Ask HN: Is there a good reason real estate sites avoid comments?

[mkotik]

I keep seeing houses that sold for ~2x less a few years ago now listed with zero context. There’s no way for buyers to share observations, call out quick flips, or add historical context. Is there a real reason platforms like Zillow avoid comments, or is it mostly moderation risk?

[tacostakohashi]

For whatever reason... this is a very common/recurring question on reddit r/RealEstate.

I think it's pretty simple - sellers pay to list properties via agents. Agents pay Zillow for leads. None of those revenue streams would benefit from hosting free/comments from randos.

Also, if the comments are anonymous... it seems inevitable that neighbors, people wanting to buy at a discount, sellers, etc. would post misleading garbage on there to further their own interests. It's pretty much inevitable that any information rom third parties would be dubious garbage. e.g. "this house has a leaky roof/mice in the basement/mold in the bathroom..." well, sure, most housed do at one point at another, doesn't mean it wasn't fixed/already priced in etc.

[Jblx2]

>houses that sold for ~2x less a few years ago

Is that just a way of saying "houses that doubled in price the last few years"? Or equivalently "houses that were half the current asking price only a few years ago"?

[mkotik]

yes, that would have been a more eloquent way to put it.

[gus_massa]

In your ideal RE site, can the owners delete the comments they don't like?