There are some phrases
that a Realtor will absolutely dread to hear.
I won’t bore you with the list but lately there are five words I’m
hearing more and more…
“But on Zillow it says…”
Unlike like most Agents I
actually like Zillow. If you are
confident in your value proposition and are able to articulate what your job
actually is Zillow, Trulia and others are a great tool to be leverages by the
industry and not discarded. If your
agent is threatened or annoyed by these services you may want to reconsider
your representation and ask the tough questions to determine if you have the
right relationship based on your needs.
Back to Zillow:
Pros
Education – I love the
platform and the information it brings to consumers. The service has engaged buyers and
sellers. This has made my job of searching,
rating and viewing homes significantly easier and less time consuming. The power of the search is now leveraged by
the consumer so they can narrow the area, preferences and competition much
quicker and have essentially taken this off my plate. Educated buyers and sellers are much easier
to assist through the process. Their
communication is faster, expectations are clear and delivery is smooth and
progressive.
Exposure – The link from
IDX feeds, syndications, websites etc. Is shared automatically and seamlessly
in many cases. One of my jobs is to
expose the property to as many qualified buyers as possible. The new technology of Zillow allows for this
to be streamlined and simple.
Inconsistency – While most
people view this as a con. Agents should
not. Buyers and sellers quickly, through
verification with an agent, realize that this site is a starting point and far
from accurate. It’s not designed to
be. It’s designed to collect money from
advertising. Accuracy is not the
business model. The inconsistency speaks
for itself and highlights why an educated and experienced agent is absolutely
necessary through the process.
Cons
Accuracy – Consumers could
either be pleasantly surprised or frustrated with the actual value of their
home. Again Zillow is paid to keep your
eyes on the screen. Not offer you a
valuable accurate estimate and I don’t blame them. It’s not easy. Without the personal touch of a
representative how could a computer know to adjust for all the intangibles of
each property. Lot location, pool,
upgrades, fixtures, artificial grass, HOA, Age, Smell, Solar…the list is
extensive and incredibly unique.
Crutch – Unfortunately I’ve
also experienced the agents who will utilize this source similar to how a
consumer would. This has several
effects. One it gives horrible representation
to their clients and allows for the negative reputation of our industry to
continue. It also makes negotiating a
nightmare. The lack in effort and
diligence creates an ill-informed seller or buyer and a stubborn agent.
The Know it All – “But on
Zillow it says…” This can be very frustrating.
No matter how much you explain, defend with comps or offer their opinion
cannot be altered. Zillow is right and
you are wrong.
Conclusion:
Personally I like Zillow
and am not threatened by this. It saves
me time and allows me to focus on what I truly bring to the table. To each his own.
All agents and consumers
should be ready and able to talk about…
“What Zillow Says”
Until next time.
