At Zillow, we’re dedicated to giving our housing provider partners greater control, flexibility, and clarity in how rental pricing is displayed. We are rolling out a new pricing capability that clearly shows renters a calculated total monthly price — the base rent plus required monthly fees. 

This total price will appear as the prominent price renters see, clearly marked with a "Total price" badge and checkmark, reinforcing accuracy and transparency. This enhancement not only supports evolving state regulations around fee transparency, but also reflects rising renter expectations. In fact, 94% of renters agree that listings should clearly display all fees upfront.

Why this change?

Starting September 2, 2025, Massachusetts will require all rental listings to display the total monthly cost, including base rent and any required monthly fees. 

While this requirement is new for Massachusetts, it reflects a broader shift toward pricing transparency in the rental market. Zillow will soon give all housing providers across the country the option to enable total price on their listings. This helps meet evolving renter expectations and supports compliance where regulations apply.

Why it matters

Transparent pricing helps renters accurately budget and make informed decisions. This increased transparency can lead to better-informed renters, higher-quality leads, and reduced inbound questions about fees, ultimately saving time and streamlining the rental process for both renters and housing providers.

How it works

For multifamily partners

To display total price on your listings, follow these steps: 

1. Ensure fee data is shared with Zillow
   • Use your PMS feed of the Zillow Account Portal to provide all required monthly fees
2. Check your Costs & Fees breakdown
   • Review your listings in the Zillow Account Portal to confirm that required fees display correctly and the total price is calculated accurately. 
   • This breakdown also shows renters which fees are optional or variable, helping set the right expectations
3. Enable “Total price” display
   • Starting August 25, 2025, you can toggle on the total price in your Zillow Account Portal.
   • If enabled, renters will start to see the “Total price” badge and checkmark on your listings across Zillow search results, property detail pages, saved homes, and emails starting on September 2, 2025. 

For partners using Zillow Rental Manager

Starting August 25, 2025, Zillow Rental Manager (ZRM) customers in Massachusetts will be able to activate total price to help comply with the state regulation effective September 2. This capability will expand to other states in the coming months.

To display total price on your ZRM listings, follow these steps:  

1. Enter fee data directly in Zillow Rental Manager
   • Add base rent and any required monthly fees using the existing Costs & Fees tools.
2. Review your Costs & Fees breakdown
   • Check that your listings reflect the correct required fees and that the total price is calculated accurately. 
3. Confirm the fee information you’ve provided is complete and accurate
   • Once you confirm your base rent and required monthly fees, your Massachusetts listings will show the “Total price” badge on Zillow. 

In Massachusetts, starting on September 2, Zillow will feature prominent banners across the site introducing total monthly price and encouraging renters to look for listings with the "Total price" badge. To give renters the most accurate view of your property, we strongly encourage you to provide your fee information and enable total price as soon as possible.

If you do not take action on listings in Massachusetts by September 2, your listing will show a “Fees may apply” tag. This signals to renters that some required costs may be missing from the advertised price, which can create uncertainty and reduce renter confidence. 

Zillow's commitment to transparency

Zillow is committed to supporting our partners through regulatory changes and evolving renter expectations. This new pricing capability is part of our ongoing effort to deliver clarity and transparency, benefiting both renters and housing providers.

This blog post is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice. Zillow does not guarantee the applicability of the information provided to your specific circumstances. For questions about your obligations under the law, we recommend consulting a qualified attorney or legal professional.