Zillow and Realtor.com syndicate pre-market listings through Preview to expand public access

# What changed Zillow announced that its "Preview" pre-market listings are now visible on Realtor.com. The companies first revealed the partnership in May. Listings labeled as Preview will appear on both portals at the same time and no special login or brokerage relationship is required to see them.

# Why it matters Both portals frame the move as expanding public access to pre-market inventory. Zillow and Realtor.com describe the integration as creating a common standard so buyers on either platform see the same early listings at the same time. For sellers, the platforms say broader exposure should increase reach.

The timing is notable because Zillow is engaged in litigation with Compass and Chicago-based MLS Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED) over listing access and licensing. A federal judge denied Zillow's request for a preliminary injunction on Sept. 15, which means Zillow must follow MRED's licensing rules to access that MLS feed.

# What each company is saying Zillow: The company said Preview listings will be available on both sites starting immediately and emphasized there's no special login required. Zillow reported Preview has signed on over 400 brokerage partners since launch.

Realtor.com: Anna Marie Castiglioni, head of Realtor.com Next, said making Preview available on both platforms gives every buyer on either site access to the same homes at the same time and increases reach for sellers.

Compass: Following the court ruling, Compass CEO Robert Reffkin called the decision an important legal victory. Compass promotes a three-phased marketing strategy that restricts some early visibility to private networks, and the company said the ruling supports homeowners' choice about how properties are marketed.

# How this will affect agents, buyers, and sellers

• Buyers: People using Zillow or Realtor.com should see the same pre-market Preview listings without additional accounts or broker relationships.
• Sellers: Those whose brokerages participate in Preview will get broader exposure across both portals, according to the companies.
• Agents and brokerages: Agents at brokerages that join Preview can present pre-market exposure across two major portals. The legal environment around MLS access may still affect which local listings appear where, depending on MLS licensing rules.

# Legal and competitive context The integration does not remove the larger legal and strategic disputes in the market. Zillow's lawsuit against Compass and MRED continues to shape how listing data is shared. The recent denial of Zillow's preliminary injunction means Zillow must comply with MRED's licensing conditions to access its feed, which affects Zillow's ability to independently implement its Listing Access Standards in certain markets.

Compass argues its private-marketing approach preserves seller choice and that agents should be free to follow seller instructions on how and when to market a property. Zillow and Realtor.com position their collaboration as an alternative that places listings in the public domain earlier.

# Near-term expectations Expect more technical integrations as Preview expands: Zillow has already announced other partnerships (for example, integration plans with RealScout and CRM integrations). Local differences will persist while MLS licensing rules and individual brokerage decisions continue to shape which listings appear where.

# Bottom line Zillow and Realtor.com have linked a pre-market feed so the same Preview listings appear on both portals without extra access requirements. The move increases public visibility for participating brokerages' pre-market homes, but its reach will be shaped by ongoing legal rulings and local MLS licensing rules.