I am a big fan of real life software — web services and desktop software that make something in my life easier. These are things that help in real life situations. For example, 37Signal’s Ta-Da List does one thing simply that helps me everyday. Real life software generally does one thing well and solves a real problem or makes you more efficient in a way.

The first product I would like to reveal on my real life software list is an excellent product from Zillow.

What is Zillow.com?

Zillow.com is an online real estate service dedicated to helping you get an edge in real estate by providing you with valuable tools and information.

As a very recent house hunter I know the tools for such a big investment and tedious process are few and far between. Real estate web sites are lackluster at best providing hideous forms and unreliable search mechanisms. There is little in the way of comparative analysis and shopping utilities. And there’s the fun task of trying to find out just how much that property is worth. For me, it meant going the Iowa Polk County Assessor web site, a grotesque web site circa 1995. Unfortunately I did not find Zillow until the very end of my search.

Zillow helps to solve a lot problems with purchasing a house and their initial focus is providing an easy way to see very valuable and critical information. By enhancing the design they are able to create a much more efficient and valuable user experience. So, maybe I am write when I say form wins over function. As you will see, these sites provide the same exact information, yet one is far more helpful.

Searching

Assessor site

Zillow

Results 1

Assessor site

Zillow

Results 2

Assessor site

Zillow

Nothing needs to be said about the difference in the experience between these two designs.

From Zillow:

Zillow.com today and in the future…

Today we are answering what we believe is the first question most home buyers, sellers, and the curious ask: “How much is this home really worth?” Zillow.com calculates a valuation (the Zestimate™) that anyone can see — for free — for most homes in the U.S., including yours. Or the one you want to be yours. Or the one you are curious about. Or ours, for that matter. You can refine the value of any home with My Zestimator™, an interactive tool that allows you to enter things you know about a home but we don’t. This is just the beginning for Zillow.com. We’ll continue adding information and tools for homes, local markets and real estate to make the home buying and selling processes easy and accessible.

If you are house hunting or want to know more information about your house, check out Zillow. Obviously it helps.