Zillow is a leader in helping buyers, sellers and agents come to an awareness in regards to property values in Real Estate. For years they have been given their best estimates called zestimates as a way of getting their foot in the Real Estate door. Why? Its a multi-trillion dollar industry and who wouldn't want a bite of that? A nibble? A crumb?
REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY
Founded in 2006 and currently having revenue of about a half a billion a year, Zillow dines heartily on anything it can find in the buffet world of Real Estate. Many make a living from and with Real estate like escrows, Title Insurance, Inspectors, various tradesman, termite companies, appraisers etc.
LEND A HAND?
These associated industries and services are useful and some are necessary in conducting Real Estate i.e. the buying, selling and investing of Real property and its dynamics. Saying that, there are many other hands in the industry that purport to want to help & as a result want a taste of that trillion dollar revenue but are they really necessary? Do they truly lend a hand or put a hand in your pocket?
ANOTHER OPINION?
Zillow be one of them. They have managed to not only get their foot in the door but their entire body is now in and moving around based on revenue results. But lets explore what was happening prior to their 2006 entrance into the Real Estate industry. This exploration includes quite a few entries..
IN THE BEGINNING
When Real Estate came into existence, it started with a seller of a location and someone who wanted that location. Instead of declaring war and fighting over the location, perhaps paying someone to either have it or some of it made more sense. Thus the seller would sell and a buyer would buy.
SPECIAL AGENT
At some point in this origin story, a person appeared who made it their business to help others with their Real Estate business and take charge of the advertising, showing, record keeping, and all the little things that pop up here and there. It became a specialty service and took charge from start to end
THE SYSTEM
Essentially these services were valuable to the players and a mediator or "go to" person we now know as a Real Estate agent came into being. That way buyer, seller or investor could spend more time & focus on other life-events instead of having to learn the must know one time urgent details
THE OLD RELIABLES
An agent would see to the many known and unknowns that would come up and if there was a dispute, the agent would be there to help iron it out. Today an attorney would substitute for this. The centuries went by, time and Real Estate remained and so did agents, buyers, investors and sellers. Life was good
WHAT TO DO?
Today, many other entities have entered into the processes and some provide valuable assistance. Others try to convince everyone of their participating value and to some degree make sense but are not necessary per say. Who is to know what they need and why if they haven't done this before?
K.I.S.S. (keep it simple systems)
If we apply the "keep it simple systems of K.I.S.S., the less the better and of course when you apply the economics of it makes for good sense as well as cents too. Money well spent for our welfare or benefit is money well spent. That is what it is for. However, while the money purse is open, show some restraint
PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE
Using an agent who specializes in Real Estate makes that perfect sense and always will. Why? The enormity of this special one life-time transaction commands a hands-on person to insure its results. Mind you there are no do-overs or second chances. Mistakes can be costly and painful to boot
OPINIONS ABOUND
Zillow has made itself a source for valuations of Real Estate which whether the industry at large agrees with it or not doesn't matter. The public at large is using the Zillow zestimate to help them begin an awareness and for the layman out there, whats to argue? But there is more going on than opinions
LET ME HELP BUT I PROMISE NOTHING
With the Internet making all things fingertip ready and with Zillow offering this data for free, who wouldn't partake of it? However, lets examine this closely. Zillow is not hands-on nor will it counsel or follow up its part in a transaction. In other words, it is not an agent but a service with small print
NO REGULATIONS
This service is not regulated, has no ground rules or fiduciary relationship not to mention responsibility or accountability to anyone while dabbling in Real Estate. Imagine that? An entity that is helpful in theory while it is helping itself to you and your circumstance by offering itself as a credible source
MY LIVING IS THIS
An agent is an agent is an agent. Your local Real Estate agent not only specializes in the product in their City and County but also has a working awareness of the State they are in plus what is going on in the industry too. This is their livelihood, a career and they have taken certain steps to represent this is so
LICENSED & REGULATED
Agents answer to the industry, the players, to each other and then to all the must have inter-connected services that come into play in today's Real Estate transacting world. They will supply a valuation just like Zillow but will stay with the procedure from start to finish and do one more thing...
IN IT ALL THE WAY
They will help bring to the surface the true value of Real Estate to every-ones benefit using their experience and market data in the subject areas to do so. Zillow and others give a nice blanket awareness but offer no responsibility, follow-up, counseling or accountability for their involvement
ALL REAL ESTATE IS UNIQUE
Every property in Real Estate is different. Even two identical looking parcels of land improved or not is never alike. NEVER! In addition to that, improved property comes with special evaluations some being obvious and others have to be pointed out. This involves a on point person to do so
NO CODE BLUE
Real Estate is like any other major endeavor that has to be finished when started. The thing is that some problems are so daunting that they either delay or compromise the transaction which can have many implications and repercussions or cause it to fall through. Agents are like Registered nurses making sure things stay steady-eddy keeping the heart of the deal strong until in closes. The pulse is protected
HINDSIGHT?
There are people in business & in life who learn after the fact. This is called hindsight & it is available to all humans on the planet. Some of it is quite painful & costly thus making perfect sense to hire-up & form a team to cause a required result. Real Estate is one of them & the team Captain is the agent
AGENTS MAKE IT PERSONAL
An agent will be there! Before, during and even after-wards. They have a stake in your life changing event and actually care about your situation without a doubt. I remember when computers first came out, I thought they could answer everything put to them. It was intriguing to say the least
FIRE-AWAY!
What is the meaning of life? Where do germs come from? What you quickly find out is that they computer only feeds back to you what it is programed with. It cannot discuss anything or have a conversation or care about your inquiry either. Thus is Zillow and any other computer application
GOT AGENT?
There are many ways to accomplish a result. Somethings require expertise. Real Estate is one of them
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