RealTown's RealTalk

Basically what Sara, an operative for Zillow, is saying to us Professionals is this.  Why do you need an MLS?  If Zillow is the "approved" Internet Vendor for NAR and RealTown, why muddy the water with the MLS.  A Zestimate is no more a starting point than a CMA or BPO.  I think the biggest difference between an Internet driven evaluation and an MLS hands on evaluation boils down to the source of information.  Zillow is kind of like a drive by appraiser, where as a CMA is more down to earth where the professional measures apples to apples.  Zillow uses mostly outdated information when it comes to sold data.  They compare apples to oranges.  If I used the data they use to determine price I wouldn't need a real estate license.  Maybe that's why Zillow's operatives are not licensed nor are they under  obligation to abide by a code nor back up their supposed accurate claims of valuation. Basically Zillow is for the FSBO market.  MLS is for the Professional Market.  Zillow reports the public record, MLS reports the Professional record.  The sooner we figure that out the sooner we'll come to realize Zillow is not a Professionals best friend.  If it wasn't for IDX Zilow wouldn't exist.  Now you know the rest of the story.  This is how you become a member in the APPROVED Vendors List.  Zillow is a virtual form of a drive by BPO.  Unfortunately they don't drive by they fly over.  LOL