Zillow shut down its public API in 2019, leaving scraping as the only way to access property data programmatically. The problem is that Zillow has aggressive bot detection that blocks repeated requests from the same IP address fast. Rotating residential proxies solves this by cycling through different IPs on every request.
In this article, we'll explore how the Zillow API worked, why scraping is the practical alternative, and how to do it reliably with proxies.
How Zillow's API Worked and Why It Was Shut Down
Zillow's API gave access to property data, including home valuations, listings, and neighborhood stats. It was free but required an API key and came with strict rate limits.
Zillow shut it down in 2019, citing concerns over how third parties were using the data. Since then, there has been no official way to access Zillow's database programmatically, and scraping is the only option left.
Also Read: How to Do Web Scraping Without Getting Blocked
How to Scrape Zillow Data With Rotating Proxies
Zillow detects bots by tracking repeated requests from the same IP. Once flagged, you get blocked or served empty pages.
Rotating proxies fix this by assigning a different IP to each request. Point your scraper at a rotating residential proxy endpoint, set your headers to mimic a real browser, and send your requests. Keep your rate around one request every few seconds, and you will stay under the radar on most runs.
Choosing the Right Proxy Type for Zillow
Residential proxies are the best fit. They use IPs assigned to real households, making them much harder to block than datacenter proxies, which get flagged quickly since their IPs are registered to hosting providers.
Mobile proxies work too, but cost more and are rarely necessary for Zillow specifically. Residential proxies start at $1.75/GB with no subscription required.
Also Read: How to Use Proxies With Python Requests
Final Thoughts
Zillow's API is gone, but the data is still fully accessible through scraping. Residential proxies handle the bot detection and keep your requests looking like normal traffic. Deposit $5 and start scraping Zillow in minutes at Proxyon.
