It is now easy to look for a house online because of the social media posts, online forums, and websites. Since the available houses can initially only be seen online, it is difficult to check their authenticity. I find it difficult to trust if the offers are legitimate or not.
I discovered that the Zillow app focuses on letting its users buy, rent, and sell a home. Zillow is a popular real estate brand, so I know I can trust everything on the app. The Zillow app offers tools to help people find millions of listings right at their fingertips.
Learn more about the Zillow app and its features below. Check how I found my new house on the Zillow app after selling my previous one.
- Getting to Know Zillow
- Starting with the Zillow App
- Exploring the Zillow App
- Searching for a House on the Zillow App
- Filtering the Search Results on the Zillow App
- Using More Filters for the Search Result on Zillow
Getting to Know Zillow
I have known Zillow for quite some time already because it is a well-known real estate brand. Zillow aims to reimagine real estate to make it easier for people to unlock life’s next chapter—having their own homes.
Zillow is considered one of the most-visited real estate websites in the United States. It provides customers with an on-demand experience for selling, renting, buying, and financing houses while promoting transparency and seamless end-to-end service.
The website offers buys and sells homes directly from people in several markets. Thus, the people (buyer and seller) control the negotiation regarding pricing and other conditions.
Zillow also supports house loans through its affiliate lender. With the help of housing loans, people can have an easy option to get pre-approved and secure financing for their next house purchase on the app.
Introducing the Zillow Mobile App
Zillow Group wanted its real estate website to be more accessible, so they launched the Zillow mobile app. The Zillow app is free to be installed on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. There are no in-app purchase items or premium subscriptions on the Zillow app.
I can easily look for a home to buy and rent just as I can on the website. I can also sell my house on the Zillow app. Other tools on the Zillow app help me find the perfect home, giving me a chance to have 3D home tours first.
The Zillow app is compatible on mobile devices with Android Os 5.0 and up and iOS 14.0 or later.
Starting with the Zillow App
Upon installing the app, it asked permission to access my mobile device's different features and functions. The Zillow app welcomed me with several permission requests for it to run smoothly on my mobile device.
The Zillow app wanted to access my contacts to find accounts on the mobile device. It also needs Wi-Fi connection information because the app requires an internet connection to function. In addition, Zillow asked for my device ID and call information.
Moreover, the app sought access to my file storage and media files. It is also important to provide the app with my current location, whether it is the precise location or approximate location. Lastly, it asked for the phone’s camera to take photos and videos.
The Zillow app requested permission to do the following on my mobile device: receive data from the internet, control vibration, use accounts on the device, prevent the mobile device from sleeping, run at startup, view network connection, and have full network access.
Creating an Account on the Zillow App
After giving the app the permissions, I can now explore the Zillow app. The app lets me check its tabs and Home page even without creating an account. However, it is advisable to register an account on Zillow to save the home searches.
I tapped on the “More” tab to find the sign-in or register option. The Zillow app asked for my email address and prompted me to set up a password. It is also possible to use a Facebook account to connect and create accounts on the Zillow app.
Creating an account on Zillow can help further customize the house searching, and it will help me see my account details. Moreover, the app lets me read its Terms and Conditions upon registering an account.
Exploring the Zillow App
One striking feature of the Zillow app that I liked is its user interface. It has a sleek and organized design that lets me easily explore its features and tabs. The Zillow app has five primary tabs at the bottom of the screen.
Search, Updates, Saved Homes, Your Home, and More are the available tabs on Zillow. The Search tab lets me search for all the available houses posted in the listings, whether renting or selling. I can track all the updates and changes on my saved searches within the Updates tab.
Once a home interests me, I can save it on the Saved Homes tab that acts as a bookmark. I can easily check these homes again for future reference. I can also save my home on the app through the “Your Home” tab.
Lastly, the More tab covers other features of the Zillow app. I can find the home search history, selling options, mortgage information, account or profile, and the Settings menu.
Knowing the Mortgage Tools on Zillow
Interestingly, the Zillow app lets me enjoy its mortgage tools and features to assess my capability to buy a new house. The app supports getting pre-qualified by looking for a specific and trusted lender or broker.
Zillow mentioned that the right mortgage lender could provide a personalized service for my unique loan needs. There are participating lenders on Zillow, so I need to ensure that my mortgage lender is officially part of the Zillow group’s marketplace.
Aside from getting pre-qualified, I can also check the shop rates and market trends to better grasp house prices. The Zillow app also has a payment calculator, affordability calculator, and refinance calculator.
Searching for a House on the Zillow App
The Zillow app’s primary feature lets its users find an available home to buy or rent. Thus, it ensured that the Search tab has everything users need to find the perfect home that meets their preferences and standards.
The app allows me to enter the address, city, ZIP, or neighborhood where I want to find a new home to search for available houses. Then, Zillow asks if I want to specify my intention for using the app, whether to look for homes for sale or rent.
Since I intended to relocate, I sorted the listings that were being sold. The app has access to my current location, so it can recommend places near my current neighborhood if I do not want to move to another city.
The app has suggested searches like Houses for Sale Near Me, Open Houses Near Me, and Recently Sold Near Me. Yes, the app also lets me check some of the recently sold houses to prove its success in helping people find a new home.
Using Initial Filters for the Search Results on Zillow
There are thousands of available houses posted on the Zillow app, so it is recommended to filter the search result aside from the target location. There are two initial filters that I can sort the result with: Agent Listings and Other Listings.
People who want additional security can check the Agent Listings as the available homes are only posted by duly verified agents on Zillow. Meanwhile, the Other Listings cover the posts of other users who wish to sell their homes.
Filtering the Search Results on the Zillow App
The Zillow app ensures that users can find the perfect new homes by meeting our preferences and standards. Thus, the app offers specific filters to narrow down the choices for easier picking of the house to buy.
First, the app asked me if I wanted to filter the search results according to listing type. Aside from agents and owners, I can look for listings under the categories: New Construction, Foreclosures, Coming Soon, Auctions, Foreclosed, and Pre-Foreclosed.
It is also important to set the price range of the house that fits my intended budget. This price range menu bar works best for those looking for houses to rent to immediately see the monthly rent of the properties.
Utilizing the Home Filters on Zillow
Moreover, Zillow asked me to indicate the home type of my preferred property, whether it is a house, apartment, manufacture, townhome, condo, lot/land, or multi-family unit.
Aside from the home type, the app asked how many bedrooms I wanted for my new house. The options available include studios and houses with one to more than five bedrooms. This option is also available with how many bathrooms I want in my new home.
Using More Filters for the Search Result on Zillow
I liked that the Zillow app provided numerous filters so I could find the perfect home. Aside from the ones mentioned above, the app has more filter options for me to use. To begin with, it asked for my preferred Homeowners Association fee, whether it is monthly or annually.
Moreover, I can indicate if I want a garage or parking spot on the property. I can also set the house size in square feet and the lot size. The app also lets me indicate if I want a pool, air conditioning, basement, etc.
Interestingly, Zillow can help me find houses with the following views: city, park, water, or mountain. The app can further filter the search results according to the year they were built.
Saving Homes on Zillow
After checking the available homes that met my preferences, I can have a 3D home tour, as most listings offer one. With this home tour, I can get the ambiance and amenities of the home even without going there physically.
If I liked the house, I could click the “save” button to save the listing on my app. It also helps me access the post for future reference, especially if I decide to take the house. The app provides the contact information of the owner or agent, so we can talk and proceed with the purchase.
Conclusion
The Zillow app is a trusted real estate app that helps users find available houses for purchase or rent. It provides search filters for users to find the perfect home based on their preferences.
Last updated on December 28th, 2022 at 05:59 pm
