Zillow is well known for providing real estate statistics and trends, and this month they have released their fourth annual “Top Twenty Best Cities to Trick or Treat”. It’s no trick… the treat is that Miami is number 14 on the list, up from 15 in 2011. Within Miami, Zillow goes further to rank the top five areas as Coconut Grove, Shenandoah, Coral Way, Biscayne Island and Virginia Key.
Zillow’s “Treat Index was calculated using four equally weighted data variables: Zillow Home Value Index, population density, Walk Score and local crime data from Relocation Essentials. Based on those variables, the Index represents cities that will provide the most candy, with the least walking and safety risks.”
Given the data variables used, I am amused by the inclusion of Virginia Key. Was Zillow including seagulls and dolphins in its data indexes? Or was it included because of the two misplaced Fisher Island homes for sale on their Zillow map?
I am quite happy to see the other four areas included on Zillow’s Top Twenty list – they are wonderful residential neighborhoods within the City of Miami – and the Miami Seaquarium does offer a Halloween Monster Splash that is fun for the kids. But the inclusion of Virginia Key is a good reminder of why Zillow includes this advice with their explanation of their Zestimates: “We encourage buyers, sellers, and homeowners to supplement Zillow’s information by doing other research such as: Getting a comparative market analysis (CMA) from a real estate agent…”