COVID-19-Related News & Updates for Zillow Premier Agents

We're fully committed to supporting you and keeping you informed during this challenging time. This page is dedicated to providing you with the latest news, product updates and resources to manage your business effectively. We'll continue to provide updates as we evolve our solutions and guidance — please check back frequently for the latest information.

What You Need to Know

Introducing special discounts on virtual tools for Zillow Premier Agents (June 7, 2020)

Being unable to meet in person should never be an obstacle to agents who are helping to unlock their clients’ next chapters. At Zillow, we’re doing what we can to help our customers shop, buy, sell, rent and borrow safely, and that means adapting as expectations and behaviors change with the times.

That’s why we’re introducing special discounts on tools that support Zillow Premier Agents in working virtually, helping them to continue engaging with buyers and sellers while keeping everyone safe. Starting Friday, June 5, 2020, Zillow Premier Agents can access deals on a suite of tools and services, including discounts on Zoom Pro professional packages, deals on listing photography services, price breaks on 360-degree cameras for creating Zillow 3D Home® tours, and more.

Zillow Premier Agents can contact their representatives for more information on how to take advantage of this offer.

Updates on Zillow Offers (June 9, 2020)

On June 9, Zillow Offers added Atlanta, Georgia; Dallas, San Antonio and Austin, Texas; and San Diego and Sacramento, California, to the list of markets where home buying has resumed. They join Portland, Oregon; Nashville, Tennessee; Denver, Fort Collins and Colorado Springs, Colorado; Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona; and Raleigh and Charlotte, North Carolina, as markets where Zillow is again purchasing homes.

The resumption of home buying comes alongside Zillow’s health safety initiative — Move Forward. Stay Safe. — to protect our customers, employees and partners. Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin has also joined Zillow to advise on safe, healthy practices.

Despite the devastation the coronavirus has inflicted on lives, jobs and our economy, people are still moving for a variety of reasons. At Zillow, we’re doing what we can to help our customers shop, buy, sell, rent and borrow safely to unlock life’s next chapter. This involves helping buyers and sellers understand the virtual services and showings they can access through our Zillow Premier Agents. In an announcement message from Zillow CEO Rich Barton, he encourages sellers to consult a Zillow Premier Agent to understand their options.

Read more about Move Forward. Stay Safe. here.

Important changes to tour connections (April 24, 2020)

We're continuing to simplify the tour connection experience for agents and customers. On April 3, we restored tour requests to Zillow listings in all markets and added a public health advisory. Home buyers can now indicate their preference for either an in-person or video chat. As of April 24, agents will receive an automated phone call before being connected live to a buyer, instead of speaking to a connection specialist first. Learn how the process has changed and options for keeping the home search moving forward when it's possible to visit a home and when it's not. Get the latest.

Congress approves more funding for small business loans (April 23, 2020)

On April 23, Congress approved an additional $322 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and $60 billion for the Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), which will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. 

More information on these loan programs and how to apply is available here.

New advisory notice for listings with open houses (March 25, 2020)

In relation to local public health orders and in support of COVID-19 mitigation efforts across the U.S., we have added advisories to Zillow and Trulia listings with open houses. The notice encourages social distancing and the use of virtual tours, such as Zillow 3D Home tours, and video consultations.

Zillow pauses home buying in Zillow Offers (March 23, 2020)

Zillow Group, Inc. announced it will pause home buying in all 24 markets where Zillow Offers currently operates in response to local public health orders related to COVID-19 and to help protect the safety and health of its employees, customers and partners.
Read the full press release here. 

A message from Rich Barton (March 20, 2020)

Zillow CEO Rich Barton announced that we’ll cover 50% of the cost of Zillow Premier Agents' next monthly Zillow bill, beginning March 23.
Read his full letter here.

Resources

CARES Act provisions that can help agents and brokers
The CARES Act offers multiple options to help support agents and brokers facing financial hardship due to COVID-19, plus special provisions to help people struggling to pay mortgages or rent.

Welcome Series - Part 1: Zillow Premier Agent
Learn about the tools and services we provide to help you convert as well as the different types of leads you’ll be working with.

Welcome Series - Part 2: Turning Connections Into Clients
Learn about the objective of the first call with a potential client, how to win the appointment and more.

Welcome Series - Part 3: Zillow Premier Agent App & Tools
Review the basics of the Zillow Premier Agent App and benefits of the My Agent feature.

Watch now: Business Planning
In this video, you'll review the importance of maintaining insight into your business, reporting you can use to assess and manage your business and more.

Customer Experience Report
Learn about the Customer Experience Report, get guidance on which metrics to focus on, and understand the benefits that come from leading with a customer-first mindset.

Video: Benefits of My Agent
Gain a better understanding of how Zillow’s My Agent feature can help cement your relationships with buyers and provide visibility to their home search.

Watch now: Listening to connection calls
Listening to your connection calls is a great way to ensure you’re leading successful conversations with buyers every time. Learn how you can assess your own connection calls to identify your wins and areas of opportunities.

Video: How to work with tour connections
Get an overview of the updated tour connection experience and learn tips for guiding buyers and using virtual tools right now.

Expert tips for engaging customers virtually
Industry experts Dave Ness and Parker Pemberton share their best practices for working with buyers and sellers virtually in this on-demand webinar.

Video guide: Capturing free, easy 3D Home® tours
Explore the step-by-step process for capturing free, easy tours with the Zillow 3D Home® app.

Watch now: Connecting with clients in a virtual world
Get strategies for creating quality video experiences for your clients and managing your business virtually.

Using technology to work with clients virtually
We spoke with agents to get their best practices for providing video chats.

3D Home tours
The 3D Home app lets anyone with an iPhone 7 or newer create an interactive home walkthrough. Download the app and read these guidelines to get started.

Zillow’s response to COVID-19
Learn more about how we’re supporting our partners, customers and employees.

Resources for buyers, sellers and renters
Get extra visibility on what we’re telling customers during COVID-19.

Maximize your connections with My Agent
This training gives guidance on maintaining and nurturing your connections using My Agent’s special benefits and features. 

Zillow Research
Get the latest industry and market insights from Zillow’s economists.