OLYMPIA — A bipartisan bill restricting the use of exclusive private real estate listings was heard in the Senate Housing Committee Friday, Jan. 23.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Marko Liias (D-Edmonds), would require real estate brokers to market residential properties for sale or rent in Washington without limiting access to select buyers or broker networks. Right now, brokers may use private listing networks to market properties to exclusive groups, leaving other buyers and renters in the market with fewer options.
“Private listings make Washington’s housing market less fair for buyers and renters who are already struggling to compete,” Liias said. “This bill would ensure buyers and renters can consider all available properties when they’re looking for a place to call home.”
Realtors’ recommendations to sellers to use private listing networks have grown significantly in recent years. A 2025 Zillow/Harris Poll found that 63% of Americans who have sold a home in the past five years said their real estate agent recommended a private listing, compared to just 18% of sellers who sold a home more than five years ago.
Ryan Beckett, the 2026 president of Washington REALTORS, said the bill is an opportunity to improve consumer protections for buyers and renters.
“Our goal is for Washington state to be a consumer-friendly place for anyone trying to buy or sell a house. That’s been our focus as an organization for the past few years. As we engaged in conversations about the impact of exclusive or private listing networks, we recognized that restricting information to consumers about housing opportunities is contrary to consumer protection,” Beckett said.
The bill includes an exception for instances where publicly marketing the property would threaten the owner’s or occupant’s health or safety.
