The guys at Zillow can be said to be trailblazers with this website of theirs.  But these questions?  Do they honestly think a seller is going to answer those questions truthfully?  I can't say I blame them for trying but it will be interesting whether those questions are still being asked in a year or so.

Maggie, I don't know of any sellers at this point that would answer at all. Maybe some FSBO's.

I think you may be missing a point.  These questions are to the advantage of the buyer-customer, who is anonymous until every little detail is known, then they may appear most likely after the listing expired, by the way where is that question? Sellers should not answer these questions, Hmnmmm, I think Zillow is working for the buyer without a license or disclosure to the seller, they built a better mouse trap.

Mary makes a good point-it's interesting that as skewed as things have traditionally been toward sellers, we're heading for the opposite end of the pendulum to skew totally against a seller's best interests.  Bet the lawyers are licking their collective chops at the prospect of zillow based lawsuits.

Leigh, I can't believe you used the pendulum analogy, I have been saying the exact same things.

Mary, good point. Thanks

Hi All, it's David from Zillow,

Please browse over to Zillow, do a search in your Zip and check the list of homes for questions - there are many helpful questions and answers posted and I personally think this feature is off to a good start.  

If you do spot an answer that is not helpful, please vote against it - and if there's an offensive question or answer, please flag it and we'll review it for removal from Zillow. I'm under no delusions that some people might consider abusing this feature but on the whole, you'll see that people are generally well behaved and eager to contribute positively.

Below is Greg Swann's read of Sellsius' list of Q&A - from the conversation on this post at the Bloodhound Blog:

"Of your list of 24 questions, fully 17 are material facts the buyer has the legal right to know:

• 2. How long have you lived in the house?
• 3. Is this the first time the home has been placed on the market by you?
• 4. Have you ever filed an insurance claim in connection with the home? What were the circumstances?
• 5. Are any obvious repairs needed? What are they?
• 6. Have you had any prior price reductions?
• 9. Does the owner have any pets? Describe them.
• 10. Are there any troublesome or noisy neighbors on the block?
• 11. Is there any traffic noise?
• 12. What are the closing costs to a buyer (exclusive of financing)?
• 13. What are the negatives of the house?
• 15. Are there any smokers in the house?
• 16. Did the basement or roof have any leaks since you were the owner? Are there any leaks now?
• 17. Has the home ever been treated for termites, carpenter ants or other damaging pests? Is the home regularly checked for termites?
• 19. Is the home currently vacant?
• 21. What did you pay for the house?
• 23. Is this sale in connection with a divorce, estate sale, pending foreclosure or job transfer?

The remaining seven questions are all topics wise buyers should raise and wise sellers should disclose:

• 1. Why are you selling the house?
• 7. Is the owner willing to negotiate the price?
• 8. Is the owner willing to consider financing?
• 14. What is the commission being paid on the sale? Will your agent co-broke with mine equally so I can get a rebate from my agent? BTW, my agent is from Redfin.
• 18. Why is the home priced above the zestimate?
• 20. When do you have to move?
• 24. Have you been given any reasons why the home hasn’t sold?"

I read the discussion, and I still think many of the questions are self serving and produce a liability for the agents. I also think most sellers don't want them answered except for the serious buyers considering making and offer and not for the general public. I'm sorry couldn't find where to vote for or against them.

Thanks Missy,

Next to the answers you should see: "Was this answer helpful?" with the option to vote Y/N. Both questions and answers can be flagged for deletion.

Some of the contributions are self-serving. Those agents are not doing themselves any favors and just like blogging, it'll take time to perfect the art of turning written discussions into business. 

Are you motivated enough for a quick sale?

How far is the house from the water?

How big is the living room?

Interested

Missy - thank you for the information - very helpful. 

Your quite welcome

They really asking no sense questions.

Some are OK and any buyers agent would tell them. Some are quite intrusive.

Missy,

Interesting blog.  Would you care to post it to the Active Rain Zillow Discussion Group?

As a buyer's agent, I tend to agree with Greg Swann's analysis.  Many of these questions are questions which a buyer or their agent should be asking in the first place.  The veil of secrecy surrounding real estate transactions is slowing being lifted in this information age, which just now seems to be dawning.

Joined the group and posted. I also entered my 1st listing on there to see how it goes

Thanks Missy - I really appreciate you trying it out.

d

Thank you Missy for citing the post. (The comments there are also interesting).  Agents obviously understand the risks and see that just because something is technologically new does not mean it WORKS to sell homes---& that's what agents are trying to do---sell homes.  Barton & Fink do not come from the industry & their impetus to create Zillow came from their frustration as BUYERS (they said so).  Hence Zillow is a buyer-biased site. IMO.

David Gibbon raises the point of flagging, which is the mechanism by which false or misleading comments on Q&A are (eventually) removed from a home that is listed for sale. But consider the flies in the ointment:

1. Only interested parties have a reason to flag (i.e owner or listing agent). Until then, there is poison in the well.

2. Since anyone can post that a home is for sale, owners and LA may not even know the Q&A is happening and cannot flag. Until then...

'3.  for Owners who do not use the internet (there are some),  it is IMPOSSIBLE to flag false or misleading information about their home

4. Owners and LA are  forced to "claim" a home to oust the non-listing agent or person.  Then they are in the Q&A hotseat.  What's the penalty for not answering questions?

5. Owners and LA will be required to police the Q&A for false or misleading information. 

6. Zillow WILL NOT let an owner or LA opt out of the Q&A, EVEN if they claim the home.

7. Owners & LA may object to their home being listed for sale on this "transparent" venue.  Do they have a right to object? Zillow says NO.  (just as listing agents have no right to remove an inaccurate zestimate from beside their listing price---try asking)

8. Q&A favors buyers (nothing wrong with that so long as owners and LA get equal treatment--they don't) . Normally, each buyer is responsible to do their OWN due diligence. Community Q&A allows them to let others do the due diligence for them.

IMO, A home visit sell a homes. No home is perfect, but imperfections are overlooked when the feel of a home is "right".  Q&A creates reasons not to visit a home.

PS To David G and readers of the Greg Swann post:  Mr. Swann moderates his comments and did not post my rebuttal comments.  So much for transparency.

Ouch, I put my 2nd listing on last night. I have started to have second thoughts as the zestimate is so much lower. I'll let everyone know if I get any questions.

Missy...I put a listing on there too about a month ago. The zestimate was almost $50,000 lower. I ended up taking it off. The zestimate was way, way off, I know the particular area very well and have the comps to prove it.

p.s. I enjoy reading your posts

Yea it seems like a double standard for our sellers, we give them a price. Which I spend hours doing so the house will sell in Michigan in a resonable amount of time; then I put it on Zillow, and it shows it soooooooooo much lower. Is that really looking out for our fiduciary responsibility to our sellers ?

As I said I am testing it but the more I read the more uncomfortable I get.  Thanks, Mike

Yeah, the more I'm reading I see that we're not the only ones that feel this way.

Is anyone advertising their listings on zillow.com. I just started but am worried because usually the "Zesimates" are over priced, but my listing shows as the list price as over the zestimate, when I just comped it out at 20k below a model match floor plan without a pool, and mine has a beautiful inground pool and spa. Any positive results from zillow.com?

I'm waiting to hear the answer too

Has anyone on here ACTUALLY checked out Zillow's disclosure?

This is a copy and paste verbatim:

What's a Zestimate^TM?

The Zestimate^TM (pronounced ZEST-ti-met, rhymes with estimate) home valuation is Zillow's estimated market value, computed using a proprietary formula. It is not an appraisal. It is a starting point in determining a home's value. The Zestimate is pulled from data; your real estate agent or appraiser physically inspects the home and takes special features, location, and market conditions into account. Variations in price also occur because of negotiating factors, closing costs, and timing of closing. We encourage buyers, sellers, and homeowners to supplement Zillow's information by doing other research such as:

• Getting a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) from a real estate agent

• Getting an appraisal from a professional appraiser

• Visiting the house (whenever possible)

• Creating their own estimate using the My Estimator home valuation tool

The way I see it: 2 out of 4 of their recommendations send a potential buyer or seller directly to US - the Realtor!!  I must admit I like Zillow.  Not only have I actually received a lead from Zillow because my photo appeared on a property that someone was looking to get value on, I also have their API tool incorporated into my website which gets quite a bit of hits and attention on my site. 

Instead of trying to fight it, maybe we should try to think outside the box and capture the exposure it provides and use it to our advantage.