May 29, 2026
By Negeen Masghati, VP & Designated Managing Broker of Baird & Warner Lincoln Park
In the wake of MRED cutting its data feed to Zillow, resulting in the disappearance of over 60% of listings from the most visited real estate platform in the country, I heard dozens of theories, concerns, and critiques about the decision. What was just the latest development in an escalating legal and political battle between industry giants resulted in a significant interruption in the way consumers search for homes, and the agent community ultimately had no say in it. Despite MRED restoring the feed following a court order, I believe the situation raises questions every agent should be asking about their business and how industry-proof it really is.
In my own analysis, it served as a pointed reminder that agents who build their business around strategies, relationships, and resources they own and control are far better insulated from the whims of a third-party whose decisions can impact their income without warning, without input from them, and without any obligation to consider their best interest. My conclusion: you can industry-proof your business by building it around you.
Do You Own Your Business, or Does Someone Else?
When MRED’s feed to Zillow went dark, agents whose business is driven by Zillow leads potentially lost a significant portion of their future income overnight. One dispute between two companies that had nothing to do with them, and their lead source evaporated with no warning, no say, and no recourse.
That’s a sobering reminder of how fragile a business can be when its foundation is rented, not owned.
When I interview agents entering this business, they almost all tell me that they want to be entrepreneurs who build something of their own, on their own terms, and in a way that serves their clients and their life. In my experience, one of the most meaningful expressions of that entrepreneurial freedom is owning your lead flow. When your business is grounded in relationships you’ve cultivated, a reputation you’ve earned, and habits you’ve built over time, you are far less vulnerable to the kind of industry drama we watched play out last week.
The lead sources you own are the ones that sustain you:
- Referrals from people who trust you
- Your sphere of influence and past clients
- Open houses
- Networking and community relationships
None of these require a monthly investment to a third-party platform, and none of them can be taken away by a court ruling or a corporate dispute. Building systems around a few strong, diversified lead sources like these takes the pressure off any one source and creates a foundation that tends to grow in proportion to your effort, your consistency, and the value you bring to the people you serve, all of which are within your control.
You Owe It to Yourself to Ask the Right Questions
If you rely heavily on online portal leads, team leads, or brokerage leads as a primary income source, here are three questions worth considering:
- What is your long-term goal for your real estate career?
- Are you building your own business, or someone else’s?
- If those leads went away tomorrow, would you have a business?
Whether you invest in leads yourself or rely on leads dispersed at the discretion of a team leader or broker, any of these sources can be reduced, restructured, or eliminated based on decisions that have nothing to do with you or your performance. If that flow stopped tomorrow, where would your next transaction come from?
There is absolutely a place for these leads in a healthy business model where they add to a thriving business as opposed to driving it. If your goal is to build something that is truly yours, you need to be able to source clients independently. The most resilient agents are the ones steadily building their own referral network, their own sphere, their own brand.
My Takeaway
The MRED/Zillow situation was a disruption, but disruptions have a way of revealing what needs attention. Regardless of where your business stands today, I’d encourage you to evaluate your lead sources honestly, identify where you may be too dependent on something outside your control, and make a plan to close that gap.
If you want to talk through your SOI strategy, your client communication, or how to build systems for long-term consistency, I’m here for that conversation.
Questions or thoughts? Click the link below to schedule a time to chat. My door is open.
