Press releases

Santa's House returns to Zillow with new 'Let Santa Know You Moved' feature

Dec 10, 2024

Families can tour the Clauses' North Pole cabin, one of Zillow's most popular off-market homes, as well as update Santa with their new address

SEATTLE, Dec. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Zillow® brings back the magic of the holidays with the return of Santa's House, a festive favorite viewed more than 3 million times. This beloved off-market home introduces a new feature: "Let Santa Know You Moved," which allows families to notify Santa of their new address and claim their home on Zillow, ensuring he knows exactly where to deliver gifts.

Moving is stressful for families, and the holidays can bring up new anxiety for children, who may be worried Santa won't know where to find them on Christmas Day. Now, families can visit the Santa's House listing on Zillow and click the "Let Santa Know You Moved" button. This magical feature notifies Santa of their new address, and they'll receive a digital confirmation that it's been received.

"Celebrating the holidays in a new home is exciting, but can also be overwhelming," said Amanda Pendleton, Zillow's home trends expert. "At Zillow, we know moving is hard and we're always building tools to help make that process less stressful. We also know parents, in particular, take on more stress in a move, which can be compounded by holiday pressures. When families can share their new address with Santa, they can bring some comfort to children during a period of change."

According to Zillow research, most parents (51%) cry at least once while selling their home, compared to about one- third of all sellers (36%). Yet, at the end of the day, most parents say their move was worth it.

In addition to notifying Santa, families can take a virtual 3D tour of the Clauses' North Pole cabin, exploring every cozy corner through an interactive floor plan. High-resolution images of exclusive spaces, such as Santa's mailroom, a gift-wrapping suite, a custom elf door, a naughty-or-nice detector and a hot cocoa bar, add to the enchantment. A festive virtual treasure hunt further enhances the experience, with more than a dozen holiday items — including mistletoe, fruitcake and 15 other seasonal trimmings — hidden throughout the cabin.

The Clauses first claimed their home on Zillow in 2016, and since then, Santa's House has become a high-tech holiday tradition. Just as the Clauses did, families can claim their home on Zillow to unlock the Owner Dashboard — a suite of tools designed to help track their home's value, explore pricing for a potential sale and stay informed with the home report email, which delivers insights on market trends, nearby listings and recent sales. The Owner Dashboard on Zillow empowers homeowners to take control of their property with tools to refine home details and assess equity.

Santa uses Zillow Showcase to highlight his magical North Pole cabin
One of Zillow's most visited off-market homes, Santa's House is  now worth $1.2 million, up more than 2% since last Christmas. Zillow first calculated a special Zestimate® for Santa's one-of-a-kind property in 2016 by using comparable homes in remote locations and adding a Santa premium. The iconic acreage has nearly doubled in value since then, appreciating at the same pace as the national housing market. 

Santa's House is featured as a ShowcaseSM listing on Zillow. It uses the same advanced technology that sellers and agents rely on to highlight a home's best features. Powered by AI, Showcase listings provide potential buyers with a richer, more immersive experience — allowing them to explore the home virtually before stepping inside. Key features include:

  • Immersive interactive floor plans and virtual tours
  • A highlighted floor-plan overlay that connects each photo to a location within the home
  • The appearance of the floor plan on a map, so buyers can view the home's position on the lot
  • Lead image recommendations based on features buyers are seeking
  • Room-by-room photo organization to help buyers easily navigate through the space
  • A self-rotating, high-resolution photo carousel that highlights the home's most striking visuals

This technology gives visitors to Santa's House a much better sense of its layout and an easier way to navigate the cabin remotely without a trek to the North Pole. It gives true believers an enchanting yet realistic look inside the Clauses' magical world. Santa might not be selling his place anytime soon, but if he were, he knows that Showcase listings on Zillow are more than just cutting-edge. Featured homes attract 70% more page views, saves and shares on Zillow, helping them sell faster and for more money.1

About Zillow Group: 
Zillow Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: Z and ZG) is reimagining real estate to make home a reality for more and more people. As the most visited real estate website in the United States, Zillow and its affiliates help people find and get the home they want by connecting them with digital solutions, dedicated partners and agents, and easier buying, selling, financing, and renting experiences.

Zillow Group's affiliates, subsidiaries and brands include Zillow®, Zillow Premier Agent®, Zillow Home Loans℠, Zillow Rentals®, Trulia®, Out East®, StreetEasy®, HotPads®, ShowingTime+℠, Spruce®, and Follow Up Boss®.

All marks herein are owned by MFTB Holdco, Inc., a Zillow affiliate. Zillow Home Loans, LLC is an Equal Housing Lender, NMLS #10287 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). © 2024 MFTB Holdco, Inc., a Zillow affiliate.

1 All claims are based on the data available here.

SOURCE Zillow

For further information: Media contact: Claire Carroll, Zillow, press@zillow.com