How much commission are you donating to Zillow this year?
When your listing goes live without a property-specific lead capture page, Zillow scrapes the listing, captures the buyer leads, and routes them to whoever bought "Premier Agent" status in your ZIP. Here's the math on what that costs you.
All numbers update live as you type. Math source: Zillow viewership data (2023-2025), industry buyer-conversion benchmarks, NAR commission averages.
The hidden tax on every listing without lead capture.
Most agents see "real estate commission" as the listing-side number — the 2.5-3% you contracted with the seller. That's the obvious half.
The hidden half: every listing you put on MLS attracts ~80 buyer-side viewers on Zillow alone. Roughly 22% of those click "Contact Agent" or "Inquire." Without a property-specific lead capture form (one tied to that listing), those clicks route to Zillow's Premier Agent network — paid competitors who bought your ZIP code.
You generated the lead. Zillow harvested it. Your competitor closes it. You earned 0% on the buyer side.
The fix is not paying Zillow more. The fix is owning the listing's traffic flow before Zillow can intercept it. That's what a property-specific website + buyer-side ad campaign does — and why it matters more than another $99 photo bump.
Lead Guarantee Bundle: 5 buyer inquiries in 14 days, or we extend the ads.
Gold photo package + 14-day buyer-side Meta ad campaign + property-specific lead capture site. If you don't get 5 qualifying inquiries in 14 days, we extend the ads at our cost until you do. No refund game — just outcomes.
Common questions about the math.
How does the lost commission calculator work?
It uses three inputs (avg list price, listings per year, buyer-side commission %) and applies industry benchmarks: ~80 buyer viewers per listing on Zillow, 22% capture rate (going to Zillow Premier Agents instead of you), 8% of captured leads close. Multiplied across the year, that's the buyer-side commission you donated to Zillow.
Why 22% capture rate?
Zillow's own published data shows roughly 22% of listing viewers click "Contact Agent" or "Inquire." Without a property-specific lead capture page (like the Cineminn property site that ships with every shoot), those clicks route to Zillow's Premier Agent network — paid agents who bought your ZIP code.
Why 8% close rate on captured leads?
Industry benchmarks across Zillow, Realtor.com, and major brokerage data put the close rate on captured online buyer leads at 6-12%. We use 8% as a conservative midpoint. If your sphere is hotter, your number is higher.
Doesn't a Single Property Website cost me money?
Cineminn includes a property website with every Bronze ($390), Gold ($599), and Platinum ($949) shoot. The website has lead capture built in — buyer fills out the inquiry form, the lead goes directly to your inbox, not to Zillow. There is no add-on cost.
What if my listings rarely get 80 buyer viewers?
Plug your real numbers into the calculator. Even at 30 viewers per listing, the annual donation math is significant for any agent doing 10+ transactions. The smaller your viewership, the MORE important capturing every interested buyer becomes.
How is this different from a Zillow Premier Agent subscription?
Zillow Premier Agent is paying Zillow to send you leads they captured from someone else's listing. The Cineminn approach is the inverse: you keep the traffic from your own listing in the first place, instead of paying Zillow to redistribute it.
Is this calculator accurate for non-Twin Cities markets?
The math is national. The buyer-viewer counts are higher in dense urban markets (Minneapolis, Tampa, Austin) and lower in rural markets. Adjust the listing-count and price-band inputs to your market and the math is directionally accurate everywhere we operate (TC + San Diego, Tampa, Ft Lauderdale, Austin, DFW).
Ready to stop donating commission?
Three options, in order of speed: