CoStar will soon be one of Richmond's biggest employers

CoStar Group is poised to become one of Richmond‘s biggest employers over the next five years.

State of play: The D.C.-based real estate firm is ramping up hiring in Richmond. It plans to add 2,000 new local employees to its existing 1,500 to fill the 26-story office tower it has under construction overlooking the James River.

• "We currently have hundreds of open positions in Richmond and across the country and anticipate hiring at a rapid pace throughout 2023," a CoStar spokesperson tells Axios.

Why it matters: When the hiring is complete, CoStar will be Richmond's 10th-largest employer, up from its current ranking at 24th.

Sales, marketing and software development jobs are among the positions the company is recruiting for in Richmond, plus "creatives" to support Homes.com, a Zillow competitor it acquired in 2021, CoStar tells Axios.

• The Homes.com jobs include writers, photographers and video editors, and the site has positioned CoStar as a landing spot for many former Richmond journalists, per a search of LinkedIn.

With an average salary of $100,000 a year for local positions, CoStar pays well, especially for Richmond.

• And the company offers perks like free lunch and snacks, plus tuition reimbursement.

Yes, but: Online reviews suggest the company is stringent when it comes to in-person work (it's required four days a week) and that employees in all departments must meet rigid metrics goals to avoid layoffs.

The other side: "The work culture is high-energy and fast-paced. We pride ourselves on delivering valuable content for our users, so we have deadlines and production goals," CoStar said.