Tour Partner Program Standards

What Is the StreetEasy Tour Partner Program?

The Tour Partner Program (the “Program”) is a fee for service program offered by Zillow’s StreetEasy brand (“StreetEasy”) that gives real estate agents (“Tour Partners”) the opportunity to earn additional pay by hosting property tours for prospective renters (each a “Renter”). The Program will simplify the NYC renting process by enabling renters to see properties on demand with Tour Partners.

Tour Partners will have the flexibility to accept apartment tours when and where they want – with guaranteed earnings for each tour they give. Once a tour is accepted, Tour Partners will be able to manage the end to end touring experience through a dedicated StreetEasy Tours mobile application (the “Tours App”), which will contain all the tools and information needed to make hosting tours an easy and delightful experience. The Program aims to provide licensed real estate agents a new way to earn while simultaneously gaining valuable NYC market experience.

Objectives of the Program Performance Standards

The following standards describe the expectations StreetEasy has for Tour Partners, including what we expect each Tour Partner to do before a tour starts, while hosting a tour, and after a tour.

Pre-Tour Guidelines

Accepting Tours

  • Prior to accepting any tour, Tour Partners should check the date/time and location of the tour.
  • Tour Partners should only accept tours when they are certain that their schedule allows for them to host the tour.

Cancelling Tours

  • If a Tour Partner needs to cancel a tour they have already committed to hosting, we ask that you do so with as much lead time as possible.
  • Cancellations within 24 hours of scheduled tour times will limit a Tour Partner’s future eligibility to accept tours.
  • Tour Partners’ cancellation rates will be tracked over time. Cancelling tours too frequently will reduce a Tour Partner’s future eligibility to accept tours.

Preparing for Tours

  • Upon accepting a tour, Tour Partner is expected to familiarize themself with the property and tour details that are provided in the Tours App.
  • The Tours App will include information relevant to hosting tours at each property, such as:
    • Unit => which unit(s) the renter has asked to tour
    • Access Instructions => instructions for entering property and obtaining keys to enter property and/or common spaces
    • Additional Tour Highlights => what elements of the property should be shown to Renter during the tour, such as laundry room, gym, or common spaces
    • Whether any additional units are available for touring at the property and information about such units.
    • Lock up instructions => how/where to return keys

Coordinating Upcoming Tours with Renters

  • Before each tour is scheduled to begin, StreetEasy will connect Tour Partner to Renter via the Tours App. Renter and Tour Partner will have the ability to message each other via the Tours App.
  • No later than one hour before the Tour is scheduled to begin, Tour Partner is expected to initiate conversation with Renter via the Tours App. Tour Partners should use introductory messages to set expectations with Renter that detailed meeting instructions will be provided upon Renter’s arrival at the property. The message should also clarify that Tour Partner’s role is to show Renter the property identified in Renter’s request and that Tour Partner is not a representative of the landlord or Renter – meaning that Tour Partners will not be able to provide advice or aid in Renter’s overall search. If Tour Partner does not initiate a conversation with Renter at least one hour before the Tour is scheduled to begin and the Renter does not show up, Tour Partner will not receive payment for the tour.
  • Upon arrival at the property, Tour Partner should provide Renter with detailed instructions on where to meet them. For example, Tour Partner may say “I am waiting for you at the front desk and I am wearing a white collared shirt”.
  • If, for any reason, Tour Partner is running behind schedule and cannot arrive at the property at the scheduled time, they must promptly provide Renter and StreetEasy with their updated arrival time.

Tour Hosting Guidelines

General Expectations

    • On the day of your tour, we recommend arriving at the property 30 minutes before the start of the tour to ensure that you can access the unit and to allow yourself to get acclimated. You should bring a photo ID and your real estate license in case the Renter or building management asks to see it.
    • Upon meeting Renter at a property, Tour Partner will need to select “Begin Tour” in the Tours App to notify Streeteasy that the tour has been initiated. Tour Partner will not receive payment for a tour if they do not record the beginning of the tour in the Tours App.
    • Tour Partner and Renter are expected to follow all current health and safety guidelines for reducing the spread of Covid-19. For example, as of March 2021, those guidelines include wearing a mask and maintaining social distance during tours.
    • Tour Partner is expected to show Renter each unit at the property that Renter requested to see via the Tours App.
    • Tour Partners are expected to ask Renters if they want to see the additional property features highlighted in the Tour Details section of the Tours App. For example, if the Tour Details section note that the building has a gym or a roof, Tour Partner should ask Renter if they want to see those spaces.
    • Tour Partners are expected to leave any unit or common space they enter while on a Tour in exactly the same condition as they entered it. For example, if Tour Partner enters a unit where lights are turned off, doors are locked, windows are closed, and air conditioning is turned off, that is the condition the unit should be left in.
    • If the Tours App indicates (or Tour Partner is otherwise informed) that there are other similar units in the building available for touring, Tour Partner is expected to inform Renter of such additional units and provide Renter with a tour of any such units Renter requests to view. Tour Partners may not provide advice or opinion on which units to tour but may share the information provided in the Tours App about each additional unit with Renter. Tour Partner will be paid the amount specified in the Tours App for tours of additional units in the same property provided by Tour Partner to the same Renter on the same day (i.e. these will be considered part of the same tour).
    • At the conclusion of the tour, Tour Partner must return all keys used during the tour and follow all instructions in the Tour Detail section of the Tours App for concluding a tour.
    • At the conclusion of the tour, Tour Partner should notify Renter that they will receive instructions from StreetEasy on what to do if they are interested in applying.
    • At the conclusion of the tour, Tour Partner should ask Renter to provide their interest in the units they toured and record their response in the Tours App.
    • Tour Partner must also record the conclusion of the tour and submit a review of Renter, as indicated in the Tours App. Tour Partner will not receive payment for a tour if they do not record the end of the tour and submit a complete review of Renter in the Tours App.
    • Handling No Shows: If Renter does not arrive for a tour as scheduled, Tour Partner should message Renter to ask for their location/distance from the property. Tour Partner should wait at the property for at least 30 minutes; if Renter does not arrive by then, Tour Partner should update the status of the tour in the Tours App to ‘no show.’
    • Managing Property Access Issues: If Tour Partner cannot gain access to property, they should promptly notify StreetEasy using the Tours App. StreetEasy will use best efforts to rectify access issues within 30 minutes. If the issue(s) cannot be rectified or StreetEasy cannot be reached, Tour Partner should end the tour in the Tours App and complete the tour end checklist and forms that will mark the tour as ended due to an inability to access property. Tour Partner will be paid for tours as long as Tour Partner follows this protocol. All Tours must be ended in the Tours App with clear reasons describing how the tour ended by following the prompts in the Tours App.
  • Soliciting Renters Prohibited: Except as otherwise explicitly provided herein, Tour Partner is prohibited from taking any action to solicit a Renter’s interest in properties other than the one originally identified in the Tours App. To be explicit, Tour Partner will not suggest other properties to Renter or otherwise ask Renter if they want to see other properties. If Renter asks about other properties, Tour Partner will inform Renter they are unable to provide information on other properties. Tour Partner is also prohibited from providing a Renter with their contact information or otherwise indicating to a Renter they are available to support them in their search for a rental. Failure to comply with this expectation may result in Zillow suspending or terminating Tour Partner’s participation in the Program.

Answering Questions From Renters

Tour Partners are only expected to answer fact-based questions about the unit, building, and neighborhood. Facts will be provided to Tour Partners through the Tour Detail section of the Tours App to help answer questions such as:

  • Questions about unit/building amenities, such as: is there laundry in the building?
  • Questions about fees for building amenities, such as: is there a fee to use the gym?
  • Questions about building policies, such as:
    • Does the Landlord allow temporary wall installations so this unit can have another bedroom?
    • What is the building’s pet policy?
    • Does the building allow smoking?
  • Questions about the neighborhood, such as: what is the nearest subway?

All questions about a property’s application process and landlords’ requirements for prospective renters should be answered by advising Renter to reference materials provided by StreetEasy. Information about the application process will be shared with Renter via StreetEasy’s listing pages and email.

Tour Partners are allowed to answer non fact-based questions, such as “will a desk fit in this room” so long as Tour Partner notifies Renter that their answer is purely opinion and is in no means an effort to influence Renter’s decision.

Tour Partners are prohibited from offering advice on lease offers or negotiations. The following types of questions must be avoided:

  • Questions seeking advice on what the renter should offer for the apartment (offer advice)
  • Questions seeking advice on whether offered rent is consistent or inconsistent with current market conditions (price opinions)
  • Questions seeking clarity on whether Renter is qualified for the apartment (qualifications)
  • Questions seeking advice regarding which other apartments in the building Renter should see

If Renter seeks advice on rental offers or lease negotiations, Tour Partner must inform Renter they are not able to counsel on such topic(s) because they are not a representative to the transaction. If Renter wants to know who is able to advise them on rental offers, Tour Partner should inform Renter that, after the tour, they will be asked if they want to apply and will be given an opportunity to connect directly with a representative of the landlord.

Renter No Shows and Cancellations

If Tour Partner complies with the Terms, including all guidelines set forth herein, and a Renter either: (i) provides fewer than 30 minutes notice that they will not be showing up for a Tour, or (ii) does not show up for a Tour within 30 minutes after the Tour was scheduled to begin, Zillow will still pay as if the Tour of the initial rental unit took place.

Zillow Code of Conduct

Zillow believes that all people deserve to be treated equally and with respect, regardless of their race, ethnicity, nationality, class, religion, belief, sex, language, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, health or other status. Zillow chooses to work with professionals who both share these values and embody them in their interactions with consumers, Zillow employees, and other professionals. In the event Zillow determines that you are not upholding these values, Zillow may take action to ensure the integrity of Zillow’s services, including terminating you from the Program. Zillow may also terminate you in the event you are charged with or convicted of a crime, or Zillow otherwise believes your participation in the Program could harm the reputation and/or good standing of the services offered by Zillow.