Is ‘Zillow surfing and chill’ the escape from 2020 we all need?

Nine plus months into this global pandemic, many of us are getting close to reaching the end of Netflix and/or maxing out our credit cards (or both, no judgment). But what if we could escape our quarantine woes without spending a penny?

Turns out Zillow surfing — scanning Zillow for homes you most likely will never buy — has become a “thing.” Whether a few blocks away, or a few states away, looking at other people’s homes is just the distraction we need from having to stay in ours.

A recent New York Times article called Zillow surfing a primary form of escapism for those who want to flee not just their homes but the reality of 2020. (Um, yes please.)

“I love this article because early in the pandemic I was spending too much money on frivolous internet purchases and had to migrate to zillow surfing as a more affordable vice,” Guardian tech reporter Kari Paul tweeted in response to the article.

So which are homes top the most searched list so far this year?

In the Charlotte area, this estate on Lake Norman listed by Ivester Jackson Christie’s International Real Estate took the top spot for most “Zillowed.” With nearly 15,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor living space and panoramic lake views, it is easy to see why it was named as North Carolina’s Most Beautiful Home for Sale by Architectural Digest in 2017.

If quirky is more your style, than you’ll want to check out the most searched home on Zillow in the U.S. The Pittsburgh home packs a lot of themes into a small space. From the talking space alien that greets you as you walk toward the outer space mural, to the working spaceship mainbridge computer — complete with controls from an Apache helicopter, it is truly one of a kind (more photos at the bottom of this article).

North Carolina’s own The Holderness Family released one of its famous funny videos about doing Zillow searches in Honolulu. “You can’t do sports, the bars are closed, but you can eat outside by the ocean,” croons Penn Holderness as he laments his wife, Kim’s, Zillow obsession. The video has more than 35,000 views.

The numbers don’t lie

According to Zillow, traffic to for-sale listings from the Charlotte metro area spiked 52.2% year over year, reaching a peak in mid-May and continuing to remain well above 2019 levels. For many Zillow surfers, it’s not just daydreaming. In Charlotte, homes are going under contract in just six days — that’s 13 days faster than one year ago — and at a median sale price that is 10.6% higher than last year for the week ending Oct. 3.

Charlotteans have also been heading to the beach and the mountains in search of second homes, and Zillow’s October numbers show that beach areas remain top-of-mind for metro residents. Myrtle Beach, Raleigh and Charleston, SC, topped the three most searched out-of-town locations by Charlotteans this October.

But not everyone wants to escape Charlotte. The number of users outside of the Charlotte area searching within the Queen City rose from 46% in October 2019 to 48% in October 2020. Folks in Atlanta, Raleigh and New York City came in at spots one, two and three for the highest number of Charlotte-area searches in October.

Enough with the numbers, here are some cool houses

Curbed, a website covering city life that is now a part of New York Magazine, recently started an entire column devoted to this phenomenon called My Week in Zillow Saves. In it, the Zillow surfing obsessed share some of their favorite finds.

Take for example this Mediterranean-style Old Hollywood oasis in the Hollywood Hills that A Black Lady Sketch Show writer and actor Ashley Nicole Black pines for. It features four bedrooms and four bathrooms and rents for a mere $25,000 a month.

Author Rumaan Alam said he would “probably do bad things” to get this nearly 10,000-square-foot abode with river views in Manhattan, on the market for a cool $27 million. He compared his love of real estate browsing to others’ love of sports. “Instead of by proxy inhabiting the body of the heroic athlete, I’m this same old subpar self, wandering rooms that are not, and never will be, mine” Alam said.

It’s not just grand homes that are capturing the attention of real estate devotees. The obscure, sentimental and quirky are having their day, too.

This small-town Fayette, Missouri, home spans three stories and features double ovens, new plumbing … and a nine-cell jail. Built in 1875, the home had been a sheriff’s historic residence and operated as a jail until 2004. It has since undergone major renovations. If you’ve been working in close quarters with your significant other or children during quarantine, you can almost see the appeal.

In Dallas, this ”Home Alone” themed airBnB, appropriately named “The Kevin,” made headlines last month when it opened for guests in anticipation of the holiday season. From the Michael Jordan cutout to the hanging paint can trap, guests get the full 90s classic experience — complete with a cheese pizza delivered to the home during your stay.

Quirky might be an understatement for one South Florida condo. Every single square inch of the home — including ceilings and the master closet — are covered in beer cans (empty ones, sorry to disappoint). The previous owner was a life-long Budweiser fan, and he put his love on display. Everywhere.

That concludes today’s Zillow surfing lesson. You can now return to your regularly scheduled Zoom call — at least you’ll be armed with some fun real estate facts to share.

This story was originally published December 22, 2020 at 10:58 AM.

Laurie Larsh

The Charlotte Observer

Laurie Larsh is a freelance writer and travel junkie with an affinity for sunglasses, coffee and all things Tarheels. Relentless curiosity about people and places keep her wondering and wandering near and far and writing stories about it. Follow her travel adventures on Instagram @goexplauring or her website www.goexplauring.com.