economy
Zillow loses thousands of listings in fight over “hidden” homes
Zillow asked for a preliminary injunction as real estate industry fight heats up.
TL;DR
- Zillow filed an antitrust lawsuit accusing MRED and Compass of colluding to hide homes from consumers via Private Listing Networks (PLNs).
- This dispute has resulted in Zillow losing access to approximately 5,000 property listings in the Chicago area.
- Zillow alleges that this collusion creates barriers to information, harms consumers, and benefits Compass by driving buyers to its brokerage.
- MRED claims Zillow breached its contract by blocking listings and is using the lawsuit to avoid contractual terms and generate revenue.
- Compass states the legal fight is about homeowner choice in marketing properties and criticizes Zillow's restrictive policies.
- Zillow introduced new Listing Access Standards in April 2025 to combat such practices, leading to the current confrontation.
- The dispute highlights broader issues of housing affordability and inventory shortages in the US.