WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against real estate giants Zillow and Redfin, accusing the companies of striking an unlawful deal to stifle competition in the online rental advertising market.

According to the complaint, the arrangement, made in February 2025, effectively eliminated Redfin as an independent rival by paying the company $100 million and other compensation to exit the market for multifamily rental property advertising. In return, Redfin is accused of terminating contracts with its advertising clients, stopping competing for new ones and turning its websites into syndicators of Zillow’s listings.

The FTC contends that the agreement, publicly billed as a “partnership,” was in reality a plan to insulate Zillow from competition

See Full Page