Zillow, Realtor.com team up to broaden pre-market home access

Zillow and Realtor.com are joining forces to display Zillow’s pre-market Preview listings on both portals, extending early access to for-sale homes to buyers across the two largest U.S. real estate search sites, according to an announcement on Tuesday.

Beginning this summer, homes entered as Zillow Preview listings will also appear as Realtor.com Preview listings on Realtor.com. The integration will not require a special login or a brokerage relationship and it will be available to all consumers using either site.

The move comes as portals, multiple listing services and brokerages reassess listing distribution, transparency and buyer access in the wake of commission lawsuits and heightened scrutiny of pocket listings and off-MLS marketing. Zillow Preview has already signed on more than 60 brokerage partners, with listing volume continuing to grow, according to the announcement.

“The real estate market works best when every buyer has access to the same homes — nothing hidden, nothing reserved for a select few. That’s Zillow’s core belief,” Jeremy Wacksman, CEO of Zillow, said in the announcement. “Zillow and Realtor.com both are committed to the same principle: sellers deserve maximum exposure from day one, and buyers deserve visibility into every home available to them.”

Damian Eales, CEO of Realtor.com, framed the collaboration as an extension of open-market principles, while acknowledging gaps where some MLSs do not support a “coming soon” status.

“Our preference is that all listings, including early marketing listings, flow through the MLS and reach the widest possible audience for the benefit of both sellers and buyers. But where MLSs don’t yet offer a Coming Soon status, or where brokers choose to syndicate their preview listings directly, we have a responsibility to display those listings as broadly as possible,” Eales said in a statement.

Labeled and given enhanced visibility

Preview listings will be labeled as such on both Zillow and Realtor.com and receive enhanced visibility in search results and email alerts. Once a buyer finds a Zillow Preview or Realtor.com Preview listing, they can:

• Save the home to receive updates as more details are added
• Contact the listing agent with questions before the home goes live
• Pre-book a tour for when showings begin
• Use the extra time to hire a buyer’s agent and secure mortgage pre-approval

The companies said the intent is to give buyers more time to prepare in a low-inventory, high-competition market, while turning the pre-list period into a defined marketing runway for sellers and their agents.

The collaboration is positioned as opt-in and brokerage-driven. Preview is available to brokerages that support wide public visibility of listings in the earliest marketing window. Individual agents can then decide with their sellers whether to include Preview as part of their listing strategy.

Participating agents receive three primary benefits, according to the companies:

• Greater visibility: Preview listings receive elevated placement in search results and in saved-home alerts during the preview period.
• Free connections based on buyer choice: Consumers can choose to connect with the listing agent or a local buyer’s agent. When a buyer reaches out directly to the listing agent through Zillow or Realtor.com, those connections are free for the listing agent.
• Revenue participation: If a qualified Preview connection from either portal results in a closed transaction through a qualified partner agent, the listing agent may receive a share of the revenue earned from that transaction, settled through their brokerage. The companies said this fee is paid through the collaboration and does not increase costs for consumers or agents, and that commissions remain negotiable between consumers and their agents.

Zillow Preview is available in all U.S. markets except New York City, where StreetEasy, a Zillow brand, is exploring a tailored offering. More than 60 franchisors and brokerages currently participate, including Keller Williams, REMAX, Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, HomeServices of America, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, United Real Estate, Engel & Völkers and Side.

This article was generated using HousingWire Automation and reviewed by a HousingWire editor before publication. The system helps convert company announcements and industry data into HousingWire-style news coverage.