Despite what you may read on this blog, we like Zillow. But we like it for reasons other than its estimating hubris (Gregg let us borrow this word :), refusal to conspicuously post a disclaimer or let owners opt out.
Here’s a new spin on the Zillow merry-go-round. It’s a social commentary based on the Law of Unintended Consequences. A Zillow UC was brought to light in this Seattle PI news story by John Cook, soon after Zillow announced that owners could add/correct data on Zillow.com. The story pointed out that tax assessors could troll the site to locate owners who had upped their zestimate and then reward them with a new (higher) tax bill. (I do not think the tax man would lower your taxes if you decreased the value on zillow.) Surely, this was not Zillow’s intent.
Well, I thought, could there be other UCs? I could not think of any until I read this Zillow blog post by Drew Meyers. Then it hit me: What if you were judged by your zestimate? Yes, it sounds cruel, unreasonable, unlikely, preposterous, or whatever Latin words Gregg can add, but is it that far-fetched? People judge us based on the clothes we wear, the cars we drive, the letters after our name on a business card, heck, even the logos on our shirts & pants. Your home used to be your sanctuary, your refuge. No longer. Sure people might discover the neighborhood you live in, but rarely would they see the home you lived in. Certainly, they never knew the value of your home. All that has changed since Zillow decided to put its value tag on your home for all to see, whether you like it or not.
Could there be any social repercussions caused by Zillow’s publication of a zestimate on your home? Could you be the victim of “dizcrimination by zestimation”? What’s to prevent an employer from zillowing an applicant’s home address and factoring that into the decision to hire? Or the salary to offer? It would not be legal discrimination since your home value is not a “protected” class.
Employers have already Googled & MySpaced job applicants. Why not Zillow you too? Could your zestimate undermine your resume? Remember, the zestimate is not public data, it just uses it, among other data points. What about dating couples zillowing each other’s homes to see if they’re marriage material? Will you one day hear “I can’t see you anymore. I saw your zestimate. You’re not the person I thought you were. It’s over.” Actually, maybe that’s a blessing. But golddiggers now have a new tool.
I was just wondering. Does anyone have an opinion on this? Why not take the mike?
This isn’t at all far-fetched. A friend of mine recommends not putting your address on resumes you send out.
It’s nothing new, however. Before Zillow, you could easily go to most county web sites and at least get the value of somebody’s home at the time of the last transaction. Zillow just makes it easier.
I recall an uproar when Google released their reverse-phone-lookup functionality. Again, it wasn’t really anything new; it’s just that it was so much easier to do.
The Internet continues to challenge the way we think about issues of privacy.
Funny, I thought I was being paranoid, leaving my home alone for fear the tax man would stop by. Around these parts I think they throw darts at a board to determine the value of homes like mine that have not changed hands in 15 years, as for your other UC, people have so many valid reasons for descriminating against me that I doubt if one more would hurt at all.
I don’t know who’s funnier—you or Lar.
Aren’t I glad I don’t need a new job. Geez, by the Zillow data for my home I live on a $500,000 raft in the middle of a canal! I think with that information, I’m more likely to get deported than hired.
Kevin, you are ahead of your time.
REBlogGirl, That’s some nice raft you have there.