After 20 years, Glenn Kelman is stepping down as Redfin CEO. Varun Krishna, CEO of Rocket Companies, will fill Kelman’s role as the team looks for a permanent replacement.
Kelman announced his decision today on LinkedIn, with the following statement:
“After 20 years, I’m leaving Redfin. I gave it my all! Leaving was my decision. I love my colleagues. We saved consumers a billion dollars in commissions. I hope to use all that I learned to do something as good as Redfin, in a different field. I’m grateful to Rocket and its CEO, Varun Krishna, for helping us play to win. I’m grateful to Redfin customers. In our early days, you took a chance on us when most buyers and sellers of homes won’t take any chances at all. And to Redfin supporters everywhere, thank you for embracing a company that marched to the beat of its own drum.”
Kelman said his last day in the office will be this Friday, January 16, though he will remain available to support Rocket and Redfin through April 1.
He framed the move as a moment of transition rather than a sudden exit, explaining that Redfin is about to begin what he described as a “much-longer phase” of integration with Rocket Companies at a much greater scale. As far as what’s next for Kelman, he noted he is looking to venture into a different field altogether.
Kelman’s departure marks the end of a leadership run that began in September 2005, shortly after Redfin was founded in 2004. Over that period, he oversaw Redfin’s growth into a national brokerage and real estate portal, including its transition into a publicly traded company and its eventual $1.75B acquisition by Rocket Companies in March 2025.
For now, the leadership transition is underway. Kelman is stepping aside as Redfin enters a new chapter under Rocket’s ownership, and Krishna will guide the company until a permanent CEO is chosen.
Stay tuned for more details as the story develops.
This Simple Instagram Post Generated 97 Comments (and a Month of Content Ideas)