Starting on Sept. 8, homeowners in Jacksonville, Fla., can sell their homes directly to Zillow through its Zillow Offers service.
Jacksonville is the 25th U.S. market where Zillow Offers is available, bringing the total number of Florida markets where the service is available to four. Zillow Offers is also available in South Florida, Tampa and Orlando.
“The coronavirus pandemic has caused many people to rethink their priorities for a home—a phenomenon we call ‘The Great Reshuffling,'” said Zillow President Jeremy Wacksman. “We’ve adapted Zillow Offers to give homeowners even more convenience and peace of mind to make their move easier with our new health and safety protocols. Florida is an important market for us with Jacksonville being the first new market we’ve expanded Zillow Offers to since March. ”
With Zillow Offers, eligible homeowners can get a free, no-obligation cash offer by entering their address at Zillow.com/offers and answering a few basic questions about their home. If they choose to continue, sellers can choose their own close date to fit their schedule, between seven to 90 days out.
Sellers do not have to coordinate repairs or host open houses or showings. According to Zillow, the ability to choose their closing date means they can align selling their home with the purchase of a new one, avoiding paying two mortgages or having to move twice.
Digital tools have been widely adopted during the coronavirus pandemic, making it easier for people to buy and sell homes safely. In a recent Zillow survey, 43 percent of respondents said they were more likely to try to sell a home online during the pandemic, and 33 percent said they would be more likely to try to sell their home online even after the pandemic ends.
Zillow is following the guidelines set in its Move Forward. Stay Safe. initiative, which was designed to keep real estate moving forward in a safe way. Selling through Zillow Offers gives homeowners a way to sell their homes with minimal person-to-person contact, and Zillow employees wear personal protective equipment when interacting in person with customers.
After buying a home, Zillow prepares it for sale by doing the same type of projects a typical seller would, then lists it on the open market. All for-sale Zillow-owned homes have a 3D Home. Home shoppers can also use the Zillow app to tour unoccupied Zillow-owned homes that are on the market.
In addition to Zillow Offers, Zillow’s owned affiliate lender Zillow Home Loans can help buyers get pre-approved and secure financing for their next home purchase.
A Jacksonville-based broker will represent Zillow in each transaction. If a seller requests a Zillow Offer but decides to sell traditionally, Zillow can connect them with a local agent to help them.
For more information, please visit www.zillow.com.
