Zillow is Now a Broker, Will Receive IDX Feed - METRO MLS Blog

Zillow is now a licensed brokerage entity and Metro MLS member. Zillow’s change from a real estate media company/portal to a brokerage will allow them to display listings enrolled in the IDX program starting June 1.

Previously, members had the option to send their listings to Zillow via the broker distribution tab in Flexmls. But now, Zillow is just like any other broker that has Metro MLS membership.

All IDX listings will automatically appear on Zillow.com without any action needed from the listing broker. There will no longer be a specific Zillow checkbox under the broker distribution tab in Flexmls due to IDX policy.

Brokers will need to inform their agents of this change in Flexmls.

Zillow Group will be eliminated from the Broker Listing Distribution Options in Flexmls.

Metro MLS treats all businesses, regardless of business model, the same way, if they are licensed in Wisconsin and in good standing with a local Realtor association.

Below, Metro MLS answered questions to help members understand the impact this announcement has on them moving forward.

What is IDX?
IDX stands for Internet Data Exchange. IDX displays your competitors’ listings on your website while letting your listings appear on competitors’ websites. Metro MLS strictly enforces IDX policy.

Why should I let my competitors display my listings?
Since the implementation of IDX in the early 2000s, the IDX program has had tremendous success in helping Realtors market listings to their consumers. It also has increased the number of consumers who choose to engage with Realtors in real estate transactions.

Can I opt-out of sending my listings to Zillow?
Yes. But in opting out, you opt-out of the ability to have your listings displayed on any of your competitors’ websites while also losing the ability to display IDX listings on your website. There are far more advantages of remaining enrolled in IDX, especially for marketing properties, than choosing to opt-out of IDX. It is uncommon for members not to stay enrolled in IDX.

Why is Zillow changing from a real estate media company/portal to a brokerage?
According to Zillow, the reason for the change was because “Zillow’s mission is to simplify and streamline real estate transactions and deliver a more integrated experience to customers. To move toward these goals, in September, we announced we are changing the way we collect listing data, moving from thousands of disparate data feeds to MLS Internet Data Exchange (IDX) feeds, which are offered directly through MLSs to their members.”

Please contact inmyopinion@metromls.com if you have any additional questions regarding the announcement.