Zillow Reports 55% of Buyers Value Digital Agent Selection
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 30 2025
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Should l Buy ZG?
Source: PRnewswire
- Market Shift: According to Zillow's 2025 Consumer Housing Trends Report, 36% of sellers now find their agents through online channels, more than doubling from 15% in 2018, indicating a significant shift towards digital agent selection in the real estate market.
- Rise of Repeat Buyers: With repeat buyers making up 55% of all purchasers, they are reentering the market with higher expectations and a deeper understanding of market dynamics, compelling agents to provide clearer strategies and modern service experiences to win their business.
- Changing Selection Process: While 79% of repeat buyers consider working with the same agent again, only 13% ultimately do so, reflecting a more intentional and cautious approach to agent selection among experienced buyers.
- Accelerated Decision-Making: 47% of buyers hire the first agent they contact, and 59% of sellers do the same, highlighting the critical role of an agent's online presence and demonstrated expertise in influencing client decisions.
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Analyst Views on ZG
Wall Street analysts forecast ZG stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for ZG is 85.00 USD with a low forecast of 66.00 USD and a high forecast of 100.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
17 Analyst Rating
9 Buy
7 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 53.940
Low
66.00
Averages
85.00
High
100.00
Current: 53.940
Low
66.00
Averages
85.00
High
100.00
About ZG
Zillow Group, Inc. helps people find and get the home they want by connecting them with digital solutions, dedicated partners and agents, and buying, selling, financing, and renting experiences. The Company’s affiliates, subsidiaries, and brands include Zillow, Zillow Premier Agent, Zillow Home Loans, Zillow Rentals, Trulia, Out East, StreetEasy, HotPads, ShowingTime+, Spruce, and Follow Up Boss. It helps renters, buyers, sellers, and real estate professionals across all their residential real estate needs through its housing super app, which serves as an ecosystem of connected solutions for the tasks and services related to moving. It provides integrated transaction experience for movers through Zillow, its network of partners, its affiliated brands, and through a comprehensive suite of marketing software and technology solutions for the real estate industry, including ShowingTime+, Follow Up Boss and Spruce. It offers multifamily property managers a variety of advertising products.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Earnings Announcement: Zillow (ZG) is set to release its Q4 2023 earnings after market close on February 10th, with consensus EPS estimates at $0.40 and revenue expectations at $650.34 million, indicating cautious market sentiment regarding its financial performance.
- EPS Estimate Changes: Over the past three months, Zillow's EPS estimates have seen two upward revisions and one downward revision, reflecting analysts' differing views on the company's profitability, which could impact investor confidence.
- Revenue Estimate Fluctuations: Revenue estimates have also experienced two upward revisions and two downward revisions, suggesting mixed market perceptions of Zillow's revenue growth potential in the current economic climate, which may affect its stock performance.
- Rating Downgrade Impact: Zillow's rating was downgraded by Mizuho amid increasing market structure uncertainty, potentially heightening investor concerns about its future performance and affecting its market valuation.
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- Significant Revenue Growth: Zillow reported an 18% year-over-year increase in total revenue for Q4 2025, reaching $654 million, near the top of its outlook range, with a full-year revenue growth of 16%, demonstrating strong execution and profitability in the real estate market.
- Strong Rental Business: Q4 rental revenue hit $168 million, up 45% year-over-year, with multifamily revenue growing 63%, indicating successful strategic positioning in the rental market, and projecting approximately 30% growth in rental revenue for 2026.
- EBITDA Margin Expansion: Q4 EBITDA was $149 million, with a margin of 23%, reflecting a 260 basis point increase from the previous year, showcasing effective cost management and revenue growth strategies, with continued margin expansion expected in 2026.
- New Product Launch Plans: Zillow Pro is currently in beta testing with plans for nationwide rollout in the second half of the year, aimed at further integrating the real estate transaction process and enhancing client management efficiency to strengthen market competitiveness.
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- Strong Earnings Report: Zillow reported Q4 2025 revenue of $654 million, exceeding the expected $650.5 million and reflecting an 18% year-over-year growth, although adjusted EPS of $0.39 slightly missed the $0.41 consensus, indicating robust performance despite mixed results.
- Optimistic Revenue Outlook: For Q1 2026, Zillow forecasts total revenue between $700 million and $710 million, surpassing the average analyst estimate of $691.1 million, showcasing the company's ongoing growth potential in the real estate market.
- Declining Adjusted EBITDA Guidance: While Q4 adjusted EBITDA rose to $149 million from $112 million year-over-year, the guidance of $160 million to $175 million falls short of the Wall Street consensus of $182.7 million, potentially impacting investor confidence.
- Market Share Growth: Zillow achieved positive net income for the full year of 2025 and continued to gain market share in both For Sale and Rentals, underscoring its leading position in the competitive real estate industry.
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- Earnings Highlights: Zillow reported Q4 revenue of $654 million, exceeding market expectations of $650 million, with an 18% year-over-year growth, indicating strong performance in the residential real estate sector despite broader market challenges.
- Earnings Per Share Analysis: Adjusted EPS came in at $0.39, slightly below the expected $0.40, reflecting pressure on profitability that may impact investor confidence moving forward.
- Stock Buyback and Cash Flow: The company repurchased 3.4 million shares for $232 million during the quarter, ending with $1.3 billion in cash and investments, showcasing a proactive approach to capital management.
- Future Outlook: Zillow anticipates Q1 revenue between $700 million and $710 million, surpassing market estimates of $690 million, with the CEO emphasizing the company's unique position to drive sustainable growth through leading software and AI innovations.
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- Price Surge: According to a report from Douglas Elliman and Miller Samuel, the median home price in the Hamptons reached $2.34 million in Q4, a 34% increase from last year, indicating strong demand from affluent buyers.
- Luxury Market Boom: The number of homes selling for over $5 million hit a record 82, demonstrating that all-cash transactions in the high-end market are driving overall price increases.
- Wall Street Bonus Impact: Bonuses for 2025 are expected to be the highest on record, fueling a buying spree in the Hamptons, particularly for premium oceanfront properties, which continue to see strong demand.
- Active Rental Market: Despite cold weather, the summer rental market in the Hamptons is heating up, with many high-end properties already rented out early, reflecting wealthy buyers' strong interest in summer getaways.
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- DuPont Earnings Expectations: DuPont is expected to report earnings of $0.43 per share and revenue of $1.69 billion for Q4 2025, with analysts noting ongoing pressure in short-cycle businesses, while slight improvements in the automotive sector may influence investor sentiment.
- Cisco's AI Focus: Cisco anticipates earnings of $1.02 per share and revenue of $15.1 billion for Q2 FY2026, with CEO highlighting a major multi-year campus networking refresh, making AI infrastructure demand a critical growth driver.
- Importance of Employment Report: The January employment report is expected to show an addition of 80,000 nonfarm payrolls and an unchanged unemployment rate of 4.4%, directly impacting private consumption and U.S. GDP, making it crucial for investors to monitor.
- Consumer Price Index Insights: The January CPI is projected to increase by 2.5% year-over-year, with core CPI rising by 2.6%, providing essential inflation details despite not being the Fed's preferred measure, particularly regarding persistent shelter cost inflation.
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