Zillow settles class action over StreetEasy agent fees

Update:

• A Washington federal judge dismissed all class action claims with prejudice after Zillow Inc. and Dakis Group LLC reached a full and final settlement.
• The Dakis Group, a New York real estate firm, alleged Zillow’s StreetEasy platform charged agents daily fees even after their listings were no longer visible.
• Specifically, the Zillow class action alleged that StreetEasy, despite allowing multiple listings for the same property, continued to charge $7 per day while only displaying the most recent listings.
• Dakis Group and its owner, George T. Spyridakis, sought damages and injunctive relief, claiming the practice caused financial loss and diminished visibility for their listings.
• The terms of the settlement are yet to be revealed.

Zillow class action lawsuit overview:

• Who: Dakis Group LLC and George T. Spyridakis filed a class action lawsuit against Zillow Inc.
• Why: Dakis and Spyridakis claim Zillow’s StreetEasy platform charges real estate agents a daily fee to list properties but hides listings when a new real estate agent posts the same property.
• Where: The Zillow StreetEasy class action lawsuit was filed in Washington federal court.

Zillow Inc. charges real estate agents a daily fee to list properties on its StreetEasy platform but hides listings when a new real estate agent posts the same property, a new class action lawsuit alleges.

Plaintiffs Dakis Group LLC and George T. Spyridakis filed the class action complaint against Zillow on Feb. 11 in a Washington federal court, alleging violations of state and federal consumer laws.

The complaint argues that Zillow’s StreetEasy platform charges real estate agents a daily fee to list their properties, but when a new agent lists the same property, the original listing is hidden from public view.

Despite this, Zillow continues to charge the original agent the daily fee, the lawsuit says.

Dakis and Spyridakis allege this practice has caused them to lose business and incur unnecessary advertising fees.

Zillow StreetEasy class action alleges platform charges $7 per day for listings

According to the lawsuit, Zillow charges a fee of $7 per day for each rental listing placed on its StreetEasy platform.

Zillow allows multiple agents to list the same property at the same time, charging each agent the daily fee, the lawsuit says. However, when a new agent lists the same property, Zillow’s practice is to display only the most recent listing, while continuing to charge the previous agents, the plaintiffs allege.

The plaintiffs claim they have lost business due to this practice, as their listings were masked or removed from public view on numerous occasions.

They say they have sustained damages as a result and are seeking to recover the advertising fees that yielded no benefit.

The plaintiffs are looking to represent anyone who listed a property on StreetEasy and were charged a daily fee after their listing was masked or removed from public view.

The Zillow StreetEasy class action lawsuit is seeking certification of the class action and an order directing Zillow to return all money wrongfully retained from listing fees. The plaintiffs are also seeking actual damages, disgorgement of profits and a permanent injunction preventing Zillow from continuing the alleged practice.

In 2023, Zillow agreed to pay $15 million to settle a lawsuit alleging it withheld information about a federal investigation into a co-marketing program for lenders and real estate agents, causing investors to purchase Zillow stock at artificially inflated prices.

What do you think of the allegations in this Zillow class action lawsuit? Was your business affected? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiffs are represented by Kira M. Rubel of The Harbor Law Group and Scott D. Owens of Scott D. Owens P.A.

The Zillow class action lawsuit is Dakis Group LLC, et al. v. Zillow Inc., Case No. 2:25-cv-00270 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.

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