For a realtor, a viral home might seem like an ideal way to get eyeballs on a property and reach a potential buyer. But does it actually help sell a home?
The benefits
In the nearly two months since being posted on Zillow Gone Wild, the Waldo Place listing has yet to secure a buyer. “Despite getting so many views, we knew and continue to understand that those aren’t necessarily buyers for the property,” Susie says. “We did have one or two individuals who reached out to inquire more seriously from out of state that wouldn’t have seen it otherwise, but nothing has turned into an actual buyer for us yet.”
However, there are instances where a wide-spread social media post can be the essential introduction to a buyer. In 2022, Lou Zucaro, a realtor with Baird & Warner based in Barrington, Illinois, sold a home that had been posted on Zillow Gone Wild to a buyer who saw it on the platform. Notable for its cylindrical shape and concrete exterior, the property received over 44,000 likes when it was posted on the account.
“It certainly received plenty of attention here in the Chicago market, but after Zillow Gone Wild picked it up, it really went crazy,” Zucaro says. “So I’d say we probably had twice as many showings at that house after they published it than before.”
Attention and interest is the biggest benefit for realtors. “We’ve never had this many eyes on a property,” says Susan Thayer, who represents a residence known as the Rock House in Boulder Colorado, which was posted on Zillow Gone Wild in August 2024. “Our job is to sell someone’s house and put it in front of as many possible buyers as we can find. Unless you’re going viral for the wrong reasons, it’s a positive thing.”
The drawbacks
However, this doesn’t mean there can’t be downsides. Social media opens a property to public comment, which can be uncomfortable for sellers. In fact, Zucaro has even coached his clients about the potential negative reactions online critics might share. “Once you put your house on the market, for better or worse, your home is now a product,” he says. “And your taste is not everybody’s taste; some people are going to love it and some won’t.”
