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Zillow Scales Back Climate Risk Labels After MLS Pushback

CRMLS objections prompted the change, intensifying a broader fight over how listing portals present predictive risk data.

Overview

  • Zillow removed First Street’s property-level risk scores from more than a million listings and now offers a smaller link to external reports and an optional neighborhood risk map.
  • CRMLS said predictive flood probabilities can mislead buyers and hurt sales, and it pressed portals to limit such numbers, though Zillow and CRMLS differ on how sweeping the request was.
  • First Street defended its peer-reviewed models and outcome validation, noting its maps identified over 90% of homes that burned in recent Los Angeles wildfires and go beyond FEMA’s older flood maps.
  • Redfin is keeping the scores visible, calling them useful for buyers, while Realtor.com says it is reviewing the concerns and Homes.com continues displaying the data.
  • A lawsuit from sellers alleges Zillow’s prior flood-risk label caused a $100,000 loss, highlighting tensions over risk disclosure and rising insurance costs.