In 2021 we simplified the way we collect listing data, moving from thousands of disparate data feeds to MLS Internet Data Exchange (IDX) feeds, which are offered directly through MLSs to their members. Zillow joined MLSs across the country to switch to these feeds. In doing so, we made changes to some of our Zillow Premier Agent product offerings. Some of these changes are necessary to comply with MLS rules, while others reflect innovations that aim to help evolve the real estate industry.
We continue to focus on investments and improvements to Zillow Premier Agent and look forward to providing ways for consumers to connect with great agents in their area.
Matching Sales and Listings to Agent Profiles
What is an MLS Agent ID?
As a member of an MLS, you’re issued a unique identifier referred to as an MLS ID, MLS Agent ID, Agent ID, or Public ID.
How do I find my MLS Agent ID?
Depending on your MLS, your MLS Agent ID could be the identifier you use as a “username” or “login” for your MLS system and may include letters, numbers or a combination of both. In others, it would be listed on your MLS profile. To locate a MLS Agent ID from your Zillow profile, go to your “Active Listings” section and select the “Manage MLS Agent ID” button. From there you have the option to search for an active listing by address, and your MLS ID will be displayed there.
It’s important to note that each MLS may work differently, so it’s best to check in with your team lead or broker if you have additional questions.
How can I add my MLS ID to my profile?
From your Agent Profile, click the “Manage MLS ID” button to add it directly or look it up by validating a current listing.
Can I attach multiple MLS Agent IDs to my profile?
Yes, if you are a member of multiple MLS networks, you should add additional MLS IDs. Including every relevant MLS Agent ID is a key piece of the process in maintaining an accurate sales history.
Why is it important to add the MLS Agent ID into my agent profile?
Creating great first impressions with every connection is important to securing business. One way to easily demonstrate value, success and experience as an agent is through an up-to-date sales history. Adding your MLS Agent ID(s) to your agent profile is a key piece of the process in keeping your past sales up-to-date on your Zillow Premier Agent profile. This simple, one-time addition of your MLS Agent ID(s), coupled with the Auto-Publish feature, creates the most effective way to get past sales automatically added to your profile – saving you time and empowering you to create great first impressions backed by your track record of success.
How can I update my MLS ID to make sure my past transactions and current listings are associated with my agent profile?
You can add or update your MLS Agent ID by clicking the “Manage MLS Agent ID” button on your agent profile. Add your ID number directly or look it up by validating a current listing. Your profile will be updated within 24 hours.
How are co-listed properties matched to agent profiles?
Co-listed properties will display both agents’ names and brokerage info on property pages for our customers, but cannot be claimed on both co-listing agents’ profiles. We will display the listing on the primary agent’s profile based on the information we receive from the MLS.
What happens to my listings and past sales if I switch teams/brokerages? Will they stay attached to my profile?
Your listings and past sales will continue to link to your profile as long as the MLS Agent ID associated with your listings and past sales remain on your ZG account.
Can I add a past sale if I'm not a member of the MLS?
No, in order for a past sale to appear, you must be a part of the MLS where that property was listed.
Displaying Current Listings and Past Sales
Do all of my active listings and past sales show on my agent profile?
All of your active for sale listings and past sales should be displayed on your agent profile. If you believe there to be a discrepancy between what’s accurate and what’s showing on your profile, here are a few things to consider:
- MLS Agent IDs: Make sure your MLS Agent ID is added by clicking the “Manage MLS Agent ID” button on your agent profile. If you’re a member of more than one MLS, make sure you add all of your MLS Agent IDs. For teams, the MLS Agent ID should be added to each individual agent profile, not on the team profile. If a listing or past sale is associated with a different agent based on information from the MLS it will not show up on your profile.
- Auto-Publish: Ensure the “auto-publish” feature is turned on by going to Settings → Past Sales → Automatically Publish Your Past Sales (Toggle On). Please allow 24 hours for the past sales to populate.
- Pending Sales: If the “auto-publish” feature is turned off, you will need to manually confirm your past sales. Simply go to the “Pending Your Confirmation” section of your Past Sales page and confirm any that you want added to your Sales history. If they don’t appear in the “Pending Your Confirmation” section of the Past Sales page after 24 hours, please email Partner Support. Please note, for any sales attributed to a team member from a team lead will require manual confirmation, regardless of the “auto-publish” feature. For more information on this, review the Team Member Attribution section below.
- Co-Buy or Co-List: Co-listed properties can only be displayed as a past sale on a single profile. On co-listed properties, for compliance reasons we will follow how the transaction is recorded in the MLS.
How do display rules affect teams of agents?
We need to follow the listings and past sales data we receive from MLS feeds to display on profiles to ensure data accuracy. This means that you will not be able to update a past sale or listing to be associated with someone else on your team if that data conflicts with what we receive from MLS data.
Can I manually add/edit my listings?
You are not able to manually add or edit information on your listings that was provided from MLS feeds. You will be able to add a Zillow 3D Home tour and Interactive Floor Plan to your listings.
Can I still manually add past sales?
Yes, you will still be able to manually add past sales, unless they are already associated with a different agent based on what we receive from MLS data.
Do I still need to approve pending past sales?
Past sales associated with you in the MLS will automatically publish to your agent profile. This auto-publication of past sales will be turned on by default so there are no additional steps required on your end to take advantage of this feature immediately. Help your past sales match to your profile correctly by adding your MLS Agent ID to your agent profile. You do not need to approve manually added past sales, as long as that sale is not associated with a different agent profile.
Why can’t I enter a closing price when claiming or adding a past sale in non-disclosure states?
You are not able to view or enter the closing price in order to be compliant with your state’s non-disclosure law. Nothing changes on your public profile, and you do not need to make any changes to previous past sales data.
How can I make sure my past sales stay associated with my profile?
You should make sure that you’ve added or updated your MLS Agent ID to your agent profile. You can review and update your MLS ID by clicking the “Manage MLS Agent ID” button on your agent profile.
Do active co-listings show on both agents’ profiles?
As was our policy previously, co-listed properties only show on one agent’s profile. Both co-listing agents appear on the home details page.
Search Experience
Why are there two sets of listings?
We have made changes to the way listings appear on the site in order to be compliant with MLS rules. When using one of our platforms to search for homes, buyers may see two options to view their search results — Agent Listings and Other Listings, like For Sale by Owner listings or Coming Soon listings not on the MLS.
What’s the difference between “Agent Listings” and “Other Listings”?
“Agent Listings” are homes listed by real estate agents on a Multiple Listing Service (MLS). “Agent Listings” do not include homes for sale by owner, non-MLS auctions and foreclosures. “Other Listings” are homes for sale by owner, non-MLS auctions, foreclosures and other properties that are not entered into an MLS. “Other Listings” do not include homes listed by agents on an MLS.
Why is my listing showing up on the second tab?
If your listing is not on the MLS, it will show up on the second tab.
How can I move it to the first tab?
The listings are divided between the two tabs due to MLS rules and do not move between the two tabs.
Is it possible to attribute sales from MLS feed to a member on my team?
Yes, team leaders can now attribute sales from an MLS feed to a team member. To do this, simply go to the “Actions” menu for that sale and click “Add team members”. From there team leads can search and select a team member to add as the buyer/seller or both.
Once that step is complete, the sale will appear as “Pending” on the team member’s Past Sales page. They can either add or delete the past sale from their total sales history and then make the decision whether or not to display the sale on their profile.
Can this feature be used for an agent that was a co-agent on a sale but not on my team?
The new “Team Member Attribution” feature is specific to situations on a team where the team lead may be credited as the primary agent on the MLS record, but not the agent that worked most closely with the client.
We still do not support displaying past sales for co-list agents. The goal of this feature is to resolve situations in which team members cannot claim and display past sales on their profile due to information listed in MLS data. For this feature to work, the sale must be between a team leader and a team member on the same team at the time of sale.
Can team leads add more than one team member?
Team leads can add one team member per side of the sale they represent. If the team lead has represented both the buyer and seller sides of the transaction, they can add one team member for each side.
What’s different for a sale where the team member is an attributed vs primary agent?
Attributed agents have the ability to add or delete the sale, and if they add the sale, they can control showing or hiding it from their public profile. They will not be able to add client info or edit sale info, because these will be carried over from the primary agent.
What happens to attributed sales when a team member leaves the team?
Upon leaving a team, there would be no change to the attributed sales on the team member’s agent profile. However, past sales where the team member is attributed will remain tied to the primary agent. If the primary agent decided to delete (not hide) the sale, the attributed agent would lose the sale from their agent profile.
Can team leads add former team members?
Yes, team leads can add any team member that was on the team at the time of the sale, including any old sales where the team member is no longer on the team.
Is this available for agents that do not advertise with Zillow?
Yes, this is available to all agents as long as they have a Zillow Premier Agent profile.
Will attributed sales look any different to customers?
Past sales will continue to appear under the “Sold” section and will look the same to customers whether they are viewed on the team member or team lead’s profile.
How long will it take for an attributed sale to show up on the agent’s profile?
Once the team member is added to the sale, it should appear immediately in the “Pending” section of the Past Sales page. The past sale should then display to their agent profile (pending their approval) right away.
Can team members request/add themselves to a sale that was credited to their team lead?
No, the ability to attribute past sales to team members remains with the team leader at this time. The alternative is to update the team member as the primary agent in the MLS record directly – this is how it works today.
What if a team member accidentally deletes (not hides) the sale they’ve been added to?
The team lead would need to re-add the team member to the sale. The team member would not be able to claim the sale manually themselves, even though the team lead had previously added them.
Managing Team Member Permissions
What is the “export contact permissions” feature?
The export contact permissions feature enables team leaders to manage a team member’s ability to export contacts, reducing the risk of losing leads to departing team members.
Will existing team members automatically be granted the permission?
With the launch of the export contacts permission feature, all existing team members will continue to have the ability to export contacts. The only difference is that team leaders will have the ability to remove this permission for each team member.
How does it work for new and existing team members?
When adding new team members, the team lead will be prompted to determine whether or not the agent can export contacts from their profile. Team leaders are able to make changes to existing team members as needed by visiting the “Team Management” section of their agent profile and clicking on the “Options” for a specific team member.
Will it be available for all Premier Agent partners?
Yes, this feature is available to all team leads.