Step by Step Guide to Building a Zillow Leads API Integration in Python

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to dive into the world of real estate data? Today, we're going to walk through building a Zillow Leads API integration in Python. This powerful tool will let you tap into Zillow's vast lead database, opening up a world of possibilities for your real estate tech projects. Let's get started!

Prerequisites

Before we jump in, make sure you've got these basics covered:

• A Python environment (3.6+ recommended)
• Essential libraries: requests and json (you can install them with pip)
• Zillow API credentials (if you don't have them yet, head over to Zillow's developer portal)

Got all that? Great! Let's move on to the fun stuff.

Authentication

First things first, we need to get you authenticated with Zillow. You'll need two key pieces:

1. API key
2. ZWSID (Zillow Web Services ID)

Once you've got these, set up your authentication headers like this:

headers = {
    'X-Zillow-API-Key': 'YOUR_API_KEY',
    'X-Zillow-ZWSID': 'YOUR_ZWSID'
}

Basic API Request Structure

Now, let's look at the basic structure of a Zillow API request:

import requests

base_url = 'https://api.zillow.com/leads/v1/'
endpoint = 'leads'  # This will change based on what you're doing

response = requests.get(f'{base_url}{endpoint}', headers=headers, params=params)

Pretty straightforward, right? The endpoint and params will vary depending on what you're trying to do.

Implementing Core Functionalities

Retrieving Lead Information

Let's start with something simple - getting info about a specific lead:

lead_id = '12345'
endpoint = f'leads/{lead_id}'

response = requests.get(f'{base_url}{endpoint}', headers=headers)
lead_data = response.json()

Creating New Leads

Now, let's create a new lead:

new_lead_data = {
    'name': 'John Doe',
    'email': '[email protected]',
    'phone': '555-1234'
}

response = requests.post(f'{base_url}leads', headers=headers, json=new_lead_data)

Updating Lead Status

Keeping your leads up-to-date is crucial. Here's how to update a lead's status:

lead_id = '12345'
update_data = {'status': 'contacted'}

response = requests.patch(f'{base_url}leads/{lead_id}', headers=headers, json=update_data)

Searching Leads

Need to find specific leads? Here's how to search:

search_params = {
    'status': 'new',
    'created_after': '2023-01-01'
}

response = requests.get(f'{base_url}leads', headers=headers, params=search_params)
search_results = response.json()

Handling API Responses

Always remember to handle those responses! Here's a quick example:

if response.status_code == 200:
    data = response.json()
    # Process your data here
else:
    print(f"Error: {response.status_code}")
    print(response.text)

Rate Limiting and Best Practices

Zillow has rate limits, so be nice to their servers! Here's a simple way to implement rate limiting:

import time

def rate_limited_request(url, headers, params=None):
    response = requests.get(url, headers=headers, params=params)
    if response.status_code == 429:  # Too Many Requests
        retry_after = int(response.headers.get('Retry-After', 60))
        time.sleep(retry_after)
        return rate_limited_request(url, headers, params)
    return response

Example Use Case: Lead Management System

Let's put it all together with a simple lead management system:

def get_new_leads():
    response = rate_limited_request(f'{base_url}leads', headers=headers, params={'status': 'new'})
    return response.json()

def update_lead_status(lead_id, new_status):
    update_data = {'status': new_status}
    response = requests.patch(f'{base_url}leads/{lead_id}', headers=headers, json=update_data)
    return response.status_code == 200

new_leads = get_new_leads()
for lead in new_leads:
    # Process the lead...
    if update_lead_status(lead['id'], 'contacted'):
        print(f"Updated lead {lead['id']} to 'contacted'")

Testing and Debugging

Always test your API calls! Here's a quick unit test example:

import unittest

class TestZillowAPI(unittest.TestCase):
    def test_get_lead(self):
        lead_id = '12345'
        response = requests.get(f'{base_url}leads/{lead_id}', headers=headers)
        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
        lead_data = response.json()
        self.assertIn('id', lead_data)

if __name__ == '__main__':
    unittest.main()

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just built a Zillow Leads API integration in Python. From authentication to handling responses, you're now equipped to tap into Zillow's powerful lead database. Remember, this is just the beginning - there's so much more you can do with this API.

Additional Resources

Want to dive deeper? Check out these resources:

• Zillow API Documentation
• Requests Library Documentation

Happy coding, and may your leads be plentiful!