EMERYVILLE, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 08/09/10 -- Thinking of selling your house but not sure how much it might fetch or how your home will fare with today's increasingly finicky buyers? While traditionally there have been few ways for homeowners to "test the waters" of the housing market before posting a "For Sale" sign in the front yard, a new and free online tool from popular residential real estate site, ZipRealty (NASDAQ: ZIPR) (www.ziprealty.com), enables homeowners to post a trial listing of their house -- including a sample price, description and photos -- to get quick feedback from active buyers in their area.

This "Buyer Buzz" tool, launched recently on ZipRealty.com, invites homeowners to post a description of their home, including such information as location, number of beds/baths and a general description of the neighborhood. The potential seller may even include their own photos to be viewed and voted on by visitors to the ZipRealty.com site who are searching for homes in that area (view screenshot of what buyers see here). In addition, local ZipRealty agents will provide feedback on the property and suggestions for improvements or upgrades a homeowner might make to maximize their results.

"Many current homeowners are considering selling, but they need to figure out what they will be able to get for their house in today's market before deciding whether or not it makes sense to do so," said ZipRealty President and CEO Patrick Lashinsky. "Now, in addition to using the free home value estimation tools available online and talking to a local ZipRealty agent, homeowners can get input from real buyers who are searching for a house like theirs, in their area -- all before listing."

Additional "Buyer Buzz" features include:

• Sellers can ask for specific feedback from ZipRealty agents about a particular aspect of their home, such as if they should repaint the front of the house or invest the money to update landscaping.
• A "real time Buyer Buzz results" page, with feedback from agents pasted and results of an online poll regarding the proposed list price. View screenshot of what sellers see here.

To learn more, visit http://www.ziprealty.com/sell_my_house/feedback/feedback_request.jsp

About ZipRealty, Inc.
ZipRealty is a leading full-service residential real estate brokerage that uses an innovative combination of a comprehensive online presence, robust proprietary technology and knowledgeable local agents to offer its clients fast, responsive and transparent service. The Company's award-winning, user-friendly website gives its users access to comprehensive local Multiple Listing Services home listings data, as well as other relevant market and neighborhood information and tools. The Company's proprietary technology, including its agent platform and customer relationship tools, helps it to enhance customer service while increasing agent efficiency and reducing costs, allowing the Company to pass on significant savings to consumers as permitted by law. Founded in 1999, the company operates in 35 major markets in 22 states and the District of Columbia. For more information on ZipRealty, visit www.ziprealty.com or call 1-800-CALL-ZIP.

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