SEATTLE, Feb. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Starting today, home sellers in Houston can use Zillow Offers to request a cash offer from Zillow to buy their home.

Zillow Offers reduces the stress and uncertainty that typically goes along with selling a home. Starting today, potential home sellers in the Houston area will be able to request a free, no-obligation cash offer from Zillow to buy their home. Once the seller accepts the offer, they are then able to pick a close date that works best for them.

"Texas is home to some of the largest and most vibrant housing markets in the country, and we're thrilled to bring Zillow Offers to Houston today," said Zillow Brand President Jeremy Wacksman. "In just nine months, Zillow Offers has already helped thousands of homeowners sell their home in a simple and stress-free way. What we've overwhelmingly heard from these consumers is that they love the control we give them over the entire process. Starting today, Houston-area homeowners are able to use this innovative, consumer-first service for one of the largest financial transactions of their lives."

Houston is the first Texas market, and the seventh market nationwide, where Zillow directly buys homes, prepares them for showings and quickly lists them for resale. Zillow Offers is currently available in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Denver, Charlotte and Raleigh. Zillow has announced plans to launch in Riverside, Dallas, Minneapolis, Orlando, Portland, Nashville and Miami by fall 2019.

Zillow Offers is designed to give consumers more control and certainty in the home-selling process and allows sellers the opportunity to sell their house on their own timeline. Timing the sale of a home with the purchase of a new one is a top concern for sellersⁱ, and according to Zillow's latest research, 61 percent of sellers are buying a new home at the same time, which adds significant stress and financial complexity to the process.

In every market where Zillow Offers is available, Zillow works with local agents and brokers on every transaction. Zillow pays a commission to local real estate agents when it buys and sells each home, and agents remain at the center of every transaction Zillow is a part of.

The Zillow Offers program also gives local brokerages and Premier Agents the opportunity to acquire new listings by connecting them with motivated sellers who have taken a direct action to sell their home. Consumers who request a Zillow Offer, but decide to instead sell their house traditionally with an agent or do not receive a Zillow Offer, will be connected with a local brokerage or Premier Agent.

Zillow

Zillow® is the leading real estate and rental marketplace dedicated to empowering consumers with data, inspiration and knowledge around the place they call home, and connecting them with great real estate professionals. Zillow serves the full lifecycle of owning and living in a home: buying, selling, renting, financing, remodeling and more. Zillow Offers provides homeowners in some metropolitan areas with the opportunity to receive offers to purchase their home from Zillow. When Zillow buys a home, it will make necessary updates and list the home for resale on the open market.

In addition to Zillow.com, Zillow operates the most popular suite of mobile real estate apps, with more than two dozen apps across all major platforms. Launched in 2006, Zillow is owned and operated by Zillow Group (NASDAQ: Z and ZG) and headquartered in Seattle.

Zillow is a registered trademark of Zillow, Inc. Zillow Offers is a trademark of Zillow, Inc.

ⁱ According to the 2018 Zillow Group Consumer Housing Trends Report.

SOURCE Zillow