Weekly Roundup | Compass vs. Zillow

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🗣️ Quote of the Week

“We want a free market, but we know that the paradox of a 'free' market is that sometimes you have to intervene.”
― Margrethe Vestager (Former European Commissioner for Competition)

🚀 Featured Article

Compass vs. Zillow - Private Listing Showdown

Compass and Zillow, two real estate powerhouses, are locked in a high-stakes feud over “private” real estate listings – homes initially marketed off the public Multiple Listing Service (MLS). This conflict came to a head this week when Compass filed an antitrust lawsuit accusing Zillow of “anticompetitive” tactics for banning such privately marketed listings from its popular home-search platform.

At the heart of the dispute is a fundamental question: Should agents be allowed to market properties privately within their brokerage before exposing them to the wider market, or must every listing be immediately available to all consumers on big portals like Zillow?

The outcome of this battle could have far-reaching implications for agents and their clients, touching on MLS cooperation rules, consumer choice, and the rapidly evolving tech landscape of home sales.

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🏆 Trending on Empire Learning

⏩ The Rise of the “Skip the Starter” Buyer

Remember when first-time buyers were content with a tiny fixer-upper starter home? Not so much anymore. Today’s newbies often want to leapfrog the “starter” phase and land directly in their forever home, white-picket-fence and all. Blame it on soaring prices and Pinterest-worthy expectations. In fact, one recent survey shows 66% of Gen Zers and 61% of Millennials would rather keep saving for a long-term home than settle for a starter house. Why buy a cramped condo now when you could hold out for the four-bedroom Craftsman of your dreams?

• Bigger goals, later start - Many young buyers are entering the market in their mid-30s, with bigger budgets (or at least bigger wishlists). If they have to pay a premium either way, they figure: skip the stepping-stone and go straight for a home they can grow into.
• Sticker shock on “starters” - Starter homes aren’t the bargains they used to be. In some cities, “entry-level” houses flirt with seven-figure price tags. With those kinds of prices, buying small feels less appetizing – why move twice (and pay closing costs twice) if you can jump to the forever home upfront?
• New strategies emerging - Agents are adjusting their playbooks. Instead of the old advice (“buy small, build equity, trade up”), we’re helping clients explore creative options. Some first-timers are considering duplexes or fixer-uppers to build value, or even relocating to cheaper markets. (For example, 63% of Gen Z and 65% of Millennials say they’d buy a home that needs work, and over half would move to another state (or even country) if it made owning a home affordable.) Remote work has made these leapfrogs more feasible – hello, Zoom-town living!
• Patience (and perseverance) pays - The upside? “Skip-the-starter” buyers tend to be patient and market-savvy. They’ll hunt for deals, watch interest rates like hawks, and pounce when the time is right. It’s a longer game, but when they finally buy, they’re in it for the long haul – meaning you’ve helped them find the home, not just a temporary pit stop.
• Keeping dreams realistic - Our job as agents is managing dream vs. budget. We might gently remind ambitious clients that skipping straight to a castle means a larger down payment and mortgage. But hey, if their heart is set on bypassing the bungalow, we’re on board to guide them – no training wheels needed.

📲 “Does This House Get 5G?”

Location, location, location… and connection? Don’t be surprised when your buyer walks into a showing and immediately checks their phone signal. (“Bars on the windows” used to be a negative; now it’s lack of bars on the phone that raises alarms!). Clients are literally holding their phones up like divining rods, asking the new deal-breaker question: “Does this house get 5G?” Welcome to 2025, where a home’s connectivity can make or break the sale. One recent survey found 9 in 10 home buyers say fast, reliable internet is a “must-have,” even outranking good schools or a short commute in importance.

• Signal sells - Super-fast internet isn’t a luxury perk anymore – it’s expected. In one study, 87% of consumers said that a home with access to 5G (blazing-fast cell service) is more valuable. It’s the new granite countertop: a shiny feature that can set a listing apart. Don’t be shocked if “5G available” starts popping up in marketing materials right next to “hardwood floors” and “stainless appliances.”
• The WFH effect - The remote-work boom turbocharged this trend. Buyers touring homes aren’t just picturing the home office – they’re running speed tests to make sure that home office can Zoom without a glitch. Reliable broadband equals quality of life now that so many clients work, stream, and socialize from home.
• Smart homes, dumb connections - More homes are decked out with smart thermostats, video doorbells, and Wi-Fi fridges – which are great, if the network can handle them. A house packed with smart tech but stuck with snail-paced internet is a high-tech letdown. Agents are learning to highlight tech-friendly features and verify the local internet options (fiber, cable, 5G home internet, etc.) to reassure buyers their smart home can actually be smart.
• Due diligence 2.0 - Real estate pros are becoming quasi-tech support. Nearly 69% of Realtors say clients now ask about broadband availability more often than before the pandemic – so savvy agents come prepared. We find ourselves checking coverage maps, knowing which neighborhoods have spotty service, even memorizing where the nearest cell tower is. (If a home has a known “dead zone,” better to disclose it and note there are boosters or workarounds, rather than have buyers discover it when their GPS cuts out in the living room.) 📶

👻 Haunted Listings

Some homes have great bones… and some have restless bones. Selling a house with a ghostly reputation can feel like trick-or-treat in real estate. Do you mention the quirky footsteps at 3 am or that the previous owner claims a friendly specter named Edna swings the porch swing? 👻 As an agent, it’s a fine line between spooking a buyer and doing the right thing. Here’s the real scare (or maybe surprise): a 2023 survey found 67% of buyers would consider purchasing a “haunted” house if it otherwise met their needs. In fact, many are willing to overlook a few bumps in the night for the right price – nearly half said they’d expect up to a $50,000 discount on a haunted home. So, while a haunted history can shrink your buyer pool, it might also attract a few bargain hunters and ghost enthusiasts.

• Disclosure dilemmas - Rules about revealing paranormal activity vary by state (of course they do!). Only a handful of states – like New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Minnesota – explicitly require sellers to disclose supposed hauntings or paranormal claims. In most places, if Casper is rattling around but no one asks, a seller isn’t obligated to say boo. 💨 However, facts like a violent crime or other “stigmatizing” events often have separate disclosure laws.
• Gauge your buyer (and seller) - Not everyone is scared off by a spooky backstory. Some clients will run for the hills if they hear “haunted”; others will lean in, fascinated. Stigmatized properties can actually attract a niche of buyers—self-proclaimed ghost hunters or folks who see a rumored haunting as a conversation piece. As an agent, feel out your client’s tolerance for the macabre. If you’ve got a superstitious buyer, maybe skip the attic ghost tour. For a curious buyer, a light-hearted ghost anecdote might even charm them.
• Price it right (spooky discount, anyone?) - Let’s be real - a home with a widely known creepy history may need a price adjustment. Buyers often use a haunt factor to negotiate – some will lowball, figuring the seller is desperate. Sellers should be prepared for that. (One analysis found stigmatized homes can fetch up to 3% less and take 45 days longer to sell than comparable “clean” homes, and many sellers won’t mention a haunting for fear of chopping their home value.) You might frame it this way to sellers: if we disclose and embrace the quirk, we might lose a few scaredy-cats but gain buyers who don’t mind — especially if they feel they’re getting a deal.
• Lighten the mood, but keep it honest - Selling a haunted listing calls for a mix of tact and humor. A tongue-in-cheek remark during a showing – “And here’s the primary bedroom, complete with its own ghost… just kidding! (Unless you count the friendly apparition the neighbors talk about.)” – can ease tension. The key is that if there is something to disclose, do it in a straightforward, factual way, ideally before closing. You can acknowledge the story without sensationalizing it: “The seller did inform me that some have said the house might be haunted. There’s no evidence of anything, but we believe in transparency.” This way, buyers hear it from you, not from the rumor mill after they move in.

🎯 Quick CE Tip of the Week

✅ CE is Content—And Content is Currency – Your CE course is full of facts your clients don’t know. This week’s tip: turn one takeaway into a social media post, email, or buyer tip sheet. It keeps you top of mind and positions you as the agent who actually knows stuff—not just one who shows up. Empire Learning CE courses even have free social media posts and PDF guides that you can take and use (absolutely free!) to impress clients. ☝️🤔

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📈 Market Highlight: June's Juggle

🔥 Did You Know? Feeling like the market’s in limbo? You’re not wrong—but that might actually be good news. This week’s update is packed with signs of a market that’s cooling just enough to give your clients breathing room. Inventory is up, bidding wars are down, and buyers are finally starting to blink.

We’re breaking down everything agents need to know right now—where rates are heading, how sellers are pricing, and why this calmer market could be your biggest opportunity yet. If you're ready to stand out while everyone else plays catch-up, this is your moment.

→ View Full Market Highlight

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Happy Learning,

— The Empire Learning Team
www.empirelearning.com