Zillow has the nicest real estate in Web 2.0 industry
Really great visit with Zillow today. They are less than a year old. Their business plan called for having a million visitors by today. So far they have more than three.
Look for an announcement from them to show up on TechCrunch soon. Soon being within days. I don’t break news anymore, I just do videos.
Anyway, they have the nicest offices in the Web 2.0 world that I’ve seen so far. They are in the Wells Fargo building in downtown Seattle on the 46′th floor and have stunning views that wrap around all sides of the building.
They arranged each of their areas into “cul de sacs” around a window display.
Not many corporate offices can beat their arrangements and views.
Anyway, onto Google now.
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October 24th, 2006 at 5:04 pm
Clothed conversations with Robert Scoble
L-R: Drew Meyers, DG Christensen, Robert Scoble, Fred Sadaghiani, Bill Nordwall, Randy Puttick Buzz Bruggeman This morning myself and a few other developers had the privilege to sit down and geek out with Robert Scoble, who paid a visit to
October 24th, 2006 at 5:33 pm
If you’re interested in real estate you should appreciate the UI at http://www.blueroof.com. Mash-up with a clean and rich experience searching for homes.
Only in Utah right now…
October 24th, 2006 at 6:51 pm
I don’t break news anymore, I just do videos.
Better anyways…video lasts; more of value, breaking news is forever fleeting.
October 24th, 2006 at 7:15 pm
[...] It’s always fun when Robert Scoble shows up at your office. With the Blog Business Summit conference the next 3 days, it was hectic trying to wrap up loose ends prior to being OOF the rest of the week. Since it is a blogging conference- you can bet I’ll be posting both here and on the Zillow Blog over the next few days. Stay tuned… [...]
October 25th, 2006 at 2:18 am
I’m interested in seeing the video from Zillow and how well you researched the issues surrounding them.
There is quite a bit of lively discussion in the real estate industry right now with zillow supporters and opponents both holding strong views. Examples of some of the issues raised by some of the more respected real estate blogs can be found here:
http://www.bloodhoundrealty.com/BloodhoundBlog/?p=134
http://blog.sellsiusrealestate.com/2006/10/11/dizcrimination-by-zestimation-or-the-law-of-unintended-consequences/
I’m interested in seeing how much discussion of these types of issues regarding Zillow came out in your video or if this is just a softball PR piece.
I’m not on either side as I have not made up my mind - therefore I’m hoping to see the responses to some well thought out questions regarding these issues with Zillow in video from the source. To me, that would be the value-add of your video interviews…and worth paying for.
October 25th, 2006 at 2:33 am
J-Man: the interviews today cover a lot of waterfront. I just sold and bought homes, so I was well aware of the issues.
Buzz Bruggeman brought up the issue you discuss here. Obviously if you’re in a state that makes a lot of income off of property taxes (Buzz used to live in Florida, where they don’t have income taxes, so get very aggressive at raising property taxes through higher valuations) then you won’t want to increase your home’s value through Zillow ratings.
I think that blog misses the point. The only time you care about your home’s value is when you’re about to sell. Then all of a sudden you want a HUGE valuation (my home in Bothell sold for MORE than Zillow’s estimates, which made me very happy).
Even better, the home we bought in Half Moon Bay went for far less than Zillow’s estimates, which made us even happier.
October 25th, 2006 at 8:48 am
> (my home in Bothell sold for MORE than Zillow’s estimates, which made me very happy).
> Even better, the home we bought in Half Moon Bay went for far less than Zillow’s estimates, which made us even happier.
So you’re pleased that Zillow.com is useless for evaluating homes?
October 25th, 2006 at 9:28 am
Nice one Greg. But a shiny office does count for something, especially if it has an unzillowable view.
Mr. Scoble, if you read only that one post on zillow (tax consequences), which was based on a Seatle PI article, then you have missed the main points.
BTW, your post here is only looking from the seller side–you forgot the buyer.
Read these posts if you want to get past the nice view and office arrangement. Maybe not,the view (perception) may be all that matters.
Mining the Elusive Unzillowable where David G & I have a frank debate: http://tinyurl.com/uybg6
Unzestimate my Home: Will Zillow Allow Owners to Opt-out: http://tinyurl.com/y5n6n6
Zillow Confesses…: http://tinyurl.com/y3myt8
October 25th, 2006 at 9:35 am
BTW, Mr. Scoble, where you not the one to make light of the demolition of the Holmdel, NJ Bell Labs building designed by Eero Saarinen? You likened it to the loss of a chicken feed store. You might have missed the point there too.
http://scobleizer.wordpress.com/2006/07/05/birthplace-of-cell-phone-to-be-torn-down/
The building was saved by Engadget & blog readers who thought it was worth more than a chicken coop.
http://tinyurl.com/y7h53v
October 25th, 2006 at 9:53 am
So they have more than three visitors, but how close are they to one million?
October 25th, 2006 at 10:15 am
Dan: they have more than three million.
JF: I didn’t even know. Thanks for bringing that to my attention. Believe it or not I don’t see everything. :-)
October 25th, 2006 at 10:19 am
OK Robert, that’s fair.
October 25th, 2006 at 10:24 am
Greg: it’s not useless. It’s one datapoint. It should be the BEGINNING of your homework as to the value of real estate, not the end.
October 25th, 2006 at 11:50 am
> Greg: it’s not useless. It’s one datapoint. It should be the BEGINNING of your homework as to the value of real estate, not the end.
I was tweaking your nose. I thought your remarks were funny. A Zillow.com Zestimate is every bit as useful as an on-line physical examination — it will tell you just enough to let you know that you don’t actually know anything yet. If they would admit that plainly, I would have no problem with them.
October 25th, 2006 at 12:59 pm
[...] That Zillow will be making a major announcement in the next few days. Robert Scoble, video blogger and networking guru, teased a major new announcement on his blog last night. He was filming a segment for his new show and offered this on his blog. [...]
October 28th, 2006 at 9:47 am
[...] Dustin Luther at Rain City Guide has four posts (so far) on the Seattle Blog Business Summit. My skeptometer may need re-calibration, but I’m wondering if there is a difference between being well-known and being well-thought-out. Austin Bay got to interview Donald Rumsfeld this week, you tell me why. Robert Scoble, who praises Zillow.com because it’s always wrong in his experience, advises webloggers to “write well.” Ya think? [...]
October 30th, 2006 at 12:29 am
Love Zillow. Just discovered what might be an even better site for some purposes. http://www.trulia.com. It gives overall statistics for an area which Zillow does not.