The Agent’s Weekly Market Brief Week of October 13, 2025
Intro: Power Shifts in a Cooling Market
This week’s headlines reveal a housing market recalibrating in real time. Buyer leverage is quietly expanding — not because mortgage rates have suddenly fallen, but because inventory is building, sellers are softening, and all-cash buyers continue to dominate. The traditional push-pull between affordability and accessibility is taking on new forms, and real estate agents are adjusting strategy on the fly.
Zillow’s mounting legal troubles are also sending tremors through the digital backbone of the real estate world. With the FTC suing over alleged anticompetitive practices and CoStar launching a $1 billion copyright suit, the once-unquestioned dominance of national listing portals is under review. For agents, this raises crucial questions about who truly controls visibility, data flow, and client relationships.
At the same time, leasing and listing fraud are surging, putting pressure on agents to strengthen identity verification and risk controls. Luxury deals still make headlines — like Barbara Corcoran’s lightning-fast penthouse sale — but even the high-end market is tightening. Below, we unpack what these shifts mean for your clients, your business, and the fall season ahead.
Headline Spotlight: Zillow’s Legal Troubles and Shifting Portal Dynamics — A Turning Point for Agent Power?
Zillow is now under siege on multiple fronts. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has filed a lawsuit against the company, alleging anticompetitive practices tied to referral fees and listing access — a move that could reshape how the industry’s largest portals operate. Simultaneously, CoStar has launched a $1 billion copyright infringement lawsuit accusing Zillow of improper use of listing photos. (Business Insider, October 2025).
Beyond the courtroom, competition is heating up. Compass has introduced a “three-phase marketing strategy” that holds listings privately before making them public — a clear play to differentiate itself from traditional portal syndication. This “pre-market” strategy raises critical issues around listing visibility, agent attribution, and how buyer leads are distributed. If such models spread, agents may see the open listing ecosystem splinter further, with fewer centralized platforms and more private, controlled data flows.
Why it matters for agents:
When control of listings shifts away from shared platforms, agents risk losing direct reach to consumers. If portals start gating exposure, the value of your own audience — email lists, local website traffic, and social channels — increases dramatically. Agents should treat their digital presence as infrastructure, not an accessory.
From a legal and operational standpoint, these cases could spur a cascade of changes. MLS organizations may respond with new syndication policies or stricter attribution standards to protect data integrity. Brokerages might renegotiate data-sharing agreements or pull listings from certain portals entirely, depending on case outcomes.
What to do this week:
Audit your listings: How dependent are you on Zillow for lead flow?
Test alternative channels: Run pilot campaigns through local directories, paid social ads, or even Nextdoor.
Stay informed: Follow the FTC and CoStar cases closely; once precedents are set, portal policies could shift rapidly.
Reassure your sellers: Communicate that you’re proactively adapting to ensure maximum exposure — regardless of portal politics.
Zillow’s dual legal battles mark more than a corporate dispute — they signal a potential redistribution of marketing power in real estate. Agents who diversify now will be best positioned for the next digital era.
(Business Insider, October 2025)
Market Snapshot: More Listings, Softer Prices, Stronger Buyers
1. All-Cash Buyers Still Command the Market
In the first half of 2025, nearly one in three U.S. home sales closed without a mortgage — a rate far above pre-pandemic norms. (Investopedia, October 2025). This dominance of cash deals tightens the playing field for first-time and financed buyers, who often lose out in bidding situations where speed and certainty win.
Agent takeaway:
For buyers, explore bridge loans, home equity lines, or seller financing as strategies to stay competitive. For sellers, remember: while cash offers bring speed, financed offers may deliver better net outcomes if they come with fewer concessions.
2. Inventory Growth Creates Seasonal Openings
October is typically when market momentum shifts in favor of buyers. This year, more than one in four homes nationwide are seeing price cuts, according to Zillow data cited by Angel Real Estate Brevard (October 2025). Similarly, Realtor.com highlights the week of October 12–18 as particularly advantageous for buyers — marked by increased listings, lighter competition, and potential savings compared with summer peaks. (NAR Magazine, October 2025).
Tip: Frame this week as a “sweet spot” in client communications — buyers can negotiate better, and sellers should price strategically rather than overreach.
3. Luxury Markets Still Move — But With Precision
High-end deals continue to grab headlines, with Barbara Corcoran’s Upper East Side penthouse selling within 24 hours and $1.5 million over asking. (MarketWatch, October 2025). However, luxury buyers are becoming more discerning, and sellers can no longer rely on hype alone. Marketing, storytelling, and exclusivity still matter — but execution is everything.
Regulatory & Legal Watch: The Portal Power Question
The week’s legal focus returns again to Zillow — and by extension, to broader debates about platform power. The FTC’s lawsuit over referral structures and CoStar’s copyright claims both question the fairness and transparency of how listing data is used and monetized. (Business Insider, October 2025).
This comes in the wake of landmark cases like Burnett v. NAR, in which plaintiffs argued that traditional commission structures artificially inflated costs through coordinated industry practices. (Wikipedia, 2024). While that case targeted brokerage-level behavior, the current regulatory spotlight broadens to include digital intermediaries and listing platforms.
What agents should do:
Review listing agreements for clarity around co-brokerage, portal exposure, and attribution rights.
Track potential MLS governance updates — especially around syndication rules or listing display standards.
Be prepared to address client questions about commissions and representation. Reinforce your value as a trusted advisor who navigates complexity, not as a commodity service provider.
Consumer & Buyer Trends: Affordability’s Long Road
Fraud Is Creeping Into Rental and Application Markets
Rental and leasing fraud is surging nationwide. Scams involving falsified applications, identity theft, and “ghost” renters have multiplied, according to Business Insider (October 2025). For legitimate renters, the result is more scrutiny — and for agents managing or referring leases, more verification steps.
Agent guidance: Use identity verification and document-checking tools (like Snappt or RealPage) and communicate their necessity transparently to clients. This builds trust, even if it adds friction.
Buyer Patience and Seasonal Strategy
Buyers are adjusting their behavior to the rhythm of the market rather than chasing summer price peaks. Many are waiting for lower competition and better pricing, particularly in the October 12–18 window. (NAR Magazine, October 2025). Financed buyers are also increasingly squeezed by the dominance of cash buyers, which is pushing them to consider creative financing or to pivot to smaller metros.
Sellers Are Learning Flexibility
More sellers are making price cuts or adding concessions — from covering closing costs to offering rate buydowns. (Angel Real Estate Brevard, October 2025). Agents who position flexibility as a strategy, not a failure, can help clients stay confident and move their listings efficiently.
The Business of Being an Agent: Revenue, Expenses, and Strategy
Marketing Diversification Is No Longer Optional
With Zillow and other portals under regulatory and competitive pressure, agents must diversify their marketing ecosystems. Your listings’ visibility should not depend on any one platform.
Practical moves:
Invest in local SEO and hyperlocal content.
Leverage social video for walk-throughs and quick local updates.
Run niche campaigns — cash buyers, downsizers, or remote workers.
Use email drip sequences to re-engage past leads.
Managing Risk: Fraud & Verification
Fraudulent listings, falsified applications, and identity theft are increasing in both rental and purchase transactions. (Business Insider, October 2025). Tighten your vetting procedures — verify IDs manually, use document screening tools, and flag inconsistencies early.
Becoming a Market Educator
In uncertain times, authority builds trust. Agents who regularly publish updates — even short, data-driven “market shift” notes — become indispensable to their audience. A weekly 3-minute update or a “What Changed This Week” email positions you as a reliable advisor.
Expense Awareness & Cash Flow Strategy
Even as deals slow, marketing and compliance costs may rise. Review your monthly P&L:
Set aside reserves for Q4 taxes.
Audit subscriptions and software expenses.
Reinvest only in tools that directly drive client engagement or efficiency.
Tactical takeaways:
Audit your reliance on portals for leads.
Strengthen direct marketing systems (SEO, content, and email).
Tighten fraud-prevention workflows.
Communicate confidently about commission transparency.
Budget for slower winter cycles while investing in education and client retention.
Closing Thoughts & Call to Action
This week confirms a pivotal truth: the real estate landscape is shifting beneath our feet. Power is gradually tilting toward buyers — not through falling rates, but through expanding inventory, higher flexibility, and growing legal scrutiny of digital intermediaries. Agents who evolve now — building stronger local presence, diversifying lead sources, and mastering risk management — will thrive as the next cycle begins.
That’s where we come in.
The Agent’s Accountant helps real estate agents turn market changes into opportunities:
Build financial systems that scale with your pipeline
Optimize taxes so you keep more of what you earn
Stabilize cash flow in a commission-driven business
Treat your career like the business it is
