Google's Real Estate Listings 'Experiment' Sends Zillow Shares Down More Than 8%

Google's data partner HouseCanary has begun displaying home listings directly in search results in select markets, sending Zillow's shares tumbling more than 8% yesterday as investors weighed whether the search giant might eventually cut into the portal business that Zillow dominates.

The experiment places property details, prices, images and a 'Request a tour' button at the top of mobile search results. HouseCanary, a full-service brokerage licensed in all 50 states and Washington D.C., said it contacted every MLS in the test regions before launching.

Analysts are largely downplaying immediate concerns. Goldman Sachs noted that most of Zillow's traffic comes directly through its apps and websites rather than Google searches, though the firm views the development as a long-term risk. Piper Sandler called the fears 'overblown,' and Wells Fargo suggested portals like Zillow would likely end up bidding for ad units on Google rather than losing traffic outright.

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