Zillow — status

Zillow.com is an American online real estate marketplace that has become one of the most widely used platforms for buying, selling, renting, and financing homes. Its business model is based on providing a vast amount of housing-related information to consumers for free while generating revenue through several key channels. The company's history dates back to 2006, when it was founded by two former Microsoft executives, Rich Barton and Lloyd Frink. A core part of Zillow’s early appeal was its famous "Zestimate," an algorithmically derived estimated market value for homes that were not currently for sale. While the Zestimate is often a source of debate and is not intended to be an official appraisal, it has provided a powerful tool for millions of people to get an idea of their home's value. The primary way Zillow makes money is through its Premier Agent program, where it sells advertising services to real estate agents and brokers. These agents pay Zillow for a share of advertising impressions on property listings in their desired ZIP codes, which helps them gain leads. Zillow also generates revenue from its mortgage and rental businesses. It connects consumers with mortgage lenders and provides a platform for landlords to list their properties and screen tenants.