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A hidden score on the biggest home search sites in America is chasing buyers away from Florida homes before they ever walk through the front door. Houses sit for months, the offers come in low, and by then thousands of dollars are already gone. Now the company behind that score just got sued by the state of Florida.
Watch the Full video with all the details here: [Click to Watch]
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In September 2024, Zillow started putting climate risk scores on for-sale listings across the country. Every house got a number from 1 to 10 for flood, wildfire, wind, heat and air quality. Those scores don't come from the government. They come from a private company in New York called First Street, and Zillow called the data accurate and reliable. Then Zillow's own research showed only 52% of homes with a high flood score sold, compared to 71% of homes with a low score.
One family listed their home for $1.15 million. Two buyers signed contracts, and both backed out after seeing a 9 out of 10 flood score. FEMA doesn't even have the house in a flood zone. It's never flooded. They sold for $999,000 and sued. In court, Zillow's lawyers called the score a forecast, and “not a statement of verifiable fact.” Zillow quietly pulled the scores in November 2025, but Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com never took them down.
And it's happening right here in Florida. Orlando, about 60 miles from the nearest beach, is somehow getting rated for coastal flooding. In Oldsmar, FEMA put one house in Zone X, the lowest flood risk there is. First Street put a 7 out of 10 major flood risk on it anyway.
Homeowners have tried to fight it. They sent in flood maps and county records proving their homes are safe. First Street's own website says, “As a rule, we do not update factor scores based on individual requests or disputes.” And just to look up your score on its site, you agree to give up your right to a jury.
Then follow the money. First Street started as a charity that promised to tell every homeowner their flood risk for free. It set up a for-profit company and, according to the lawsuit, sold its own scoring product to itself for more than $16 million. One of the first investors was a fund co-founded by Tom Steyer, the billionaire Democratic megadonor. The CEO, Matthew Eby, isn't a scientist. He's a marketer. In June 2026, Wall Street giant MSCI agreed to buy First Street for $120 million in cash. According to the lawsuit, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac already use its data, and Allstate put its scores right in its app. That's not science. That's a climate scam.
But you live in Florida, and Florida don't let sh*t like this fly. On October 23rd, Attorney General James Uthmeier sued First Street and Eby under Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. The lawsuit says First Street's wind model was never checked by other scientists, and its Florida pages are covered in NASA and Homeland Security logos, making it look like the federal government stands behind these scores. It doesn't. Florida wants $10,000 for every violation, $15,000 when the victim's a senior or disabled, and every dollar First Street made doing it.
Watch the Full video with all the details here: [Click to Watch]
Don't let a company you never hired decide what your home is worth. Before you ever list your house, look it up yourself on Redfin, Realtor.com, Homes.com and First Street's site, and pull up your FEMA flood zone. If the score's wrong, have your agent put your FEMA flood zone right on the listing so buyers see the official number too. Your buyer's gonna see that score, so make sure you see it first.
P.S. - Hey if you're new here, I break down what's really happening in Florida. If you've been watching for a while, join the channel and become a Florida Patriot. You'll get access to members only content where I give you my raw take on the Florida stories that matter most. Click Here to Join
P.P.S. And don't forget if you're looking to buy or sell a house in Florida, my wife Monika's a licensed agent and she'll help you find a great realtor anywhere in the state. Click here to get started.
