Some background: Thousands of agents across the country pay Zillow for advertising space, mainly because millions of consumers visit its sites to check out listings and information on more than 100 million homes, whether they are for sale or not. On homes listed for sale, frequently there is also contact information for local "premier agents" who may or may not be the actual listing agent. Premier agents pay Zillow for the promotional space and other benefits — typically hundreds of dollars per month but sometimes more than $1,000 — and receive leads to consumers who are actively searching for a home or plan to in the future. Premier agent monthly payments are a crucial part of Zillow's business model, amounting to nearly $190 million during the second quarter of 2017 alone. This represented more than 70 percent of Zillow's total revenues during the quarter.