Why Use a Realtor Instead of Just Zillow?  

If you’ve started looking for a home, chances are you’ve spent plenty of time on Zillow. Most buyers do. The platform is easy to navigate, the photos are clear, and the map search feels simple compared to some MLS portals. In many ways, Zillow is a great place to browse. It makes discovering listings fun, and it gives you a general feel for what’s out there.

But that’s only the very first step in the homebuying process. And it’s not the reason you hire a realtor.

Zillow helps you browse. A realtor helps you buy. 

Scrolling through listings is the easy part. The real work begins once you actually like a property enough to consider making an offer. That’s where an experienced agent becomes the difference between guessing and making a smart, informed decision.

A realtor helps you evaluate the home, understand its true value, and identify issues you won’t catch online. Zillow can show you a beautiful kitchen. It can’t tell you whether that kitchen was remodeled well, if the electrical work is up to code, or if the house backs up to a loud traffic pattern you’d never notice from photos.

Finding homes is something a website can do. Buying one the right way requires a professional.

Zestimates are not market valuations (and Zillow can’t smell cats).

The Zestimate is one of Zillow’s most recognizable features, but it’s important to understand what it is. It’s a computer-generated estimate based on public data and algorithms. It doesn’t walk the property. It doesn’t adjust for condition. And it definitely doesn’t know if the previous owners had five cats or smoked inside for twenty years.

Real pricing depends on:

• Recent comparable sales

• Condition and updates

• Local supply and demand

• Neighborhood trends

• Competing buyers

• Seller motivation

Those are things you cannot see from a screen. A realtor evaluates all of this long before you write an offer, so you don’t overpay or chase a property that will drain your savings later.

Strategy matters more than scrolling.

Once you find a home you love, a whole new set of decisions comes up.

Should you come in at the asking price, under it, or above it?
Are there multiple offers?
What terms will make your offer stand out?
Can you waive anything safely?
What will the seller respond to?
How do you structure the contract so you’re protected?

A strong agent knows how to read the situation, interpret what’s happening behind the scenes, and advise you based on actual experience in the local market. That’s something no website can replicate.

Zillow can show you options.
A realtor helps you land the right one.

There are real risks you don’t see online.

Every transaction includes inspections, disclosures, appraisals, negotiations, contingency timelines, financing hurdles, and legal requirements. One missed detail or poorly written clause can cost you money or even the house.

You don’t hire a realtor to open doors.
You hire one to protect you from the things you don’t know to look for.

Zillow is a great tool. It’s just not a replacement for a professional.

This isn’t about Zillow being “bad.” It’s actually one of the most useful tools in the home search process. But buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll ever make. You deserve more than an algorithm and a listing feed. You deserve expert guidance, strategic advice, and someone looking out for your best interests from the first showing through closing.

Looking for a local Harford County realtor?

If you want personal, local expertise instead of guessing your way through one of the biggest purchases of your life, a local realtor makes all the difference. For buyers in Harford County or the surrounding areas, Leigh Kaminsky of American Premier Realty would be happy to assist you. Local insight, market knowledge, and hands-on guidance are exactly what turns a stressful process into a confident one.