Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED) is threatening to suspend its listing data feeds to Zillow Group websites, including Zillow.com and Trulia.com, unless Zillow cures what the MLS says is a material breach of its license agreements by late Tuesday.
In an announcement on Monday, the Illinois-based MLS said it will cut off Zillow’s IDX and VOW data feeds at 11:59 p.m. CDT on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, if Zillow does not restore the display of all eligible MRED broker listings in accordance with its licenses and MRED rules. MRED also said it reserves the right to terminate Zillow’s license entirely based on what it called a “material breach” tied to listing display practices.
The dispute centers on Zillow’s recent move to stop displaying certain listings submitted by MRED participants “based on the lawful marketing practices of those brokers,” according to the MLS. MRED said it notified Zillow that this selective exclusion violates Zillow’s IDX and VOW license agreements and its MLS rules, and gave Zillow a defined window to cure the alleged rule breach.
“The rules of this MLS exist to protect every participating broker and every consumer who relies on a complete and accurate picture of the market,” Rebecca Jensen, president and CEO of MRED, said in the announcement. “Those rules apply equally to every participant, regardless of the size of their audience or the reach of their platform. MRED enforces its rules consistently and fairly, and hopes that Zillow returns to operating consistent with its longstanding agreements with MRED.”
MRED said Zillow informed the MLS two weeks ago of its plan to exclude display of some listings that violate Zillow’s listing access standards policy. Since then, Zillow has filed a federal lawsuit in response to MRED’s enforcement actions, according to the MLS, but has “not yet responded” to MRED’s request that Zillow display all active MRED listings authorized for distribution in a manner consistent with the licenses and rules.
The MLS emphasized that if it moves forward with a suspension, the action would apply only to Zillow’s IDX and VOW feeds. Listings would continue to be available on “thousands of compliant consumer-facing websites,” MRED said, and any suspension would not affect listings populated in ShowingTime or dotloop, both Zillow-owned platforms that many agents and brokers rely on for showings and transaction management.
MRED framed the situation as Zillow’s decision to make: If Zillow brings its sites into compliance before the deadline, the MLS will not suspend the data feeds. “The choice to comply with MRED’s reasonable IDX and VOW rules – and avoid feed interruption – is Zillow’s to make,” the MLS said in the announcement.
On Monday, Zillow filed a motion for a preliminary injunction in its antitrust lawsuit against MRED and Compass asking the court to prevent MRED from terminating its listing access while its antitrust lawsuit proceeds.
According to exhibits and declarations filed with the motion, Compass International Holdings CEO Robert Reffkin sent emails to several MLSs across the country urging them to cut off Zillow’s feeds. Additionally, Zillow claims that Compass is using MRED to “threaten” Zillow over listings in California, Florida and Georgia.
In the lawsuit filed last Tuesday, Zillow claims that Compass and MRED conspired to threaten Zillow’s access to the Chicagoland listing feed unless the portal agreed to display Compass private listings across the United States. Zillow said this conduct amounts to an unlawful group boycott and abuse of monopoly power under the federal Sherman Antitrust Act.
Compass International Holdings did not immediately return HousingWire’s request for comment regarding Zillow’s motion or allegations.
This article was written by Brooklee Han and generated with the assistance of HousingWire Automation. It was reviewed by a HousingWire editor before publication. The system helps convert company announcements and industry data into HousingWire-style news coverage.
