A new artificial intelligence startup aimed at helping real estate agents manage their workload more efficiently has emerged from stealth mode. HouseWhisper, founded by three former Zillow executives, has secured nearly $10 million in funding to develop its AI-powered personal assistant technology.
The company was co-founded by Luis Poggi, who previously served as Zillow’s VP of product and engineering and now acts as CEO, alongside Spencer Rascoff, Zillow’s co-founder and former CEO who serves as board member, and Alex Kutner, a former Zillow engineering leader who takes on the role of CTO.
HouseWhisper’s AI assistant technology enables real estate agents to streamline their administrative tasks through natural conversation. Agents can interact with the AI system through voice calls, text messages, or voice memos, similar to communicating with a human assistant. The system processes these interactions, creating transcripts and extracting relevant information to help agents better serve their clients while reducing their administrative burden.
The platform has already gained significant traction during its eight-month beta phase, with over 4,000 real estate agents nationwide adopting the technology. The startup operates on a subscription-based model, offering various pricing tiers depending on team size.
“Purchasing a home represents one of life’s most emotional and significant decisions, with real estate agents playing a crucial role in the process,” noted Poggi. He explained that successful agents often become overwhelmed with administrative responsibilities, which is where HouseWhisper’s AI solution comes in to help.
The company’s funding includes a seed round of $6.7 million led by Mayfield, with additional investment from PSL Ventures and 75 and Sunny Ventures, Rascoff’s venture firm. A previous pre-seed round was spearheaded by PSL Ventures earlier in 2024.
Rascoff, who recently became CEO of Match Group, expressed his vision for the future of real estate technology: “AI-powered assistants will become as essential to real estate agents as their mobile phones, enhancing client connections through improved insight,
personalization, and efficiency.”
The leadership team brings substantial industry experience, with Poggi’s background including time at Expedia, and Kutner’s recent experience at the now-defunct digital trucking marketplace Convoy. Currently employing 15 people, HouseWhisper plans to use its new funding to enhance its product development, expand its team, and advance its AI capabilities.
The company distinguishes itself in the growing field of real estate technology through its conversational approach to AI assistance. While numerous AI tools exist for various aspects of real estate, such as lead generation and market analysis, HouseWhisper focuses on creating a more natural, conversation-based interaction between agents and their AI assistant.
Looking ahead, HouseWhisper has ambitious plans to expand its AI solutions across the real estate industry, developing tools for transaction coordinators, loan officers, and brokerages. The company maintains a collaborative relationship with Zillow, with Poggi noting that their solution complements Zillow’s existing services.
The startup addresses a common challenge in the real estate industry – the desire for personal assistance without the associated costs and management complexities of hiring human assistants. By providing an AI alternative that’s both more affordable and pre-trained in real estate practices, HouseWhisper aims to make professional assistance accessible to a broader range of real estate professionals.