Part 3: How Zillow Turned Real Estate Into Window Shopping Written by Devone Richard

Real estate used to reward decisiveness.
Today, it rewards clarity under pressure—and that’s exactly what too many buyers no longer have.

Zillow didn’t just make listings easier to find. It changed buyer behavior at a fundamental level by turning homes into content—something to scroll, save, and revisit later. The result is a market full of informed buyers who struggle to act.

This is window shopping, and it’s quietly costing buyers opportunities every day.

From Opportunity to Entertainment

Endless inventory, instant alerts, price-change notifications, and side-by-side comparisons create the illusion of control. Buyers feel productive because they’re busy. But activity isn’t progress.

When homes are consumed like social media posts, urgency disappears. Buyers start waiting for a better option, a better price, or a better time. Meanwhile, prepared buyers—guided by strategy—are writing offers and winning.

Access to listings is not access to leverage.

Decision Paralysis Is the New Enemy

Zillow created an environment where buyers know too much and understand too little. Every price change is overanalyzed. Every comparable is treated as equal. Every delay feels justified.

This is decision paralysis.

The most dangerous buyer in today’s market isn’t uninformed—it’s over-informed without guidance. These buyers don’t lose because the market is unfair. They lose because hesitation is expensive.

Good homes don’t wait.

What Algorithms Can’t Tell You

Algorithms can show inventory. They cannot tell you:

• When competition is about to spike

• Which listings are about to receive offers

• When a seller is vulnerable

• How to structure terms to win without overpaying

• When waiting is riskier than acting

That information lives in conversations, patterns, and local nuance—not dashboards.

Real estate is a timing business. Timing is human.

Why Serious Buyers Still Win

Buyers who succeed don’t try to see everything. They narrow focus, understand leverage, and act with confidence when conditions align. They use technology as a tool—not a crutch.

Zillow helps you browse.
Professionals help you execute.

At Next Real Estate Advisors, we don’t train buyers to shop the market. We train them to move with purpose—to recognize moments that matter and act decisively when others hesitate.

Because the market doesn’t reward watchers.
It rewards actors.

—
Devone Richard, Real Estate Broker