For many military spouses, building a career can be a game of starting and stopping with frequently having to leave roles to find new ones in a new city or state. Every move brings new challenges, new communities and new beginnings. Through Zillow’s Cloud HQ model and a culture that values each employee’s contributions, military spouses like Christine Muehlenthaler and Sarah Hasenfratz have found more than just flexible work — they’ve found a place to grow careers that move with them.

Christine, a senior closing operations associate, says Zillow’s approach to distributed work has been life changing. “At Zillow I can grow my career without fear of losing my job due to a Permanent Change of Station move,” she shares. “Most importantly I can be a present mother for my two young children even with the occasional solo parenting due to my husband’s Air Force career.”

Sarah, a senior customer success manager, feels the same. When her family relocated in early 2024, Zillow’s distributed workplace model provided crucial stability. “We had to move due to a PCS and I’d just had our daughter a few months earlier,” she recalls. “Searching for a home from another state with a new baby was challenging but not having to add job hunting on top was a lifesaver. Knowing I could continue my work no matter where we moved made the transition so much easier.”

Military spouse life

Both women know firsthand that military life often means change with new homes, new cities and new routines. Sarah notes that one of her biggest challenges is managing family life with her husband’s demanding schedule. “He leaves the house around 4:30 a.m. so I’m the one getting our one- and three-year olds ready for daycare,” she says.

“Zillow has been so accommodating and family forward. I even got promoted while on maternity leave which shows how much the company values impact not just presence.”

Sarah Hasenfratz, Zillow senior customer success manager

Christine’s experience echoes that theme of support. “I’ve worked for employers who hesitated to hire or promote me because of the risk of relocation,” she says. “At Zillow it’s the opposite. The Cloud HQ model means I can grow without limitations. Plus I’ve created a home office I love that’s organized and cozy. The monthly home office expense even covers essentials like high speed Wi-Fi.”

Sarah is reunited with her partner after a long deployment.

Helping people get home

Sarah supports some of Zillow’s largest brokerages with Zillow’s Showcase product, helping them maximize adoption and agent success. “I love helping brokerages and agents win more listings,” she says. “Showcase lets agents stand out in a tough market and seeing their success is incredibly rewarding.”

Christine, who joined Zillow through its acquisition of Spruce, brings a decade of experience in real estate and title operations. She oversees escrow and title processes, ensuring smooth and compliant closings. “Helping people get into their homes is the best part of what I do,” she says. “Buying or selling a home can be one of the most stressful or exciting moments in someone’s life and I take pride in being a steady empathetic guide through that process.”

For Christine, collaborating across teams to modernize the title industry has been a highlight. “I love working with engineers and product managers to improve our systems. It’s exciting to see how Zillow is reshaping the closing experience for the future.”

Community and connection

Beyond flexibility, both women credit Zillow’s supportive culture for helping them stay connected and grounded. Christine points to the Veterans ERG (Employee Resource Group) as a space where she’s found community. “It’s comforting to connect with people who share similar experiences,” she says. “Working remotely also gives me the freedom to visit family or friends when my spouse is deployed all while continuing my career.”

Sarah relies on that same flexibility to manage family life. “When one of our kids is home sick, Zillow’s support means I can still work without missing a beat,” she says. “Our managers truly understand what it means to be in a military family.”

Christine agrees, recalling how she prepared for a recent move from Texas to Louisiana. “I found childcare and housing through online military spouse networks and, of course, I used Zillow to find our new home,” she laughs. “Having a team that steps up when I need to care for my family makes all the difference.”

Lessons from military life

Adapting quickly is second nature to both Christine and Sarah and they’ve found that mindset valuable in their careers. “Being able to roll with the punches is part of military life,” says Sarah. “One of Zillow’s Core Values is ‘Better Together’ and that aligns perfectly with how I’ve learned to live.”

Christine adds that frequent moves have given her a broader sense of empathy. “Living in different states has taught me how important it is to be understanding and flexible when working with others,” she says. “Those skills have helped me navigate Zillow’s fast paced collaborative environment.”

Advice for military spouses seeking career growth

For others navigating similar challenges both women emphasize the importance of finding an employer that values your career development and family. “Look for companies with strong family benefits,” Sarah advises. “Zillow’s 20 weeks of paid maternity leave was a huge factor for me because it showed that they truly support working parents.”

Christine’s advice is simple but powerful.

“Find a remote role where you can grow without worrying that moving will set you back. For the first time in my adult life my husband’s military career doesn’t define my professional opportunities.”

Christine Muehlenthaler, Zillow senior closing operations associate

Moving forward, together

For military spouses like Christine and Sarah, Zillow’s culture proves that it’s possible to build lasting careers even when life is constantly on the move. Through flexibility, empathy and a people first approach, Zillow empowers employees to thrive no matter where they are at home, at work or somewhere in between.

Visit our career site to learn more about opportunities available at Zillow.