Straight From the Top: Zillow Group Executive Q&A

At the 2015 Zillow Group Premier Agent® Forum last week in Las Vegas, an annual event that brings together thousands of Premier Agents, Zillow Group leadership answered questions contributed by real estate agents. Mitch Robinson, Zillow Group vice president of trade marketing, moderated the panel, which included Amy Bohutinsky, chief operating officer; Paul Levine, president of Trulia; Greg Schwartz, chief business officer; and Spencer Rascoff, chief executive officer. Questions ranged from what’s on the horizon for Trulia (new features, local content and growth) to whether or not Rascoff does his own tweets (he does).

Schwartz addressed features in the new Premier Agent App, which releases in mid-November, discussed the possibility of connecting Premier Agent video ads to ZIP code ads, and explained how Zillow Group is investing in the display of reviews.

With the completion of the Trulia integration nearing the eight-month mark, Levine discussed the integration process, similarities in company cultures and the impact a corporate culture has on facilitating an undertaking of that size and scope.

Bohutinsky replied to questions about how to attract more international buyers or better match clients to agents by recommending you amp up your Agent Finder profile with specifics such as languages you speak and special areas of focus. She also stressed that agents need to keep their reviews and listings current.

Rascoff fielded questions about the post-integration dynamics between Trulia and Zillow, the importance of a high-quality online profile, and how in 2014, Zillow Group hired only one percent of the candidates who applied to work at the company.

'The culture fit is more important than the subject matter expertise,' Rascoff explained. 'People can learn about real estate or selling advertising, but not how to care.'