Zillow Settles FTC Antitrust Case Over Rental Listings
The FTC and Zillow settled an antitrust lawsuit Monday, the day trial was scheduled to begin in a Virginia district court. The case centered on Zillow paying Redfin $100 million to stop competing in apartment rental listings.
- $100 million changed hands when Redfin agreed to exit rental listing advertising.
- 14.5% average price increase per listing followed Redfin's exit, an FTC expert estimated.
- Redfin agreed to stay out of the market for up to nine years under the original deal.
- Five states — New York, Virginia, Arizona, Connecticut, Washington — joined the FTC as plaintiffs.
Why it matters: The rental listings market affects a large share of the country. Reduced competition, the FTC argued, drove up costs for landlords and cut listing quality for renters.
- Some property managers stopped buying online listings after Redfin's exit.
How 9 sources split on this story
Where they split: Zillow argued the deal added listings to both platforms and helped it compete with market leader CoStar Group; the FTC and states argued it eliminated a direct competitor and raised prices.
Center coverage, 2 sources: The center presents the settlement as a procedural resolution that restores market conditions, noting specific technical requirements on both companies.
Left coverage, 3 sources: The left frames the settlement as regulators protecting renters from a corporate scheme that eliminated competition and raised prices.
Right coverage, 4 sources: The right frames the outcome as a Trump administration housing agenda win, noting bipartisan state participation despite broader political clashes.
New York Post3hZillow settles FTC claims it paid Redfin to stop competing on apartment listings
The Daily Caller2hOne Company Paid Off Another To Leave Market. Settlement With Gov’t Could Be Huge Win For Housing Prices
The Epoch Times22hFTC and 5 States Reach Settlement With Zillow, Redfin in Rental Listing Lawsuit
The Washington Times2hZillow and Redfin resolve litigation over deal FTC claims suppresses rental listings competitionWhat’s next: Redfin must relaunch its rental advertising business within six months.
- Zillow must provide Redfin with employee information to aid recruiting.
- Redfin's partnership with Zillow can continue through at least 2030 under settlement terms.
- Whether Redfin's relaunched listings business will be competitive enough to meaningfully reduce prices for landlords.
- How the settlement compares in effect to what the FTC might have won at trial.