CoStar Group reviews

2.7

34% would recommend to a friend

(3,017 total reviews)
avatar

Andrew C. Florance

32% approve of CEO

38% positive business outlook

CoStar Group has an employee rating of 2.7 out of 5 stars, based on 3,017 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an average working experience there. The CoStar Group employee rating is 22% below average for employers within the Real Estate industry (3.5 stars).

Reviews by job title

3K reviews
1.0
Aug 18, 2013
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great benefits, great people (though they come and go at a dizzying rate!). Company provides you with an amazing amount of tools, e.g., computer, iPads, projector, screen, cell phone. Fully stocked kitchens with fresh fruit, yogurt, veggies, granola bars, etc.

Cons

Where to begin? Monthly sales quotas, with no pro-ration for time off makes it difficult to ever take a breath. Sales comp plan is about as complicated as they get, and you have to constantly check the sales log to make sure that you are being credited with what you should be credited. Also, they don't tell you that "reversals" - companies that don't choose to renew their subscriptions will count against your sales quota, impacting your pay. Doesn't matter if it is an account that was added to your book of business that you never were paid on, if it reverses it counts against you. Also, what you do sell won't generate a full commission unless all licensed users are using the product every month. And you will be tasked with training those new users - taking time away from your sales activity. Metrics! You are rated on everything. Doesn't matter what your sales numbers are, even if you are making your sales quotas if there is some other metric you aren't on top of you will hear about it. They are laser focused on number of calls and number of appointments, but other than actually making your sales number there is no "metric" for follow-up, hence thoughtful lead/relationship cultivation takes a back seat to the constant frenzy of monthly metrics-driven activity.The CRM system is a joke. The amount of time spent trying to weed through the duplicates to put in your activity is ridiculous. The fact that there is no administrative support to free up a salespersons' time to focus on the high-level tasks is counter-productive. With all the administrative tasks, constantly changing directives/imperatives, changing books-of-business, changing comp plan (once a year), and management's incessant obsession with metrics, this is not a job for the light hearted, or anyone that actually cares about commercial real estate. Although the company tracks and sells commercial real estate data, it is not a commercial real estate company, and unlike the commercial real estate arena, there is no value put on relationships. If it can't be measured, they don't care. This is a culture of paranoia and fear. Everyone fears for their job, and the turnover rate is quite high. Within one year, there was only one other person that had entered with me in my training class still employed. Everyone else was either fired (didn't make their numbers) or left on their own due to the craziness of the culture/expectations. If you only care about money and can put up with your every move being tracked, your phone calls listened in on, your equilibrium constantly being challenged by shifting expectations, and the structure of a comp plan that pits your interests against your clients, then go for it! Otherwise, hopefully there is another opportunity that you can pursue.

2.0
Aug 15, 2013
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

- initially you learn a lot about the CRE industry - benefits are outstanding (good health benefits, commute reimbursement, food is provided for breakfast, 401k etc.) - building location is excellent - social work environment and an excellent holiday party - once you leave the office, your work is done. there is almost no overtime, and you will never get assigned work once you have left for the day

Cons

- learning ends after about 6 months - you are basically a telemarketer, told to dial, dial, dial - monotonous routine day after day - the only thing that changes is management's expectations, which change wildly and without notice (and affect your job security and bonus potential) - bonuses are marketed as a pro, but are non-existent - pay is decent right out of college, but you will feel underpaid, and extremely under-appreciated after the first 8 months - no career path is offered. the next logical promotion is to Research Manager which is a step back as far as CRE exposure, and is basically creating and editing spreadsheets to track employee performance - people are fired without warning, for things as silly as leaving voicemails for brokers that are too long - you are treated like a child by management, with no room for creativity or self-management - everything you do is monitored. when you leave the building, go to lunch, go to a different floor you need to scan your card to do so (this is tracked and has been used as a reason to fire employees). calls are recorded and monitored. internet usage is monitored - management is completely out of touch with the daily responsibilities of research associates and research managers. this results in unrealistic expectations While I could go on and on about the problems affecting the workplace, nothing will change as long as the company continues to turn record profits each year. There aren't any real competitors currently, and as long as the bottom-line looks good, things will continue as they are

1.0
Aug 14, 2013

Not a good place to work

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

salary ok, benefits ok, time off flexibility ok

Cons

Terrible management. Fear filled environment. Extremely stressful with the metrics that are ever changing and multiple projects. Management could careless about you as a person. Treated like a robot. They would work you to death if they could. Christmas party each year was a joke! Bowling parties is ridiculous for grown adults. Lack of respect! It was the WORSE job I'd ever had, and I'm not a 20 something either. I have work experience.

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Glassdoor has 3,109 CoStar Group reviews submitted anonymously by CoStar Group employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if CoStar Group is right for you.