Bold shift: Zillow stops using climate risk scores after agents cry foul over misleading sales data.
Zillow has scrapped its climate risk score initiative shortly after launching it, removing the scores from more than a million property listings. The move follows complaints from real estate agents who argued the data could mislead buyers and contribute to lost deals.
What has replaced the scores is a small link on each listing directing users to data from climate risk startup First Street, the same organization that originally produced the assessment. First Street isn’t thrilled with this pivot, with spokesperson Matthew Eby telling TechCrunch that “the risk doesn’t disappear; it simply shifts from a pre-purchase decision to a post-purchase liability.” Notably, First Street’s climate scores still appear on listings from Redfin, Realtor.com, and Homes.com.
The California Regional Multiple Listing Service (CRMLS) welcomed Zillow’s decision, noting that the information is mainly used by industry professionals. CRMLS CEO Art Carter suggested that displaying a home’s probability of flooding in a given year or the next five years could significantly alter how desirable a property appears.
Carter also questioned the reliability of First Street’s data, arguing that areas without flood events for decades are unlikely to flood in the near term. First Street countered that its models are built on transparent, peer-reviewed science and continuously validated against real-world outcomes.
Zillow’s climate risk labels have sparked controversy since the program’s 2024 rollout, particularly among real estate agents. One agent remarked that the labels were introducing concerns into buyers’ minds about a listing that hadn’t previously existed. While buyers generally carry some preconceptions, the data’s presence amplified those thoughts for many shoppers.
First Street maintains that its climate risk scores are highly beneficial for consumers, pointing to maps that reportedly identified risk for over 90% of homes affected in the Los Angeles wildfire events. The company also claims its internal maps outperform CalFire’s official hazard maps in many scenarios.
Engadget has reached out to Zillow for comment on the decision and will update with a response when available.
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