What’s Going On Between Compass and Zillow?

You may have seen news stories lately about a fight between the real estate company Compass and the home search giant Zillow. The argument centers on something called the Clear Cooperation Policy, a rule created by the MLS (Multiple Listing Service). Some of the news articles covering this are missing key insights—likely because the writers aren’t real estate professionals and may be relying too much on the messaging from one side or the other.

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First, What Is Clear Cooperation?

The MLS is a shared database REALTORS® use to advertise homes for sale. It’s designed to give every agent access to all available listings so buyers get maximum property exposure.

The Clear Cooperation Policy was introduced to prevent agents from secretly marketing homes to a limited group, often through private platforms or within their firms, before making them available on the MLS. This off-market selling, sometimes called “pocket listings,” can limit competition and reduce a seller’s chance of getting the best price.

While MLS policy’s stated goal is fairness and transparency, the deeper reason is likely to protect the MLS’s relevance. If agents stop using the MLS and rely only on their own networks, the whole system becomes less valuable.

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Why Off-Market Listings Are a Problem

Off-market listings are like messages stored in a private inbox you rarely check—you might miss them entirely unless you’re actively looking. That’s called “pull” technology.

On the other hand, MLS listings are like notifications “pushed” straight to your phone—they show up automatically, and you see them right away.

When a home is listed off-market, only a limited group of buyers hear about it. That usually means less exposure, fewer offers, and lower competition, which can hurt the seller’s bottom line.

While we sometimes use off-market listings during the prep phase of a sale (like while staging or photographing the home), we don’t keep them that way for long, because limiting market saturation usually isn’t in the seller’s best interest.

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What Compass Is Doing

Compass, a large real estate brokerage, is trying to keep more of its listings “in-house”, meaning it only shares them with other Compass agents. This gives them a shot at representing both the buyer and the seller in the same deal—what’s called dual agency—and collecting oftentimes double the compensation.

Here’s the issue: When your agent is part of a dual agency deal, their legal fiduciary duty to act only in your best interest becomes divided. They can’t fully advise you against the buyer’s offer or suggest ways to negotiate, because they’re also obligated to the buyer through another agent at their brokerage.

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Why This Matters to You

If you’re selling your home and your agent is pressured to keep your listing within their own company (like Compass), you may lose:

• Wide exposure to all potential buyers.
• Unbiased advice about offers or pricing.
• The chance to spark competitive bidding that could raise your sale price.

Compass argues that off-market buyers might pay more to avoid competition, but if that’s true, why not open the listing up to everyone and see who offers the most? That’s what’s fair—and likely to get you the best result.

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The Bottom Line

Compass wants more control over listings and commissions. Zillow and the MLS want to keep all listings publicly accessible so the system stays fair and competitive. Neither party is purely looking out for you, the client—they’re both protecting their business models.

As always, the best decision is one that puts your interests first, not your agent’s brokerage.

Drew and Christine Morgan are experienced as BROKER, REALTORS, and NOTARY PUBLIC located in Belmont, CA, where they own and operate MORGANHOMES, Inc. They have assisted buyers and sellers in their community for over 30 years. Drew and Christine have received the coveted Diamond award and ranked among the top 50 agents nationwide and the top three in Northern California by RE/MAX. To contact them, please call (650) 508.1441 or emailinfo@morganhomes.com.

For all you need to know about Belmont, subscribe to this blog right here. You can also follow us on Facebook and on Twitter.

This article provides educational information and is intended for informational purposes only. It should not be considered real estate, tax, insurance, or legal advice; it cannot replace advice tailored to your situation. It’s always best to seek guidance from a professional familiar with your scenario.

BROKER | MANAGER | NOTARY

• For Valuation Purposes: Use mid-2022 or early 2024 comparables carefully — they represent market peaks and may not reflect current buyer tolerance unless demand surges again.

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Tariff Wars & Market Uncertainty: What It Means for Real Estate

Tariffs may not hit Belmont directly, but the ripple effects are real.

• The new administration’s sweeping tariffs on foreign goods aren’t targeting housing markets outright.
• However, the resulting market uncertainty is beginning to shift buyer and seller behavior across the Bay Area.
• Unlike areas reliant on imported construction materials, local markets like Belmont are more exposed to financial sentiment than lumber costs.

Uncertainty is a bigger threat than tariffs themselves.

• Consumer confidence is taking a hit—not just from the tariffs but also from how they’ve been rolled out: suddenly and without clear direction.
• Stock market volatility is keeping would-be homebuyers on the sidelines.
  • Many Bay Area buyers are heavily invested in equities.
  • Losses in their portfolios make them hesitant to liquidate assets for home purchases.
• That hesitation translates to a “wait-and-see” stance:
  • Waiting on the Fed.
  • Waiting on the economy.
  • Waiting on prices to dip or recession signs to emerge.

Interest rates aren’t helping.

• The Fed was expected to cut rates. That expectation is now on hold.
• Inflationary pressures from tariffs are prompting a more cautious FED approach.
• Without lower rates, many sellers who were holding out for better conditions are simply adjusting to the new norm of a 6%-plus mortgage rate and moving forward.
• Note: Interest rates are still on par or below historic norms.

Belmont’s housing market is adjusting to the new climate.

• Sales:
  • January started slowly.
  • February saw a surprising surge.
  • March leveled out with modest gains.

Listings:

• January listings were up 70% year-over-year — likely sellers who finally accepted current rate realities.
  • Growth in listings has since moderated.

Inventory:

• March inventory reached 26 active listings in Belmont.
  • That’s a meaningful uptick in a tight market.
  • The Months of Inventory figure hit 1.2 months, nearly double January and February.
  • Still a seller’s market — but trending more balanced.

Bottom Line:

• The local market is resilient, but not immune.
• Buyers are cautious. Sellers are adjusting.
• If current trends hold, Q2 will give us a clearer picture of where home values are headed under the weight of tariffs and tempered confidence.

Drew and Christine Morgan are experienced REALTORS and NOTARY PUBLIC located in Belmont, CA, where they own and operate MORGANHOMES, Inc. They have assisted buyers and sellers in their community for over 30 years. Drew and Christine have received the coveted Diamond award and ranked among the top 50 agents nationwide and the top 3 in Northern California by RE/MAX. To contact them, please call (650) 508.1441 or emailinfo@morganhomes.com.

For all you need to know about Belmont, subscribe to this blog right here. You can also follow us on Facebook and on Twitter.

This article provides educational information and is intended for informational purposes only. It should not be considered real estate, tax, insurance, or legal advice, and it cannot replace advice tailored to your specific situation. It’s always best to seek guidance from a professional who is familiar with your scenario.

22 Cadiz Circle stands quiet at the edge of Redwood Shores, tucked into the Sunrise enclave where the land meets the water. A single-story home, settled deep in the development, with its back to the wide, breathing expanse of the San Francisco Bay Trail and Steinberger Slough. Across the water, the Bair Island Ecological Reserve and Don Edwards Wildlife Refuge stretch out, untouched, steady.

However you like your media, we have a link for you.

Click here for either a video tour, 3D tour, or for a color brochure flip book.

Inside, the house has been reimagined—walls opened, space given room to breathe. The great room spills out in one sweep, light filling it from the preserve beyond. The kitchen holds its place, steady and strong. A garden window looks out over the patio, where mornings are still and evenings stretch long. Cabinets of rich wood, soft-close, easy. Stainless steel appliances—BOSCH silent style dishwasher, induction stove, a Zephyr-hooded GE oven and microwave, a French-door refrigerator, a wine cooler waiting for a reason to be opened. The quartz counters, smooth and cool, contrast the deep blue cabinetry, the eat-at bar inviting slow mornings and easy meals.

Beyond, the dining room watches over the living room. The ceiling rises high, a cathedral of light. The fireplace waits for colder nights. Beyond the glass doors, the open land holds still, an unbroken view stretching past the entertainment patio.

One bedroom rests nearby, close to the remodeled hall bath. The primary suite, set apart, is its own retreat—a quiet, cooled space with a bath that holds its comforts. Floating cabinetry, marble counters, a walk-in shower, a private water closet.

The garage, built for two cars, sits right off the kitchen, making returns easy, departures smooth.

Just down the road, the Bay Club hums with life. The Shores shopping center stands close, Nob Hill Foods at its heart, and casual dining spots gathered around it. The town moves, the tide shifts, but here, at 22 Cadiz Circle, there is stillness. A place to pause. A place to call home.