Two of the biggest apartment listing sites just got caught in a $2 million backroom deal that rigged the rental market.
In February 2025, Zillow paid Redfin $100 million to stop competing. Redfin handed over all apartment listings in buildings with 25 or more units and agreed to stay out of that market for up to nine years. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes and the Federal Trade Commission sued eight months later for breaking antitrust law. Officials said the deal hurt Arizona renters with higher prices and fewer listings while limiting what property owners could do to reach tenants.
The settlement forces both companies to compete again. Redfin must rebuild its own apartment advertising business and both are banned from similar deals moving forward. This is exactly why having a local agent who knows the real story behind market changes matters.
Whether you're renting or buying in the Phoenix Valley, I'll help you navigate what's actually happening in our market.
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