Chicago MLS Threatens Cutoff of Zillow Feed for Tens of Thousands Listings
ZG•Zillow will likely lose tens of thousands of Chicago-area listings this week after Midwest Real Estate Data demands the display of private-channel offerings. MRED gave Zillow until 11:59 p.m. Tuesday to show all MLS-syndicated listings or face suspension of its feed, prompting Zillow to seek a federal injunction.
1. Dispute Overview
Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED), the MLS operator for northern Illinois, has accused Zillow of blocking listings marketed in private channels before public release, which MRED says violates its licensing agreement that prohibits filtering based on broker affiliation.
2. MRED’s Deadline and Requirements
MRED issued a deadline of 11:59 p.m. central time on Tuesday for Zillow to display all MLS-syndicated listings, including those from its Private Listing Network and Compass Private Exclusives, or face suspension of its data feed.
3. Zillow’s Legal Response
In response, Zillow filed a lawsuit seeking a federal injunction to prevent MRED from cutting off its feed, arguing that enforcement of these rules will disrupt millions of user searches and harm its home search business.
4. Market and User Impact
If MRED suspends the feed, Zillow could lose access to tens of thousands of Chicago-area listings, potentially reducing site traffic, weakening its market position locally, and driving users to alternative platforms.
