Zillow is an online real estate marketplace operated by Zillow Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZG and Z), headquartered in Seattle. Founded in 2006 by Rich Barton and Lloyd Frink, the company built its reputation on the Zestimate home-valuation tool and a consumer-facing portal spanning for-sale listings, rentals, and mortgage shopping. Zillow Group organizes its business across several segments, including residential, rentals, and mortgages, and has grown into one of the most visited real estate brands in the United States.
After going public in 2011, Zillow expanded aggressively through acquisition, adding 📝PropTech properties such as StreetEasy and HotPads, then acquiring its largest competitor, Trulia, in a 2015 all-stock deal that formalized the creation of Zillow Group. In 2018 the company launched Zillow Offers, an iBuying program in which Zillow directly purchased and resold homes; on November 2, 2021, it announced plans to wind down that operation, citing the unpredictability of home-price forecasting and resulting balance-sheet volatility, alongside a workforce reduction of roughly 25%. Zillow has since refocused on its core marketplace, advertising, and software businesses. 📝Amy Bohutinsky served as a notable former executive, holding the chief marketing officer and later chief operating officer roles during much of this growth.
I came to know Zillow through interviewing its former chief operating officer, whose marketing leadership helped define how a generation of consumers shops for homes.