Zillow's new Digs app offers remodeling ideas, advice
Free app for iPad and Web features thousands of photos of home improvement projects, as well as localized estimates for project costs.
Online real estate listing aggregator Zillow launched an app today that aims to help home shoppers and home buyers with their home improvement projects.
Available for the iPad and the Web, Zillow Digs is a free app designed to offer inspiration as well as information about remodeling projects. The free app lets users browse thousands of photos of bathroom, kitchen, and outdoor projects, as well as get estimates on the cost of the actual project based on the user's location.
Similar to Houzz, an online home improvement community that launched a design, decorating, and remodeling app in 2010, Digs allows users to create, save, and share Pinterest-like boards containing their ideas and interact with other users who may have similar ideas. The app also offers connections to local industry professionals, such as architects, contractors, and designers.
"Tens of millions of home buyers shop for homes on Zillow each month, and home improvement is a natural next step for us in consumer empowerment and transparency of information to help people make smarter decisions," Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff said in a statement. This first-of-its-kind remodeling cost estimate algorithm was created by Zillow's industry-leading team of economists and data analysts who produce extensive housing data and research."
Founded in 2004 and launched as a Web site in 2006, Zillow has a sales and rental database on more than 110 million U.S. homes. The company's revenue comes from real estate professionals' subscription fees and advertising.
In 2008, the company launched Mortgage Marketplace, which lets prospective borrowers get quotes anonymously and lenders get leads for free.