House subcommittee probes Compass MRED private listing network deal

A House Judiciary subcommittee is pressing Compass International Holdings and Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED) to explain their nationwide private listing network partnership, citing concerns that the arrangement could limit transparency, reduce competition and harm homebuyers and sellers.

The House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform and Antitrust sent separate letters on July 22, 2026, to Compass CEO Robert Reffkin and MRED President and CEO Rebecca Jensen requesting briefings on the companies’ use of private listing networks and their recently announced data partnership. The letters were obtained and verified by HousingWire.

The letters, signed by subcommittee chair Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Wis., say the panel is examining whether certain real estate companies are using private listing networks (PLNs) and similar structures “to insulate themselves from competition at the expense of consumers,” undercutting the goals of U.S. antitrust law.

In April, MRED — one of the nation’s largest multiple listing services — announced a deal with Compass to expand its Private Listing Network nationwide, opening participation to agents outside MRED’s traditional Midwest footprint. Under the agreement, MRED offers agents “off-MLS listings” that are not available to the general public, while Compass markets many of those properties as “Compass Private Exclusive” listings shared first within its own agent network before they appear on Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com or local MLSs, according to the letters. Compass does have a mutually exclusive deal with Redfin to premarket its coming soon listings.

The subcommittee flagged several potential competitive concerns raised by the Compass–MRED structure and PLNs generally:

• Reduced transparency and fragmented inventory: Lawmakers cited industry commentary that PLNs can “lock” listing information into closed systems, making it harder for buyers without access to those networks to see available homes, compare prices or make informed decisions. Fragmentation of inventory could weaken price competition and create “velvet ropes” around certain properties, the letters note.
• Incentives for private listings and dual agency: The letters point to research and watchdog reports alleging that private networks encourage brokers to steer sellers off the open MLS. That, in turn, can increase “double-ending” or dual agency, where the same agent represents both sides of the deal and collects the full commission instead of sharing it with a cooperating broker. Lawmakers say this structure can create conflicts of interest and limit buyers’ access to independent representation.
• Captive buyer pipelines: The subcommittee also raises concerns that PLNs may let listing agents capture unrepresented buyers who discover a home through a private network, allowing the listing agent or brokerage to convert them into in-house clients or referrals, further concentrating deal flow.

The letters reference reporting from HousingWire, The New York Times, The Real Deal and other outlets, as well as research from consumer advocates, that has documented Compass’s rapid post-merger market share growth and the rise of private listing practices linked to double-ended deals.

Fitzgerald’s letters request that Compass and MRED each arrange a staff briefing on their “business practices, including [their] use of PLNs and recent partnership” by no later than 10 a.m. Eastern on Aug. 5, 2026. The subcommittee says the information will inform potential legislative reforms concerning “protection of trade and commerce against unlawful restraints and monopoly” under House Rule X.

Compass and MRED have not yet responded to HousingWire’s request for comment on the subcommittee’s July 22 letters. The panel has invited both companies to contact committee staff at the Judiciary Committee’s Washington office to coordinate the requested briefings.

The relationship between Compass and MRED was called into question in a lawsuit filed by Zillow in May. In the suit, Zillow claims that Compass and MRED conspired to withhold listing data from Zillow. The court overseeing the lawsuit is currently reviewing Zillow’s motion for a preliminary injunction seeking to prevent MRED from withholding listings from Zillow.

This article was written by Brooklee Han and generated with the assistance of HousingWire Automation, then reviewed by a HousingWire editor before publication.