As of my last update in 2023, scraping Zillow listings for commercial use is against the company's terms of service. Zillow's terms clearly prohibit any scraping, reproduction, redistribution, or any other unauthorized use of any portion of the Zillow site or its contents for any commercial purposes.
Here's an excerpt from Zillow's terms of service that pertains to scraping:
"You agree not to [...] use any robot, spider, scraper or other automated means to access the Services for any purpose without our express written permission; [...]"
This indicates that automated scraping tools are not allowed without explicit permission from Zillow. Using automated tools to scrape Zillow could lead to legal issues, including cease and desist orders, lawsuits for copyright infringement, breach of contract, or other claims.
Moreover, scraping Zillow's data for commercial purposes could also raise ethical concerns, as it can be seen as using the company's proprietary data without compensation or agreement.
If you need access to Zillow's data for commercial purposes, consider the following legitimate alternatives:
Zillow API: Zillow provides several APIs that allow developers to access certain sets of data legally. Although the API has limitations on the amount of data and the ways you can use it, it's the safest and most legitimate method to access Zillow data for commercial purposes. Check Zillow's API documentation for more information on what is available and how to access it.
Data Licensing: In some cases, companies like Zillow may offer licensing agreements that allow the use of their data for commercial purposes. Contact Zillow directly to inquire about such agreements and the terms that would apply.
Partnerships: Sometimes, forming a partnership with Zillow or another data provider can give you access to the data you need for your commercial endeavor. This would involve negotiating an agreement that is beneficial to both parties.
Alternative Data Sources: If Zillow's data is not accessible for your needs due to these restrictions, you may need to look for alternative data sources. Other real estate databases might offer similar information and have different terms of use that may allow the kind of data access you're looking for.
Manual Research: If the volume of data you need is not large, you might consider manually researching the listings. This approach is time-consuming and not scalable but avoids the legal issues associated with scraping.
Given the legal risks involved, it's advisable to consult with a legal professional before attempting to scrape Zillow or any other website for commercial purposes. Legal advice can help ensure that you are in compliance with copyright laws, terms of service, and other relevant regulations.
