Propraven vs Zillow MCP
A side-by-side look at the Propraven and Zillow MCP MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose Propraven for real estate work as a local process; choose Zillow MCP for real estate as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose Propraven when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Real Estate domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You have the keys it needs:
PROPRAVEN_API_KEY. - You want tools like
parcel_lookup, parcel_search, parcel_compare.
Choose Zillow MCP when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Real Estate domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: other.
- You want tools like
zillow_search_properties, zillow_sweep_area, zillow_get_property.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Real Estate | Real Estate |
| Quality signal | 60/100 · Good | 63/100 · Good |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | Not declared | other |
| Pricing | Not declared | Free |
| Required env vars | PROPRAVEN_API_KEY | None listed |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 0 | 0 |
| Directory activity | 1 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 1 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 8 | 21 |
| Full listing | View Propraven | View Zillow MCP |
Tools & capabilities
Propraven tools 8
parcel_lookupResolve a single US parcel by identifier (canonical state_fips:county_fips:parcel_id, PropRaven UUID, street address, or APN). An ID returns the canonical PropRaven parcel card (GET /api/v1/parcels/{id}): identity, current owner, valuation, geography and source provenance. An address or APN runs the text search and returns up to 5 candidates — re-call with the chosen candidate's `lookup_id` to get the card. Use when the user names one specific property. Do NOT use when ranking multiple parcels (use parcel_compare) or when filtering by criteria (use parcel_search). Example: `parcel_lookup({ query: "37:119:12104406" })` or `parcel_lookup({ query: "2232 Wilmore Dr, Charlotte, NC 28203" })`. Free read — never purchases anything.parcel_searchText search over US parcels (GET /api/v1/search/full): pass `q` as a city, owner name, address fragment or APN, optionally narrowed by `field`, `state` and `city`. Returns `{ results, total, totalCapped, page, pages, hasMore, nextCursor }` (default 50 per page, max 200); each result carries parcel_id, apn, county_fips, state_fips, site_address, city, zip5, owner_name, total_value, latitude, longitude (in search rows `parcel_id` is the PropRaven UUID and `county_fips` is 5-digit), plus `lookup_id`, added by this server — pass it to parcel_lookup / parcel_compare. Page with `cursor` (the previous response's `nextCursor`) rather than `page`; `total` is a floor when `totalCapped` is true. Use when the user wants properties matching a name, place or address fragment. Do NOT use when looking up a single known property (use parcel_lookup) or ranking a known set (use parcel_compare). Free read — never purchases anything.parcel_compareFetch 2–25 parcels side by side so they can be ranked against criteria. For each parcel it reads the free parcel card (GET /api/v1/parcels/{id}: identity, owner, valuation, building, lot) and, unless include_risks=false, the hazard block (GET /api/v1/parcels/{id}/risks), and returns a normalized `summary` plus the raw `card` / `risks`. The calling agent does the per-criterion scoring and final ranking. NEVER buys the paid parcel report or any other paid product. Use when the user has identified candidate properties (often from parcel_search) and wants them ranked. Do NOT use to discover new candidates (use parcel_search) or for a single property (use parcel_lookup + hazard_score). For deed or permit timelines call sales_history / permits_history per parcel. The `criteria` argument is returned verbatim so the agent can pin its scoring to the user's intent.owner_pierceList the parcels titled under an owner-of-record name (GET /api/v1/owners/{name}/portfolio). Returns the matched owner name, a portfolio `summary` (count, total_value, total_acreage, by_state, truncated) and the `properties` list (parcel_id, county_fips, state_fips, address, assessed values, last sale, match_basis, match_confidence). This matches owner-name SPELLINGS — it is NOT a verified corporate, parent-subsidiary or beneficial-ownership link. Use when the user names a person, LLC, trust, or company and wants to see what is titled under that name. Do NOT use when starting from a parcel (use parcel_lookup, which returns owner inline). `ticker` is best-effort: it runs an owner-name search (GET /api/v1/owners/search) for the ticker text and uses the top match, returning the candidates under `resolution` — verify them, or call again with `name`. `state` filters the returned properties client-side (the summary stays portfolio-wide). Free read — never purchases anything.hazard_scoreHazard profile for a parcel (GET /api/v1/parcels/{id}/risks): flood (FEMA zone + SFHA flag), wildfire, seismic, windstorm, air quality and crime blocks, plus withhold_gate / identity_gate provenance. Use when the user asks about a property's risk profile — insurance pricing, underwriting, or due diligence. Do NOT use to compare multiple parcels (use parcel_compare, which includes each parcel's hazards). Every requested key is present: the value, or null when PropRaven does not hold it. Coverage varies by hazard. Free read — never purchases anything (this is not the paid risk-score product).valuation_estimateValue fields for a parcel from its free card (GET /api/v1/parcels/{id}): market_value, avm_value with avm_confidence / avm_method, total / land / improvement assessed value, tax, last sale price and date, price_per_sqft. Numbers are normalized to JSON numbers (null = not held). Use when the user asks for a property's value, market estimate, AVM, or wants to compare assessed vs market. Do NOT use as a substitute for an appraisal — this is a modeled estimate. Historical AVM (as_of) is not supported; the tool returns the current snapshot. Free read — never purchases anything.permits_historyTimeline of building / construction / demolition permits filed against a parcel (GET /api/v1/parcels/{id}/permits). Each permit includes permit_number, permit_type, permit_status, description, work_class, issued_date, completed_date, estimated_cost, contractor_name (where disclosed). Use when the user asks about construction activity, recent renovations, planned work, or wants to detect a property that's actively changing. Do NOT use to find properties WITH recent permits across a market. At most 100 permits are returned (newest first). `permit_count` is the parcel's TRUE count when `permit_count_basis` is "exact"; "capped" means it is the size of the 100-row window (a floor); `truncated: true` means the parcel has more permits than returned. `since` / `types` filter the returned window only (`returned_count` is after filtering). Coverage varies by county. Free read — never purchases anything.sales_historyDeed / transaction timeline for a parcel (GET /api/v1/parcels/{id}/deeds): recorded sales and transfers with recording and sale dates, sale price (where disclosed), grantor (seller), grantee (buyer), deed/document type and book/page. Use when the user asks about a property's transaction history, flip activity, or holding period. Do NOT use to find properties with recent sales market-wide, or to estimate current market value (use valuation_estimate). Note: 13 states do not disclose sale prices on deeds (KS, MS, TX, UT, WY, etc.). `event_count` is the number of events returned. `status` says where they came from: per_deed (deed rows), rollup_events (dated rollup entries), summary_only (no events served, but `known_deed_count` deeds are known — see known_deed_count_basis), or none. UCC liens are NOT available here (they are only in the paid parcel report, which this server never buys). Free read — never purchases anything.
Zillow MCP tools 21
zillow_search_propertiesSearch Zillow listings by location (city, ZIP, neighborhood, or address) and optional filters (status, price band, beds/baths minimums, home types). Returns matching properties with price, beds/baths, sqft, Zestimate, status, image, and homedetails URL. Works with city/ZIP-level queries (filtered against your criteria) AND with full-address or street-only queries (returns the listings Zillow resolves to directly — filters are not applied in this single-round-trip path; use zillow_get_by_address for the cleanest one-shot address → zpid lookup). Throws LocationNotResolved if Zillow can't pin either a region or matching listings for the input (instead of silently falling back to your default search region). Heads up: Zillow renders ~40 listings per page server-side; this tool auto-paginates by default when `limit` exceeds that, walking subsequent pages and concatenating results (set `auto_paginate: false` to opt out and get the single-page response). For dense markets, price-band the search to enumerate fully. Does NOT return Zestimate history — use zillow_get_zestimate_history for that. Read-only; safe to call repeatedly.zillow_sweep_areaEnumerate EVERY Zillow listing matching the filters inside a location (resolved like zillow_search_properties) or an explicit bounding box, without silent truncation. Splits the area into map tiles and recursively quarters any tile whose Zillow-reported total exceeds what one query can return, dedupes by zpid and re-applies the numeric filters (drift guard). Returns a completeness summary (requests, tiles, unique listings, tiles still truncated at max depth, drift warnings such as Zillow ignoring the price filter or the viewport) plus the listings, or writes the listings to `output_path` as JSON for large areas (inside the output directory: ZILLOW_OUTPUT_DIR, default ~/Downloads/zillow-mcp). Sequential requests with a delay, paced by the same per-host requests-per-minute throttle as `zillow_bulk_get`; if Zillow's bot-wall blocks a request the sweep stops and returns `{ blocked: true, retry_after_s }` with what it had. Read-only against Zillow; the only write is the optional local output file.zillow_get_propertyFetch a property's full Zillow record by zpid (numeric Zillow Property ID, e.g. 12345) or by homedetails URL. Returns address (Zillow's slugged form), mls_street_address (canonical MLS form — prefer this when it disagrees), neighborhood, price, Zestimate, rent Zestimate, beds/baths, square footage, lot_size (sq ft) plus the derived lot_size_acres (round(lot_size / 43560, 2); both null — never 0 — for condos and listings with no lot), year built, schools, and an `extracted_features` block (lake_front, hot_tub, basement, furnished, dock, community) keyword-parsed from the description. Also returns `zest_vs_list_pct` — the list-vs-Zestimate spread, `(price − zestimate) / zestimate × 100` rounded to 1 decimal: POSITIVE means listed ABOVE the Zestimate, negative below (null when either input is missing). The raw `description` is omitted by default — pass `include_description: true` to keep it; in most cases the extracted features cover what callers need. Price-history and tax-history are also opt-in (`include_price_history: true` / `include_tax_history: true`) — bundle them in to skip a separate call. Provide exactly one of zpid or url. Read-only; safe to call repeatedly.zillow_get_zestimate_historyHistorical Zestimate values for a property by zpid or homedetails URL. Returns a time series of {date, value, rent?} entries (rent included when Zillow has a rent Zestimate for the property). Note: zillow_get_property returns only the *current* Zestimate as a scalar — call this tool when you need the trend. For some listings (commonly non-Showcase) Zillow renders the trend client-side and omits it from the server-rendered page; then `points` is empty and an explanatory `note` is returned — distinct from a genuine no-history. Read-only; safe to call repeatedly.zillow_get_saved_searchesThe signed-in user's saved searches on zillow.com (name, filters, new-listing count, notification frequency). Requires the user to be signed in at zillow.com in the bridged browser tab — throws SessionNotAuthenticatedError otherwise. An optional `session_id` (from `zillow_register_session`) is checked against the session registry — an unknown id errors — but it is a label only: the request always goes through whichever browser tab the extension is signed into. Read-only; safe to call repeatedly.zillow_get_saved_homesThe signed-in user's saved (favorited) homes on zillow.com, flattened across all of the user's collections. Returns address, price, Zestimate, status, and when each home was saved. An optional `session_id` (from `zillow_register_session`) is checked against the session registry — an unknown id errors — but it is a label only: the request always goes through whichever browser tab the extension is signed into. Requires the user to be signed in. Read-only; safe to call repeatedly.zillow_get_market_reportMarket report for a Zillow region: median sale/list prices, days on market, for-sale inventory, new listings, Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), and year-over-year ZHVI change. Provide either a `region_path` (e.g. "/home-values/6181/brooklyn-ny/") or a full Zillow home-values URL. Read-only; safe to call repeatedly.zillow_calculate_mortgageLocal-only mortgage payment calculator. Returns a full PITI breakdown (principal + interest, property tax, insurance, HOA, PMI) and total interest over the life of the loan. No network call — fully deterministic, safe to use for scenario comparison without burning a fetch. Provide either `down_payment` OR `down_payment_percent`; defaults to 20%. Property tax can be given as `property_tax_annual` or `property_tax_rate` (% of home price). PMI applies automatically when LTV > 80% and `pmi_rate` is provided.zillow_get_price_historyListing-price events for a property — listings, price changes, pending, sold, etc. — by zpid or homedetails URL. Returns two parallel arrays: `events` (raw Zillow shape with `event` strings and MLS attribution) and `events_normalized` (cross-MCP shared shape with a fixed `type` enum: Listed/PriceChange/Pending/Contingent/Sold/Withdrawn/Relisted/Delisted). The normalized form lets callers merge histories across real-estate MCPs without re-implementing taxonomy. Sourced from the same homedetails page as zillow_get_property. For some listings (commonly non-Showcase) Zillow omits the history from the server-rendered page; then `events` is empty and an explanatory `note` is returned — distinct from a genuine no-history.zillow_get_tax_historyYear-by-year property-tax record for a property: tax paid, assessed value, and the year-over-year change rates. Sourced from the homedetails page. Useful for spotting reassessment jumps or comparing tax burdens across properties. For some listings (commonly non-Showcase) Zillow omits the history from the server-rendered page; then `events` is empty and an explanatory `note` is returned — distinct from a genuine no-history.zillow_compare_propertiesSide-by-side analysis of 2-25 Zillow properties. **If you just want N property records, use `zillow_bulk_get` instead** — compare is for genuine side-by-side (its pivoted summary table is the value-add); bulk_get is the fetch-many endpoint and accepts up to 200 ids. (Issue #79 raised this cap from 8 to 25 — a 19-listing analysis now fits in one call instead of three.) Provide an array of zpids (or homedetails URLs). Returns the full per-property record per row (with `extracted_features` populated). Pass `include_summary: true` for an extra pivoted summary table (one row per field) — defaults off because `results[].property.*` already carries everything. The raw `description` is omitted from each row by default — pass `include_description: true` to keep it. Errors for individual properties are captured per-row — one bad zpid won't fail the whole call. Calls fan out concurrently (capped at 6 in flight, per issue #78, with retry-once-on-timeout per sub-request to absorb transient SW evictions), paced by the same throttle as `zillow_bulk_get`; a bot-wall block is retried with backoff and, if it persists, reported as `error_kind: "bot_challenge"` (distinct from a missing listing) with `{ blocked, retry_after_s }` on the envelope. The call is bounded by an overall deadline — unsettled rows come back as `error_kind: "pending"`.zillow_calculate_affordabilitySolve for the maximum home price you can afford under the standard 28/36 DTI rule. Inputs: monthly income, recurring monthly debts (car loans, student loans, etc.), down payment, interest rate, and optional property-tax rate / insurance / HOA / loan term. Output: max home price, the binding constraint (front-end vs back-end), and the full PITI breakdown at that price. Same math across the realty MCP cohort (@chrischall/realty-core). No network — pure local math.- +9 more on the listing page
Ready-to-paste client configs
Paste either block (or both) into your client config, e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json. We only show a config when the install command is confirmed.
Propraven
{
"mcpServers": {
"propraven": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@propraven/mcp"
],
"env": {
"PROPRAVEN_API_KEY": "YOUR_PROPRAVEN_API_KEY_HERE"
}
}
}
}
Zillow MCP
{
"mcpServers": {
"zillow-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"zillow-mcp"
]
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
Propraven is categorized under Real Estate and uses a local stdio subprocess. Zillow MCP belongs to Real Estate and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick Propraven for real estate work and Zillow MCP for real estate.
Copy the mcpServers block from the config section on this page into your client's config (for example claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json), then fully restart the client.
Propraven has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. Zillow MCP is listed as free. Auth: other. If a server needs environment variables such as API keys, define them under the env key in your client's MCP config.
Yes. MCP clients support multiple servers: add propraven and zillow-mcp as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Propraven has a quality signal of 60/100 (Good) with 1 views, 0 installs and 0 GitHub stars. Zillow MCP has 63/100 (Good) with 1 views, 0 installs and 0 GitHub stars.