Seems zillow hasn’t developed a method to differentiate homes in a Gold Medal School* in America from the others…..probably because the zip code crosses both cities.

* US News & World Report , Piedmont is ranked # 68

Confidence in the reliability of zillow.com data by Buyers & Sellers in Piedmont, Rockridge, Montclair, Glenview & Oakmore areas seems (to me) related to a Real Estate surfers’ technology aptitude. Tech-savvy types have a more realistic perspective of “zestimates” and acknowledge the grab for most of us is it feeds our thirst for hard data. We can dump the numbers in a spreadsheet and analyze it in so many ways! Truth is zillow is lacking in the information it spits.

• LOCATION: There may be an abandoned, decrepit home next door, a steep hillside, OR it may be a desirable “walk-to-coffee” neighborhood or located near a great elementary school.

• CONDITION: No differentiation between a complete fixer lacking electricity or plumbing and a home in top-notch condition; clear pest report, new foundation.

• NON-MARKETED PROPERTIES: Re-fi’s & inter-family transfers of title show the same as a staged home presented on MLS.

• ADDED VALUES/NEGATIVES of the PROPERTY: Views, in-law units, stairs, traffic noise aren’t factored in.

As a check I investigated the comps on Zillow for a 3 BR/2Ba home in Piedmont owned by a friend for 10 years. The “zestimate” generated was $987,942 based on zillow’s list of 50 comparable homes.

Taking a closer look at these 50 comps revealed 29 of the homes on the list are actually located in Oakland. After eliminating those, the average value of Piedmont comparable homes is $1,349,000.