An Update on Zillow's New Listing Access Standards

For all details that agents need to know about Zillow's listing access standards, check out this updated article.

At Zillow, we aim to make home buying, selling and renting easier for everyone by ensuring all listings are accessible without barriers. 

That's why we’ve established Zillow’s listing access standards. At the core of these standards is one simple principle: A listing publicly marketed to any buyer should be marketed to every buyer.

The problem with selective access

Listings shouldn’t be used as leverage to control who gets to participate in the home-buying process. Practices that selectively share listings — such as with buyers or sellers who agree to work with an agent due to the promise of exclusive access — create confusion, harm consumers and erode trust in the marketplace. It’s a bait-and-switch move, where agents or brokerages try to get the best of both worlds — dangling a listing to gain more business, only to turn around and market it widely later. 

Our commitment: Consumers come first

onsumers shouldn't wonder if their perfect home is hidden behind a velvet rope. Agents shouldn't have to jump through hoops to show their buyers all available homes. When consumers and agents have broad access to real estate information, it supports and protects a more open and competitive housing market. We also know this is what our shared consumers want: your sellers want their home on Zillow, reaching the largest online audience of prospective buyers. And your buyers want to see all available homes for sale on Zillow. 

Zillow is committed to free and fair access to real estate information. Our audience of movers, the largest in the category, expect to see all publicly available listings.

Our commitment to you

Consumer empowerment also benefits you. When we empower consumers, we’re also supporting great agents in building and scaling their businesses. Additionally, you cannot do your best work when you are unable to compete freely and fairly, earning business based on the value you offer, not because you are members of a private listing club. 

Zillow Preview is one way we’re putting that commitment into practice. Instead of hiding “coming soon” homes in private networks, Zillow Preview lets agents at participating brokerages publicly market pre‑market listings on Zillow and Trulia so every buyer and every agent can see them. That means you can offer sellers a simple, powerful story about broad, public exposure from the start, compete on the strength of your expertise rather than access to a closed club, and still operate within local MLS rules as those listings move into the traditional for‑sale process.

Zillow is committed to helping agents succeed in today’s real estate market. This means investing in software and tech offerings for real estate professionals, but it also means advocating for policies that move the industry forward - not back. We will continue to innovate so you have the tools and systems you need to serve your clients while also working together with brokerages who share our vision for a fair and open marketplace.