I’ve received a few questions lately about Zillow. Some of the features by Zillow can be confusing. First of all you have “Zestimates”- Zillow estimates of market value are displayed next to list prices. And the accuracy of Zesitmates can vary considerably. According to Zillow’s most recent analysis, 2/3rds of Zestimates fall within 20% of the sold price for homes listed, but a 20% spread can be substantial. Further, the remaining 1/3rd of Zestimates reflect even greater distortions.

Something to keep in mind with Zillow is all information posted on the site is owned by Zillow. While homeowners and agents can submit supplemental details to a home’s profile and attempt to improve accuracy, Zillow has no obligation to comply with requests to remove inaccurate data or remove a home’s profile from its site.

Also confusing, is the listing agent is not displayed in conjunction with a home for sale; instead, agents pay Zillow a monthly fee (varies by zip code) to be displayed in the margins and consumers are encouraged to contact them to learn more.

Zillow is a good tool when looking at home values etc., but one should be aware of it’s limitations as well.