Move Inc., the operator of realtor.com®, announced it was acquiring UpNest, a tool to help home buyers or sellers compare real estate agents and select the best match for them.
Realtor.com® already connects home sellers with agents through its ReadyConnect Concierge referral network, but, according to company officials, the UpNest acquisition will help the company further expand its matchmaking services to pair customers and agents. Terms of the acquisition were not public.
“Our open marketplace approach is all about empowering people with choices,” said David Doctorow, realtor.com®’s CEO. “While some of our competitors try to funnel buyers, sellers and real estate professionals into a specific set of services in a closed system, realtor.com® helps homeowners choose how they want to find and connect with an agent, and agents and brokers can decide which methods work best for them.”
Consumers who submit leads through UpNest’s marketplace will receive proposals from three to five agents within 12 hours. The consumers then can decide whom to contact.
Sellers who prefer to be connected directly with an agent can use realtor.com®’s ReadyConnect Concierge network. They can still be connected by the “List your home agent with an agent” link that is available on the seller tab on realtor.com®’s landing page. Realtor.com® also connects sellers with real estate agents through its Seller’s Marketplace. In the marketplace, several companies offer options for homeowners to sell their home to an iBuyer.