Key Takeaways:
– Zillow has launched a search by school feature on its iOS mobile app
– The feature allows home shoppers to filter for homes for sale or rent within specific school zones or districts
– Users can receive instant or daily alerts about new homes in their preferred school zone
– The feature will roll out on Android platforms by the end of 2023 and on the web in 2024
– Zillow’s Consumer Housing Trends Report shows that living in a preferred school district is important for many homebuyers, especially those in their 30s
– Other real estate search portals like Redfin, Realtor.com, and Homes.com also offer the ability to search by school name to streamline the home search process.
inman:
The feature, which is currently available only on Zillow’s iOS mobile app, allows home shoppers to select a school district and then displays school attendance zone boundaries and homes available for rent or for sale within those boundaries.
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Real estate search portal Zillow launched a search by school feature on Wednesday that allows home shoppers to filter for homes for sale or rent within specific school zones or districts.
“Nearly one-third of home shoppers have children younger than 18, making ‘search by school’ an important feature on the Zillow app,” Nicholas Stevens, vice president of product at Zillow, said in a statement. “We understand the perfect home often extends beyond the property itself, and this feature makes it easy for shoppers to explore homes for sale or for rent in their desired school districts.”
Found in the Zillow search bar, the search by school feature provides auto-complete suggestions for schools and districts based on the user’s search history. The feature is currently available on Zillow’s iOS mobile app and will roll out onto Android platforms by the end of 2023. It will be available on the web in 2024.
Zillow’s search by school feature | Credit: Zillow
Home shoppers can also opt to receive instant or daily alerts about new homes located in their preferred school zone as they hit the platform.
Once home shoppers select a school district, the app will display school attendance zone boundaries and homes available for rent or for sale within those boundaries. Any searches for open enrollment or charter or private schools that do not have assigned boundaries will show homes within a five-mile radius of the school.
Zillow’s Consumer Housing Trends Report, which draws on data pulled between April and July 2023, shows that living in a preferred school district is important for a significant number of homebuyers.
Buyers in their 30s were especially apt to feel that buying a home in a certain school district was important, with 75 percent noting its importance in their home search. Sixty-seven percent of buyers in their 40s and 61 percent of first-time buyers also considered school district a very important factor in their home search.
In 2021, 68 percent of buyers with kids under the age of 18 said school districts were important to their home search, compared to just 20 percent of buyers who did not have children, according to Zillow’s data. The percentage of homebuyers who felt school districts were important remained at about 43 percent from 2018 to 2021. In 2023, there was a jump in that preference to 52 percent of buyers who felt school district was important, showing this to be a growing area of interest for homebuyers.
Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com allow users to enter a school name into their search bar, rather than a city or zip code, if users choose, to streamline the home search process according to their preferred school district.
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Property Chomp's Take:
Zillow has recently launched a new feature on its iOS mobile app that allows home shoppers to search for homes within specific school zones or districts. This feature, aptly named "search by school," aims to make the home buying process easier for families with school-age children.
According to Nicholas Stevens, the Vice President of Product at Zillow, nearly one-third of home shoppers have children under the age of 18. This makes the "search by school" feature a valuable tool for these shoppers, as it allows them to explore homes for sale or rent in their desired school districts.
The feature can be found in the Zillow search bar and provides auto-complete suggestions for schools and districts based on the user's search history. Currently only available on the iOS mobile app, it will be rolled out on Android platforms by the end of 2023 and will be available on the web in 2024.
Once a school district is selected, the app displays school attendance zone boundaries and homes available for rent or for sale within those boundaries. For open enrollment, charter, or private schools that do not have assigned boundaries, the app shows homes within a five-mile radius of the school.
This new feature aligns with the increasing importance of school districts in the home buying process. Zillow's Consumer Housing Trends Report, which analyzed data from April to July 2023, revealed that living in a preferred school district is important for a significant number of homebuyers. In fact, 52 percent of buyers in 2023 considered school districts to be an important factor in their home search, compared to 43 percent from 2018 to 2021.
Other real estate search portals like Redfin, Realtor.com, and Homes.com also offer similar features that allow users to search for homes based on preferred school districts. This shows that there is a growing demand for this type of functionality among homebuyers.
Overall, Zillow's "search by school" feature provides a valuable tool for home shoppers with children, allowing them to easily explore homes within their desired school districts. As the feature expands to other platforms, more homebuyers will be able to take advantage of this convenient and informative tool.
