GoKawiilZillow settles FTC antitrust case over $100 million Redfin payoff deal
Zillow has reached a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission over claims it paid Redfin $100 million to exit the internet listing service market for apartment rentals for up to nine years. The deal reverses that arrangement, requiring Redfin to relaunch its ILS business with significantly more listings and mandating Zillow to share employee information to help Redfin rebuild its team. Several states had joined the FTC's case, which was filed in September 2025 and later consolidated with the federal suit.
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The settlement signals that the FTC is willing to unwind pay-to-exit agreements between competitors, a tactic that can quietly eliminate competition without a traditional merger. For renters and property managers, restored competition in apartment listings could mean lower advertising costs and more innovation from platforms vying for market share. It also sets a precedent that could deter similar anti-competitive deals in the fast-consolidating real estate tech sector.
- Zillow settled FTC claims it paid Redfin $100 million to stay out of the apartment listings market for years.
- Redfin must relaunch its internet listing service with substantially more listings under the settlement terms.
- Zillow must share employee data with Redfin and let customers renegotiate contracts without penalty.
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Published there as: “Zillow settles antitrust lawsuit with the FTC”
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