SEATTLE and CINCINNATI, March 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time, home sellers in greater Cincinnati who want to avoid coordinating repairs, hosting open houses and other stresses that come with selling a home have a new option. Starting today, sellers can sell their homes directly to Zillow, on their own timeline, through Zillow Offers.

Eligible homeowners can get a free, no-obligation cash offer by simply entering their address on Zillow.com and answering a few basic questions about their homes. If they decide to continue, the seller can choose their own close date, anywhere from seven days to 90 days out, to fit their own schedule.

Selling a home is one of the most stressful life experiences, according to Zillow research¹. And for the nearly two-thirds of sellers who are trying to buy a home at the same time², timing the two transactions is an extra challenge. Some sellers may need the equity from selling a home to purchase their next one, or face the possibility of carrying two mortgages or finding short-term housing to bridge the time between closings.

In 2019 alone, more than 6,500 homeowners sold their home to Zillow. For sellers like the Rubios in Houston, selling through Zillow Offers meant they were able to close on their new home and their old house on the same day.

"Sellers across the country have shown that they're looking for more certainty, control and convenience during one of the most stressful experiences they'll go through," said Zillow President Jeremy Wacksman. "We're thrilled to introduce this type of service to the greater Cincinnati area and help sellers find a new, simpler way to sell their home and move on to the next chapter of their lives."

After buying a home, Zillow will make the necessary repairs - the same projects that a typical seller would make when prepping their home for sale - and list it on the market. Buyers of Zillow-owned homes can be confident they are buying a home that has been professionally evaluated and renovated by local contractors, so it is move-in ready.

In addition to Zillow Offers, Zillow's owned affiliate lender Zillow Home Loans can make it simpler for buyers and sellers to get pre-approved and secure financing for their next home purchase. 

A Cincinnati-based broker will represent Zillow in each transaction. If a seller requests a Zillow Offer but decides to sell traditionally, Zillow can connect them with a local agent to help them through the process.

Cincinnati is the 24th market where Zillow Offers is available. Zillow has announced plans to bring Zillow Offers to Jacksonville, Fla. and Oklahoma City this year.

By bringing Zillow Offers to Cincinnati, Zillow is expanding its local presence as an employer, with around a dozen new positions and plans to hire more in the future as Zillow Offers grows. There are 160 employees currently based in the Cincinnati office, where dotloop, a Zillow Group brand, has been headquartered since 2009.

In 2018, Zillow renovated the dotloop office, doubling its footprint in historic Longworth Hall.

About Zillow
Zillow, the top real estate website in the U.S., is building an on-demand real estate experience. Whether selling, buying, renting or financing, customers can turn to Zillow's businesses to find and get into their next home with speed, certainty and ease.

In addition to for-sale and rental listings, Zillow Offers buys and sells homes directly in dozens of markets across the country, allowing sellers control over their timeline. Zillow Home Loans, our affiliate lender, provides our customers with an easy option to get pre-approved and secure financing for their next home purchase.

Millions of people visit Zillow Group sites every month to start their home search, and now they can rely on Zillow to help them finish it — with the same confidence, ease and empowerment they've come to expect from real estate's most trusted brand.

Launched in 2006, Zillow is owned and operated by Zillow Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:Z and ZG) and headquartered in Seattle.

Zillow and Zillow Offers are registered trademarks of Zillow, Inc.

¹ http://zillow.mediaroom.com/2019-06-24-More-than-a-Third-of-Americans-Cry-While-Selling-Their-Home
² https://www.zillow.com/report/2019/selling-a-home-in-america/home-seller-overview-key-facts-figures/

SOURCE Zillow