When you’re looking to buy a home, school quality often ranks as a top priority, especially if you’re moving with kids or planning ahead. The good news? Zillow makes this part of the home search journey much easier. Whether you’re a first-time home buyer or an experienced mover, using the right tools can make all the difference. Here’s how you can use Zillow to find homes within top-rated school districts and, ultimately, how to make your move seamless from search to settling in.
1. Go to Zillow.com and Search The Location
Head to Zillow and type the name of the district, city, or zip code you’re interested in into the Zillow search bar. If you’re unsure where to start, just type the name of a school or neighborhood you’ve heard about, Zillow’s natural language search makes it easy to find a home near specific schools or within a certain school district.
Zillow’s search bar is a powerful entry point that supports flexible phrasing, so whether you’re trying to find a house, homes for sale, or homes this school serves, the tool can guide you in the right direction.
2. Use the School Rating Overlay
Click the “Schools” filter and scroll down to enable the “School Ratings” overlay. This search filter lets you filter homes based on nearby school scores, typically sourced from GreatSchools. Schools are shown as icons right on the map. By enabling this layer, you’ll get a visual of how schools rank in any search area, which makes it easier to compare home listings nearby.
Want to focus your search even more? Use Zillow’s draw tool to outline a custom boundary around the school zones or neighborhoods you’re interested in.
3. Explore Homes Near Highly Rated Schools
Clicking on a school icon reveals key information: its name, rating, student-teacher ratio, and more. Below the school profile, you’ll see specific homes listed nearby that are available for sale or rent. Zillow helps home buyers understand how proximity to top schools affects home values and long-term investment.
Use the Zillow mobile app or Zillow app for this process on-the-go. With 3D home tours, street views, and mobile alerts, it’s easier than ever to stay on top of new listings or discover similar homes.
4. Save and Compare Listings
Once you identify good school zones, you can compare homes based on home type, home price, and features like the number of bedrooms or amenities. You’ll also want to save your search so that you’re notified whenever new options come up. Zillow allows you to create a saved search and customize it to match your search criteria.
You can even filter by listing type (such as sale by owner, multiple listing, or open house) to better control your search results.
Extra Zillow Tips
Search by School or Attendance Zone
Zillow also allows you to search by school name, attendance zone, or school district. This is helpful if your child is already enrolled in a particular institution and you want to stay within the zone or if you want to ensure eligibility for certain top-rated schools.
Parents know that the perfect home often extends beyond just four walls, it includes access to quality education, a safe environment, and a strong community.
Browse Zillow Rentals and Applications
Zillow isn’t just for buyers. If you’re not quite ready to commit, you can browse homes for sale or rent and even manage your lease with Zillow Rental Manager. Rental tools let you perform a rental search, send Zillow applications, and message landlords—directly through the platform.
Whether it’s sale or rent, Zillow offers powerful options for every kind of home search.
Use Zillow Help Center for Extra Guidance
Need support while you search? The Zillow Help Center is a rich resource. It explains everything from how to use search tools to how to buy or sell a home. It’s an often-overlooked feature that gives new buyers and seasoned investors clarity on everything Zillow has to offer.
Why Best California Movers Can Be Your Moving Partner When Moving To California
Once you’ve found your ideal home, the next big step is getting there. That’s where we come in. At Best California Movers, we specialize in making your transition seamless, whether you’re relocating across town or across the state. We know the unique challenges that come with moving near school zones or navigating homes within a specific district. Our team coordinates every detail with precision, so you can focus on what really matters: settling into your new home and community.
We provide packing, transportation, and unpacking services that are tailored to your schedule and needs. Whether your move is big or small, we offer solutions that take the stress out of relocating. So while you’re using Zillow to find a home, let us take care of the move.
Final Thoughts
Finding the right home is about more than square footage or finishes—it’s about community, education, and opportunity. Zillow makes it easier to prioritize what matters most, especially when schools are part of the equation. From natural language search and 3D homes to multiple listing services and custom alerts, Zillow gives you the control and visibility you need.
So if you’re looking to buy a home near top schools in California, get started with Zillow today and when you’re ready to make the move, you can trust us, Best California Movers to get you there with care.