Zillow, the prominent real estate search platform, has stirred controversy by eliminating climate risk scores from its property listings. This decision complicates efforts for prospective homebuyers to assess potential flood zones and weather-related hazards when making purchasing decisions.

In a quiet move, Zillow, the largest real estate listing site in the U.S., removed these warnings—originally introduced in September 2024—from over a million listings in late November, just a little over a year after their implementation. These warnings highlighted threats such as floods, fires, and extreme heat.

This change followed complaints from real estate agents in various states prone to natural disasters, who argued that the risk data was negatively impacting their sales.

When the climate risk information was initially introduced, Zillow reported that over 80% of homebuyers considered these risks as a significant factor in their purchasing decisions.

Prior to the removal of the scores, the California Regional Multiple Listing Service (CRMLS) and its CEO had voiced concerns, labeling the climate risk statistics as inconsistent.

CRMLS, considered an industry powerhouse for property listings, is the nation’s largest and most recognized subscriber-based multiple listing service (MLS). The company works with more than 103,000 real estate agents across the state and provides listing information that helps power Zillow’s platform. 

Under pressure, Zillow chose to replace the scores with a subtle link to records from First Street, a climate risk analytic startup whose summarized data had formerly been featured on the platform.

‘When buyers lack access to clear climate-risk information, they make the biggest financial decision of their lives while flying blind,’ First Street founder and CEO Matthew Eby told the Daily Mail.

Zillow, the US’s largest real estate listing site, removed climate risk scores from its property listings, making it harder for homebuyers to identify potential flood zones and other risks posed by extreme weather

Zillow got rid of the warning warnings — which explicitly cautioned buyers of flood, fire and heat threats — from more than one million listings in late November, a little over a year after adding them

When Zillow added the data last year, the platform reported that more than 80 percent of buyers considered climate risks when purchasing a new home

‘The risk doesn’t go away; it just moves from a pre-purchase decision into a post-purchase liability.’ 

Zillow addressed the change in a statement, saying only that the company is ‘committed to providing consumers with information that helps them make informed real estate decisions.’ 

‘We updated our climate risk product experience to adhere to varying MLS requirements and maintain a consistent experience for all consumers,’ it said.

Other popular listing platforms like Redfin, Homes.com and Trulia still feature the climate data in their home listings.

Real estate agents have complained about the climate risk scores since they started being included in listings, saying they create unnecessary worry.

CRMLS CEO Art Carter insisted that dropping the data was the right move. He told the New York Times that ‘displaying the probability of a specific home flooding this year or within the next five years can have a significant impact on the perceived desirability of that property.’ 

Carter also questioned the accuracy of First Street’s data, saying he didn’t believe that areas without flooding over the past 40 to 50 years were likely to flood in the next five.

First Street has defended its work, saying in a statement that the scores ‘are built on transparent, peer-reviewed science and are continuously validated against real-world outcomes.’

Zillow’s decision came after real estate agents in several states facing threats from natural disasters complained that the information was causing them to lose sales 

Both the the real estate and insurance industries have been dealing with worsening weather brought on by climate change 

First Street founder and CEO Matthew Eby, founder of the climate risk analytic startup First Street, told the Daily Mail that buyers ‘flying blind’ when lacking access to climate-risk information

And while some homeowners had complained about their inability to challenge the findings, house hunters aren’t happy with the change.

‘Currently home shopping and that’s a big factor in decision making,’ wrote one commenter on a Reddit thread on the topic.

‘Finding that info separately is much more difficult,’ said another. 

‘That really sucks. Now I have to go back to the local county assessor websites to get the flood data. ‘ a third chimed in.”Ugh, buh-bye Zillow as my first-string real estate search tool, hello Redfin!’ yet another wrote.

In Zillow’s statement, the platform’s chief economist defended the data without addressing why the information was replaced by a link.

‘Climate risks are now a critical factor in home-buying decisions. Healthy markets are ones where buyers and sellers have access to all relevant data for their decisions,’ said Skylar Olsen.

‘As concerns about flooding, extreme temperatures and wildfires grow — and what that might mean for future insurance costs — this tool also helps agents inform their clients in discussing climate risk, insurance and long-term affordability.’ 

Consumer advocates had initially praised Zillow for adding the climate risk scores and summary

Real estate agents blamed the climate scores for killing deals in markets like Florida, South Carolina and California 

Consumer advocates had initially praised Zillow for adding the climate risk scores and summary, while real estate agents blamed them for killing deals in markets like Florida, South Carolina and California.

Zillow stressed that that the link to First Street’s data still appears in its listings.

‘Home shoppers can also turn on a climate risk layer in Zillow’s map view to explore flood, wildfire, wind, heat and air-quality risks for a given area,’ its statement read.

‘Consumers can still view a property’s specific climate risk scores for free by clicking the link in the module, which takes them directly to that property’s page on First Street’s website.

‘FEMA flood zone information continues to appear directly on for-sale listings on Zillow.’