Question 1

What is CoStar?

Accepted Answer

CoStar is a leading digital platform that digitizes and aggregates real estate data, providing comprehensive insights and connections for professionals across the real estate industry. As an S&P 500 company with over 3,500 employees, CoStar serves commercial and residential real estate markets globally. The company's mission is to digitize the world's real estate and empower people through property discoveries, market insights, and professional connections that improve their businesses and lives.

Question 2

When was CoStar founded and by whom?

Accepted Answer

CoStar was founded in 1986 by Andrew C. Florance, who started the company from his dorm room at Princeton University at age 21. Florance pioneered the digitization of commercial real estate data before the widespread adoption of the Internet, creating one of the first companies to aggregate and make accessible this critical market information. Today, Andrew C. Florance remains the Founder, President, and CEO, having been named Inman 2025 Power Player for his leadership and vision.

Question 3

What major acquisitions has CoStar made?

Accepted Answer

CoStar has made several transformational acquisitions to expand its platform and capabilities. In 2012, CoStar acquired LoopNet for $860 million, a leading commercial real estate information platform. In 2014, the company acquired Apartments.com for $585 million, strengthening its residential marketplace presence. Most recently, in February 2025, CoStar completed the acquisition of Matterport to enhance real estate visualization capabilities and improve property discovery experiences.

Question 4

What products does CoStar offer?

Accepted Answer

CoStar offers a comprehensive suite of real estate products and platforms serving both commercial and residential markets. Key products include LoopNet, a leading commercial real estate information and transaction platform, Apartments.com, a major residential apartment marketplace, and Homes.com, a residential real estate marketplace experiencing rapid growth. The company also provides data analytics, market research, and property management solutions designed to serve real estate professionals, brokers, investors, and consumers.

Question 5

What is Homes.com and how is it growing?

Accepted Answer

Homes.com is CoStar's residential real estate marketplace platform that is experiencing exceptional growth. As of Q3 2025, the Homes.com network grew to over 26,000 members, representing a remarkable nearly 150% increase since Q3 2024. The platform continues to expand rapidly, with members growing 56% from Q1 2025 to Q2 2025 alone. This explosive growth demonstrates strong market adoption and positions Homes.com as a significant player in residential real estate search and discovery.

Question 6

How has CoStar performed financially recently?

Accepted Answer

CoStar has demonstrated strong financial performance and growth trajectory. Q3 2025 revenue reached $834 million, up 20% year-over-year, with net new bookings up 92% year-over-year to record levels. In 2024, the company reported record annual revenue of $2.74 billion, representing 11% year-over-year growth. Additionally, Q4 2024 showed net income up 13% and adjusted EBITDA up 47% from Q3, reflecting operational efficiency and strong market demand.

Question 7

What is CoStar's competitive advantage?

Accepted Answer

CoStar's competitive advantage lies in its comprehensive, digitized real estate data platform that has been refined over nearly four decades. The company's first-mover advantage in digitizing commercial real estate data before the Internet era established a moat that remains difficult to replicate. With multiple complementary platforms (LoopNet, Apartments.com, Homes.com), extensive market data, and recent technology acquisitions like Matterport for advanced visualization, CoStar offers unmatched breadth and depth in real estate intelligence and connectivity.

Question 8

Who uses CoStar and what are the primary use cases?

Accepted Answer

CoStar serves a diverse range of real estate professionals and consumers including commercial real estate investors, brokers, property managers, apartment community operators, and residential home buyers and sellers. Commercial professionals use CoStar's platforms for market research, deal sourcing, and transaction execution. Residential users leverage Homes.com and Apartments.com to discover properties, compare markets, and make informed real estate decisions. Real estate firms, investors, and developers depend on CoStar's analytics and data for strategic planning and competitive intelligence.

Question 9

What is the significance of the Matterport acquisition?

Accepted Answer

The completion of the Matterport acquisition in February 2025 represents a strategic move to enhance CoStar's real estate visualization and property discovery capabilities. Matterport's 3D digital tour technology complements CoStar's data and marketplace platforms by providing immersive property viewing experiences. This acquisition strengthens CoStar's competitive positioning by integrating advanced visualization technology into its ecosystem, enabling users to explore properties in detail and improving engagement across residential and commercial platforms.

Question 10

What are CoStar's core company values?

Accepted Answer

CoStar operates according to three core values that guide its culture and decision-making. The first is Integrity—upholding the highest ethical standards in all business dealings. The second is Respect for the Individual—valuing diversity and inclusion throughout the organization. The third is Build Awesome Things—creating inspiring products with care and attention to detail. These values are reinforced through the company's employee experience, including flexible work arrangements, professional development opportunities, and employee resource groups.

Question 11

What career opportunities does CoStar offer?

Accepted Answer

CoStar, as an S&P 500 company with over 3,500 employees, offers diverse career opportunities across technology, product, sales, marketing, data science, and operations. The company emphasizes employee well-being with a target 40-hour work week, flexible work arrangements, and strong work-life balance focus. CoStar provides professional development opportunities and maintains active Employee Resource Groups that foster cultural events, community involvement, and networking. The company's commitment to inclusion and its rapidly growing platform create abundant opportunities for career growth and impact.

Question 12

How has CoStar evolved from its founding to today?

Accepted Answer

CoStar's evolution reflects the transformation of the real estate industry from pre-Internet to digital-first. Founded in 1986 in a Princeton dorm room as a pioneering digital real estate data company, CoStar went public in 1998 and transitioned to a fully Internet-based platform by 2000. Through strategic acquisitions of LoopNet (2012) and Apartments.com (2014), the company expanded from commercial real estate to serve both commercial and residential markets. Today, CoStar is an S&P 500 company with global reach and continues innovating through recent acquisitions like Matterport to enhance its platform capabilities.

Question 13

What platforms does CoStar operate and how do they serve different markets?

Accepted Answer

CoStar operates multiple specialized platforms designed for different real estate markets and user types. LoopNet is the flagship commercial real estate information platform serving investors, brokers, and professionals. Apartments.com serves the residential apartment market, connecting renters with apartment communities. Homes.com is the newer residential marketplace platform for home buyers, sellers, and renters seeking property discovery and market insights. Together, these platforms provide comprehensive coverage across commercial and residential real estate segments, enabling users to access market intelligence, discover properties, and execute transactions.

Question 14

What makes CoStar a trustworthy source for real estate data?

Accepted Answer

CoStar's trustworthiness is built on nearly four decades of expertise in real estate data aggregation and analysis, establishing itself as an industry authority. As an S&P 500 company with rigorous governance standards and a commitment to Integrity as a core value, CoStar maintains high ethical standards in data collection and reporting. The company's platforms serve millions of professionals and consumers daily, with continued investment in data quality, security, and accuracy. CoStar's track record of sustained growth and leadership recognition reinforces its position as a reliable and authoritative source for real estate market intelligence.

Question 15

How is CoStar positioned for future growth?

Accepted Answer

CoStar is positioned for continued growth through multiple drivers including the rapid expansion of Homes.com (150% growth in one year), record net new bookings (up 92% YoY in Q3 2025), and strategic acquisitions that enhance platform capabilities. The integration of Matterport's visualization technology into CoStar's ecosystem opens new opportunities for differentiated property discovery experiences. With strong financial performance, an experienced leadership team, and focus on innovation across its platform portfolio, CoStar is well-positioned to capitalize on the digital transformation of real estate and expanding global market opportunities.

CoStar

Company Overview

Open Positions

Reddit Discussions

Key Differentiators

Market Leader

Enterprise Scale

Top 3 Ranked

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CoStar?

When was CoStar founded and by whom?

What major acquisitions has CoStar made?

What products does CoStar offer?

What is Homes.com and how is it growing?

How has CoStar performed financially recently?

What is CoStar's competitive advantage?

Who uses CoStar and what are the primary use cases?

What is the significance of the Matterport acquisition?

What are CoStar's core company values?

What career opportunities does CoStar offer?

How has CoStar evolved from its founding to today?

What platforms does CoStar operate and how do they serve different markets?

What makes CoStar a trustworthy source for real estate data?

How is CoStar positioned for future growth?

AI Visibility Rankings

Unlock AI Visibility Tracking for CoStar

Not So Random Others

Crustdata

DSV

Assurtiv

Manus

Bamboo

Sensodyne

Compare with Other Brands