Zillow

14 Stories

You Can Soon Check for a Home's 'Climate Risk'

Zillow is introducing scores to its listings that show potential dangers from extreme weather

(Newser) - A swimming pool, eat-in kitchen, and central air aren't the only items on potential homebuyers' wish lists—now, many want to know if their future home is in hurricane, drought, or wildfire territory. In fact, a Zillow survey from last fall found that 80% of consumers shopping for homes...

Builder Finds Out Why Not to Name Homes After Anne Frank

Or Harriet Tubman, per resurfaced listings that are taking some heat

(Newser) - It's admittedly a challenging job to write compelling real estate copy, in the hopes of inspiring potential customers to buy. One New Mexico homebuilder, however, may have gone a little overboard in its descriptions of two home designs that have "baffled" those who've seen them, per the...

As Mortgages Slow, Zillow Offers 1% Down Payments
Zillow to Offer
1% Down Payments
Aug 25, 2023 3:40 PM CDT

Zillow to Offer 1% Down Payments

Program will begin in Arizona before expanding

(Newser) - With interest rates at their highest point in more than 20 years , Zillow is planning to boost the real estate market by offering offering homebuyers a deal: a down payment of 1%. And Zillow will kick in 2% of that down payment at closing, CBS News reports. The program will...

Hope Your Home Sells Big? Folks Love These Amenities

Zillow finds she sheds, steam ovens, and more can offer a big boost to home sale prices

(Newser) - Looking to put your home on the market? In addition to standard "curb appeal" maintenance you might have to do to boost your house's salability, there might already be a few things that fall in your house's favor, from a buyer's perspective. Real estate company Zillow...

Rents Take a Plunge, Zillow Finds
Rents Take
a Plunge,
Zillow Finds
Dec 15, 2022 7:45 PM CST

Rents Take a Plunge, Zillow Finds

Month-to-month drop could suggest inflation is easing

(Newser) - Rents posted a decline in November, an indication that inflation could be slowing. The 0.4% drop reported by Zillow was the largest month-to-month decline since the company began monitoring rents in 2015, Axios reports. Rents are still running above pre-pandemic levels, averaging $2,008 per month nationally. Because of...

Zillow Is Quitting the Home-Flipping Business

Company is laying off a quarter of its staff

(Newser) - Zillow has decided to cut its losses and get out of the home-flipping business, which it described as "one-click nirvana" when it expanded the "Zillow Offers" operation earlier this year. The real estate company said Tuesday that it is shutting down Zillow Offers and laying off around a...

'This Might Be the Most Competitive Housing Market' Ever

From Seattle to Wichita, homes are selling for well above list prices

(Newser) - The red-hot US housing market is widening the gap between what a home is objectively worth and what eager buyers are willing to pay for it. Fierce competition amid an ultra-low inventory of homes on the market is fueling bidding wars, prompting a growing share of would-be buyers to sweeten...

Zillow Will Make Cash Offers Based on Its Estimates

Company expands 'Zillow Offers' program

(Newser) - Zillow doesn't just want to provide an estimate of your home's worth—it wants to actually buy the place, too. The company is expanding a test program it calls Zillow Offers to more parts of the country, reports CNN Business . Under the program , prospective sellers would receive a...

Zillow Offers $1M Prize for Algorithm Improvement

It wants results closer to real sale prices

(Newser) - Zillow says its "Zestimate" home valuation algorithm needs some work—and it is willing to pay $1 million to whoever can improve it the most. The company has announced the " Zillow Prize " for the person or team who can make the "algorithm that changed the world...

SC Home's Mystery Tenant Actually a Genius

Randall McKissick is childhood friend of the owner

(Newser) - There's no ghost in the upstairs apartment of a home listed for sale on Zillow as coming with a tenant who's never paid. Rather, the place is home to something far less sinister: a kindly grandfather who happens to be what the State calls an artistic genius. Before...

What a Starbucks Does to the Neighborhood

Zillow's bigwigs crunch the data

(Newser) - It seems like an expected enough conclusion: A Starbucks is good for the neighborhood. But just how good? Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff and Chief Economist Stan Humphries dig into the question by syncing their own real-estate data with known Starbucks locations. What they conclude: "Starbucks equates with venti-sized home-value...

'Adult Frat House Culture' Pervades Zillow: Lawsuit

Suit accuses company of harassment

(Newser) - Sexual harassment is rampant at Zillow, alleges a former employee in a lawsuit, pointing to an "adult frat house culture" at the online real-estate firm. The suit, which accuses the company of harassment, wrongful termination, and retaliation, was brought by former sales consultant Rachel Kremer, the Recorder reports. It...

New Real Estate Behemoth: Zillow Buys Trulia for $3.5B

All-stock deal may drastically affect real estate agents' livelihood

(Newser) - Apparently, we're starting the workweek with competitors eating each other for breakfast. First Dollar Tree announced it would be buying rival Family Dollar, and now real estate heavyweight Zillow is snatching up competitor Trulia for a hefty $3.5 billion, reports the AP . The all-stock deal will result in...

Zillow Now Tells the World About Your Foreclosure

Privacy advocates raise an eyebrow at new feature

(Newser) - If you were hoping your neighbors wouldn't find out about your financial troubles, we've got some bad news. Zillow.com , a popular site allowing people to see how much homes are worth, is now allowing users to search for homes that are headed for foreclosure—even if they'...

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