Zillow Reviews: Should You Sell With Them? (2026 Update)

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2.4

User Rating (18 Reviews)

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Zillow is one of the largest real estate platforms. You can either recieve a cash offer, find your own agent, or list your home For Sale By Owner with Zillow. They provide you several selling options.

Pros

• List FSBO on Zillow for free
• Get complete control over the selling process
• Access Zillow's services from any state

Cons

• Get zero MLS exposure with the free listing
• Pay 3% commission to access the MLS
• Expect a 72-hour delay in listing

Zillow is a real estate platform that provides various selling options. You can either get a fast cash offer or connect with an agent to list your home on the MLS. Additionally, most sellers approach Zillow to list their house as For Sale By Owner on the platform.

However, we found some drawbacks. FSBO listings on Zillow are not posted on the MLS, where most homes in the US are sold. Meanwhile, you will have to pay 3% agents commission if you choose to access the MLS with a Zillow agent.

✍️ Editor’s Take: We recommend selling with Houzeo, America’s #1 home buying and selling website. Unlike Zillow, Houzeo provides MLS listing and additional real estate tools at a flat fee starting at $249 to help you sell your home FSBO.

Is Zillow Legitimate?

Yes, Zillow is a legitimate and reputable company. Rich Barton and Lloyd Frink founded the company in 2004 in Seattle, Washington. Over a period of two decades, Zillow has become one of the most widely recognised names in the US real estate market.

Zillow Reviews

We compiled Zillow’s reviews and ratings across various credible sites such as Trustpilot, Better Business Bureau, and Yelp. The company has an average rating of 1.28 stars based on a total of 681 reviews.

On Trustpilot, Zillow has a rating of 1.5 stars from 547 reviews. On Yelp, they hold a 1.3-star rating based on 6 reviews. Additionally, they are rated 1-star based on 128 reviews on BBB.

Website	Rating	Review Count
Trustpilot		547
Yelp		309
BBB		128
Weighted Average		681

We analyzed various reviews on Zillow and found that there are far more negative feedback then praises. The few positive reviews mention that the agents were polite and professional. However, the negative reviews mention:

1. Lack of customer support for selling FSBO on Zillow
2. Unauthorised sharing of personal information
3. Constant spam calls and emails

Positive Zillow Reviews

✅ Abbas Nikzad was pleased with the Zillow agent’s work. The agent was professional and helped make the process easy for the customer. As a result, they recommended Zillow’s services for all.

✅ Dean Dameron, an out-of-town seller and agent, received a lot of help from the Zillow agent they worked with. The representative took control of the process and communicated with them often. The seller shared that the agent went to great lengths to sell their home.

✅ Sean had previously used Zillow’s services to list their home. Then they took the company’s help while searching for a buyer’s agent to purchase a property. The homeowner had a great experience with Zillow both times.

Negative Zillow Reviews

❌ Buyer David McMahan paid a subscription for a multi-family listing on Zillow. However, customer support did not respond after they faced technical issues. Additionally, there was no other contact information to communicate with the company.

❌ Sumit G. accused Zillow of violating their privacy and advertising their home for sale without their consent. They received constant phone calls and junk mail despite requesting that the company not display information about their home.

❌ Robert D. alleged that Zillow refused to update their home’s asking price for over ten days. The company did not provide a reason for doing so either. Additionally, the seller accused the company of favouring Realtors over homeowners.

Zillow Pros and Cons

We evaluated seller experiences, company policies, and services of Zillow, and found both benefits and drawbacks.

✅ Pros of Selling With Zillow

• No Agent Commission for FSBO Listing: You can list FSBO on Zillow free of charge. So, you save money on agent commissions, which is 3% of the home sales price.
• Experienced and Professional Agents: Many sellers praised Zillow’s agents for their guidance and quick responses. For example, Jein Mors shared that real estate agent Sonya Hall guided them and provided a great deal of knowledge throughout the process.
• Nationwide Coverage: Zillow is present in all 50 states plus D.C. in America. For example, as an out-of-town seller, Dean Dameron was able to sell their home with ease through Zillow’s help.
• Complete Seller Control: With Zillow’s FSBO listing, you have complete control over pricing, negotiation, and decision-making. You can set your schedule, conduct showings, and manage the selling process at your convenience.

⛔ Cons of Using Zillow

• 3% or More Agent Commission: Listing on the MLS with the help of a Zillow agent will cost you 3% listing agent commission. Additionally, whether you list on Zillow for free or access the MLS, you might still have to pay the buyer’s agent commission.
• Lack of Support for FSBO Zillow Sellers: Many sellers faced difficulty contacting Zillow customer support. Reviewer Always Right was unable to reach Zillow after their house’s price dropped drastically, since there was no customer service number.
• Constant Spam Calls and Mails: Many homeowners complained about receiving constant spam calls and junk mail from Realtors after visiting Zillow’s website. For example, Peter G. had to close their Zillow account after constantly receiving spam emails.
• No MLS Exposure With FSBO Listing: Most homes in the US sell through the MLS. However, Zillow’s FSBO listing only appears on their website and Trulia. Even then, buyers must apply a specific filter on Zillow to view FSBO listings, limiting visibility.

Zillow Coverage

Zillow offers its services in all 50 states and D.C. They cover the following states in the USA:

What is Zillow For Sale By Owner?

Zillow FSBO helps you to list your house on their website and Trulia for free. However, to access the MLS, you will have to pay the listing agent a 3% commission. With no visibility on the MLS, where most homes are sold, your FSBO-listed home won’t reach many interested buyers.

Additionally, FSBO listings are hidden significantly from the users on their website as well. Zillow, by default, only displays agent listings. This further limits your property’s visibility.

Listing on Zillow FSBO

When you list your property with Zillow FSBO you’ll be solely responsible for all aspects of marketing, pricing, negotiating, staging, closing, and paperwork. This entire process can be exhausting, as you will need to juggle multiple tasks simultaneously.

Pro Tip: With Houzeo, your home will be listed FSBO on MLS, along with syndication to top real estate websites such as Zillow, Trulia, Redfin, etc. This allows your property to have maximum visibility. Additionally, Houzeo’s Gold and Platinum plans also offer guidance from licensed real estate experts.

How Does For Sale by Owner Zillow Work?

The process of listing your property on Zillow is quite easy. Below mentioned are the steps you need to follow to post your FSBO property on Zillow.

1. Register on Platform: Register as an FSBO home seller on their platform for free.
2. Fill in Property Details: Fill in your property details to proceed with the listing process.
3. Save Your Changes: Click the blue ‘post For Sale By Owner’ button to save your changes and list your home for sale.

Once you complete this process, your listing will then be submitted for Zillow review.

⚠️ You Should Know: Even without MLS exposure, Zillow takes up to 72 hours to review your FSBO listing. Meanwhile, with Houzeo’s Flat Fee MLS listing packages, you can get your home listed on the MLS within 48 hours. This can possibly give you a faster turnaround with maximum market exposure.

Does Zillow provide home loans?

Yes, you can get home loans from Zillow. As per their website, they promise competitive rates, zero hidden fees, and customer support. Additionally, you can check what actual homeowners have to say about their mortgage through Zillow Home Loans reviews on Trustpilot.

Zillow For Sale by Owner Fees

You can list your FSBO property on Zillow for free. There will be no fees involved, even when your home is successfully sold. However, please note that while there are no fees for the FSBO listing, you still have to pay for the buyer’s agent commission.

Additionally, your home won’t be listed on the MLS. This keeps your property hidden from many potential buyers. While you may save on the listing agent’s commission, the limited exposure can lead to fewer offers and a lower final sale price.

How much does selling a house cost?

While selling a home, you will have to pay a 3% Realtors commission. Additionally, closing costs can be 1-3% of the home sale price. You might have to pay repair costs, transfer taxes, and buyer concessions if required.

What is Zillow Make Me Move?

Zillow Make Me Move is a discontinued program that allowed homeowners to post a home price without officially listing their property. This way, buyers could view the homes and directly contact the sellers. However, this program is no longer in use.

Zillow Cash Offers Service

Zillow used to operate an iBuyer program known as Zillow Offers. They would purchase homes for cash and resell them. However, the program shutdown around 2021.

Despite this, you can still approach Zillow for a cash offer. Their website shows a ‘Get cash offer’ option. We found that, although they won’t directly purchase your home, Zillow will connect you with their partner Opendoor.

⚠️ Important: Opendoor is an iBuyer that purchases homes fast for cash. However, properties have to meet certain standards to get their cash offer. Moreover, they will typically pay only up to 80% of your home’s market value.

Zillow Alternatives

We compared different platforms for real estate and Zillow on metrics such as MLS exposure, profit, and pricing. Our research led us to Houzeo, Clever Offers, and Beycome as top options based on these features. Here’s how they compare to Zillow.

Zillow competitor analysis: Research Methodology

We conducted a comparative analysis to identify Zillow’s top competitors. With this, we aim to provide a fair and data-driven comparison.

• Market Comparison: We evaluated different types of home-selling solutions, including cash buyers and flat fee MLS companies, to ensure a well-rounded comparison.
• Consumer Feedback Review: We analyzed seller reviews to understand satisfaction levels and common concerns across platforms.
• Selection Criteria: We chose the competitors based on how they differ from Zillow’s model, to ensure a balanced mix of alternatives.

1. MLS Exposure: Zillow FSBO vs Houzeo

Zillow can help you list your property FSBO without a listing agent. However, your home will be listed only on their own website and Trulia. Without MLS exposure, you might connect with less number of buyers, which could lead to fewer offers and a negligible scope of negotiation.

Houzeo, on the other hand, lists your property on the MLS and also extends syndication to Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com, Redfin, and more. This way, your property gets maximum exposure and possibly multiple offers at a flat fee and no added costs.

2. Profit: Zillow Offers vs Clever Offers

Zillow provided cash offers through their Zillow Offers program but the program shut down in 2021. However, you can still get an offer from them through their partner Opendoor. But Opendoor has strict eligibility criteria for homes and might only provide 80% of its worth.

As a cash buyer marketplace, Clever Offers takes a different route. They can push your property in front of multiple buyers and encourage competition. You not only avoid settling for the first offer, but also choose the option that suits you the best.

3. Pricing: Zillow vs Beycome

If you list on the MLS with a Zillow agent, you will have to pay a hefty listing agent’s commission of 3%. Additionally, you will also have to cover the buyer’s agent fee, closing costs, and more. This way, you might lose around 5-6% of your final payout.

Beycome, on the other hand, charges you only $99 for their basic MLS listing plan. They don’t have any hidden fees either. However, make sure to check Beycome reviews before exploring their listing service.

Are there other FSBO websites?

Yes, there are many websites where you can list your property For Sale By Owner. Houzeo, ISoldMyHouse.com, and Fizber are among some of the best FSBO websites.

Redfin or Zillow, which option is better?

Both Zillow and Redfin are popular names among online real estate platforms. With both of them, you will have to pay an agent’s commission of 3% and 2%, respectively. However, Houzeo provides similar real estate services and top-notch customer support at an upfront fee starting from $249. Read our analysis of Redfin vs Zillow vs Houzeo, to know which one is the best option.

Other Options You Should Consider

• Sell with a Flat Fee MLS Service: Flat Fee MLS companies list your home on the MLS for an upfront fee. This way, you can ensure that your home gets exposure to buyers and major real estate platforms without paying agent commission.
• Sell FSBO: For Sale By Owner websites help you list and sell a house yourself. This allows you to save thousands in agent commissions. Many FSBO websites will also help you with the paperwork.
• Sell through a Realtor: Traditional Realtors list your property on the MLS and help you at every step of home selling. However, you have to pay them 3% of the home’s sale price for this convenience.
• Sell Through Discount Realtors: Discount real estate brokers reduce their commissions to offer affordable services. Their commission varies between 1% and 2.5%. However, they won’t provide you with full-service assistance at this discounted fee.

Should You List With Zillow?

Yes, you can list your home with Zillow if you are fine with paying both the listing agent and the buyer agent’s fees of around 5-6%. Their agent can guide you through the process. However, you may lose a significant portion of the sale proceeds to agent commissions.

You can also sell your home with Zillow’s FSBO listing with no listing agent commission. However, it won’t appear on the MLS and will only be displayed on their own website and Trulia. This way, your property will be hidden from a huge chunk of interested buyers.

We recommend Houzeo to list your home. Houzeo’s plans provide MLS exposure and syndication to top real estate platforms at a flat fee starting from $249. This helps your property get better exposure, possibly encouraging multiple offers.

Zillow Realty reviews: Research Methodology

We conducted thorough research on Zillow to provide an unbiased and fact-based analysis. Our research compiled data on real customer experiences from credible sources. To maintain accuracy, the methodology included:

• Varied Reviews: We gathered reviews from Google, Trustpilot, and Yelp to ensure credibility.
• Qualitative Analysis: We analyzed reviews to identify common issues, discern themes, and gauge overall customer sentiment.
• Objective Insights: To highlight both pros and cons, we summarized all the reviews and offered neutral insights.

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