Chances are, if you are looking to buy or sell a home these days, you are not inclined to go through the marketing process anywhere but online because who needs the hassle? Thankfully some resources let you do everything you need from the comfort of your home, the most popular being Zillow. Being a real estate marketplace that you can access on your computer or mobile device, Zillow connects buyers with sellers and renters with landlords. It is free to sign up for and to use, but not the most user-friendly. That is why we have written a comprehensive, tell-all guide to navigating the website.
What Zillow Is
Zillow aggregates data from many reliable sources: local real estate listings, county records, user-submitted data, etc. This data is then compiled together and used to help create an algorithm that can estimate the value of a property. Factors such as location, other sales in the area, and property features all help provide an accurate estimated value.
As previously mentioned, Zillow is an online real estate marketplace that allows users to buy, sell, rent, or browse properties. Zillow also provides other real estate-related statistics, such as estimated property values, mortgage rates, and neighborhood information.
Users can filter searches on Zillow by location, price range, room count, property size, and property type. Users can save their search criteria by signing up for email alerts that notify them when a new property that matches said criteria is listed.
Lastly, Zillow offers a directory of real estate agents where users can post reviews and connect directly to real estate agents across the United States. Overall Zillow is great for the average buyer and seller because it provides every real estate tool in one convenient place.
Navigating Zillow
It is possible to use Zillow in two different ways. One is looking for houses to buy as a buyer; the other is by using the site to help sell your own home. No matter your reason for using the site, navigation is difficult if you are unfamiliar with the user interface.
Make sure that you have an account and log in. You can create an account here; After logging/signing in, double-check that your personal information is correct. Zillow thoroughly verifies the legitimacy of its user base, so be precise.
As A Buyer
When preparing to buy a home, you can use the Zillow website to search for anything as specific as an address to as broad as an entire city. You can then use the filters provided to narrow down your results. Filter options such as location, price, property size, number of rooms, and much more help Zillow find the perfect match for you!
Click on a property that you like to be able to see photos, review the description, and get a complete list of features the property offers. Use the map view to view more of the area around the property you are interested in. The map view allows users to tour an area virtually to see what other close homes and commodities are like.
When you find properties that pique your interest, you can save them by pressing the save button. This feature allows you easy access to all of the homes later. If you want more information about the property that the details tab doesn’t feature, you can contact the seller. The homeowner should be able to answer any supplemental questions you may have, so don’t be shy!
As A Seller
To list a property, navigate to the seller tab. You can do so by checking the dropdown navigation menu and clicking sell. Zillow will then prompt you to enter the details regarding your home. The address, the number of rooms, the square footage, and the asking price are a few details you will provide. After entering your address, Zillow will request that you verify that you are the owner by either call or text verification methods. Once all of your information is correct and you verify ownership, you will then be allowed to publish your listing to the site.
After posting your listing, you will want to monitor it for the coming weeks to get a feel for the popularity and draw of your property. If you don’t get many offers, consider doing a few things to ensure your property is appealing to users on the site.
First, upload a high-quality photo and video along with your listing! Unsure of how to do so? Check out this article to learn how. Including professional real estate photos is crucial to ensuring that interested buyers get as clear of a picture of what the home is like as possible. Consider hiring professional real estate photographers for any of your home photography needs!
Competitively pricing your listing is another critical strategy for getting more views and offers. Check the prices of homes in the surrounding area using the price estimate check that Zillow offers, and determine a fair price for your property. Many users search using the price filter and will likely take the best deal over anything else.
Utilize promotion! Social media is a free, easy way to promote your listing although getting quick viewership is difficult, especially if you lack a popular social media page. Consider paying for advertisements to boost your listing. Zillow offers advertisement deals to help push your listing to more users; Most social media platforms have an advertising program that can promote your listing and boost views and offer rates!
Conclusion
In conclusion, Zillow has revolutionized the real estate industry by providing an easy-to-use platform that connects those interested in buying with those looking to sell. With its vast database of real estate listings, estimated property values, mortgage information, and neighborhood statistics, Zillow is an amazing resource to utilize no matter what you need. Hopefully, this article gave you all of the knowledge you need to efficiently navigate the site! For more info about SellFastPhoto and our team feel free to check us out here, for price estimates click here, and to contact one of our professionals today click here.