Portal Power

Zillow, Compass, and the fight for who controls the front door

Splits and Caps Daily: Action for Agents

April 22, 2025

📈 Market Move:

Market Manipulation

Real estate just turned into a full-on turf war—Zillow vs. Compass.

Zillow laid down the law with a new policy: if a listing is marketed publicly but isn’t on the MLS, it’s not showing up on Zillow.com. That triggered a wave of pushback from Compass, the loudest voice in the “office exclusives” camp. They argue private listings give sellers more control. Zillow (with support from eXp, Redfin, and NextHome) says it’s about transparency and fair housing—if you’re going to market a listing, everyone should have access to it.

Things escalated fast. LinkedIn became the battlefield, with blog posts, livestreams, and spicy comments flying. Compass cried foul over what they see as anti-competitive behavior. Zillow’s camp fired back, saying private exclusives aren’t as great as advertised and challenged Compass to prove otherwise.

Behind all the noise? A simple truth: whoever controls how listings are shared controls the power—and the profits.

🌟Quote of the Day:

"Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard." — Tim Notke

⚡ Quick Win:

Speedy CMA Text: Take 5 minutes to text three past clients: “Hey [Name], home values in your area are up. Want a quick update on your home’s worth?” Easy lead gen.

🎉 Fun Fact of the Day: 

Ghosted: There are over 1.5 million vacant homes in the U.S. That’s a lot of real estate sitting there like an unused gym membership. Investors, take notes.

📚 Book Recommendation:

"The Experience Economy" by B. Joseph Pine II and James H. Gilmore—This one’s not just a book—it’s a red pill.

You think you’re selling homes? Services? Nope. You're selling experiences. And the second you realize that, the game changes.

The Experience Economy lays out a brutal truth: products are commodities, services are expected, but experiences are what people remember—and pay more for. Starbucks doesn’t sell coffee. They sell that “third place” between work and home. Disney? They’re not in the amusement park business. They're in the “make-my-kid-smile-while-I-pay-$18-for-a-hot-dog” business.

Now zoom in on real estate. What’s your open house? A chore… or a mini-event? What’s your brand? A logo… or a feeling?

If your clients are just “satisfied,” you're replaceable. If they’re wowed, you're unforgettable.

Want to charge more, attract better clients, and build a referral machine?
Stop selling houses. Start selling the experience.

Read this. Then go turn your next listing into Disneyland (without the long lines or churros).

Don’t wait for momentum — build it.

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