Zillow is the dominant US real estate platform — 200M+ monthly visitors. The interview is data-heavy with focus on Zestimate (home valuation ML), search at scale, and the unique challenges of real estate data (slow-changing, geographically distributed).
Process
Recruiter screen → 60-minute coding phone (DSA medium) → onsite virtual: 2 coding, 1 system design, 1 craft deep-dive, 1 behavioral. Cycle: 3–4 weeks.
What they actually ask
- Design Zestimate — automated home valuation at national scale
- Design real estate search with geographic filters
- Design real-time MLS integration
- Coding: medium DSA, often with geo or ML framing
- Behavioral: customer focus, ownership, working with industry data
Levels and comp (2026)
- SE II: $145K–$180K total
- Senior SE: $215K–$285K
- Staff: $310K–$410K
- Principal: $430K–$570K
Prep priorities
- Be fluent in Java (legacy core) and Python (ML services)
- Understand geographic data and MLS standards
- Brush up on ML for valuation and recommendations
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Zillow remote-friendly?
“Cloud HQ” — distributed-first. Some hubs in Seattle, Bay Area, NYC. Many engineering roles fully remote within US.
How does Zillow compare to Redfin or Realtor.com?
Zillow has the largest brand and visitor base. Redfin is more vertical-integrated. Realtor.com (Move/News Corp) competes on agent listings. Zillow comp is mid-tier; below FAANG.
What is the engineering culture?
Mature, distributed-first, calm pace. Strong work-life balance. Less hype than peak years; reliable.