Court documents and depositions from the ongoing legal battle between Compass and Zillow have revealed that outgoing Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman held a nuanced stance on private listings that bridged the philosophies of his two former primary rivals.

According to the Inman report from January 15, 2026, Kelman’s position breaks down as follows:

Agreement with Compass on Seller Control: Kelman stated in his deposition that he agrees with the Compass view that “listing brokers and homeowners should be able to control how a listing is marketed”.
Agreement with Zillow on Equal Access: Conversely, he aligned with Zillow’s perspective that all buyers should have the right to see every available home for sale, rather than restricting access to specific groups or “private exclusive” networks.
The Middle Ground: Kelman summarized his unique position by stating, “I really agree with Compass that… homeowners should be able to control how a listing is marketed. I disagree that we should be able to say who a listing is marketed to”.

Context of the Legal Battle

These revelations surfaced as part of an antitrust lawsuit where Compass accused Zillow and Redfin of collusion regarding their 2025 policies to ban publicly marketed private listings.

Policy Stance: In April 2025, Redfin originally intended to follow Zillow in blocking listings that were publicly marketed but not shared on the MLS, a move directly targeting Compass’s “Private Exclusive” network.
Current Status: Redfin eventually placed its ban on an indefinite hold following its acquisition by Rocket Companies in mid-2025.
Kelman’s Departure: On January 13, 2026, Kelman announced he would step down as CEO after 20 years with the company.