The Reluctant Landlord

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Archive
  • Work with Me!
    • Guest Post
  • Contact
  • Disclaimer
  • Self Management
  • Military & Real Estate
  • Buying & Selling
  • Property Manager
  • Our Strategy
  • Books
You are here: Home / I am a Reluctant Landlord / The Do’s and Don’ts of Using Zillow

The Do’s and Don’ts of Using Zillow

March 25, 2015 by Elizabeth Bennett Colegrove Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links.

Have you used zillow yet? It’s an AMAZING asset! So much so that it is one of my favorite resources because it is so multi-faceted as there are so many great uses.

The Do's and Don't of Using Zillow

5 “Do’s” of Using Zillow

  • Comparables for Rentals – Zillow is one of my highest rental traffic sources. Therefore when I am figuring out the comps for my house, I look at the houses available on that site.  It is important to check the date available as there are houses available months in advance and old ones too. It is a great one stop shop to see what other rentals are going to be listed for comparing to my place.
  • Postlets Platform – I love postlets because it is a one stop shop. I post one *free* ad and it goes to 20+ different sites. My  top 3 referral sources are: Zillow, Trulia,  and Hot Pads. Honestly I have such great feedback from just these three that I rarely have to post on other sites.
  • Finding a Realtor– When you are coming into a new area finding a realtor can be hard if you don’t have friends to offer great recommendations. When family members of mine wanted to sell their house across the country from where I lived I found a great realtor by reading all the reviews on Zillow, sending out emails to the top agents, and then interviewing them.
  • History– I love that it gives me a snap shot of what the house was sold for! Although it is important to double check as this is sometimes wrong or recording a refinance, etc., it is a great place to see what they paid for the house versus listing sale price. It often gives you a place to start negotiations and for you to see their profit margin.
  • School Ratings- Although I definitely recommend you double check the Great School scores; I love that it gives me a great starting point. I don’t have to research all the sites individually- zillow automatically provides this score.

As discussed above  there are great benefits of Zillow. Be warned though, this site has a few “don’t” that you may need to keep an eye out for.

5 “Don’ts” of Using Zillow:

  • Estimates aren’t Correct– Zestimates are a great starting place but in most markets they are drastically wrong. Do not operate off them- either the for sale or the rent data.
  • For Sale Data Accuracy– I have found that this data tends to be more outdated than realtor.com. So I tend to use my agent/realtor.com for the up to date information.
  • For Rent Data– I love this source but watch it. While postlets expire after 30 days, sometime realtors won’t take the house off the market right away. So your competition really might not be your competition.
  • Sold– While I don’t have any experience I have been told that the sold figure both in the listing on the house and as the “yellow” sold houses can be off.
  • Squarefootage, Bed/Bath off– This information has been pulled from the tax record so sometimes the information can be wrong. Also, some areas count basements and other don’t, etc. Therefore always confirm with the source if it is important.

All of that being said, this is one of my favorite “online” tools as an investor!  As long as you use it as it is intended and know the downfalls you will be a better position than if you didn’t know about this awesome tool.

What is your favorite real estate tool? Do you use Zillow?

0

Filed Under: I am a Reluctant Landlord, I am a Small Time Landlord, I am an Empire Builder, Self Management

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

I love my family, my country and real estate. My goal is to retire early through frugal living and real estate investment. I am making great strides and want to share the information I've learned through the process. Read More...

CHECK OUT MY BOOK!

Sign up for the Newsletter
JOIN HUNDREDS OF OTHERS IN RECEIVING OUR FREE WEEKLY UPDATES STRAIGHT TO YOUR EMAIL INBOX!

Most Popular Posts:

  • How to Create Freezer Meals for One Person
  • 3 Ways a Landlord Can Split the Utilities
  • How to Set Up Your Rental Accounts
  • The Solution to a Broken Lease: The Buy-Out Clause
  • What are a Military Widow’s Death Benefits?
  • How to Get Rid of Cat Urine in Cushions, Carpet and Clothes
  • How to Write an Incredible Lease
  • How to Write a One Page Lease Renewal!
  • Is it Worth Buying a House if You Move Every Two Years?
  • Landlords: Should You Include a Washer and Dryer in Your Rental?

GET THE BUTTON


More Posts from this Category

Search

Categories

Archives

Copyright 2023, The Reluctant Landlord. All Rights Reserved. Custom design by Pixel Me Designs
Sign up for the Newsletter
JOIN HUNDREDS OF OTHERS IN RECEIVING OUR FREE WEEKLY UPDATES STRAIGHT TO YOUR EMAIL INBOX!
[close]
Brought to you by
Displet