About Zillow having a complaint filed against them with the FTC, Brad Inman, founder of HomeGain writes the following in the Inman blog:
Zillow gets zinged, surprise, surprise. When HomeGain launched its home valuation tool in 1999, most consumers loved us but many hated us. We were estimating the value of an expensive and emotional asset: peoples’ homes.
The service also scared Realtors, brokers and appraisers. It was new. Even new fashions make people mildly nervous, but new technology can send a sharp icy cold shiver up the spines of established companies.
The appraisers were particularly irked — even though they had quietly become our power users  and a few of them went to state regulators to stop us. Two states came after me personally, threatening severe penalties. At the time, I said: “Bring it on, I cannot wait to stand on the courthouse steps and say that I will willingly go to jail for giving the public, public information.”
— Bradley Inman, Inman News
Brad-
Yes, there are some similarities, but the differences are attitude and presentation.
You have always been one to challenge the industry to be better. They appear to be trying to “cripple” it, with a smile.
You presented your info for what it was, these guys claim that their info is more than it really is. You’re assertive and aggressive, they are arrogant and sneaky. That the difference, and I’ve heard it all before, too! See my post Chicken and Real Estate. Maybe it’s all about PR? Maybe not. Time will tell. md
Hamptons Real Estate Blog 