Why Real Estate Agents Should Never Rely on Zillow

Written by Chase Gelakoski

In terms of career choices, we genuinely believe that there are few better options than becoming a real estate agent. You get to help clients during the most memorable milestones of their lives.

There are definitely challenges along the way, but the rewards are well worth it. If you’re a people person, you are basically built for the role! You’ll develop lasting relationships, and a comfortable, lucrative income is a very real possibility. However, if you want to succeed, you will need a plan, both for the short-term and for your long-range goals.

This brings us to the topic of Zillow. Should you use it or should you avoid it? This can be a divisive conversation, to say the least! In this post, we’ll take an objective look at the advantages and disadvantages the platform has to offer.

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What Is Zillow and How Does It Help Real Estate Agents?

Zillow is a real estate marketplace that connects home sellers with people who are searching for a house. Initially, the hopes were to do for the industry what Expedia did for travel – or what Amazon has done to retail.

It began when co-founder Rich Barton (who also helped to create Expedia) grew frustrated that he couldn’t get complete listing descriptions, photos, prices, and locations all in one place. Together with Lloyd Frink, they incorporated Zillow, which launched its website in 2006.

Since then, it has become the ultimate housing super app for all aspects of real estate, buying, selling, renting, and even financing. Although similar sites exist, Zillow is the largest and most visited of its kind, with approximately 170 million homes in its database and more than 230 million monthly users.

For agents, it can be a quick and relatively simple source of leads. When a client seeks to buy a home, they connect with a local professional through the platform. Since signing clients is the hardest part of getting started, Zillow can seem like a lifesaver.

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Instant, Built-in Business Systems

Zillow real estate professionals have access to an immediate tech stack, such as follow-up tools and transaction management software. You get clear tasks and the ability to keep track of who is viewing a property so you can easily stay in touch.

Lead platforms like Zillow can give you a short-term boost as a real estate agent. For long-term success on your own terms, check out the posts below:

There’s Always a Catch

When reading agent success stories, you might be tempted to think that success with Zillow as your partner is almost a given. However, not every platform suits every agent, and you likely have ambitious, personal goals of your own. Being a Zillow member doesn’t help with all of these. Sometimes, the easy path can actually harm your long-term success.

Needless to say, accessing Zillow’s massive database of leads and tools comes at a cost. Fee structures vary and will change from time to time. In any case, the platform’s share can substantially reduce your earnings from each transaction.

Some agents will look at it as an investment. There will always be a cost of doing business, whether you use Zillow, any other platform, or work independently.

Other real estate professionals avoid using Zillow as much as possible, not just due to the fees involved, but for the loss of independence and autonomy. While you are free to generate your own leads, it can be very easy to become complacent and rely too heavily on the easy route.

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You’ll Have Even More Rules to Follow, and Rules Change Often

Lastly, there could be stringent guidelines you must follow to maintain your Zillow account. While all real estate agents in the USA must operate under a strict code of ethics and the rules set out by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), platforms like Zillow enforce their own policies and requirements.

Currently, you are expected to answer a percentage of all incoming calls to “make the most of your investment.” While being available is always best practice if you want to succeed as an agent, it can be tough to keep up with the queue just for the numbers’ sake. If you fall behind on any of their metrics, your profile and visibility can be affected.

We won’t dive too deeply into all of their rules and guidelines. Once you learn them, possibly even build a successful business all around them, they could change.

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Quantity or Quality and Independence

In the short term, Zillow can be a boost for a real estate agent who is just getting started. It could also be exhausting, however, as you’ll find yourself working a large number of leads, with your earnings severely capped due to their fees.

As a member of Provix Group, you’ll have access to a wealth of resources, training, a complete tech stack, and mentoring that allow you to build your own database. If you’re currently relying on Zillow or another platform, we can help you gain your independence and build your business on your terms so you’ll have more flexibility and potential for future growth.

Zillow can always be part of your routine if you prefer. With our help, it doesn’t have to be your entire business.

Do you have questions about how to grow and lead in the fast-changing real estate industry? Provix Group is here to support you every step of the way! Connect with us at Info@ProvixGroup.com or call 727-607-8023 to take the next step.