Pre-market home listings go public, bypassing brokerage gatekeepers

Sellers can now test pricing, gauge interest, and build a pipeline of showings before their homes go live in the MLS—without restricting buyer access to a single brokerage. That shift is accelerating through Zillow Preview, which has added 28 new brokerages, bringing the total to nearly 60 firms offering agents a way to publicly market pre-MLS listings on Zillow and Trulia. The latest participants include The Keyes Family of Companies, 8z Real Estate, Russell Real Estate Services, Seven Gables Real Estate, NorthGroup Real Estate, Homes of Idaho, DeLex Realty, Home Grown Group Realty, JohnHart Real Estate, Nest Realty, Realty Masters, Beverly & Company, Newport & Company, W Real Estate, Thrive Real Estate Group, KOMAR, Bella Realty Group, ICON Realty Experts, Queenston Realty, Libertas Real Estate, The Advantage Group, ROI Real Estate, Lamica Realty, Intege Realty, Arizona Proper Real Estate, Grace Hagerty Real Estate Inc, Real Estate Fixed and iad Real Estate. They join earlier adopters like Side, United Real Estate, REMAX, HomeServices of America, Keller Williams and SERHANT. Pre-market listings on Zillow Preview are visible to any consumer with a phone or computer. Buyers can discover, save, and share upcoming homes, connect directly with the listing agent, or schedule tours through any agent they choose—no registration wall, no required affiliation. That openness is a deliberate contrast to private coming-soon networks, which often limit visibility to buyers working with a specific brokerage. Zillow says its model supports broader buyer competition, which it claims leads to better outcomes for sellers. The approach also sidesteps scrutiny from regulators and plaintiffs in ongoing commission litigation, who have questioned practices that restrict consumer choice. Participation in Zillow Preview is at the brokerage level, but individual agents decide with their sellers whether to use it. The program operates within local MLS rules while giving firms more control over marketing timing. The expansion comes weeks after Compass announced an exclusive pre-marketing deal with Rocket Companies and Redfin, and after eXp Realty struck non-exclusive agreements with Realtor.com, Homes.com and ComeHome.com—HouseCanary’s portal, which appears in Google search results in select markets. Nearly 60 brokerages now offer agents the ability to publicly market homes before MLS entry.