Zillow’s New “Blacklist” Policy: What Buyers and Sellers Need to Know

If you’re planning to buy or sell a home in 2025, you may be surprised to learn that some homes for sale may no longer appear on Zillow - even if they’re actively being marketed elsewhere.

That’s because Zillow has officially launched a new “blacklist” policy on June 30, 2025 that will ban certain listings from appearing on their platform if they aren’t listed on the local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) in a timely manner.

Let’s break down what this means for you and why it matters.

What Is Zillow’s New Policy?

As of June 30, 2025, Zillow will block listings from appearing on their site if an agent publicly markets the home without entering it into the MLS within one business day.

What counts as public marketing?

• Yard signs

• Social media posts

• Online ads

• Email blasts

• Broker websites

This Zillow policy aligns with the National Association of Realtors’ “Clear Cooperation Policy”, which is designed to ensure that all buyers have fair access to listings at the same time, regardless of how or where they search.

How Does Zillow Know a Listing Violates This Policy?

Zillow uses a mix of technology and community enforcement to identify violations, including:

MLS Data Matching

Zillow tracks the timing of when listings are submitted to the MLS. If it sees that a home was publicly marketed more than one business day before hitting the MLS, it’s flagged for a potential violation.

Digital Monitoring

Zillow’s systems monitor:

• Social media posts

• Online ads

• Broker websites

• “Coming Soon” yard signs

It uses timestamped content, image recognition, and syndication data to detect if a property was publicly promoted too early.

User and Agent Reporting

Agents, competitors, or consumers can report suspicious listings. This can also be a yard sign in yard before being added to MLS.

These are investigated against the MLS timeline and marketing activity.

Clear Cooperation Alignment

Since this mirrors the National Association of Realtors’ policy, Zillow cross-references MLS violations and rule enforcement as part of its tracking.

What Happens If the Policy Is Violated?

• First Violation: Warning

• Second Violation: Final warning

• Third Violation: The listing will be permanently banned from Zillow—for the entire duration of that listing agreement.

This is not just a slap on the wrist—banned listings will be completely invisible to Zillow users, even if the home is actively for sale.

Why Zillow Is Doing This

Zillow says the change is about transparency and fairness. When agents “market” homes before listing them on the MLS, it can create what’s called a “pocket listing” or “coming soon” listing. These can limit exposure and potentially keep buyers in the dark about available homes.

By enforcing this rule, Zillow hopes to:

• Prevent unfair advantages to agents or buyers “in the know”

• Ensure listings reach the widest possible audience at the same time

• Uphold fair housing practices

The Pros and Cons of Zillow’s Blacklist Policy

Advantages:

• Greater transparency: All buyers get equal access to listings

• More complete inventory: Keeps agents from “holding back” listings

• Consumer confidence: Reduces the confusion caused by off-market or hidden listings

Disadvantages:

• Less flexibility for sellers and agents: Some prefer to test the waters before going public

• Private marketing options are limited: “Coming soon” strategies could be less effective

• Listings may be harder to find: If you’re relying solely on Zillow, you could miss homes marketed elsewhere

Is Zillow the Only One Doing This?

At this time, Zillow is leading the charge with this strict enforcement policy. Other platforms like:

• Realtor.com and Redfin still adhere to the Clear Cooperation Policy as part of their MLS partnerships but have not announced a similar listing ban enforcement mechanism.

• Homes.com, interestingly, is leaning into this change by offering boosted visibility to listings banned from Zillow—potentially creating a new battleground in the real estate platform wars.

The Legal Side: Compass vs. Zillow

The brokerage firm Compass has filed a lawsuit challenging the policy, calling it anti-competitive. They argue it limits agent freedom and could potentially hurt sellers.

This legal battle may have broader implications for how platforms handle listing data in the future.

What This Means for You

For Sellers:

If you’re selling your home and your agent plans to use Zillow to promote it, make sure it’s listed on the MLS first - or immediately after any public marketing. Otherwise, your home may never show up to the millions of buyers who use Zillow daily. This is definitely a detriment to your listing, and potential final sales price.

For Buyers:

Don’t rely on just one platform. While Zillow remains a dominant force, it won’t show every listing anymore. Make sure your agent has access to the full MLS and can alert you to properties that might be missing from online portals.

Final Thoughts

Zillow’s new policy may stir up some frustration for agents and sellers who rely on pre-MLS marketing, but for buyers, it could mean a fairer playing field.

Still, it’s a reminder that real estate platforms are just one piece of the puzzle - a knowledgeable local agent who understands the market and has full MLS access is still your best asset.

Have questions about how this policy could affect your next move?

Get in touch today - I’d be happy to walk you through your options.