Everything Agents Need to Know About BuyAbility

Many home buyers start their search on Zillow with a budget in mind. Maybe they even consult an online affordability calculator before scrolling through listings. But as soon as they close out the calculator, what they can afford may have already changed.

Given that mortgage rates constantly fluctuate, your buyer’s purchasing power always fluctuates as well. So Zillow Home Loans created a new tool called BuyAbility to help your clients always have a clear picture of what they can buy, based on their unique financial details and real-time rates.

“The customization goes to a different level than any tool we’ve ever seen before because it’s integrated into the listings as buyers search.,” says Shaunna Overman, a Zillow Flex team leader in North Carolina. “For those folks who are not ready to dive in and be pre-approved today, it’s really going to help them.”

What is BuyAbility?

You can find hundreds, if not thousands, of affordability calculators online that provide a generic snapshot of what someone can afford. Zillow Home Loans’ BuyAbility tool stands out by personalizing the experience in real time as the market shifts, helping buyers understand what total home price and monthly payment they can afford.

The calculations incorporate real-time mortgage rates, average state taxes, homeowners insurance, and private mortgage insurance if a buyer plans to put down less than 20%. They also update every day to provide the most accurate picture of what someone can afford at that very moment.

Clients only have to add a few details:

• The state they plan to buy a home in
• Down payment saved
• Preferred monthly payment
• Annual income
• Monthly debt
• Credit score

Once that's done, they'll be able to see their personalized BuyAbility score in that state, their debt-to-income ratio, a snapshot of current loan terms, and more.

Clients can also save their results, which helps simplify the shopping experience. Because they can filter Zillow listings based on their score and immediately see a “within BuyAbility” tag on individual homes that signals what fits their budget as they search. As they're shopping, Zillow also incorporates data like taxes based on the zip code and HOA fees to give an even more precise affordability measure for a given home.

How does BuyAbility help agents?

Based on conversations with Premier Agent partners, we know it’s common for agents to work with buyers who lack a clear understanding of what they can afford, especially in today’s challenging market conditions. Additionally, buyers without a clear budget may not be ready to discuss financing with a loan officer.

BuyAbility can help you work with more prepared buyers and ultimately save time. The score can give them – and you – a more realistic understanding of what homes to focus on, and it also keeps buyers more informed about the latest market conditions. 

Agents have told us they see BuyAbility as a useful step in the process for those clients who aren’t ready to talk to a loan officer. Once they have their score, you can nurture them along the way. Then, when it’s time to speak to a loan officer, your client will be ahead of the process of getting pre-approved. 

According to Ashley Gilbertson, a Flex agent in California,“Zillow is trusted by so many consumers that BuyAbility creates a much easier transition between the first conversation with the agent and an introduction to a Zillow Home Loans loan officer.”

Learn more about BuyAbility and start sharing it with your clients.