Key facts
- A federal judge denied the FTC's request for a partial summary judgment in its antitrust case against Zillow and Redfin.
- Judge Anthony Trenga stated that disputed issues in the case necessitate a full trial.
- The FTC's lawsuit alleges the partnership effectively eliminated Redfin as a competitor in the multifamily rental listings market.
- The agreement involves Zillow paying Redfin to be the exclusive provider of multifamily rental listings on Redfin and other platforms.
- The trial is scheduled to begin on August 24.
A federal judge has denied the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) attempt to secure an early ruling in its antitrust case against Zillow Group and Redfin concerning their rental listing partnership. U.S. District Judge Anthony Trenga ruled that the case involves too many disputed factual issues to be decided before a trial.
Judge Trenga stated that the complexities of the case require a full trial, which is expected to commence on August 24. The FTC had sought a partial summary judgment to resolve certain aspects of the lawsuit before trial. Zillow expressed satisfaction with the court's decision, asserting that evidence will demonstrate the partnership's pro-competitive benefits for renters and housing providers.
This development follows an earlier decision where Trenga denied Zillow and Redfin's motion to dismiss the lawsuit. The FTC, along with attorneys general from Virginia, Arizona, New York, Connecticut, and Washington, sued the companies over an agreement where Zillow paid $100 million to become the exclusive provider of multifamily rental listings on Redfin, Rent.com, and ApartmentGuide.com. The FTC alleges this arrangement effectively removed Redfin as a competitor in the multifamily rental listing market, violating federal antitrust laws by combining two of the three largest online apartment listing services.