One of the country's biggest names in banking has teamed up with one of the biggest names in real estate to reach even more homebuyers.
In a joint release, Citi [1] announced it has entered into a digital marketing alliance with Zillow [2], giving the megabank a heightened presence on the online marketplace's website and its related sites, Zillow Mortgages and StreetEasy.
"Today, the vast majority of potential homebuyers begin their property searches online," said CD Davies, head of Citi's mortgage business globally. "We are stepping up our digital presence in the real estate space to ensure we are a leading mortgage provider in the markets we serve. Zillow offers us the opportunity to reach homebuyers and engage the real estate community in an easily accessible and productive way."
As part of the agreement, Citi has increased its advertising program for mortgages on StreetEasy, including multiple ad placements and sponsored content. In addition, Citi's brand will be more prominent on Zillow's desktop and mobile interfaces, all of which attracted nearly 90 million unique visitors in 2014's peak home shopping month.
Citi's special mortgage features, including its on-time closing guarantee and relationship pricing, will also be available through the online sites, as well as expanded consumer support services with Citi representatives.
"With more than 26 million loan requests submitted on Zillow Mortgages over the past year, mortgage shoppers clearly look to Zillow and StreetEasy for guidance with mortgage shopping," said Erin Lantz, Zillow's VP of mortgages. "The increased presence of Citi on Zillow and StreetEasy will help ensure home shoppers have more options in home financing."