A growing class-action lawsuit against Zillow is widening again, this time pulling eXp Realty into the mix. The case, known as Taylor, alleges that Zillow’s “Flex” referral program effectively steers homebuyers toward its in-house mortgage arm, potentially violating the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act. Plaintiffs claim agents are incentivized to direct clients to Zillow Home Loans in exchange for better leads, inflating costs and limiting consumer choice. The amended complaint argues that eXp supported this system by promoting the Flex program and participating in transactions tied to it, a claim the brokerage strongly denies.

The case itself has been building since late 2025 and has already expanded beyond Zillow to include multiple brokerages and teams. Earlier filings added firms like The Real Brokerage, with allegations centered on a coordinated system of referrals and lead generation tied to mortgage services. The legal theory is not entirely new. RESPA has long prohibited kickbacks for mortgage referrals, but what makes this case different is the platform layer. Instead of traditional one-to-one referrals, plaintiffs are arguing that a digital marketplace can structure incentives at scale in ways that effectively shape consumer behavior without explicit mandates. Zillow, for its part, has pushed back hard, calling the claims unsupported and arguing that consumers retain full choice over agents and lenders.

By adding brokerages like eXp, the lawsuit is moving beyond a platform-centric case into something closer to an ecosystem challenge. It suggests that participation in large referral networks could expose brokerages to legal risk, even if they are not directly controlling the platform. That is a meaningful shift. Historically, brokerages have treated platforms like Zillow as lead sources or marketing channels. This case reframes that relationship as potentially collaborative in ways that regulators and courts may scrutinize more closely.

If courts are willing to entertain the idea that lead-generation systems can create indirect steering incentives, firms may need to rethink how they structure partnerships, compensation models, and agent behavior. The risk is not just regulatory. It is strategic. Platforms have become central to deal flow, but they also increasingly sit at the intersection of brokerage, mortgage, and data. That convergence creates efficiencies, but it also concentrates risk. If this case gains traction, brokerages may have to choose between deeper integration with platforms or clearer separation from them. Either way, the long-standing model of treating portals as neutral intermediaries is starting to break down.

Office markets are settling into a familiar but uneven rhythm. Recent data from Kastle Systems shows attendance peaking midweek at about 51% of pre-pandemic levels, then falling sharply to 29% by Friday in some major cities. While vacancy has started to ease slightly, helped in part by demand from AI firms, overall office usage remains well below historic norms and continues to weigh on downtown recoveries.

This midweek pattern is widespread, but performance varies significantly by region. Coastal markets tend to lag, while Sun Belt cities such as Austin are performing much better, with peak attendance nearing 93% and staying above 50% even on Fridays. Across markets, the buildings drawing workers back most consistently are high-end properties with strong amenities, where usage rates are meaningfully higher than the broader average.

Commutes remain one of the biggest constraints on a fuller rebound. Long travel times continue to discourage daily attendance, and transit systems like San Francisco's Bay Area Rapid Transit reflect that split, with much heavier use midweek than at the start or end of the week. At the same time, some workers are relocating closer to office cores to reduce commute burdens, while employers continue to struggle with maintaining culture and collaboration in a hybrid environment even as AI-driven growth pushes for more in-person work.

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