Bigger. Better. Bolder. Inman Connect is heading to San Diego. Join thousands of real estate pros, connect with the Inman Community and gain insights from hundreds of leading minds shaping the industry. If you’re ready to grow your business and invest in yourself, this is where you need to be. Go BIG in San Diego!
Redfin is teaming up with home improvement tech firm Thumbtack to help property owners find tradespeople to work on their houses, the companies announced Wednesday.
According to a statement, the new offering works when homeowners claim their property on Redfin. They can then access a dashboard on the site, which will let them “find and hire the right professionals for their home projects.” The dashboard will also present homeowners with reviews of trade professionals, as well as cost estimates.
The statement adds that homeowners can use the dashboard to find professionals for both seasonal maintenance as well as larger renovation projects. It lists tasks such as painting, landscaping and window cleaning among the jobs listed in the dashboard.
Ariel Dos Santos
“Millions of people will use Redfin to find a home this year, and our partnership with Thumbtack helps them care for that home long after they move in,” Ariel Dos Santos, Redfin’s senior vice president of product and design, said in the statement. “By recommending trusted pros for home improvement projects, we’re saving customers time and hassle while helping them maximize the value of their home. It’s just one way we make the homeownership journey smoother from start to finish.”
The partnership with Thumbtack — which in the statement is described as “a technology company helping millions of people confidently care for and improve their homes” — comes amid a period of significant change for Redfin. In March, the company reveal that it would be acquired by mortgage giant Rocket. The acquisition news answered long simmering questions about Redfin’s future; though the company has a well-respected portal, Redfin also has significant amounts of debt, as well as a novel brokerage model — issues that some believed threatened the company’s long term health.
As part of Rocket, however, the Redfin is just one part of a growing real estate mega-platform.
Aside from the Rocket acquisition, Redfin has also recently pivoted toward a commission model for its agents, who — historically and uncharacteristically for the industry — had previously earned salaries.
Michael Kim
Regarding the partnership with Thumbtack, Wednesday’s statement notes that users of the tool can also turn to it for project inspiration, and that the dashboard can provide insights into things like market trends.
“We’re excited to partner with Redfin,” Michael Kim, Thumbtack’s vice president of strategy and business development, said in the statement, “to support homeowners through their entire home journey – from the buying and selling process to managing, maintaining and improving their homes.”
