Zillow Removes Climate Risk Scores Amid Real Estate Agent Concerns
In September 2024, Zillow, a leading online real estate marketplace, integrated climate risk scores into over a million property listings, acknowledging that more than 80% of homebuyers consider environmental risks when making purchasing decisions. This initiative aimed to provide transparency regarding potential climate-related hazards such as flooding, wildfires, and extreme weather events.
However, by November 2025, Zillow decided to remove these climate risk scores from its listings. This decision came after the California Regional Multiple Listing Service (CRMLS) and various real estate agents expressed concerns that the inclusion of such data was negatively impacting property sales. Agents reported that prospective buyers were deterred by high-risk scores, leading to decreased interest in certain properties.
Art Carter, CEO of CRMLS, highlighted the potential impact of displaying specific flood probabilities, stating that it could significantly affect a property’s perceived desirability. He also questioned the accuracy of the data provided by First Street, the climate risk analytics firm supplying the scores, suggesting that areas without recent flooding history might not be as vulnerable as indicated.
In response to these concerns, Zillow replaced the direct display of climate risk scores with a link to First Street’s records, allowing interested buyers to access the information without it being prominently featured on the property listings.
Matthew Eby, a spokesperson for First Street, emphasized the importance of providing clear climate-risk information to buyers, stating that without it, individuals are making significant financial decisions without full awareness of potential risks. He argued that omitting this data doesn’t eliminate the risk but merely shifts it from a pre-purchase consideration to a post-purchase liability.
Despite Zillow’s removal of the scores, other real estate platforms like Realtor.com, Redfin, and Homes.com continue to display First Street’s climate risk assessments. First Street, based in New York, has secured over $50 million in funding from investors such as General Catalyst, Congruent Ventures, and Galvanize Climate Solutions.
The debate over the inclusion of climate risk data in real estate listings underscores the tension between providing comprehensive information to buyers and the potential economic implications for sellers and agents. While transparency is crucial for informed decision-making, the real estate industry grapples with balancing this with market dynamics and property valuations.
As climate change continues to influence real estate markets, the industry faces the challenge of integrating environmental risk assessments into property evaluations. This situation highlights the need for standardized, accurate, and widely accepted methods of conveying climate risks to ensure both buyer awareness and market stability.
