Nofollow reciprocal links to avoid penalties?

I've recently learned that Redfin.com (a very large real estate site) is using the following method to build links to new blog posts.

1. Email relevant websites asking them to provide a quote for a new post they are writing.
2. In the email, they state that they will link to your site and include the quote in the post free of charge, as long as you link back to the blog post once it's up.
3. Once posted, they nofollow the links from the quoted websites, seemingly to avoid penalties by Google for reciprocal links with these new posts.

For an example, Google "7 Affordable Ways to Make Your Kitchen Look More Expensive redfin". (I'd include the link but my post keeps getting taken down)

Any idea on if adding the nofollow to these outgoing links is enough to avoid any red flags from Google? Or does this very large and successful site just have it wrong?

Thanks!

submitted by /u/KevinBR3
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