About 70% of Anywhere agents surveyed said it is not in a seller's best interest to sell their home on a private listing network

SEATTLE, Nov. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- About half (53%) of Anywhere Real Estate agents in a new survey say they would leave or might consider leaving their brokerage if the intended Compass acquisition of Anywhere moves forward — a signal of unease within one of the nation's largest real estate networks.

According to the recent Zillow ( ZG )® survey, 18% of Anywhere agents surveyed say they "definitely will" leave their brokerage in the next year if Compass acquires Anywhere. Another 35% of agents surveyed say they "might consider" leaving Anywhere. Nearly a quarter (23%) of Anywhere agents surveyed said the acquisition would have an overall negative impact on their business.

The survey, fielded in the second half of October, highlights the broad sentiment in the industry over the rise of private listing networks, which Compass uses as a strategy to market homes. While some agents see potential business advantages in keeping listings hidden within a closed, in-brokerage network, including using it to recruit new clients, others worry that limiting transparency through the spread of off-market listings will artificially lower sale prices, reduce access for buyers and erode trust in the marketplace.

About 70% of Anywhere agents surveyed said it is not in a seller's best interest to sell their home on a private listing network. More than half (55%) of Anywhere agents surveyed said the brokerage (34%) or agent (20%) is the biggest beneficiary of private listing networks, followed by sellers (16%) and buyers (12%). Those results point to agents' understanding that private listing networks exist to benefit the brokerage through recruiting and added commissions, and not to help consumers.

Most importantly, an overwhelming 98% of Anywhere agents surveyed sent a clear message that they value openness and fairness in the market, saying private listing networks could have at least one negative impact, such as:

Reduced access for lower-income buyers

Reinforcement of racial segregation

Potential fair housing law violations

Competitive disadvantages for smaller brokerages and independent agents

Zillow's ( ZG ) prior analyses have found that private listing networks have unintended consequences for sellers and communities:

Homes listed off-MLS sell for less than comparable homes listed publicly

Sellers who list privately tend to express regret, with many saying they felt they missed out on broader exposure

Communities of color are disproportionately affected by reduced listing visibility

Amid this debate over listing transparency, real estate agents grew slightly less optimistic about the housing market throughout the year, additional Zillow ( ZG ) survey data shows. During the first three months of 2025, 54% of real estate agents expected more home sales in the coming months. Compared with 44% in Q2 (April–June) and 37% in Q3 (July-September).

Looking further ahead, medium-term expectations also softened: only about half of agents (53%) said they expect transactions to increase in the next month, compared with 66% in the first quarter of the year and 59% in the second quarter.

Despite cooling sentiment around sales activity, agents remain cautiously optimistic about home prices. In the short term, 35% expect prices to rise in the next 30 days, while 47% expect them to hold steady. Over the next year, 51% of agents expect prices to increase, and 26% expect them to remain roughly the same — largely unchanged from the previous quarter.

Perhaps reflecting these shifting dynamics, a growing share of agents now see the housing market as tilting toward buyers rather than sellers.

Zillow ( ZG ) regularly publishes survey data on agent sentiment, transparency and other topics to empower the marketplace with information. For more of Zillow's ( ZG ) research, visit zillow.com/research.

About Zillow Group

Zillow Group, Inc. ( ZG ) is reimagining real estate to make home a reality for more and more people. As the most visited real estate app and website in the United States, Zillow ( ZG ) and its affiliates help people find and get the home they want by connecting them with digital solutions, dedicated real estate professionals, and easier buying, selling, financing, and renting experiences.

Zillow Group's ( ZG ) affiliates, subsidiaries and brands include Zillow ( ZG )®, Zillow Premier Agent®, Zillow Home Loans℠, Zillow Rentals®, Trulia®, Out East®, StreetEasy®, HotPads®, ShowingTime+℠, Spruce®, and Follow Up Boss®.

All marks herein are owned by MFTB Holdco, Inc., a Zillow ( ZG ) affiliate. Zillow Home Loans, LLC is an Equal Housing Lender, NMLS #10287 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). © 2025 MFTB Holdco, Inc., a Zillow ( ZG ) affiliate.

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SOURCE Zillow ( ZG )