Compass Inc. is pressing a federal judge to compel Redfin Corp. to hand over what it calls critical documents in its escalating antitrust clash with Zillow Inc., including drafts of blog posts by Redfin’s CEO and an alleged $100 million rental agreement that Compass claims cements a conspiracy between the two rivals.
In a letter filed Oct. 24, Compass accused Redfin of stonewalling subpoenas for months, refusing to produce materials it says could prove that Zillow and Redfin coordinated anticompetitive practices. The New York-based brokerage insists that both companies agreed to mirror their listings access policies—restricting properties cross-posted on other sites—and secretly brokered a massive rental deal designed to suppress competition.
FTC and States Already Watching Closely
The tension intensified after both the Federal Trade Commission and multiple states filed their own suits against Zillow and Redfin, accusing them of engaging in an anticompetitive rental pact. Compass argues the disputed agreement “gave rise to the conspiracy directly challenged in this case.”
The alleged $100 million payment from Zillow to Redfin was meant to ensure Redfin would not promote multifamily rentals, Compass claims—effectively tightening Zillow’s grip on online listings.
