Zillow just announced new standards that will ban publicly marketed listings from appearing on Zillow and Trulia if they aren’t submitted to the MLS within 24 hours.
The move aligns with the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) Clear Cooperation Policy. And eXp Realty—the nation’s largest brokerage by transaction count—is all in.
Zillow’s New Listing Access Standards
The core of the announcement is: “A listing marketed to any buyer should be marketed to every buyer.”
Zillow’s new listing standards state that if a property is publicly marketed, it must also be submitted to the MLS and distributed to public portals like Zillow within 24 hours. Otherwise, it gets blacklisted from Zillow and Trulia for the life of the listing.
NAR’s new delayed marketing exemption allows sellers to advertise delayed marketing exempt listings on “social media, other websites, and portals.” But Errol Samuelson, Zillow’s chief industry development officer, said that if it’s promoted anywhere publicly, it won’t ever be shown on their platforms if not submitted to the MLS within 24 hours, according to Real Estate News.
“It’s simple: sellers want exposure, and buyers deserve access. When all buyers don’t have the same access to home listings — and are forced to navigate barriers, possible bias and incomplete inventory – it undermines consumer trust and weakens the market. From day one, Zillow has focused on unlocking real estate information for all. Zillow is committed to empowering brokerages and agents who are dedicated to raising the bar for access. This is why we invest in software and tech tools for real estate professionals, and why we stand up policies that move the industry forward – not back.”
That doesn’t mean Zillow’s new standards completely block coming soon or delayed listings. In its announcement, Zillow states:
“Our standards say it’s okay to share office exclusives among agents within the same brokerage, or to have delayed marketing or coming soon listings that are entered into the MLS and available to all MLS participants. And, of course, it’s okay to maintain a seller’s privacy when necessary by keeping a listing off the internet entirely. But when it’s time to market to buyers, that means all buyers.”
eXp Realty Becomes the First to Sign On
eXp Realty is the first to officially align with Zillow’s standards.
As a launch partner in Zillow’s new initiative, the cloud-based brokerage is committing to post all publicly marketed listings to the MLS within 24 hours and to ensure those listings appear on Zillow.
“eXp will always take a position that protects consumers first, that’s non-negotiable. We’re deeply committed to giving our clients the most transparent, comprehensive access to property listings in the market. Our new agreement with Zillow ensures that every eXp Realty listing has maximum visibility, creating a more efficient, trustworthy, and open marketplace. This partnership is about delivering value and building trust, two things that matter more than ever in today’s rapidly evolving real estate landscape. By tapping into Zillow’s massive consumer reach, eXp agents are positioned to serve more people and create more opportunity. At the end of the day, this is a strategic move that reflects our relentless commitment to innovation, agent empowerment, and delivering excellence for our clients.”
Zillow is calling on other brokerages, MLSs, and tech platforms to follow eXp Realty’s lead and adopt transparent listing practices. Their message: Full market access should be the industry standard, not the exception.
With eXp fully backing Zillow’s new standards, it’ll be interesting to see who steps up next.
Meanwhile, CCP’s biggest detractors, led by Compass CEO Robert Reffkin, could sound off on this announcement in the days ahead.
Stay tuned as we learn more.
This post has been updated with additonal information about coming soon and delayed marketing listings.
