New Zillow Policy Changes and How We’re Protecting Your Listing Success

Compass Takes on Zillow: What This Major Legal Battle Means for You

You may have seen the headlines: Compass has launched a federal antitrust lawsuit targeting Zillow. While this legal action might appear dramatic, it has substantial implications for property owners, prospective buyers, real estate agents, and anyone who values market transparency and competitive fairness in the housing sector.

Here's what's really happening behind the scenes — and how it impacts (or doesn't impact) our clients:

Decoding Zillow's New Policy

Starting June 30, 2025, Zillow implemented a controversial restriction: any property that receives public promotion (via social media platforms, real estate websites, or marketing emails) before being entered into the MLS will be blocked from appearing on Zillow, Trulia, and their affiliated sites.

This policy means that even after your property is officially listed in the MLS system, Zillow may still refuse to display it—solely because it was marketed publicly beforehand.

Here's an analogy to illustrate the issue: picture if Amazon prohibited you from listing a product simply because you first offered it on your own website. This is essentially Zillow's approach to real estate marketing.

This restriction affects real estate agents and brokerages nationwide—it's not targeting Compass specifically.

What's particularly concerning is that Zillow has allegedly partnered with firms like Redfin and eXp to implement this policy, despite it primarily serving Zillow's corporate interests rather than benefiting sellers, buyers, or agents.

Compass CEO Robert Reffkin puts it this way:

"No single company should possess the authority to exclude agents, homeowners, and their listings simply because they refuse to conform to that company's preferred business practices. That's not healthy competition—it's market manipulation."

Why Compass Is Fighting Back

Compass is contesting this restrictive policy because we strongly believe property owners deserve expanded control, not reduced control, over their marketing decisions. The company has brought on Ken Dintzer, the Department of Justice lawyer who successfully handled Google's antitrust prosecution, to challenge Zillow's market dominance.

Compass is pursuing federal litigation because we maintain that:

• Zillow is breaching federal antitrust regulations by leveraging its market position to force listings through its ecosystem while reducing seller exposure, thereby controlling listing marketing methods.

• Zillow's exclusionary tactics are intended to funnel all American listings onto its platform for financial gain.

• Zillow, Redfin, and eXp are working together to coerce brokerages and agents into submission—suppressing innovation and reducing homeowner choices in an already challenging market.

You can read the complete Reuters coverage of this case here.

How This Impacts Your Property Sale

The simple answer: it won't affect you when you choose the Raziel Ungar Team.

We hold active membership in the San Mateo County Association of Realtors which is a member of MLS Listings, which requires listings to be submitted to the MLS within one business day of any public marketing—exactly meeting Zillow's timeline requirements. We've always operated under this standard.

Therefore:

• Your property will be featured on Zillow, Redfin, Trulia, and all major platforms (when you decide to launch public marketing) 

• Your promotional strategy remains unchanged 

• You stay fully compliant and protected since our team maintains complete compliance

Compass Private Exclusives Clarification

There's some confusion about whether Private Exclusive Listings fall under this restriction. They don't, provided they stay private.

A Compass Private Exclusive is accessible only to Compass agents and their clients through our internal system, not to the general public.

When the listing remains within the Compass Private Network without public marketing, Zillow cannot block it upon MLS entry later.

This means avoiding: 

• Posts on Compass.com (without private access requirements) 

• Social media promotion 

• Email campaigns to external agents or buyers

Our team strictly follows all these guidelines.

Important Social Media Guidelines

Here's a critical point: as the seller, you could inadvertently trigger Zillow's policy. Posting "Coming Soon" or "Getting Ready to Sell!" on Instagram or Facebook might qualify as public marketing, potentially causing Zillow to penalize your listing. However, our current understanding is that Zillow will issue warnings before immediately blocking listings for initial violations.

This is where we step in: ensuring all marketing remains compliant while still generating appropriate interest. When in doubt, consult with us first. We'll provide proper guidance.

For additional details about Zillow's new policy, you can find more information here: Zillow Policy Explanation

Moving Forward

We will continue operating normally. Our focus remains on serving our clients and achieving optimal results, utilizing every available tool and strategy. Simultaneously, we're proud to represent a company that's advocating for seller autonomy on a national level. Zillow shouldn't dictate how you market your property.

If you're thinking about buying or selling and need guidance through these industry changes, let's discuss your options. You deserve professional expertise—and complete control over one of life's most significant transactions.

We ensure your listing will be:

• Strategically valued 

• Professionally presented

• Maximally visible online 

• Compliant with all regulations — both local and federal

Let's move past the industry noise and concentrate on what truly matters: your success. If you're even remotely considering making a move or are curious about what your place might be worth these days, I'd love to have a conversation.