By Courtney Orlando, Courtney Orlando Group | Compass Real Estate

In a surprising announcement, Zillow recently declared a policy that could change the game for real estate agents and their clients across the U.S. Effective immediately, if a listing is publicly marketed (for example, via a Compass Coming Soon), it must be entered into the MLS within one calendar day—or else Zillow will permanently block it from appearing on their platform.

What This Means for You
At first glance, this may seem like just another industry policy update. But take a closer look and you’ll see that it raises significant questions about who controls the listing content—the homeowner, the agent, or a real estate portal? For homeowners in Central and North Jersey and beyond, this has big implications.

Zillow, a private company, is positioning itself as the gatekeeper of the real estate internet. By enforcing this rule, they essentially penalize agents and their clients who choose to pre-market their homes privately or test pricing strategies without publishing to the public MLS. This is particularly concerning given that:

  • Compass Private Exclusives and Compass Coming Soon are tools designed to give sellers control. These allow homeowners to test the market quietly and strategically, without the risk of visible price drops or a high number of days on market—two key metrics that can turn off buyers and reduce a home's perceived value.
  • Almost 90% of buyers use a real estate agent. Despite Zillow boasting 200 million website visitors per month, only 4.2 million homes were sold last year. That means most people on Zillow are browsing, not buying.

Who Really Owns Your Listing Content?
Let’s take a moment to reflect: Did you, as a homeowner or agent, give Zillow permission to post your listing, photos, and floor plan? Did you give them the green light to track your home’s days on the market and display every price reduction? Probably not. And yet, these platforms sell the data back to you in the form of leads—often at a steep referral fee.

Real estate professionals like us pay to input listings into the MLS, only for that data to be distributed and monetized by third-party portals. This isn't just about marketing; it's about control.

A Call to Preserve Homeowner Choice
In February and March 2025, over 50% of Compass sellers chose to market their listings first as Compass Private Exclusives or Coming Soon. This is because sellers want to retain the ability to decide how their homes are presented to the public. Zillow's new policy sends a clear message: "We know what's best for your client."

But as agents, we know that each seller has unique goals. Maybe they need discretion. Maybe they want to test pricing privately. Maybe they’re not quite ready to go live. The bottom line: No third-party platform should dictate how you or your client markets a home.

What You Can Do
As the market continues to shift and evolve, it’s more important than ever to work with an agent who knows how to navigate these complexities. Our Compass 3-Phased Marketing Strategy is built for flexibility, personalization, and results—something portals can’t offer.

 

Thinking about buying or selling a home? Get expert guidance from a trusted real estate professional. Call or text Courtney Orlando, Central & North Jersey REALTOR® at 732.921.1825. Visit www.CourtneyOrlandoGroup.com for more insights and personalized assistance.