Does Cursor support remote MCP servers?

Yes. Cursor supports both local stdio servers (run as a subprocess) and remote streamable-http servers (called over HTTPS). The Zillapi MCP server is remote — no install step, no binary, just a config entry pointing at the URL with your bearer token.

Why doesn't the Zillow MCP server show up in Cursor's Agent?

Three reasons. First, Cursor caches the MCP server list per session; close and reopen Cmd+L after adding the server. Second, the JSON config must be valid — open the .cursor/mcp.json file directly to check. Third, the bearer token must be in the Authorization header with the literal prefix "Bearer " (with the space).

Can I scope the Zillow MCP to one Cursor project?

Yes. Cursor stores MCP server entries either in global settings (~/.cursor/mcp.json) or per-project (.cursor/mcp.json in the workspace root). Per-project is the right scope when your codebase is real-estate-specific — teammates inherit the config when they pull.

How do credits work when Cursor calls the MCP server?

One credit per successful tool call. lookup_property_by_address and lookup_property_by_zpid each cost one credit. search_listings consumes one credit per listing returned, capped at 50. Failed calls return errors and do not consume credits. Your Free 100 credits cover plenty of testing.

Does the Zillow MCP work with Cursor's Composer or only the Agent?

Both. Cursor's Composer and Agent share the same MCP backend. Once the Zillapi server is connected, Composer can call lookup_property_by_address when you reference a property address in a prompt — same as the Agent.

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Add Zillow as an MCP server in Cursor

Wire the Zillapi MCP server into Cursor's Agent in three steps. Property data, Zestimates, and listing search inside Cmd+L without leaving your editor.

By Zillapi May 12, 2026

Connect Cursor’s Agent to live Zillow property data in two minutes. Get a free Zillapi key — 100 credits, no card required — add one entry under Features → MCP, and the Agent gets property lookups, Zestimates, and listing search inside Cmd+L. No terminal. No code change. No SDK.

This guide is the exact settings path, the JSON config shape, the cache pitfall, and the prompts to confirm it works.

Step 1: Get a Zillapi API key

Step 2: Open Cursor’s MCP settings

Cmd+Shift+J on macOS or Ctrl+Shift+J on Windows opens the Cursor settings panel.

Navigate to Features → MCP. You’ll see any existing MCP servers and a button to add a new one.

Step 3: Add the Zillapi server

Click Add new MCP server and fill in:

Name: zillapi
Transport: streamable-http
URL: https://api.zillapi.com/mcp
Headers: Authorization = Bearer zk_YOUR_KEY

Replace zk_YOUR_KEY with the value from your dashboard. Save.

Cursor stores this in one of two places depending on what you pick:

Global → ~/.cursor/mcp.json
Project → .cursor/mcp.json in the workspace root (commit this if you want teammates to inherit)

The raw JSON shape, in case you’d rather edit by hand:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "zillapi": {
      "transport": "streamable-http",
      "url": "https://api.zillapi.com/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer zk_YOUR_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

Step 4: Confirm and test

Open the Cursor Agent with Cmd+L (or Ctrl+L on Windows). Look in the available-tools tray — you should see zillapi listed with four tools:

lookup_property_by_address
lookup_property_by_zpid
get_zestimate
search_listings

Test with a prompt:

“What’s the Zestimate on 17 Zelma Dr, Greenville SC?”
“Find for-rent listings under $2,500 in Brooklyn NY.”
“Pull the full record for zpid 12345678.”

The Agent picks the right tool, calls the Zillapi MCP server, and shows the result inline.

Troubleshooting

The server appears in settings but no tools show up in the Agent. Cursor caches the tool list per session. Close the Cmd+L pane and reopen it. If still missing, restart Cursor entirely.

The Agent says it called the tool but got 401 Unauthorized. The Authorization header is missing the Bearer prefix or has a typo in the key. Open settings, edit the server, and make sure the value is exactly Bearer followed by your zk_ key.

The settings panel doesn’t have a “Features → MCP” section. Update Cursor — MCP support landed in 0.42 and got the dedicated UI in 0.45. Check Cursor → About.

Calls return 429 Too Many Requests. Free tier is 20 calls/min. Wait a minute, retry, or upgrade. Cursor will sometimes batch tool calls during long agent runs, which spikes the rate — Monthly ($5/mo, 200/min) handles that comfortably.

You hit a calls return 402 Payment Required mid-session. You’re out of credits. Top up at $4 per 1,000 on Monthly, $3 per 1,000 on Annual. Free tier does not support top-ups — upgrade.

What this unlocks inside Cursor

Once zillapi is wired up, every Cursor session — Agent, Composer, and Chat — can pull Zillow data on demand. A few patterns that work well:

Scaffolding a real-estate app: paste a Zillow URL, ask Cursor to scaffold a property card component using the actual response shape.
Test data generation: ask Cursor to pull 10 real listings in your area and seed your dev database from the response.
API exploration: ask “what does the response from lookup_property_by_zpid look like?” — Cursor calls the tool with a sample zpid and shows you live JSON instead of out-of-date docs.
Comparable sales scripts: have Cursor write a Python script that loops over sold listings and computes price-per-sqft averages.

The same Zillapi key works in Claude Desktop, Claude Code, ChatGPT, and the open-source skills repo. One key, every agent.

Don’t have a key yet? Sign up free at zillapi.com/signup — 100 credits, no card required. Paid plans start at $5/month if you outgrow it.

Frequently asked questions

Does Cursor support remote MCP servers?: Yes. Cursor supports both local stdio servers (run as a subprocess) and remote streamable-http servers (called over HTTPS). The Zillapi MCP server is remote — no install step, no binary, just a config entry pointing at the URL with your bearer token.
Why doesn't the Zillow MCP server show up in Cursor's Agent?: Three reasons. First, Cursor caches the MCP server list per session; close and reopen Cmd+L after adding the server. Second, the JSON config must be valid — open the .cursor/mcp.json file directly to check. Third, the bearer token must be in the Authorization header with the literal prefix "Bearer " (with the space).
Can I scope the Zillow MCP to one Cursor project?: Yes. Cursor stores MCP server entries either in global settings (~/.cursor/mcp.json) or per-project (.cursor/mcp.json in the workspace root). Per-project is the right scope when your codebase is real-estate-specific — teammates inherit the config when they pull.
How do credits work when Cursor calls the MCP server?: One credit per successful tool call. lookup_property_by_address and lookup_property_by_zpid each cost one credit. search_listings consumes one credit per listing returned, capped at 50. Failed calls return errors and do not consume credits. Your Free 100 credits cover plenty of testing.
Does the Zillow MCP work with Cursor's Composer or only the Agent?: Both. Cursor's Composer and Agent share the same MCP backend. Once the Zillapi server is connected, Composer can call lookup_property_by_address when you reference a property address in a prompt — same as the Agent.