Google just showed up to the open house with a megaphone and a “Request a Tour” button, and suddenly the portals are checking their comps. If this experiment scales, the first click, the first lead (and maybe your ad budget) now answer to Mountain View. Grab a cookie; the SERP is the new foyer.

Story: Google is testing a new way to surface full listing cards directly on mobile search results (price, photos, basics, and a shiny “Request a tour” button) via HouseCanary’s IDX site ComeHome. The pilot is live in select markets and, per HouseCanary, coordinated with local MLSs as a “controlled experiment.” Déjà vu for publishers: when Google rolled out AI summaries, many sites reported big traffic losses; investors clearly noticed the potential rhyme as Zillow’s shares fell more than 8% on Dec 15. Analysts are split: some call the fears overblown given Zillow’s heavy direct/app traffic, others see a longer-term risk and a path for Google to auction “listing ad units.” Meanwhile, industry voices warn the test could blur IDX norms if listings morph into ad inventory.

So What? If Google keeps buyers in-SERP longer, your lead funnel gets re-plumbed. Portals could pay Google for placement, agents could see rising PPC costs on the very listings they created, and organic SEO might convert less as consumers tour/convert before clicking through. For owners/operators, the power shift is about who owns the first touch: if it’s Google, expect more “pay to play” for visibility, tighter attribution, and new fraud/quality-control pressures on instant tour requests. Translation for investors: watch customer acquisition costs across portals and brokerages, margin pressure if auctions heat up, and strategic pivots (data partnerships, app retention, and My Business-style listing controls).

What’s Next? Track scope creep: (1) expansion beyond the pilot metros, (2) desktop and Maps integration, (3) whether MLSs object to ad-monetized usage, (4) earnings call language from Zillow/Realtor.com/Homes.com about traffic mix, and (5) Google’s monetization model (auctioned placement vs. partner rev-share). If this graduates from “experiment” to standard SERP modules in 2026, budget for higher CPCs on listing-intent keywords, tighten lead routing/UTMs, and beef up instant-response SLA, speed-to-lead will matter even more.

Source: GeekWire

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