Zillow Co-Founder Rich Barton Returns as CEO – NMP Skip to main content

Zillow Co-Founder Rich Barton Returns as CEO

Feb 22, 2019
Zillow has signed on to the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Partnership Challenge to strengthen its efforts in building a more diverse and inclusive workforce

Zillow Group Inc. has announced that Executive Chairman Rich Barton, who Co-Founded the Seattle-based company in 2005 and served as CEO until 2010, is resuming the role of CEO. Another Zillow co-founder. Lloyd Frink, will take on the Executive Chairman position, while fellow Co-Founder Spencer Rascoff, who served as CEO since 2010, will remain on the Board of Directors.
 
In announcing the executive shake-up, Barton noted the change in leadership comes at a time when Zillow is transitioning into mortgage lending and the buying and selling of homes.
 
“We created Zillow Group in 2005 to make the real estate shopping and purchase process easier,” Barton said. “Much of our original dream is just now becoming possible. We are at an inflection point in this quest, and the time is right to shuffle leadership seats. I am excited to be back as CEO. I am incredibly grateful to Spencer for the indefatigable leadership that got us to this point, and I am happy we will benefit from his continued support and counsel as a board director.”

 
About the author
Published
Feb 22, 2019
More Homebuyer Assistance Programs Skip Income Caps, Accept Repeat Buyers

DPR’s Q3 report identifies 311 programs without income limits and 1,080 without first-time buyer requirements, though funded availability grew more slowly than the overall count

Oct 23, 2026
Mortgage Rate Lock-In: More High-Rate Loans, Few Signs Of A Thaw

With 30-year rates above 7% and nearly half of outstanding loans below 4%, originators face a stubborn obstacle to rebuilding repeat-buyer pipelines

Oct 22, 2026
UWM Targets The 20%-Down Myth In New Push For Brokers

Mortgage Matchup’s national campaign pitches brokers as a resource for consumers who assume their financing options are limited

Oct 21, 2026
Wholesale AEs Don’t Need More Views. They Need More Broker Conversations.

A simple shift — turning everyday broker questions into short videos — could help AEs build relationships without trying to become influencers

Oct 02, 2026
Assurance Joins Growing Push For Medical Professional Borrowers

MedPro Mortgage+ offers eligible healthcare professionals up to 100% financing without PMI as lenders expand specialty options beyond physicians

Sep 25, 2026
For LOs Using AI, More Content Isn’t The Point

Kyle Raineri shares how originators can use AI to create social media content, build borrower trust, and strengthen real estate agent relationships

Sep 24, 2026