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30m ago

FTC Sues Zillow and Redfin Over Alleged $100 Million Deal to Halt Rental-Listing Competition

The case tests whether an exclusivity deal that sidelined Redfin’s multifamily rental ads violates antitrust law.

FILE - A Redfin "for sale" sign stands in front of a house on Oct. 28, 2020, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)
The Federal Trade Commission accused Zillow and Redfin — among the largest rental listing sites in the US — of an antitrust violation from a February 2025 agreement.
FILE - This March 16, 2015 photo shows a "now leasing" sign outside an apartment complex near Millville, N.J. (AP Photo/Mel Evans, file)
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Overview

  • The FTC filed a complaint on Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Virginia, alleging Zillow paid Redfin $100 million to stop competing in online apartment listings.
  • Regulators say the arrangement reduced rivalry in an already concentrated market and is likely to raise advertising costs for multifamily vacancies.
  • According to the complaint, Redfin exited multifamily advertising, terminated existing contracts, and transitioned those customers to Zillow.
  • The 2025 agreement made Zillow the exclusive provider of multifamily listings on Redfin, Rent.com, and ApartmentGuide for five years with options to extend.
  • FTC competition chief Daniel Guarnera said paying a rival to stop competing violates federal antitrust laws, and the agency seeks structural relief as Zillow defends the deal as pro‑competitive.