Colleen B.

Great site that explained how to buy more and save on shipping$!

I've been on Zillow for 10 years, have used it (cautiously, and verify comps) for work and for my real estate investments personally. I decided to start researching for my own home about 4 months ago, considering a sale. The day I decided to do so, I posted photos. When I did this, the "algorithm" plunged my value by over 10%, or $60K overnight. That was 3 weeks ago, many email and phone calls (no human ever answers). Email responses say things like, "the zestimate is not a replacement for comparable sales, only a start - however, when you go to the site, they tout "Zillow Zestimates are a good start for prospective buyers, and that "accurate information helps attract interest"

There are two values on the user profile, one cannot be seen by the public (typically) that is the appreciation value. A straight line increase based on appreciation from the purchase price. This value is not used on the MARKET Value, profile (but carries some weight in the calculation they tell me) However, my home - no other on my street - is taking ONLY the appreciation value, which is significantly low, as I bought on an OPTION. My purchase Price was negotiated a year before I closed, when the house appraised at purchase close, it was $65K more than purchase price. Market on my home, conservatively is between $610K and $630K Zillow Zesitmate shows $555K.

So, I list it as a "Make me move" - this is the Zillow "note":

"The list price and Zestimate for this home are very different, so we might be missing something" -

When I wrote to them, to tell them what they were missing, they told me it could take 8 weeks for my zestimate to catch up to market again since the photo add, edit facts must have messed with my algorithm. Nothing they can do.

Can I remove my house altogether? No.

So, essentially, I am FORCED to have my house, my INVESTMENT, reflecting a FALSE value to the public.

I see attorneys in my future.