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Let’s get one thing straight: I’m not here to bash Zillow.
It’s a fun tool. It’s addictive. It’s like HGTV meets online shopping — except you can’t Prime-ship a house to your driveway (yet).
But here’s the thing:
Zillow doesn’t live here. I do.
It doesn’t know the back roads, the quirky HOAs, or why one street sells like hotcakes while another sits for weeks.
I’ve spent 8+ years helping Northwest Indiana buyers and sellers navigate this market, and I can tell you: there’s stuff the algorithm just can’t see.
Here are five big ones.
1. The “Good Bones” Test Means More Than MLS Photos
Zillow shows you pictures. I can tell you if that charming “vintage” kitchen means 1978 wiring and plumbing that hasn’t been touched since disco was big.
A seasoned local realtor knows which neighborhoods have aging infrastructure, which ones have been systematically renovated, and which ones just look pretty online because someone’s good with Photoshop.
2. Micro-Market Vibes Matter
Zillow can tell you a home is “near a park.”
I can tell you whether that park is the peaceful walking-path kind or the “Friday night high school football parking nightmare” kind.
Every neighborhood in Lake County has its own rhythm — and sometimes two blocks make all the difference in value, resale, and lifestyle.
3. Local Pricing Nuances Beat National Averages
Zillow’s “Zestimate” is like a weather app that only tells you the national average temperature. Helpful-ish, but not exactly what you should wear today.
I know which Munster streets quietly command 10% higher prices, which Crown Point cul-de-sacs sell in 48 hours, and where a “motivated seller” actually means motivated.
4. Upcoming Changes That Affect Value
Zillow doesn’t get invited to the city council meetings (I do).
I hear when a new school rezoning is on the table, when a major road project might make your commute easier (or harder), and when commercial development is about to boost property values in a certain pocket.
This intel can make thousands of dollars of difference in your decision.
5. The Human Factor
Zillow is a computer.
I can read the room — and the seller. Sometimes I know before we walk out of a showing that we can get this one or that you’re better off walking away.
It’s not magic, it’s experience — paired with knowing this market like I know my coffee order.
Bottom Line
Zillow is a great starting point, but when it comes to making one of the biggest financial (and emotional) decisions of your life?
You need someone who can see beyond the algorithm.
That’s where I come in — as your knowledgeable, local, slightly Diet Coke-obsessed Northwest Indiana realtor who knows the stories behind the stats.
📲 Thinking about buying or selling? Let’s talk. I’ll bring the market insight — and maybe even a naked seller story.
