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Zillow, one of the biggest names in real estate, is changing the way homes are shown on its website.

Zillow and Trulia are tightening their policies on home listings. Starting now, if a home is publicly shared — such as through yard signs, flyers, or social media — but isn't listed on a local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) within one business day, it will be taken down from both sites.

This rule means that if a real estate agent puts a home on their own website or promotes it online but doesn't also put it on the MLS right away, Zillow won't show that home to buyers.

Homes that were listed this way before the new rules went into effect will still be visible.

According to USA Today, Zillow says the change is about fairness. The company is following a rule called the Clear Cooperation Policy, created by the National Association of Realtors.

This policy says that once a home is being shared with the public, it should be available to everyone — not just a select group of people.

"At the core of these standards is one simple principle: A listing publicly marketed to any buyer should be marketed to every buyer," Zillow said in a statement.

"Consumers deserve fair access to listings without having to get access behind a velvet rope controlled by any one company."

Zillow's New Rule Gains Support from Major Real Estate Firms

Several major real estate firms, including West USA Realty, eXp Realty, and NextHome, are supporting Zillow and Trulia's new rule. They believe this will help all buyers have a fair shot at finding a home.

But not everyone agrees. Homes.com, a competing listing site, called the change a "power play." Its parent company, CoStar, argues that Zillow is trying to control how homes are marketed, taking power away from sellers, agents, and even homeowners, Yahoo said.

CoStar CEO Andrew Florance has pushed back against Zillow's new policy, raising concerns about who gets to control how a home is marketed.

He argued that Zillow is taking the power away from brokerages, listing agents, and even homeowners by enforcing stricter listing rules.

Zillow responded by saying the change will help avoid confusion for buyers and make things more fair.

Based on the company, 80% of home shoppers already start their search directly on Zillow. According to Zillow, its platform sees over four times more app traffic than its nearest competitor, Realtor.com.

Zillow says it wants every buyer to have the same chance to see all available homes.