Why Zillow Isn't the Best Place to Turn for Real Estate Help

The Jenn Opens Doors Real Estate Video Blog with Jennifer Welch

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search
Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Value Report

Today, I want to let you in on a little secret about Zillow!

The truth is that Zillow really isn't much of a reliable real estate site. It is a marketing tool with the explicit goal of gathering the contact information of buyers and sellers. Zillow takes this information and sells it to agents. They gather this information in two ways:

1. Zestimates: Zillow uses a computer-based algorithm to come up with a guess of what your home is worth. If you really want to know what your home's true value is, you need to work with a real estate professional who knows the market and what buyers are looking for.

2. Listings: Many buyers go to Zillow to look at homes before giving us a call to see what they think is their dream home. All too often, we have to tell buyers that the home they found, love, and want to see that the home is expired, under contract, or already sold. This can be stressful to buyers, who have invested time and energy into finding a home they like, only to find out it's unavailable.

The best way to buy or sell is with the help of an agent. We have access to a completely updated MLS, so you won't waste your time looking at homes that are no longer available. Additionally, an agent can help you find the right value for your home so that you don't under- or overprice your home!

For all the real estate assistance you need in the Austin area, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We would love to help you accomplish your real estate goals!