Why You Need to Check Out Zillow Gone Wild’s Social Account

Zillow Gone Wild is an Internet phenomenon—because if there's one thing we all love, it's wacky real estate.

All of us love scrolling through Zillow, whether we’re seriously considering buying a home or not. After all, sometimes you find some real hidden gems—and sometimes, you find houses that make you wonder, “What were they thinking?!”

One man on social media has created a whole following based on the latter—Samir Mezrahi, the founder of the social media account Zillow Gone Wild. The viral account has gained a fan following of people who eagerly look forward to the latest wacky house found on Zillow and has 1.7 million followers on Instagram at the time of publication. From a home dedicated to Disney adults to a mansion with a full-service ice cream parlor, the account has played host to a number of truly out-there houses—interspersed with some stunners that’ll definitely make you wish you had a million bucks laying around for a down payment.

How did Zillow Gone Wild start?

A Couple Sleeping In A Bed Outdoors In The WoodsOJO Images/Getty Images

Mezrahi started the account in December 2020, when the shift to working from home led people to Zillow in search of new houses across the country. That wasn’t all, though. According to Mezrahi, “A lot of people (myself included) also just use Zillow as their ‘bored on their phone’ app and [I] thought they’d all be interested in seeing some of the ‘wilder’ homes on the account.” He prefers to think of the account as a “celebration of wild homes” instead of making fun of them.

What started off as a pastime for some has also led to real-life changes—Mezrahi points out the account has even led to the sale of some of the homes featured on the account. In 2021, a “Brutalist” Illinois house from the ’70s, full of color and curves on the inside, was bought by Oakland, California resident Emily O’Brien, who saw it on the account. He also enjoys seeing homes go to “pending” soon after posts.

Our favorite Zillow Gone Wild houses

Mezrahi has a certain love for midcentury moderns as a result of running the account, and of course, he has favorites! One is the beautiful “Garcia House” in Los Angeles, which stands suspended 60 feet above the ground.

Another is this eclectic, colorful historic home in Somerville, Masseuchets. Mezrahi clarifies that “very colorful” doesn’t always work for the Zillow Gone Wild audience, but this one was “put together in a fun way.”

As for our favorite? Probably this home in Vernal, Utah, which is literally built into the side of a mountain. We’re not quite sure how you’d get to it yet—maybe rappelling?

If you’re looking to buy one of these houses (or just a house in general), Mezrahi recommends keeping an eye on your local listings, since good picks are quick to go. If you want to live in a fun-looking house but not commit to it, check out our list of the wackiest Airbnbs.

Sources:

  • Samir Mezrahi, founder of Zillow Gone Wild
  • Chicago Business: “An Instagram account got this house sold: Crain’s Daily Gist podcast”

Amrita Thakkar
Amrita is an Assistant Digital Editor at Taste of Home. As a writer and amateur photographer, she often ends up applying these skills to her one great love: food. She can usually be found researching global cuisines, at the farmers market, doing yoga, or looking up new places to travel to.