Compass-affiliated agents in New York City remain unable to newly join StreetEasy’s Experts lead-generation program after the Zillow-owned portal imposed a 20% company participation cap. The restriction is taking on new significance after StreetEasy’s stricter listing policy took effect Sept. 17 and Compass encouraged some NYC agents to remove listings from the portal before the change.
StreetEasy pauses new Experts admissions from any company whose agents account for at least 20% of program participants. Compass International Holdings is currently the only company above that threshold, while existing Experts can remain in the program, according to recent reporting on the policy change.
On Sept. 16, Compass offered some New York City agents a 30-day, $1,000 digital marketing package if qualifying sellers agreed to remove their listings from StreetEasy, according to an internal company email obtained by Real Estate News.
How StreetEasy’s 20% Experts cap works
StreetEasy applies the threshold at the parent-company level rather than by brokerage brand. Compass, Corcoran, Sotheby’s International Realty, Coldwell Banker and other businesses under Compass International Holdings therefore contribute to the same share of Experts participation.
Once a company reaches or exceeds 20% of the program, additional applicants from that company are waitlisted until its share falls below the threshold. StreetEasy has said the rule applies equally to every participating company.
StreetEasy Experts is an advertising and lead-generation program that connects participating NYC agents with buyers and sellers based on factors that can include location, transaction history and program performance. Agents pay no upfront participation fee, but StreetEasy collects a success fee when an eligible connection closes.
StreetEasy says one in three buyers who purchased a NYC home in 2024 sought help from an Expert. Experts who change brokerages must also notify StreetEasy, which then determines whether a new agreement can be issued and whether existing connections need to be reassigned.
StreetEasy’s new listing rule takes effect
The participation cap is separate from StreetEasy’s updated listing policy, which took effect Sept. 17.
Under the Listings Quality Policy, an exclusive sale listing must be submitted to StreetEasy on the same calendar day it is publicly marketed elsewhere, including on brokerage websites, MLS systems and other public-facing portals.
Noncompliance can affect whether a listing appears on StreetEasy and may also jeopardize access to products such as Experts. Agents using pre-market or phased marketing strategies now have another compliance issue to account for when deciding how listings are marketed and distributed.
Why the cap landed on Compass
Compass became a much larger organization when it completed its all-stock combination with Anywhere Real Estate on Jan. 9. The transaction brought brands including Corcoran, Sotheby’s International Realty and Coldwell Banker under Compass International Holdings.
Because StreetEasy measures Experts participation across the parent company rather than individual brokerage brands, those affiliated businesses count toward the same 20% threshold.
Compass agents face a new lead-gen limit
Existing Compass-affiliated Experts are not being removed under the cap, but new applicants are waitlisted while Compass International Holdings remains at or above 20% of program participation.
Agents considering a move to Compass, Corcoran, Sotheby’s or another affiliated brand may now want to verify Experts eligibility alongside compensation, technology and other recruiting considerations. Brokerages may also need to explain what alternative lead-generation channels are available while enrollment remains paused.
For agents already using Experts, the cap does not replace StreetEasy’s separate listing and performance requirements. Participation may remain open to existing Experts, but continued access still depends on following the platform’s rules.