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What will Zillow Mortgage bring to the table?

I posted this on lenderama, but I want to get people's opinions here as well. What do you think Zillow Mortgage will bring to the table?

As I said in my post, I think the core plan for moving forward will include the following:

1. Informing the consumer - the obvious answer would be focused on rates, but I have a different idea.
2. Advertising - will it be traditional banner ads, sponsored territories, a competition platform like Lending Tree, or will they come up with something else?
3. Community - Zillow’s Discussions forum will likely play a part on the mortgage side, but how so?

So what do your think?

Posted by Todd Carpenter on 10/30/2007 02:06 AM

Comments (8)

Post is included in group: Mortgages
Post is included in group: All About Mortgages/Mortgage Networking

8 Comments on What will Zillow Mortgage bring to the table?

If it is anything like their propery valuation, it will bring nothing except for another lead provider...ZERO VALUE, unless of course you like getting called by a bunch of loan officers...

10/30/2007 02:13 AM

by John Parker - Texas Veteran Loan Officer (Supreme Lending)

I have seen much improvement with Zillow. In the beginning it did not present itself to reliable.

10/30/2007 02:57 AM

by Gary Bland (Century 21 All Islands)

Zillow has been a zero for me. But they continue to try to make things better so today's zero maybe be worth something tomorrow

10/30/2007 06:49 AM

by Charlie Ragonesi Big Canoe Realestate Jasper,Ellijay,Ball Ground,Benttree (All Mountain Realty)

It's curious - the real opportunity might be to think outside the box.

What if Zillow could combine tools - and offer a marketing system for originators similar to Top Producer? Obviously there are many subscription tools that are FABULOUSLY wonderful - MMG and Toolbox to name only two - but this would be a databasing opportunity that could be combined with advertising / realtor /purchase leads.

I think there's potential to grow a "real" company that is better than current limited ideas.

10/30/2007 11:29 AM

by Eleanor Thorne, Cary Mortgage Loans (Meridian Residential)

I personally think a move like this from Zillow is a joke that will further commotize the mortgage industry and be bad for the consumer. The future of mortgages is not rate and term, this move makes no sense unless they have a magic pill for the mortgage industry and the consumer.

10/30/2007 11:54 AM

by Kate Bourland; Redding Mortgage Home Equity Specialist (North State Home Loan & Mortgage)

Missed this by I saw it on the BlogRush widget on my AR blog and so I had to come visit... what's in your BlogRush widget right now? Me "bad mouthing" Zillow on ActiveRain by quoting Sellsius....

11/01/2007 09:50 AM

by Maureen McCabe - Central Ohio real estate (Real Living HER)

Clearly Zillow is positioning itself to be a third party lead selling source. Realtor.com, which is a seperate from Realotrs. It is a for profit parasite. It has the Realotrs lisitngs and then makes a boat load of money for charging us for better placement.

The oter side is the Zillows, Trulias are starting to make in roads on theri turf. But do not be fooled, they are not out for the consumers interest or the agents interest.

The name of the game is lead generation.

http://activerain.com/blogsview/242679/Pssst-you-what-do

11/04/2007 09:52 AM

by Rob Aubrey

I never liked zillow....they cant get a home value right....sometimes they cant even find the house!?!?

:-)

11/05/2007 08:48 AM

by Kris Krajecki - American Mortgage Werks - Huntley, IL