Just one day before its threatened suspension, Realtracs issued a significant update to its dispute with Zillow: There will be no service disruption on June 1. The new deadline has been changed to next Monday, June 8.
The original June 1 date was tied to Realtracs’ enforcement of its updated IDX display rules, which require that publicly marketed listings appear in search results matching buyer criteria. That enforcement deadline remains in place, but Zillow’s non-compliance won’t trigger an immediate data suspension on that date.
Instead, Realtracs is extending negotiations through the expiration of Zillow’s current license agreement on June 8—giving both parties a full week to reach a deal before data access is cut off.
“There will be no changes to listing display on June 1,” read a press release issued by Realtracs on May 31. “Realtracs is continuing active negotiations with Zillow as the current license agreement approaches its June 8 expiration date and is committed to minimizing disruption for brokers and their clients throughout this process.”
Zillow, expressing optimism on the issue, indicated its willingness to continue discussions.
“We’re glad Nashville-area buyers, sellers and agents woke up this morning still able to access the housing market through Zillow,” a Zillow spokesperson told RISMedia. “We remain hopeful that we can find a path forward that keeps Nashville listings visible to the millions of buyers who search Zillow every month. Our commitment to transparency in real estate is unwavering, and we believe it is possible to honor that commitment while continuing to serve the Nashville market together.”
Realtracs is not alone in taking this stance.
MRED, a major MLS serving the Chicagoland area, already suspended Zillow’s access to its data feed for the same reason—Zillow’s refusal to comply with revised IDX display rules regarding the “objective criteria” used to filter listings. Zillow has claimed these rules are a “pretextual” excuse to cut it off from listings.
On May 22, Judge John Tharp issued a ruling restoring the listing feeds to Zillow.
Compass—which has feuded with Zillow in the courtroom before—has actively lobbied multiple MLSs to enforce these IDX requirements. Following Realtracs’ first announcement to cut off Zillow’s feed, Compass CEO Robert Reffkin thanked the MLS for standing up to Zillow, saying that “Zillow will attack any MLS, broker or agent that protects their seller clients’ data from being monetized on Zillow.”
Though seller choice remains central to Realtracs’ position, its press release reveals another deeper concern—compensation for data. The MLS said it believes that brokers should be compensated for the listing content they create.
“Realtracs holds that brokers own their listing data,” the statement reads, “and the organization is negotiating on behalf of its members to see that the value of their work is recognized by platforms, including Zillow, that rely on listing information created by brokers and agents to operate their businesses.”
If a new agreement is not reached before the current license expires on June 8, Zillow’s access to Realtracs data feeds will terminate at that time, Realtracs added.
The MLS, as it did in its first announcement to its members, did offer an alternative for brokers that want their listings to continue appearing on Zillow.
“Regardless of the outcome of licensing negotiations, brokers retain the ability to submit listings directly to Zillow through GRID’s Broker Only Export program, which operates independently of the Zillow licensing agreement.”
