Zillow

At the age of 14, Lloyd Frink began working at Microsoft as a product support personnel. This experience at a young age allowed him to gain valuable insights and skills that he later brought into Zillow.

The positive naivety and risk-taking culture inherited from Expedia played a significant role in shaping Zillow's approach to the real estate space. This influence brought a fresh perspective and a willingness to challenge traditional norms in the industry.

Zillow Group was founded in 1998 and has since become a major player in the real estate and housing market, providing online real estate databases and services.

Zillow Inc. files for incorporation in Washington, with Rich Barton as CEO and other key executives from Expedia. This marks the official beginning of Zillow's journey.

Inman News predicts that Zillow will have a significant impact on the real estate industry. The company's plans for an online marketplace for real estate listings are hinted through patent and trademark filings.

Zillow's website was launched on February 8, 2006, and included a home-valuation tool that anyone could use. Other features at the time included information about home sale history and charts and graphs comparing home value appreciation with other towns or states.

Even before the site launches, some are speculating it will force drastic change in the real estate industry -- fears that are fueled by revelations that Zillow has acquired real estate brokerage licenses in five states.

On April 2, 2006, Zillow forms a technical advisory board to provide independent advice on improving the technology and algorithms supporting the company's online services.

On October 5, 2006, a complaint is filed with the FTC over the valuations provided by Zillow.

The National Community Reinvestment Coalition files a complaint with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, alleging that Zillow is providing misleading information to consumers and industry professionals about the accuracy of Zestimates. Zillow refutes the allegations, stating that Zestimates are meant to serve as a starting point.

Zillow acquires brokerage licenses in most states to ensure legal standing for publishing real estate information.

Zillow adds neighborhood pages with detailed demographic information for over 130 cities, allowing users to contribute photos, events, news, and engage in discussions and Q&A sessions.

Zillow announces its first agreement for the bulk upload of about 80,000 property listings from brokerages affiliated with franchise network ERA Franchise Systems LLC. This marks a shift from accepting listings individually from consumers and real estate agents to a bulk upload approach.

Realogy Corp. reveals its plan to feed 700,000 property listings from several brokerages to Zillow.com, expanding on the previous agreement between Zillow and ERA Franchise Systems. This significantly increases the number of listings on Zillow.com.

In March 19, 2008, Zillow entered into its first partnership with an MLS, New England-based MLS PIN, which agreed to feed 60,000 listings to Zillow.com.

On April 1, 2008, the blog Silicon Alley Insider estimated that Zillow is worth about $225 million.

On September 10, 2008, Zillow formed an advertising alliance with 11 newspaper publishers.

Zillow introduces its Premier Agent advertising program, aiming to provide real estate agents with a platform to promote their services to a wider audience.

Zillow announces a significant layoff, affecting 25% of its workforce, due to concerns about the impact of unprecedented economic events on the company's future.

Zillow decides to surrender its brokerage licenses in all states except for two, indicating a strategic shift in its business operations.

Zillow announces the relinquishment of its real estate brokerage licenses in all but two U.S. states, while maintaining its ability to publish real estate-related information.

Zillow releases its first mobile application, a free iPhone app that allows users to see their location on a map as they walk or drive through a neighborhood, pulling up details on about 95 percent of all U.S. homes.

CoreLogic files a lawsuit against Zillow and others.

Yahoo Real Estate and Zillow reached an agreement for Zillow to supply real estate listings to Yahoo Real Estate, granting Zillow the exclusive right to sell real estate agent advertising on the Yahoo Real Estate site.

Spencer Rascoff was promoted to the position of CEO.

Spencer Rascoff, a member of Zillow's original executive team, is promoted from chief operating officer to CEO. Co-founders Rich Barton and Lloyd Frink will continue to play an active role in the company, with Barton as chairman of the board of directors, and Frink as chief strategy officer.

Zillow and Yahoo Real Estate launched a program for real estate listings and advertising, marking a significant collaboration between the two companies.

Zillow.com introduced 'Rent Zestimates' for approximately 90 million homes or apartments, providing estimated rental prices whether the properties are available for rent or not.

Zillow's Premier Agent ad program achieved over 10,000 paying subscribers by the end of March 2011, as disclosed in a regulatory filing.

On April 18, 2011, Zillow filed for a $5.1 million initial public offering, which was a pivotal moment in the company's history. This move allowed Zillow to become a publicly traded company.

Zillow enters into a long-term agreement associated with ListHub, a significant development in its business operations.

Zillow's initial public offering (IPO) is officially announced.

In 2012, Zillow acquired RentJuice, a platform for managing rental properties, and Diverse Solutions, a provider of online marketing tools for real estate professionals.

In 2015, Zillow made a major acquisition by purchasing Trulia, a major competitor, in a $2.5 billion deal. This acquisition significantly expanded Zillow's market presence and influence.

Rich Barton, Spencer Rascoff, and Lloyd Frink, the co-founders of Zillow Group, were interviewed in downtown Seattle.

On February 26, 2016, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California certified the class to include anyone who worked as an inside sales consultant at Zillow between November 2010 and January 2015. The lawsuit alleged violations of California Labor Code and California Business and Professions Code, including failure to pay wages, overtime pay, and provide meal and rest breaks.

On May 5, 2016, Zillow settled a sexual harassment action for an undisclosed amount, without admitting any wrongdoing. The action was represented by high-profile attorneys and alleged 'sexual torture' and 'the most heinous acts of sexual harassment imaginable' against a former Zillow employee.

In February 2019, Rich Barton returned to the CEO role, replacing Rascoff.

Premier Agent services remain Zillow's main source of revenue, as real estate agents mainly pay based on the number of ad impressions delivered to users in specified zip codes.

In October 2022, Zillow reported significant losses and a sharp decline in its share price, highlighting the financial challenges it encountered due to operational inefficiencies and market dynamics. The company's performance in 2022 reflected the impact of its strategic decisions and external factors.

Starting from January 2023, Zillow has upgraded the ZHVI time series to utilize the neural Zestimate for all subsequent releases.