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Zillow Zestimate - Providing unrealistic info to sellers since 2006

By
Real Estate Agent with Realty ONE Group Edge license #279103

Having to overcome sellers unrealistic expectations of what their home is worth is my job as a professional Realtor.  But Zillow doesn't make it easy when they set sellers expectations so high!!! 

And that is the first place sellers seem to look, since it shows up first on a search of their address.

I just saw a Zillow Zestimate of $365k on a home that I would recommend listing well under $200k. As a matter of fact, there was an appraisal just done on the property and it came back at $182k.  Yeah, Zillow was way off.

Another home that I as pulling comparables on today had a Zillow Zestimate of $327k.  They highest priced home in the subdivision in great condition and move in ready sold for only $283k.  

I understand it's a computer based algorithm that comes up with these Zestimates but I thought computers should be able to do a better job!  Where are they pulling these numbers from?!?!?!

I guess the computers won't be putting Realtors out of business any time soon. We apparently are still needed to help provide home sellers  with accurate information so that they can make an informed decision on what amount they can expect to get for their home. 

 

If you are in the North Atlanta area and are thinking of selling your home, contact me today for a free market analysis of your home.  I service the areas of Peachtree Corners, Norcross, Roswell, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, Suwanee, Marietta, Kennesaw, Acworth, Woodstock, Canton, Lilburn, Lawrenceville, and more.  Gwinnett County, Cobb County, Cherokee County, Fulton County. 

Lorrie Thomas, Realtor

Keller Williams Chattachoochee North

cell: 678-274-9779

email: Lthomas@kw.com

 

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Randy Hilman REALTOR® Associate Broker
Randy Hilman Homes in partnership with Bean Group - Moultonborough, NH
Guide & Mentor to Home Buyers & Sellers

Expect AVM's to get better.  Still, there is often no rhyme or reason to Zillow's value estimates.  Of course I see the same kind of thing with RPR.  The industry is moving in the direction of the automated valuation model.  Zillow can write in all the disclaimers it wants, consumers (buyers and sellers) still rely on these (Z)estimates much the way they rely on municipal tax cards as models of valuation.  They presume that REALTORS'® opinions of value are self serving.

May 03, 2017 05:18 PM
William Feela
WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN
Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

The sooner we stop patronizing these non- professional sites the sooner we will do better

May 03, 2017 05:45 PM
Inna Ivchenko
Barcode Properties - Encino, CA
Realtor® • GRI • HAFA • PSC • Short Sale • Probate

Information from the sites like Z. is based on a limited set of facts about a house, such as square footage an number of rooms. However, those AVMs may miss important factors, like  a desirable school district, view, noisy street exposure, privacy, etc. You have to compare the subject property to identical or similar and make all proper adjustments since rarely properties are the same( condition, location, layout, sqft, etc.)

Nov 04, 2017 10:59 PM