How to Receive Price Change Notifications on Zillow.com

Introduction

Staying informed about price changes in the real estate market can give you a significant advantage, whether you're actively looking to buy, invest, or monitor market trends. Zillow.com, one of the leading real estate platforms, offers several features and tools that enable users to receive notifications when a property's listing price changes. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the various methods to set up these alerts, ensuring you never miss an important price update.

Setting Up Price Change Alerts on Zillow

1. Create or Log into Your Zillow Account

To begin receiving price change notifications, you need to have a Zillow account. If you don’t already have one, follow these steps:

1. Visit Zillow.com: Open your web browser and navigate to Zillow.com.
2. Sign Up: Click on the "Sign Up" button located at the top right corner of the homepage. You can sign up using your email address or through social media accounts like Facebook or Google.
3. Log In: If you already have a Zillow account, simply click on "Log In" and enter your credentials.

2. Search for Properties

Once logged in, you can start searching for properties in your area of interest. Here's how:

1. Enter Location: In the search bar at the top of the page, enter the desired ZIP code, city, or neighborhood where you want to monitor property prices.
2. Filter Your Search: Use the filter options to narrow down your search based on criteria such as property type, price range, number of bedrooms, and more. This ensures that the notifications you receive are tailored to your specific preferences.

3. Save Your Search

Saving your search is a crucial step in setting up price change alerts. This allows Zillow to monitor the listings that match your criteria and notify you of any changes.

1. Click on "Save Search": After setting your filters, locate the "Save Search" button, typically found near the top of the search results page.
2. Label Your Search: Assign a meaningful name to your search, such as "Price Drops in 90210" or "Condos in Downtown Seattle," to easily identify it later.
3. Enable Notifications: Choose the "Instant Updates" option to receive real-time notifications whenever a property's price drops or a new listing matches your criteria.
4. Save: Click the "Save Search" button again to confirm and activate the notifications.

4. Save Specific Properties

If you’re interested in monitoring price changes for specific properties rather than an entire search area, you can save individual listings.

1. Find the Property: Use the search bar to locate the exact property you're interested in by entering its address.
2. Save the Listing: On the property's details page, click the "Save" button, often represented by a heart icon. This action adds the property to your "Saved Homes" list.
3. Enable Price Drop Alerts: After saving, look for an option to "Set up price drop alerts" for that specific property. Enable this feature to receive notifications if the property's price changes.

5. Manage Notification Preferences

To ensure you receive alerts in a manner that suits your preferences, manage your notification settings in your account.

1. Access Account Settings: Click on your profile picture or name in the top right corner and select "Account Settings" from the dropdown menu.
2. Navigate to Notifications: In the account settings, find the "Notifications" section.
3. Customize Alerts: Here, you can choose how you want to receive notifications—via email, mobile app alerts, or both. Ensure that "Price Change Alerts" are enabled.

Alternative Methods for Receiving Price Change Notifications

Using Zillow’s Premier Agent App

For real estate professionals or serious investors, Zillow offers the Premier Agent App, which provides additional tools for managing contacts and leads.

1. Download the App: Available on both iOS and Android platforms, download the Premier Agent App from the respective app stores.
2. Log In: Use your Zillow account credentials to log into the app.
3. Set Up Alerts: Within the app, navigate to the alerts section to set up automatic price drop notifications tailored to your client base or specific property interests.
4. Manage Leads: While primarily designed for lead management, the app can also help you keep track of price changes and other significant updates related to your saved properties.

Leveraging Third-Party Tools

In addition to Zillow's built-in features, several third-party tools and browser extensions can enhance your ability to monitor price changes on Zillow listings.

1. Glass It's Zillow Price Tracker: This tool automates the process of tracking price-reduced home listings on Zillow, providing real-time data and alerts when prices change. Visit Glass It to learn more and integrate it with your Zillow account.
2. Monitoro’s New Price Reduced Homes On Zillow: Similar to Glass It, Monitoro offers a dedicated service for tracking price changes on specific Zillow listings. You can customize alerts based on your preferences. Visit Monitoro for more information.
3. Browser Extensions: Some browser extensions are designed to monitor web pages for changes, including property listings on Zillow. Extensions like Visualping allow you to set up alerts for specific pages, notifying you when changes are detected.

**Important:** When using third-party tools, ensure they are reputable and have positive reviews to avoid security risks such as malware or data breaches. Always read the permissions required by browser extensions and consider using trusted sources.

Best Practices for Monitoring Price Changes

1. Regularly Update Your Search Criteria

Real estate markets are dynamic, with frequent changes in inventory and pricing. To maintain the effectiveness of your alerts, periodically review and update your search criteria to align with your current needs and market conditions.

2. Utilize Multiple Alert Channels

To ensure you don't miss any notifications, set up alerts through multiple channels, such as email and mobile app notifications. This redundancy guarantees that you receive updates promptly, regardless of your device or connectivity status.

3. Prioritize High-Interest Properties

Focus your alerts on properties that are most relevant to your interests or investment strategies. This targeted approach helps you manage the volume of notifications and respond quickly to opportunities that matter most to you.

4. Combine Alerts with Market Research

While alerts notify you of price changes, conducting regular market research provides context. Understanding broader market trends can help you interpret why prices are changing and make more informed decisions based on that data.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

1. Not Receiving Notifications

If you find that you're not receiving price change alerts as expected, consider the following steps:

• Check Spam Folders: Sometimes, notification emails may be filtered into your spam or junk folder. Ensure that they've not been redirected there.
• Verify Notification Settings: Revisit your account settings to confirm that price change alerts are enabled and that your contact information is correct.
• Update Contact Information: Ensure that your email address and phone number associated with your Zillow account are up-to-date to receive notifications without issues.
• Review Third-Party Integrations: If you're using third-party tools, ensure they are correctly integrated with your Zillow account and that their notification settings are appropriately configured.

2. Receiving Excessive Notifications

To avoid being overwhelmed by too many alerts, especially in competitive markets, you can:

• Refine Your Search: Narrow down your search to more specific criteria to reduce the number of notifications. For example, adjust your price range, property type, or location.
• Set Notification Frequency: Some tools and services allow you to adjust how frequently you receive updates. Opt for daily or weekly summaries instead of instant alerts if you prefer fewer notifications.
• Prioritize Alerts: Focus on high-priority properties or areas where you are most interested, ensuring that only the most relevant alerts reach you.

3. Alerts Not Triggering on Price Decreases

If price decrease alerts are not being triggered, consider:

• Eligibility of Listings: Not all listings may support price change notifications. Ensure that the properties you're monitoring are eligible for such alerts.
• Third-Party Tool Limitations: Some third-party tools may have limitations or may not fully integrate with Zillow's latest features. Check for updates or support documentation from the tool provider.
• Contact Zillow Support: If issues persist, reaching out to Zillow's customer support can help resolve technical problems related to notifications.

Additional Resources

For visual guidance and additional support, consider exploring the following resources:

• Zillow Help Center: Get Price Change Alerts on Saved Homes – Comprehensive guide with step-by-step instructions and screenshots.
• Zillow Help Center – General support and frequently asked questions.
• Zillow Premier Agent App – Information on using Zillow's Premier Agent App for enhanced notifications and lead management.

Conclusion

Receiving timely notifications about price changes on Zillow.com is a powerful tool for anyone involved in the real estate market. Whether you're a first-time homebuyer, an investor, or a real estate professional, these alerts enable you to act quickly on favorable opportunities, stay informed about market trends, and make strategic decisions based on up-to-date information. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can effectively set up and manage price change notifications, ensuring you remain ahead in the competitive real estate landscape.

Remember to regularly review and adjust your notification settings to align with your evolving needs and preferences. Combining Zillow's built-in features with reliable third-party tools can further enhance your ability to monitor and respond to price changes efficiently. Stay proactive, leverage the available resources, and navigate the real estate market with confidence.