Inman

‘Shark Tank’ star Barbara Corcoran teams up with Homes.com

Barbara Corcoran photo via abc.com.

Homes.com is partnering with Barbara Corcoran, one of the “sharks” on the hit ABC startup pitch show “Shark Tank,” to raise the listing portal’s visibility with consumers.

Corcoran, who co-founded the New York City-based Corcoran Group in 1973 and sold it to Realogy’s brokerage wing NRT in 2001, will collaborate with Homes.com to share expert tips, insights and tools of the trade with potential homebuyers, and answer the “5 Questions to Ask Before You Purchase a Home.”

Corcoran’s industry knowledge, coupled with Homes.com’s Local Market Index and Rebound reports, “will help buyers make more informed purchasing decisions in today’s volatile real estate marketplace,” the Dominion Enterprises company said in announcing the partnership.

“Teaming up with a real estate destination like Homes.com is a natural fit,” Corcoran said in a statement. “I began my career as a real estate professional and remain very close to the industry.”

Homes.com was the fifth most-visited real estate portal in September, with 11.1 million visits to its website from desktop computers, according to Experian Marketing Services.

In August, Homes.com launched a national ad campaign that featured a 30-second TV spot that airs on the HGTV, TLC and DIY cable networks through November.

“Partnering with a trusted, well-known real estate expert aligns with Homes.com’s mission of helping consumers find their next home, whether their aspiration is buying or renting,” said Brock MacLean, executive vice president of Homes.com.

Earlier this month, Homes.com launched iOS and Android rental apps and in July, Homes.com launched what it claimed to be the first real estate website to feature parallax design, and integrated Imprev Inc.’s marketing center into the suite of tools it offers its “Premier” clients.

The company also recently announced that Homes.com was receiving listing feeds from nine multiple listing services including the Houston Association of Realtors, California Regional MLS, MLS Property Information Services (New England) and Midwest Real Estate Data (metro Chicago).