Zillow
2 comparisons available
About Zillow
Zillow Group is the largest online real estate marketplace in the United States, founded in 2006 by Rich Barton and Lloyd Frink (co-founders of Expedia) and headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Zillow's website and app attract approximately 226 million monthly unique visitors, making it the most visited real estate platform in the US. Zillow is best known for its 'Zestimate' — an AI-powered home value estimate available for 100+ million US properties, which has become a ubiquitous reference for homeowners and buyers. Zillow's core business is generating leads for real estate agents (Zillow Premier Agent). The company briefly operated an iBuying business (Zillow Offers) from 2018-2021 before shutting it down after losing $881 million due to algorithmic pricing errors. Zillow's current strategy focuses on 'Housing Super App' integrating search, financing (Zillow Home Loans), and rentals. Publicly traded on NASDAQ (Z/ZG), Zillow had approximately $2.1 billion in revenue in 2023.
Frequently Asked Questions
How accurate is Zillow's Zestimate?
The Zestimate has a nationwide median error rate of approximately 2.4% for on-market homes and 6.9% for off-market homes. In practice, accuracy varies widely by market — in areas with dense, recent comparable sales, Zestimates are quite accurate. In rural areas or unique properties, errors of 15-20% are not uncommon. Use the Zestimate as a rough starting point, not a definitive value — a licensed appraiser's opinion is far more reliable for buying/selling decisions.
Is Zillow or Redfin better for home search?
Both pull from the same MLS (Multiple Listing Service) data, so listing inventory is similar. Zillow has more traffic and is better for casual browsing with richer neighborhood data and Zestimates. Redfin is better for serious buyers — its agents charge lower commissions (1-1.5% listing fee vs standard 2.5-3%), and it has more accurate listing status updates (Redfin agents are employees, not contractors). If saving on commission is a priority, Redfin is the clear choice.