Is Price History Vanishing From Real Estate Listings?

Dear Monty: For the past few years, I have seen price history on real estate sites such as Zillow. I recently noticed that the price history is no longer available, thus hiding it from potential purchasers. Are they purposefully trying to hide this info so market trends aren't readily seen, and are they also hiding the profit margins (i.e., price increase associated with each sale)? I, for one, refuse to support price gouging (sometimes up to 400%), and with this info being hidden, it makes it difficult to make informed decisions. I need help finding a real estate site posting this info, as in the past. Questions: 1. Is this action illegal? 2. Is there an alternative way to find the price history.

Monty's Answer: You mentioned Zillow as a site on which you have been able to track the price history on individual homes. While you may be correct that the price history no longer appears in the format you are accustomed to, there may be a reason. I have no insights or inside information about the change, so I have no idea of their motives. Zillow, and many other real estate platforms, are constantly iterating their products to keep up with trends and changes in the market. Zillow may have changed because the market has experienced dramatic changes in property values, and that particular feature no longer had value. Zillow and other sites currently provide tools for comparable "for sale" and "sold" searches and a chart on a home listing that tracks its valuation over years. These tools fully inform potential buyers about what is happening in particular markets and with specific homes.

LEGALITY

Removing price history from real estate listings is not illegal. Real estate websites such as Zillow are private companies that can choose what information to display on their platforms. There are no federal or state laws that require these sites to show price history.

ALTERNATE VALUATION SOURCES

No. 1: County Assessor's Office: Most counties or municipalities have online GIS property record databases. You can often search by address to find past sale prices and dates. A few states do not publish sale prices.

No. 2: State Department of Revenue: If your state collects a tax on real estate transfers, some states provide access to those records, which contain sale prices.

No. 3: Other real estate websites: Some sites such as Redfin, Homes or Realtor.com might still show price history, though this may vary.

No. 4: Property data companies: Services such as Batch Service or CoreLogic offer property reports that include price history, though these often require a fee.

Regarding your observations about hiding market trends and profit margins, consider looking at the high prices from a home seller's point of view. A seller looking for recent comparable home sales will price their home accordingly. The market sets home sale prices, not Zillow, home sellers or other websites.

If you're concerned about price gouging, combining information from multiple sources (such as those mentioned above) can help you get a clearer picture of a property's value and price history. Or some consumers are waiting to see if prices drop.

Consider that while historical prices are important, they're just one factor in determining a property's current value. Market conditions, improvements to the property and local economic factors also play significant roles in home valuations.

Richard Montgomery is a syndicated columnist, published author, retired real estate executive, serial entrepreneur and the founder of DearMonty.com and PropBox, Inc. He provides consumers with options to real estate issues. Follow him on Twitter (X) @dearmonty or DearMonty.com.

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