Zillow Isn’t Your Friend: How They’re Hiding Listings and Selling You Out

If you rely on Zillow to find your next home, there's something you need to know.

Zillow recently changed how listings appear on their platform. Now, only agents who pay for their "Listing Showcase" program will have their homes appear in the main search results. Everyone else? Their listings are hidden behind a "More Listings" tab that most buyers won't even know exists.

At the same time, Zillow has banned "pocket listings" (homes marketed privately or with limited exposure) from appearing on their platform altogether. They're positioning it as a move to "protect transparency," but let’s call it what it really is: a power grab. Zillow wants control over the inventory — because if they control the listings, they control the leads. And leads are what Zillow sells to make money. What's the lead? YOU! You are the lead they are selling.

Starting in May, Zillow will exclude any listings that aren't entered into an MLS or broadly marketed to the public. Homes marketed privately or kept within small brokerage circles will simply disappear from Zillow's site. While they frame this as promoting fairness, it’s really about squeezing sellers and agents into Zillow's preferred system — one where Zillow stays in the middle and profits from every step.

Let's be clear: this isn't about "transparency" or "protecting the free market," like Zillow might claim. It's about protecting Zillow's revenue. Zillow makes its money selling your information as a "lead" to agents. If sellers and agents find ways to sell homes outside Zillow's pay-to-play system, Zillow loses the ability to sell those leads. They aren't protecting you — they're protecting themselves.

Even Redfin, another major real estate platform, has pushed back on Zillow's latest moves. Redfin's CEO criticized the crackdown on pocket listings, arguing that it limits consumer choice and unfairly penalizes alternative marketing strategies that could be better for some buyers and sellers. When your competitors are calling you out, you know you're going too far.

And the CEO of Homes.com didn’t hold back either, saying Zillow's move "puts profits over consumers." He added, "Consumers deserve access to all listings, not just the ones that make a platform more money." Exactly.

Why This Matters to You as a Buyer

1. Homes aren't hidden because they're bad.If you don't dig into the "More Listings" tab, you'll miss out on homes that could be a perfect fit — simply because the listing agent didn't pay Zillow. Zillow knows from their own backend data that homes hidden in that tab get dramatically fewer views. This isn't an accident. It's by design.

2. You need an agent more than ever.Long before Zillow existed, MLS (Multiple Listing Service) was — and still is — the ultimate source of truth for homes for sale. Agents used to literally carry around printed MLS books! Today, your agent still has access to the full MLS inventory, including homes that Zillow is now trying to bury. Plus, a good agent also has access to off-market opportunities that you won't find online anywhere.

3. Zillow isn't your fiduciary. Your agent is.When you sign with an agent, they have a legal and ethical duty to advocate for your best interest. Zillow doesn't have that responsibility. You're not a "customer" to Zillow. You're a lead to be sold. As Brad Inman put it, "Zillow’s customers are not buyers and sellers. Their customers are agents paying for leads."

4. Sellers are getting hurt too.This change isn't just about buyers missing homes. It's about sellers getting fewer eyes on their listings if their agents don't pay Zillow. There's already significant backlash, and there's a good chance Zillow will be forced to walk this back. But in the meantime, sellers may feel pressured into choices (like avoiding "office exclusives") that aren't always in their best financial interest.

Quick Note: What's an Office Exclusive (or Pocket Listing)?

An office exclusive means a listing is shared privately within a brokerage before (or instead of) being listed publicly on the MLS. It can work for very niche situations, but most of the time — especially for regular homes — the best strategy to get top dollar is to market the home widely.

Bottom Line:

‍If you want to actually see everything that's for sale — and have someone who truly advocates for your best interests — you need a great agent in your corner. Zillow can be a browsing tool, but it should never be your final source of truth.

If you're serious about buying (or selling) the right way — with full access to the real market — let's chat. I'll make sure nothing hidden, buried, or paywalled stands between you and your goals.

‍