How Does Zillow’s Real Blacklist (aka the Zillow Ban) Impact Investors?

Zillow is one of the most visited real estate websites in the United States with an estimated 57 million monthly visitors. For many investors, it’s where they start their journey with real estate investing and how they identify potential properties. However, things are drastically changing on the platform as a result of Zillow’s blacklist policy – and it is likely to negatively impact investors.

From 30^th June 2025, Zillow is now banning any listings that are publicly marketed before hitting the MLS. This means a property’s listing can be banned from Zillow if a ‘for sale’ sign is put in the front yard, or it appears on social media before being listed on the MLS. The Zillow blacklist policy is likely to change how investors source their deals – and Privy is here to fill this gap.

In this article, we’re looking at how Zillow’s blacklisting policy is likely to impact investors and why it’s more important than ever to incorporate Privy into your investing strategy.

What Is the Zillow Ban (and Why Does It Matter)?

Zillow is now removing listings for properties that have been publicly marketed as being for sale, either on broker websites, social media, or with yard signs, if they haven’t been submitted to MLS within one day. This policy has been enacted as Zillow is adopting a stricter interpretation of the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) ‘MLS Clear Cooperation Policy’.

This new blacklisting policy will change how investors source pre-market properties, the workflow of agents, and investor strategies. Under this new policy, agents on Zillow will receive 3 warnings before all their listings are banned from Zillow.

We’re already seeing real estate brokerages and agents using ‘coming soon’ listings having their listings removed from Zillow’s platform. Reports from HousingWire suggest that hundreds of listings weekly in high-traffic markets, including Miami and San Francisco, are likely to be impacted.

Why Zillow Has Introduced Its Blacklist

Zillow claims the introduction of this blacklisting policy is designed to promote listing transparency and fairness for consumers. However, requiring a one-day upload to the MLS will centralize activity for Zillow, requiring more listings to flow directly through Zillow once they hit the market. As a result, Zillow will acquire more buyer data and additional ad revenue.

The introduction of this policy has received mixed reception. Comparative platforms, such as Redfin have announced their support and intention to follow in Zillow’s footsteps. However, some independent brokerages have voiced their disapproval with Compass filing a lawsuit against the policy, describing it as ‘monopoly tactics’.

How the Zillow Blacklist Impacts Real Estate Investors

On the surface, it’s easy to assume that it’s real estate agents who will face the biggest challenge from Zillow’s backlisting policy. However, real estate investors will face their own challenges. They can no longer rely on Zillow for sourcing pre-market inventory with pocket and ‘coming soon’ listings being removed from the website until they’ve been directly uploaded to the MLS.

Delisting properties under this policy will also limit the data transparency available for investors, making it harder for them to get a real-time, accurate market picture. This hidden inventory can result in skewed price expectations for investors as there are fewer comps available.

How Privy Solves the Headache of the Zillow Blacklist

At Privy, we’re here to help investors dealing with the fallout of the Zillow blacklisting policy. Our investor-focused data gives you access to the information you’ll no longer find on Zillow, allowing you to navigate new markets like a local investor with real-time insights.

Our direct-to-MLS feed pulls listings directly from local MLSs, allowing you to see listings that have been blocked or delayed from appearing on Zillow’s platform. You’ll never miss a potential deal with automated price alerts and investor-friendly listings, notifying you as soon as a possible deal arrives on our system that aligns with your portfolio. Even if a listing is removed from Zillow, you’ll still see it on Privy once it’s been uploaded to the MLS.

You can use our automated deal-finding tools to compare potential properties and make informed decisions using on and off-market data. Our data-driven approach gives you actionable insights and the ability to replicate proven investor strategies to minimize risk and maximize profits.

Our investor activity tools enable you to track comparable properties in real time, helping you navigate volatile markets with enhanced deal analysis by leveraging more accurate comps. Whatever your investing strategy, Privy goes further than Zillow by taking you beyond the property listing with our LiveCMA to ensure you never miss a cash flow opportunity. 

Changes Real Estate Investors Should Make to Their Strategies

What should you do if you were an investor relying on Zillow for your property sourcing? It’s time to stop solely relying on platforms like Zillow and Redfin, which are likely to follow Zillow’s policy, and to stop trusting ‘coming soon’ signs. Instead, switch to direct-to-MLS platforms like Privy, which don’t rely on third-party platforms for their listing.

Personalize your experience with platforms like Privy by customizing your alerts to align with your key performance indicators (KPI) and your preferred property type. Don’t just limit your search to your local area. Privy’s easy navigation allows you to explore listings in other neighborhoods and states with instant overviews. You can also use Privy to connect with investor-focused agents in your target areas.

With other platforms expected to implement similar blacklisting policies in the coming months, now is the time to get ahead of your competition by joining Privy.