From a reader:
Average condos in SF are up 4.9% in the past year. I am happy for everyone who owns one, but I have a problem with the means of estimating a condo’s value and that is via Zillow.
I won’t waste your time telling me to ignore Zillow, as I would like to do. But many people go to the Zillow site to see their Zestimates and I have a huge issue with Zillow on their Zestimate of my condo.I am in a classy South Beach building and have an incredible, unobstructed view of the Bay along the Embarcadero. My neighbor, with the same footprint of a little over 1,000 sq ft 1 bed, 1 bath, has his place “Zestimated at over $1.2mil. My place used to be about that, but in the past 18 months my Zestimate has gone down to under $650,000. I think my neighbor’s place is accurately figured and it is a lovely place. But mine has a better view, by far and has no privacy issues as far as large office blocks looking right into his bedroom and dining room. So, to summarize: two identical units in the same building with a difference in Zestimates of about $600,000. Just seems impossible.
I would like to protest with Zillow but there is no opportunity to do so other than writing letters to their Seattle HQ. No responses. One real estate guy saw me complaining in a forum on Zillow and he said it is all algorhythms and there is no human input. He said to just ignore Zillow. If no one went to Zillow I would find that easy to do.
If anyone doubts me, just check out 75 Folsom #1105 and #1106. You tell me.
Any ideas?
I know our site has been asleep for a while, but anybody have any suggestions?