I know that buyers and sellers love scrolling through Zillow, Trulia, and other real estate sites to look at properties. Personally, if I am looking for properties in an area that I'm unfamiliar with, I prefer to find a local realtor or brokerage and peruse their site.
Why? Because I know that Zillow, while fun and seemingly comprehensive, is often incorrect. They show foreclosures that are not, in fact, anywhere near to being listed. They show homes for sale that sold months ago.
Example - a client called me today and asked about a "For Sale by Owner" condo in a Winnetka complex that she is interested in. She sent me the link and I was astonished to see how much of the information was wrong. And the listed phone number was disconnected.
It was listed as a three-bedroom For Sale by Owner and listed for $435,000. A quick check in the MLS showed that the condo had already sold as a regular sale, and was listed for $535,000 and sold for $520,000.
The Zillow listing:
This is how it appears today, December 12. The condo closed in early November for almost $100,000 more than the supposed list price here.
I want to say that Zillow is a good source to just compare prices and values. But with this Winnetka condo showing at this price, I can't even say that. It's way off the actual value of a three-bedroom in that building.
Bottom line: call a professional to get the most recent comps and information for your local market. And if you would like help finding a condo in Winnetka or the North Shore, please give me a call -
847-977-6024
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