duplicate listings. Competitors like Redfin often have more accurate, real-time MLS data, making them better for serious rental hunting, while Zillow is more suited for casual browsing.
