Zillow Isn't the Best Place to Find an Agent

Let's clear something up: Zillow is a great place to browse homes. It is not the best place to choose the person who'll guide one of the biggest financial decisions of your life.

And Zillow just changed how it makes money — again.

Oh, you thought Zillow was free? You don't get a bill, but YOUR INFO is what is being sold. When you click "Contact Agent," Zillow gets paid to hand your name, number, and home search to a local agent. That's the business. That's how Zillow actually makes its money.

Zillow makes most of its revenue from real estate agents, not from you. For years, that meant agents bought advertising by ZIP code and paid for each buyer "connection." Zillow's own figures put the average around $181 per connection, higher in big metros.

Now Zillow is moving agents onto a program called Zillow Preferred (it absorbed the old "Flex" program in October 2025). Agents pay nothing up front. Instead, if you buy or sell with them, the agent owes Zillow a cut of their commission at closing — commonly reported at 15% to 40%, and as high as a flat 40% on seller leads.

Zillow told investors the new model earns it about 23% more revenue per connection than the old one, and it's aiming to put more than 75% of connections through it by the end of 2026.

What that means for you

• The "Contact Agent" button usually isn't the listing agent. On most listings, it routes you to an agent who paid Zillow for that ZIP code. The actual listing agent is in the smaller "Listed by" line.
• You're matched by who paid, not who's best. The agent you get is the one in Zillow's program for that area — not necessarily the one who knows your neighborhood, your price point, or your type of home.
• Your agent has a silent partner. An agent giving up as much as 40% of their pay has less to spend on marketing your home, staging, photography, and service.
• Watch the lender pitch. Zillow is pushing hard into mortgages through Zillow Home Loans. Several class-action lawsuits allege Zillow pressured its Preferred agents to steer buyers there. Zillow denies the claims, and none have been proven — but you should always compare lenders yourself.

How to find the right agent instead

1. Ask people you trust. A referral from someone who's actually sold a home beats an algorithm.
2. Look at results, not ads. Ask for list-to-sale price ratio, days on market, and recent sales in your area.
3. Read real reviews. Look for patterns across Google, Zillow, and the agent's own site — hundreds of reviews tell a story.
4. Interview two or three. Ask how they'll market your home, who's on their team, and how they're paid.
5. Ask directly: "Are you paying a referral fee on my deal?" A good agent will tell you.

Why sellers come to us directly

At the Dawn Griffin Real Estate Group, our clients find us through referrals, reviews, and the work itself. Our listings average 103% of asking price. We've earned 300+ five-star reviews over 22+ years, and St. Louis Magazine named us Best Real Estate Agent on its A-List in 2024, 2025, and 2026.

Keep using Zillow to scroll listings. When you're ready to buy or sell, call me directly at (314) 541-3840 or request a free home valuation. No middleman, no algorithm — just a team that knows St. Louis and wants to help.