economy
December 3, 2025
Zillow drops climate risk scores after agents complained of lost sales
The move is a loss for homebuyers, who through Zillow had ready access to a property's climate risk scores from First Street.
TL;DR
- Zillow removed climate risk scores from over 1 million listings due to complaints from real estate agents.
- Real estate agents argued the scores were causing them to lose sales.
- First Street, the provider of the climate risk data, stated that buyers lack access to crucial information when making purchasing decisions.
- First Street's climate risk scores are still available on Realtor.com, Redfin, and Homes.com.
- The CEO of California Regional Multiple Listing Service (CRMLS) questioned the accuracy of First Street's data.
- First Street defended its data, citing its accuracy during the Los Angeles wildfires and its performance compared to official hazard maps.
- Official hazard maps have been criticized for being outdated or underestimating property risks.
- The real estate and insurance industries are increasingly focused on climate change impacts.
- Investors, insurers, and cities are likely to continue using climate risk data.
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