Zillow’s New Policy Could Keep Your Home Hidden, Even After It’s Listed
Attention home sellers: A major shift is underway in how your home is seen by potential buyers, and it could have a huge impact on your sale.
Zillow recently announced a change that could affect your listing's visibility. If you or your agent decide to delay marketing your home on public platforms like Zillow, Realtor.com, or Homes.com, Zillow may choose not to display your property at all, even once it goes live on the MLS.
That’s right. Even after your listing is officially “active,” it could still be excluded from Zillow's site permanently.
What's Behind the Change?
This decision is connected to an ongoing industry conversation around the National Association of Realtors’ “Clear Cooperation Policy.”
This policy was created to encourage transparency and ensure listings are widely accessible. However, it also allows sellers and agents to initially market homes exclusively within their local MLS network, delaying public exposure.
On the surface, this might seem like a strategic move offering exclusivity and time to prep. But here’s the catch:
If you delay going public, Zillow may never show your home at all.
Why It Matters
Because most buyers start their home search on Zillow. It’s often the first (and sometimes only) place buyers look when browsing available properties.
So if your listing isn’t visible there:
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You’ll get fewer views
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That means less competition
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Which could mean fewer offers, or lower ones
Worse still, if your home doesn’t sell during that limited "MLS-only" window, getting attention later could be tough. Once it’s excluded from Zillow, there may be no going back.
What Should You Do?
If you’re preparing to sell, here’s the key takeaway:
Make sure your home is listed on all major platforms from Day One.
Speak with your agent about a marketing strategy that maximizes exposure right away. Don’t risk limiting your home’s audience by withholding it from the public eye.
Final Thought: Visibility Sells
In today’s market, visibility is everything. The more people who see your home, the better chance you have at attracting strong, competitive offers.
Don’t let a technical policy quietly work against your success. Get your home seen and sold.
