Zillow, the largest real estate listing site in the US, has removed a feature that showed properties' exposure to climate risks such as wildfire, flood, and extreme heat. The tool, introduced in September last year, was taken down after complaints from real estate agents and some homeowners that the rankings appeared arbitrary and harmed sales.
The California Regional Multiple Listing Service, which oversees a database that Zillow relies on, was among those who complained. Zillow said it remains committed to helping buyers make informed decisions, and now provides outbound links to the website of First Street, the non-profit that had supplied the climate risk data.
Matthew Eby, founder and CEO of First Street, said removing the data leaves buyers 'flying blind' and shifts risk from pre-purchase to post-purchase liability. He argued that access to accurate risk information is essential to protect consumers, especially as climate-driven disasters make insurance more expensive or unavailable in some areas.
The move comes amid a challenging real estate market, with rising insurance premiums and repeated disasters adding pressure to close sales. Critics of the tool, including some experts, have questioned whether property-level risk assessments can be accurate. Jesse Keenan of Tulane University said there is growing bipartisan recognition that the government should standardise risk assessment, but that the science is limited for property-by-property evaluations.
