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Use an authorized route that matches the data and your intended use: a vendor-approved API for licensed data access, an approved listing feed to send your listings to a marketplace, or an account export for records the vendor makes available to you. A public webpage is not permission to scrape it, and API access does not automatically authorize bulk downloads, long-term storage, resale, or redistribution.
Start by identifying the data and your authority to use it
“Real estate data” can mean several different datasets with different access rules. Before building an extractor, identify what you need and who controls it.
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- Listings and availability: rental or sale listings, photos, pricing, and availability.
- Property attributes and public records: parcel or property details collected from public records or other sources.
- Tenant, owner, and management records: information held in your property-management system (PMS).
- Transaction and account data: information associated with your marketplace account or use of a service.
- Marketplace estimates: valuation or other derived data, which may have separate license terms.
Then write down your intended use—such as internal reporting, migration, consumer display, analytics, or redistribution—and whether you own or administer the records, are an approved data provider, or have a developer/data license. Permission for one dataset or purpose does not necessarily extend to another.
Choose the route that fits your use
| Route | Best fit | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor-approved API | A documented integration or data product using approved API components. | Approval, licensed fields, application and display rules, bulk-access limits, storage and retention, and permitted purpose. |
| Approved listing feed | A property manager or PMS sending listings to a marketplace. | Integration approval, accepted schema, field mapping, production testing, update procedure, and any display requirements. |
| Account export or report | A copy of your account information or your organization’s own PMS records. | Export scope, account permissions, supported format, availability on your plan, and the vendor’s terms. |
| Public-facing webpage | Not an extraction route unless the provider has expressly authorized the method and use. | Written permission and applicable terms; do not assume public visibility allows automated scraping. |
Check the current terms, account permissions, and vendor support documentation for the exact platform and use. The procedures below are Zillow-specific examples, not a universal process for other marketplaces or PMS products.
#1 Best Overall
How Zillow’s approved routes work
Send rental listings through a feed
Zillow Group says property-management companies and property-management systems can apply to its free automated Rentals Feed Integrations program. Zillow accepts XML conforming to its Rental Listings Feed Guide or MITS. Submit an integration request and obtain approval before building the feed; Zillow says its integration team tests the provider’s production data before launch. The page describes testing as typically taking 4–6 weeks, so allow for that lead time rather than treating feed setup as an immediate export.
Zillow states, “There is no cost to participate in the program.” That statement applies to participation in this feed program; it does not establish that API access or other data licenses are free. See Zillow Rentals Feed Integrations for the current process and requirements.
Rank #2
Use the Zillow API only within its license
Zillow describes its API as a service for preapproved licensees. Its terms list API categories including home valuations, property details, mortgage rates, posted-for-sale homes, and real estate professionals. Approval is tied to the API components and sites covered by the license. The terms also restrict bulk user access, retained copies, direct marketing, and separate extraction or reuse. Confirm the terms and approval for the specific API and application before implementation; API credentials alone do not establish permission for every downstream use. Read the Zillow API terms.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesRequest a copy of personal account data
A Zillow account holder can request a personal-data copy through the Zillow Privacy Portal. Zillow Help says gathering and verifying a request may take up to 45 days, and an export may be provided as machine-readable JSON. The copy excludes property information Zillow receives from public records and other sources, as well as Zestimate data. It is therefore an account-personal-data route, not a general property-data dump. Check the current scope and instructions on Zillow Help.
Do not scrape Rental Network materials without permission
Zillow’s Rental Network advertiser terms prohibit automated scraping or data extraction without Zillow’s written permission. They also prohibit automated queries such as screen/database scraping, spiders, and crawlers, and limit Account Portal and ZRM Materials to the permitted purpose. Review the applicable Zillow Rental Network advertiser terms before handling those materials.
Public-record information still has license conditions
“Public record” does not mean unrestricted for automated collection or reuse. Zillow’s Public Records Data terms describe a Retsly API and SDK for aggregated public-record data. Access requires registration and written approval for the application. The terms limit use to displaying data to consumers in approved applications, prohibit bulk access and caching or storage, bar scraping, and restrict use to the approved purpose. They also disclaim guarantees that the data is accurate, complete, or reliable. Review the Zillow Public Records Data terms against your proposed workflow.
Build an extraction workflow you can audit
- Inventory fields and source. Separate listings, property attributes, personal records, account data, and estimates. Record which platform supplies each field.
- Confirm permission for the purpose. Check the terms, license, account authority, and any written approval. Ask specifically about bulk access, retention, display, redistribution, and changes in purpose.
- Request the appropriate integration. Apply for the approved API, feed, or account export. Do not reverse-engineer a web interface when a sanctioned route is required.
- Implement to the vendor specification. Follow the accepted schema, authentication, field mapping, testing, and update requirements. For the Zillow feed example, use its XML guide or MITS and complete production testing before launch.
- Validate the returned data. Reconcile row counts and identifiers, inspect missing or stale fields, and check that updates and deletions behave as expected. Keep validation checks proportional to your use case; there is no universal vendor-mandated schema or test process.
- Protect and govern the result. Limit access to personal information, apply the license’s retention and deletion conditions, and avoid retaining or redistributing data where the terms disallow it.
- Maintain a permission log. Record the platform, dataset, account or license, approval date, allowed fields, purpose, refresh cadence, retention and display rules, and responsible contact. Recheck terms when the use materially changes.
Check the exact PMS contract and account
Do not infer export or API access from a vendor’s general terms index. AppFolio’s official General Terms of Service page links to separate Core, Plus, and Max terms, but does not itself establish the export controls, API availability, report formats, or entitlements for a particular customer. Ask the vendor or consult your account documentation for the applicable plan and workflow. The Zillow feed and API examples above should not be extrapolated to AppFolio, Yardi, RealPage, Buildium, or another marketplace without checking that provider’s own documentation and contract.
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If your authorized workflow is to capture a page you are permitted to access, ScreenshotNeo offers a website screenshot API and MCP server. It is not a substitute for a property-data license, API approval, feed, or account export, and a screenshot is not a structured property-data export.
One GET request can return a screenshot or PDF. For example, this cURL request saves a WebP capture of a page you are authorized to access:
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpSee the ScreenshotNeo documentation for authentication and request options. Cookie banners, popups, and chat widgets are removed before the shot; bot checks, blank pages, and failed loads are never billed; an MCP server lets AI agents take screenshots; and 1,000 screenshots a month are free with no card, with paid plans starting at $5 for 3,000. Sign up for 1,000 free screenshots a month, with no card required.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
- Scraping because a page is public: visibility is not permission. Use a documented route or obtain the required written approval.
- Assuming an API key authorizes bulk export: check the specific license for bulk access, copying, storage, and downstream use.
- Treating an account-data copy as a property database: confirm which categories are included and excluded before planning a migration or dataset.
- Assuming public-record data is free to cache or resell: review the applicable API terms and application approval.
- Assuming every PMS has the same export controls: verify your vendor, plan, permissions, and current account documentation.
- Skipping feed approval and testing: confirm integration requirements and production validation before setting a launch date.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Zillow personal-data export include Zestimate or public-record property information?
No. Zillow Help says its personal-data copy excludes Zestimate data and property information Zillow receives from public records and other sources.
Can I assume AppFolio, Yardi, or Buildium offers the same export route as Zillow?
No. Confirm export/API availability and permitted use in the specific vendor’s current documentation, contract, and account.
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