The 30-minute interview touched on refinancing, reforming the mortgage market, including the dismantling of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and helping low-income people who want to be homeowners. It seemed almost scripted by White House staffers, although a White House spokeswoman said they did not vet the questions.
She also added that the president was part of a LinkedIn town hall meeting with CEO Jeff Weiner and a Facebook chat with CEO Mark Zuckerburg, although those were not specifically about social media companies but about the broader economy.
(Read more: Higher mortgage rates, easier credit?)
Zillow employees have contributed to the campaigns of several Democrats, including Obama, although the company does not have a PAC, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Rascoff, in an interview on CNBC’s “Squawkbox,” said the interview makes “perfect sense” and is part of Zillow’s mission to empower its users, which now number 60 million.
“It’s an unprecedented opportunity to connect our audience at Zillow directly with the president,” he said. “We are a fantastic platform to connect directly with consumers.”
—By CNBC’s Diana Olick. Follow her on Twitter @Diana_Olick.
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Editor’s note: Posts from Zillowblog.com are sometimes republished on NBCNews.com.
Article source: http://www.cnbc.com/id/100946724