Homeowners in the Tampa Bay region have a new option when it comes to selling their homes by selling directly to Zillow through the company’s Zillow Offers service. The program is already available in other parts of the state, including South Florida and Orlando.
Selling a home is a stressful process for nearly all sellers, and uncertainties around when it will sell or for how much are the most common stressors, according to Zillow’s annual report. With more than 64 percent of home sellers buying another home at the same time, it’s no surprise that more than half of sellers said timing the sale of their current home to the purchase of a new one was stressful. With Zillow Offers, sellers have control over the timing, know upfront what the final sale price will be, and don’t have to coordinate any updates or keep their home sale-ready.
Interested homeowners can find out if their home is eligible by entering their address into Zillow’s website or mobile app. If their home qualifies, they will receive a preliminary cash offer within 48 hours of answering some basic questions. By selling through Zillow Offers, homeowners do not need to commit to selling to Zillow until their home has been evaluated in person.
Sellers who accept Zillow’s offer set their own closing date, between seven and 90 days out. Sellers can prepare to move on their schedule, and don’t have to deal with coordinating repair projects or cleaning. Zillow also has dedicated support from English- and Spanish-speaking representatives to help sellers through the process.
“With Zillow Offers, we’re eliminating the pain points that disrupt sellers’ lives, like coordinating repairs and showings, while giving them peace of mind on the timing and price,” says Zillow Brand President Jeremy Wacksman. “We’re excited to bring this service to the Tampa Bay area so homeowners can have a simpler, more enjoyable selling experience.”
Zillow works with local contractors to make sure each home it buys is market-ready for new owners. The company may complete projects like a fresh coat of paint, basic landscaping and servicing water heaters and HVAC units.
As Zillow works to build a seamless, one-stop real estate transaction, consumers can get financing from Zillow’s owned affiliate lender, Zillow Home Loans, making it simpler for Zillow Offers buyers and sellers to get pre-approved for their next home purchase.
Zillow Offers first launched in Phoenix in 2018 and is now active in 21 markets across the country. Zillow has also announced plans to bring Zillow Offers to Cincinnati, Jacksonville, Fla., Los Angeles, Oklahoma City, and Tucson, Ariz., by the middle of 2020.
A Tampa-based broker will represent Zillow in each transaction. Home sellers who request a Zillow offer but decide to instead sell their home traditionally can also be connected to a local real estate agent to represent them in the sale.
For more information, please visit www.zillow.com/offers.
