Op-Ed: Zillow Is Winning—And It’s Our Fault

If the title stings a little, good. It’s supposed to.

Because while the real estate industry has been caught up in lawsuits, new rules, commission chaos, and endless in-fighting, Zillow has been quietly—and strategically—positioning itself as the hero in the consumer’s story.

And we let them.

How Zillow outplayed the industry

Let’s not pretend this was some masterstroke of genius on their part. Zillow didn’t outsmart REALTORS®. They simply outlasted our unity.

While we’ve debated Clear Cooperation Policies, wrestled over listing timelines and built competing models that cannibalized each other, Zillow filled the vacuum we left behind.

They showed up with polished press releases. Consumer-first soundbites. The appearance of clarity and simplicity—while we delivered confusion, conflict, and complexity.

It’s no accident. It’s strategy.

Just look at what Zillow’s Chief Industry Development Officer, Errol Samuelson, said recently:

“We will continue to advocate on behalf of the consumer. It’s the right path for the industry, and we know the companies that will succeed are those that deliver for consumers, not those that put their own interests ahead of the needs of the homebuyers and sellers they purport to represent.”

Translation?
Zillow = the good guy.
REALTORS® = the problem.

That’s the unspoken (but very real) message that’s being broadcast to millions of consumers. It’s a slow, steady drip that reshapes public perception—and strengthens Zillow’s influence while weakening the agent’s role.

The power of vagueness

When NAR rolled out their new “MLS Option with IDX Feed Delay” rule, confusion exploded.

Zillow capitalized immediately—publishing their own Listing Standards Policy, but conveniently leaving it vague as to whether NAR’s new rule would trigger Zillow’s threats to blacklist certain listings.

Why not just say it clearly? Why not reassure the public—and REALTORS®—that NAR’s new policy complies?

Simple: Because confusion benefits Zillow.

By being murky, Zillow gets to maintain their “pro-consumer” stance while letting suspicion fester around REALTORS® and NAR. They whisper reassurance to brokers behind closed doors, but publicly? Silence.

They are playing both sides.

They don’t want to alienate agents entirely—they still need their listings. But they’re perfectly happy to let the consumer narrative drift further and further away from trusting REALTORS®.

And sadly? Some of our own industry leaders are standing on the sidelines applauding.

Zillow’s real goal: Total transaction control

This isn’t about a portal anymore. It’s about a platform—and total vertical integration of the real estate process.

Look at what Zillow now controls:

Dotloop for transactions
ShowingTime for appointments
Follow Up Boss for CRM and leads
Aryeo and VRX Media for listing media
Spruce for title and escrow services

They’ve used billions of agent-paid ad dollars to build an empire that touches every phase of the transaction.

And yes—they built it with REALTOR® money.

How we start to turn the tide

Enough complaining. Here’s how we begin to rebuild:

Cut off the cash flow
If you’re still buying Zillow ads, you’re funding your own competition. Stop.
Update MLS photo rules
Allow agent contact info on listing photos. It’s one small change that sends real leads back to real agents—not third-party aggregators.
Get a seat at the table
MLS rules and association policies aren’t set on social media. They’re decided by the people who show up. Be one of them.
Use what you already have
Your brokerage likely offers incredible marketing tools. Stop chasing shiny objects and start mastering what’s already at your fingertips.
Go back to grassroots
You don’t need Zillow to find buyers and sellers. Open houses. Social media. YouTube videos. Garage sales. Community events. Build relationships. Build local authority.