Zillow has ceased the publication of climate risk ratings for property listings that indicated the likelihood of homes being affected by extreme weather, as reported by The New York Times. This feature, which was introduced the previous year, utilized data from risk-modeling firm First Street to assess which homes are particularly susceptible to flooding, wildfires, wind damage, extreme heat, and poor air quality. These metrics were developed in response to the growing risks associated with climate change.
The decision to discontinue this feature was implemented earlier in the month after the California Regional Multiple Listing Service (CRMLS) raised concerns about the accuracy of First Street’s risk models. Art Carter, CEO of CRMLS, stated that displaying the likelihood of a property flooding within a given timeframe could significantly affect the perceived value of that home.
Currently, Zillow provides links to First Street’s website within its listings, allowing users to search for climate risk scores for individual properties manually. According to First Street, their data indicates that a substantially larger number of properties are at risk of flooding compared to estimates from government sources. This shift in how climate risk information is presented may prompt users to seek out detailed assessments independently.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/834715/zillow-removes-flood-fire-risk-scores-home-listings