This summer, realtor.com announced that they would be moving into a 129,444-square-foot office space in downtown Austin, of which the company currently rents around 29,000 square feet. In addition to housing around 200 data science, product, engineering and analytics employees, the Austin Tech Center is also home to a dog park, bike rack and fully-stocked kitchenette.
Chief People Officer Kat Koutsantonis said while the new space is modern and full of amenities, the office isn’t “just a perk.”
“Our office is where we collaborate on high-impact solutions and build the technology that powers digital real estate,” said Koutsantonis.
Building an office that inspires innovation and productivity is crucial for companies hoping to attract talent. In fact, a 2017 study by Empirica Research said 37 percent of job candidates will accept a job with a lower salary if the company offers appealing workplace facilities and technology.
Koutsantonis said realtor.com's office space encourages employees to collaborate in dedicated meeting rooms, whiteboard ideas for the future of real estate technology and gain inspiration as they look out floor-to-ceiling windows.
But realtor.com’s vision for the office doesn’t stop there. Koutsantonis shared how the company plans to open the space up to the larger tech community in the coming year with lightning talks, meetups and more.
What inspired the design of your office and what features do employees love most?
The realtor.com (RDC) Austin Tech Center was primarily developed to provide a space for RDC employees to do the best work of their careers. Our office space, while modern and full of amenities, is not just a perk.
Our office is where we collaborate on high-impact solutions and build the technology that powers digital real estate. In fact, each collaborative workspace was thoughtfully designed to represent our company culture of transparency, accountability and data-driven decision making. The Tech Center and its various offerings are enablers of the work that we do here.
To support this, we have designed our space with a resimercial (a combination of residential and commercial) concept. We have outfitted our commercial space with home-inspired furniture and decor to align with the technology we develop. Using regional colors and textures, each conference room and meeting space reflects our customers and the major markets they are in.
The office is equipped with a fully-stocked kitchenette (including cold brew on tap), 360-degree downtown views with floor-to-ceiling windows, plenty of meeting and huddle rooms, secure bike racks, a dog park, showers and more.
Our office space, while modern and full of amenities, is not just a perk.’’
What exciting plans do you have for the future of your office?
While the realtor.com Austin Tech Center is where we do our best work, it’s more than just an office for us to enjoy. The Tech Center is an inspiring place for employees, candidates and other entre/intrapreneurs to ideate, build and share concepts and solutions with each other and the global community.
You can expect to see events like lightning talks, meetups and other community experiences in our new downtown space. We’re also looking into opening up our space for our SXSW activations in 2020.
