3 ms·

Zillow Removed Climate Risk Scores Under Pressure from Real Estate Agents

11 points by randycupertino 9mo ago

SilverElfin 9mo ago
I’ve also noticed these sites now let real estate agents hide the price estimate on a listing. This is really anti consumer and I wonder what the point of these websites are if they just devolve into the same behavior as real estate before they existed.
- MattGaiser 9mo ago
  I imagine the problem is the same with all other free to the user platforms. The user won't pay, so their needs are subordinate to the actual customers.
  - toomuchtodo 9mo ago
    Indeed, unless it's required by law to surface the information, those who want it will need technical mitigations to enrich accordingly. Zillow gets paid by real estate professionals, real estate buyers and sellers are the product on their platform.
    - SilverElfin 9mo ago
      But the agents are paid by the actual buyers and sellers. It’s just that they’re organized as a group. This is why the monopolistic control of listing services and realtor organizations is a problem.
toomuchtodo 9mo ago
https://firststreet.org/ https://firststreet.org/ still has the data, they were the source. Related: A browser extension that restores climate hazard risks for CA Zillow listings - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46707801 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46707801 - January 2026
zahlman 9mo ago
I think I must be missing something. Hasn't the typical real estate client already chosen a city? So how much can a "climate risk score" really matter to the decision?
- toomuchtodo 9mo ago
  More than 80% of home shoppers consider climate risks when looking for a new home - https://zillow.mediaroom.com/2023-09-05-More-than-80-of-home-shoppers-consider-climate-risks-when-looking-for-a-new-home https://zillow.mediaroom.com/2023-09-05-More-than-80-of-home... - September 5th, 2023 Climate risk is a direct influence on future equity gains [1 [2] and homeowner insurance costs [3] [4] [5], so it is prudent and reasonable to consider when making the largest purchase of most folk's lives. [1] A Climate ‘Shock’ Is Eroding Some Home Values. New Data Shows How Much. - https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/11/19/climate/home-insurance-costs-real-estate-market.html https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/11/19/climate/home-... | https://archive.today/Hf9h9 https://archive.today/Hf9h9 - November 19th, 2025 [2] Trillions in U.S. Home Value Face Major Risk from Fire, Flood and Wind - https://www.zillow.com/research/climate-risk-home-value-34936/ https://www.zillow.com/research/climate-risk-home-value-3493... - March 12th, 2025 [3] About half of Americans understand that global warming is increasing homeowners insurance costs - https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/americans-understand-that-global-warming-is-increasing-homeowners-insurance/ https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/americans... - September 9th, 2025 [4] Climate change is upending homeowners insurance nationwide - https://www.hbs.edu/bigs/climate-change-upending-homeowners-insurance https://www.hbs.edu/bigs/climate-change-upending-homeowners-... - August 21st, 2025 [5] When Insurers Exit (2023) - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41664750 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41664750 - September 2024 (35 comments) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43366311 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43366311 (additional citations) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42450680 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42450680 (additional citations)
  - zahlman 9mo ago
    I'm genuinely confused. Do 80% of home shoppers seriously not realize that the climate at one end of a city is going to be substantially the same as at the other end of the city? Or do Americans really relocate that far, that commonly? What's the point of attaching the "climate risk score" to a real estate listing, when it's realistically going to be the same score in every aspect for every listing you consider? From the first link: > While climate risk is affecting attitudes, it isn't to the point where majorities of buyers are considering a move to a region they consider less risky. About half plan to remain in areas that pose the same climate risks they already face. Some are even thinking about moving to areas with more risks. Only 23% reported that they are considering homes in areas that they believe to be safer from the dangers of climate disasters. ... So then I don't understand what they are doing with the information.

I’ve also noticed these sites now let real estate agents hide the price estimate on a listing. This is really anti consumer and I wonder what the point of these websites are if they just devolve into the same behavior as real estate before they existed.

MattGaiser 9mo ago
I imagine the problem is the same with all other free to the user platforms. The user won't pay, so their needs are subordinate to the actual customers.
- toomuchtodo 9mo ago
  Indeed, unless it's required by law to surface the information, those who want it will need technical mitigations to enrich accordingly. Zillow gets paid by real estate professionals, real estate buyers and sellers are the product on their platform.
  - SilverElfin 9mo ago
    But the agents are paid by the actual buyers and sellers. It’s just that they’re organized as a group. This is why the monopolistic control of listing services and realtor organizations is a problem.

toomuchtodo 9mo ago

https://firststreet.org/ https://firststreet.org/ still has the data, they were the source. Related: A browser extension that restores climate hazard risks for CA Zillow listings - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46707801 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46707801 - January 2026

zahlman 9mo ago

I think I must be missing something. Hasn't the typical real estate client already chosen a city? So how much can a "climate risk score" really matter to the decision?

toomuchtodo 9mo ago
More than 80% of home shoppers consider climate risks when looking for a new home - https://zillow.mediaroom.com/2023-09-05-More-than-80-of-home-shoppers-consider-climate-risks-when-looking-for-a-new-home https://zillow.mediaroom.com/2023-09-05-More-than-80-of-home... - September 5th, 2023 Climate risk is a direct influence on future equity gains [1 [2] and homeowner insurance costs [3] [4] [5], so it is prudent and reasonable to consider when making the largest purchase of most folk's lives. [1] A Climate ‘Shock’ Is Eroding Some Home Values. New Data Shows How Much. - https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/11/19/climate/home-insurance-costs-real-estate-market.html https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/11/19/climate/home-... | https://archive.today/Hf9h9 https://archive.today/Hf9h9 - November 19th, 2025 [2] Trillions in U.S. Home Value Face Major Risk from Fire, Flood and Wind - https://www.zillow.com/research/climate-risk-home-value-34936/ https://www.zillow.com/research/climate-risk-home-value-3493... - March 12th, 2025 [3] About half of Americans understand that global warming is increasing homeowners insurance costs - https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/americans-understand-that-global-warming-is-increasing-homeowners-insurance/ https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/americans... - September 9th, 2025 [4] Climate change is upending homeowners insurance nationwide - https://www.hbs.edu/bigs/climate-change-upending-homeowners-insurance https://www.hbs.edu/bigs/climate-change-upending-homeowners-... - August 21st, 2025 [5] When Insurers Exit (2023) - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41664750 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41664750 - September 2024 (35 comments) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43366311 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43366311 (additional citations) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42450680 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42450680 (additional citations)
- zahlman 9mo ago
  I'm genuinely confused. Do 80% of home shoppers seriously not realize that the climate at one end of a city is going to be substantially the same as at the other end of the city? Or do Americans really relocate that far, that commonly? What's the point of attaching the "climate risk score" to a real estate listing, when it's realistically going to be the same score in every aspect for every listing you consider? From the first link: > While climate risk is affecting attitudes, it isn't to the point where majorities of buyers are considering a move to a region they consider less risky. About half plan to remain in areas that pose the same climate risks they already face. Some are even thinking about moving to areas with more risks. Only 23% reported that they are considering homes in areas that they believe to be safer from the dangers of climate disasters. ... So then I don't understand what they are doing with the information.