Zillow Is Like WebMD for Your House
(Helpful… but not the final diagnosis)
If you’ve ever Googled a symptom and convinced yourself you were dying — congratulations, you understand Zillow. We just had a house that the zestimate for $950,000 and we sold it for $1,650,000.
Zillow can be a good tool to search homes. But just like WebMD, it doesn’t know you… or your house.
So let’s talk about why Zillow’s Zestimate is sometimes spot on and sometimes wildly optimistic (or painfully rude).
1. Zillow Has Never Been Inside Your Home
Zillow doesn’t know:
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That you remodeled your kitchen in 2022
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That your roof is brand new
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That your neighbor parks their boat in front of your house
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Or that your primary bathroom still has seashell sinks from 1997
Condition matters. A lot. And Zillow is guessing.
2. Zillow Can’t Feel the Vibe
Two homes can have the same square footage and layout — but one feels bright, updated, and loved… while the other feels dark, chopped up, and tired.
Zillow sees numbers. Buyers feel emotions.
Guess who wins? (Hint: it’s the emotions.)
3. One Weird Sale Can Ruin Everything
Zillow’s algorithm leans heavily on recent sales. So if:
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A distressed home sells low
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A wildly over-improved home sells high
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Or someone lists way under market to “create a bidding war”
Suddenly Zillow is confused… and so are homeowners.
4. Markets Move Faster Than Algorithms
In hot markets, Zillow often lags behind.
In cooling markets, it can be too optimistic.
Real estate changes in real time — and Zillow updates after the fact.
5. Zillow Literally Tells You It’s an Estimate
Even Zillow says the Zestimate is not an appraisal and not a pricing tool.
It’s a starting point. A conversation starter. A curiosity click.
Not a strategy.
So… Is Zillow Useless?
Not at all.
Zillow is like the scale at the gym:
Helpful.
Informative.
But not the full picture.
It doesn’t measure strength, muscle, or how good you feel in your clothes — and it definitely doesn’t tell you what to do next.
The Real Truth
Homes don’t sell for what Zillow says.
They sell for what buyers are willing to pay — based on condition, presentation, demand, and timing.
That’s where local insight (and strategy) matters.
If you’re ever curious whether Zillow is right — or just being dramatic — we’re always happy to take a look 😉
— The Glass Realty Team
