12. Zillow’s Response v. The Facts

📆 March 11, 2026

Source: 📧 Zillow Group Legal Department — Response to Demand Letter

Zillow Tells Jean Scott Homes of Oviedo, Florida:

Jean Scott Homes predicates its unfair and deceptive practices claims on the allegation that Zillow is unfairly competing with Jean Scott Homes’s brokerage. As explained above, Zillow is an online real estate marketplace that does not have its own real estate agents. Zillow is not a competitor of Jean Scott Homes or of any other local brokerage. Rather, Zillow partners with local real estate brokerages to connect them with buyers looking to purchase homes in their area. As such, Jean Scott Homes’s unfair and deceptive trade practices claims are baseless.

Zillow Tells the United States Securities and Exchange Commission:

We compete for real estate customers with companies that provide technology, products and services for them. Factors that may influence customer decisions include the quality of the experience, value and utility of the services offered, the breadth, depth and accuracy of information available, and brand awareness and reputation.

Source: 🛜 United States Securities and Exchange Commission | Zillow Group, Inc. Form 10-K — Dec. 31, 2025, Page 8

Zillow Tells Jean Scott Homes of Oviedo, Florida:

Zillow is unable to provide the data requested by Jean Scott Homes for the simple reason that Mr. Scott previously demanded that Zillow delete that data; Zillow did so and therefore is no longer in possession of the data Jean Scott Homes seeks.

Zillow Tells the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, Seattle:

I, Aarti Reddy, hereby declare as follows:

…

1. On February 25, 2026, counsel for the parties held a conference to discuss the topics required under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(f) and Local Civil Rule 26. During this conference, Defendants each confirmed they are complying with their evidence preservation obligations under applicable law.

…

I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Washington and the United States of America that the foregoing is true and correct.

Executed on March 6, 2026 at San Francisco, California.

Source: 🛜 Taylor v. Zillow Group, Inc., No. 2:25-cv-01818-JLR (W.D. Wash.), Dkt. 70-1 — Declaration of Aarti Reddy in Support of Defendants’ Reply ISO Motion to Stay, filed March 6, 2026.

The Zillow Home Loans Class Action

In Taylor v. Zillow Group, Inc., the pending Zillow Home Loans Class Action, it is alleged:

Zillow implements a requirement that Flex agents use Zillow’s ‘Follow-Up Boss,’ which allows Zillow to eavesdrop on communications between the agent and the buyer, violating the agent’s duty of confidentiality.

Additionally, Zillow allegedly uses ‘Follow-Up Boss’ to ‘catch’ Flex agents who may recommend other loan providers to their clients.

Source: 🛜 Hagens Berman | Zillow Home Loans Class Action

Taylor v. Zillow Group, Inc. was filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, Seattle, on Sept. 19, 2025.

Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 37(e), a court may impose measures when “electronically stored information that should have been preserved in the anticipation or conduct of litigation is lost because a party failed to take reasonable steps to preserve it, and it cannot be restored or replaced through additional discovery.”

Source: 🛜 Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 37. Failure to Make Disclosures or to Cooperate in Discovery; Sanctions

Chapter 13: Legal Counsel Puts Zillow on Notice

Chapter 11: Legal Counsel Sends a Demand Letter