Today (Aug. 12), Gov. Brian P. Kemp announced that Zillow Group, the largest portfolio of real estate brands on the web, has named the metro Atlanta area its Southeastern hub, bringing nearly 200 jobs to the area. “Our state’s skilled workforce continues to attract game-changing companies like Zillow,” said Kemp. “Innovative, industry-leading tech companies have found their home in literally every corner of our state, and as the industry grows in Georgia, I am confident that Zillow will continue to find success here. I’d like to thank them for choosing our state as their new hub, and I look forward to seeing the opportunities this investment creates for hardworking Georgians across metro Atlanta.” Founded in 2005 in Seattle, Zillow operates a suite of real estate brands via mobile and the web. The new office will be located in DeKalb County’s Dunwoody Perimeter area. The Zillow Group is a tremendous addition to the business community in DeKalb County,” said DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond. “Not only do we welcome them into our great county, we look forward to putting more residents to work with such a forward-thinking industry leader.” Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch expressed excitement over the new partnership with Zillow. “Our skilled workforce is a great fit for a company like Zillow. We are excited about the new energy Zillow will bring to the Dunwoody Perimeter Market,” said Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch. “We appreciate our partnership with Governor Kemp and DeKalb CEO Thurmond on growing Georgia’s economy.” Zillow President Zillow Jeremy Wacksman said he is looing forward to the company’s continued growth in the metro Atlanta area. “While Zillow Group has had a presence in the Atlanta area for a number of years, we’re excited to expand our presence and make it our Southeastern U.S. hub,” said Wacksman. “At Zillow, we are working to reimagine the real estate transaction and build innovations for the evolving demands of our customers. The Atlanta area has been a great partner for the tech sector to thrive and innovate, and we look forward to our continued growth in the market.” The majority of new job opportunities will be focused on supportingZillow Offers, which is the company’s home buying program that gives homeowners an innovative and easy way to sell their existing residence to Zillow. Multiple other business lines will have a presence in the metro Atlanta area, including Zillow Closing Services, Zillow Home Loans, Zillow Rentals, Zillow’s Premier Agent team, as well as Bridge Interactive, a B2B software business that has been headquartered in Atlanta for the past 14 years. “Congratulations to Zillow Group on the location of their southeastern hub in metro Atlanta,” said President and CEO of the Metro Atlanta Chamber Katie Kirkpatrick. “This expansion is evidence of Zillow’s ongoing commitment to our community and of our strong ecosystem that continues to nurture innovative companies that are changing the business landscape.” Georgia Department of Economic Development Senior Project Manager Kristi Brigman represented the Global Commerce division on this project in partnership with the Metro Atlanta Chamber, Decide DeKalb, and the City of Dunwoody Development Authority. “After Georgia recently earned the No. 1 Tech Hub ranking from Business Facilities Magazine, Zillow’s decision to locate their Southeastern U.S. hub in the metro Atlanta area is another testament to the region’s thriving tech community,” said GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson. “Georgia’s support for software development and technology – led by Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, Speaker David Ralston, the General Assembly, and our economic development partners – continues to pay off as we attract job growth and innovation opportunities. I want to thank our partners at the Metro Atlanta Chamber, Decide DeKalb, and the City of Dunwoody Development Authority for supporting an innovative company like Zillow as they grow in our state.” |