Complaint Says Zillow's Estimates Are Misleading

A national nonprofit group claims that Zillow.com's home valuations are wrong more than 67 percent of the time.
By: John Cook: REALTOR® Magazine Online
The National Community Reinvestment Coalition, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that promotes equal access to credit and capital for underserved communities, is taking aim at real estate Web site Zillow.com.

In a 12-page complaint filed with the Federal Trade Commission, NCRC insists that Zillow's home-valuation tool is inaccurate and misleading. An audit by NCRC reveals that Zillow's so-called "Zestimates" are wrong over 67 percent of the time, and many home owners have expressed concerns about valuations that are too high or too low.

NCRC Executive Vice President David Berenbaum says the complaint is in no way tied to NCRC's close relationship with the Center for Responsible Appraisals & Valuations; he says the coalition is worried about low-income home owners falling prey to unscrupulous lenders that use inaccurate valuations from Zillow.

However, Don Kelly of the Appraisal Institute notes that no bank he knows of uses Zillow's Zestimates when writing mortgages.