Zillow To Go To Trial Against FTC This August

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia declined the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) request to decide on its lawsuit against Zillow and Redfin before trial—meaning Zillow will now present a full case at trial in August.

The FTC sued Zillow and Redfin in October 2025 for alleged suppression of rental competition in the United States.

The lawsuit alleged that Zillow and syndication partner Redfin (which publishes Zillow's rental listings on its portal) have stunted multifamily rental advertising competition, harming American renters and property managers. The FTC also accused Zillow of entering an illegal agreement with Redfin, designed to effectively eliminate Redfin as a competitor to Zillow, in exchange for a $100 million payment for syndication rights for multifamily listings until 2034.

Zillow and Redfin sought a dismissal, arguing that the syndication agreement brought extra visibility to rental listings to consumers in the United States, not less, saying the deal “makes renters and property managers better off and the rental advertising business more competitive.”

Despite failing in its bid for a dismissal, Zillow says it welcomes the opportunity to present its evidence.

The company said:

At its core, this case is about a rental listings syndication agreement built to do something straightforward—get more listings in front of more renters.

The FTC asked the court to partially resolve this case before Zillow has the opportunity to present its full evidence at trial—evidence that will demonstrate the pro-competitive effects of this partnership for renters and housing providers. We are pleased with the court's decision today, and look forward to presenting the full record at trial next month.

Zillow has consistently maintained that the facts of this case tell a clear story: this partnership has expanded rental inventory, improved results for housing providers, and strengthened competition in the market.