Baron Briefs

I launched our first integration with Zillow early this morning. Not bad considering the API has only been available for one week. (Am I the first? Surely someone from Zillow can confirm it in the comments if true.)

Like a good programmer should, I designed the integeration separate from the RealtyBaron.com website. As a result, anyone who is using Java as their web platform can use the same software code I used to integrate. The project’s home can be found at http://code.realtybaron.com/docs/zillow-api

The source is not yet available and the documentation was hurried. Drop me an email if you have questions, comments, or need help using the toolkit: marc@realtybaron.com

As of this morning, RealtyBaron.com is now using Zillow’s API to help homeowners estimate the value of their home when performing a Listing Auction. It’s the first in a serious of integration points we see possible between Zillow and RealtyBaron.

To see the API in action, enter your home address from our homepage and continue to the next page (FYI, we don’t capture any of your information until you reach the end of the wizard). If you entered an address Zillow has in its database, the next page should have a Zestimate pre-loaded in the form. Here’s an example:

Once again, kudos to Zillow for making it possible!

I received an invitation to join the Zillow API Network on Monday as an “Alpha” tester, but didn’t get a chance to begin work on anything until yesterday. Since then, I’ve assembled a small “toolkit” using nothing but the finest in Java open source to make integrating Zillow’s API easier. After getting past two roadblocks late this afternoon, I was able to successfully request my home’s property details and Zestimate via Zillow’s API. Woohoo! Anyone else working on integration with Zillow’s API?