Zillow and Redfin announced a partnership that will make Zillow the exclusive multifamily listing provider on Redfin, Rent.com and ApartmentGuide.com.
The deal cost $100 million for Zillow, which entered into a similar agreement with Realtor.com last March.
“Renters want choices, and this partnership will deliver just that — more apartments available across more platforms,” Zillow CEO Jeremy Wacksman said in a press release. “What’s good for renters is good for our multifamily partners, too. This agreement will give them additional opportunities to connect with ready-to-move renters, helping them grow their businesses.”
“This Zillow partnership will give Redfin visitors access to one of the largest and fastest-growing databases of rental listings,” said Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman. “We believe it will increase our overall traffic and the profits from our rental business, letting us focus on what we do best.”
In the wake of this news, Redfin also laid off 450 employees, according to Inman. A majority of those roles were related to the company’s rental segment, a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission confirmed, adding that a “restructuring” will occur between February and July.