Sitzer | Burnett plaintiffs' attorneys ask for a third of settlement payout
After 5 years and nearly 100K hours of work, the law firms are asking a federal court for $82M of the proposed settlements to be paid by Anywhere, Keller Williams and RE/MAX
Berkshire Hathaway Energy added to growing Gibson commission suit
Amended complaint alleges Warren Buffett's company abused the trust inspired by his name to encourage homesellers to use HomeServices and further alleged price-fixing conspiracy
Defendant, plaintiffs in Nosalek commission case unite against DOJ
Defendant MLS PIN and plaintiffs Jennifer Nosalek, Randy Hirschorn and Tracey Hirschorn asked a district court judge for permission to respond to a statement of interest the DOJ filed in the case
by Andrea V. Brambila Feb 28
Redfin in crosshairs as new lawsuit targets buyer-broker commissions
California resident Andrea Freedlund is suing on behalf of homesellers who paid a buyer agent in the 4 years before Redfin announced it was leaving NAR, according to a suit filed in federal court
by Andrea V. Brambila Feb 27
NAR breaks silence on DOJ call to decouple commissions
Consumer watchdog CFA hails federal agency's proposal to ban sellers from making compensation offers as a 'major watershed' in promoting more competition in real estate
by Andrea V. Brambila Feb 23
NAR: Commission suit insurance coverage ran out 'some time ago'
There are no funds under NAR's policy available to pay for the cost of defending the Realtor associations nor their multiple listing services which have been sued, according to the trade group
by Andrea V. Brambila Feb 21
MLSs push to dismiss antitrust charges from Zillow, ShowingTime
Arizona Regional MLS (ARMLS) and Metro MLS filed a motion to dismiss Zillow's antitrust lawsuit against them
by Ben Verde Feb 21
HomeServices dropped from long-running buyer commission lawsuit
The court dismissed a federal antitrust claim in the case known as Batton 1, but allowed state-law claims to proceed, partially due to the argument that commissions are baked into home prices
by Andrea V. Brambila Feb 21
DOJ to Nosalek judge: Broker commissions should be decoupled
The Department of Justice said a proposed settlement in the major antitrust lawsuit might itself violate federal law and said buyers should negotiate their broker's commission directly
Utah homeseller files commission lawsuit against NAR, 13 others
The complaint — one of nearly two dozen targeting real estate's commission-sharing structure — alleges 'most' buyer agents will steer clients away from listings that offer lower commission
by Taylor Anderson Feb 12
Chad Roffers dishes on a Sotheby's Concierge Auction record
The Sotheby's Concierge Auctions founder and CEO shared more about how the recent auction of 'La Dune' went down, as well as key reasons why luxury agents turn to the brand to get a deal done
NAR president: The DOJ is a 'bigger problem' than $1.8B Sitzer verdict
In remarks made in Boston that were later posted online, new NAR President Kevin Sears declared business will change for Realtors — whether they embrace it or have it 'forced down our throats'
HomeServices wants US Supreme Court to weigh Sitzer | Burnett case
The franchisor filed a petition to the Supreme Court requesting the review of an earlier appeals court ruling barring it from enforcing arbitration agreements signed by seller clients
Keller Williams settles Sitzer, Moehrl commission suits for $70M
Under the proposed deal, Keller Williams must inform franchisees that offers of compensation are not required. It also agreed to revise training materials and end rules requiring agents to join NAR
NAR CEO Nykia Wright appears — and disappears — in 'odd' new video
In a video that abruptly vanished from NAR's website Wednesday before resurfacing, Wright said the group does not set commissions — a practice it isn't currently being accused of — and welcomed competition from AREA
Attorney lays out how real estate can survive the commission suits
At Inman Connect, Ed Zorn proposed mandating buyer representation agreements, killing the MLS compensation field, adding a concession field, and creating a fund to pay out settlements
by Andrea V. Brambila Jan 26
Mega MLSs, but not NAR, settle pocket listing suit
CRMLS, Bright MLS and MRED told the US District Court of the Central District of California's Western Division they had reached a deal 'in principle' with ThePLS.com
by Andrea V. Brambila Jan 25
Local Logic's 'NeighborhoodIntel' platform rolls out for 85K agents
The platform will be rolled out to more than 85,000 agents in the coming weeks through an integration with BeachesMLS, MLSListings and REcolorado, it was announced on Monday
by Lillian Dickerson Jan 25
California commission lawsuit filed against NAR and 35 other entities
Homesellers allege 36 Realtor association, brokerage, and multiple listing service defendants conspired to inflate buyer broker commissions in violation of state and federal antitrust laws
by Andrea V. Brambila Jan 19
Court says $200B commission suit against NAR must go forward
A federal court judge denied a request from the defendants to suspend the case pending the outcome of post-trial motions after the Sitzer | Burnett verdict
by Andrea V. Brambila Jan 18
Homeseller sues Nevada Realtors, NAR after $40K commission bill
Las Vegas resident Nathaniel Whaley alleges the National Association of Realtors, the Northern Nevada Regional MLS and state and local Realtor groups conspired to inflate broker commissions
by Andrea V. Brambila Jan 17
Illinois' 3rd commission suit names @properties, champions buyers
A Chicago homeowner is the latest to allege NAR policies amounted to a conspiracy to keep commissions high for buyers, resulting in overpayment on the home purchase
by Taylor Anderson Jan 12
Latest homeseller suits in Arizona, New York target commission rules
Class-action complaints filed by Joseph Masiello and Robert Friedman join chorus of litigation nationwide objecting to trade group rules requiring sellers to offer compensation to buyer brokers
by Andrea V. Brambila Jan 11
CoreLogic fights MLS cyberthreats with Clareity Assure
Adaptive authentication is at the heart of the system, which applies at random one of many factors to verify the request for access, such as location, device status and recent online behavior
by Craig C. Rowe Jan 10
Realtors fear damage to NAR brand beyond repair following Kasper exit
Members already reeling from a series of accusations and leadership changes told Inman Tracy Kasper's resignation as president after less than 5 months doesn't bode well for NAR's reputation
by Taylor Anderson Jan 10
Azibo, Fello, Cloze among Inman's best-reviewed proptech of 2023
Opinion
AI fueled the biggest trends in proptech this year, but so did efforts to put the consumer first, tech critic Craig Rowe writes. Check out the dozens of products that received his highest praise in 2023
by Craig C. Rowe Dec 28
From Sitzer to Moehrl, 2023 was the year of commission confusion
Sitzer | Burnett and its verdict cast a long shadow that will extend into 2024 and potentially shake up the real estate industry. But it wasn't the only lawsuit with commissions in the crosshairs
by Andrea V. Brambila Dec 28
MLS Reinvented: A manifesto for the industry
Opinion
Join the conversation about the future of the MLS at Inman Connect New York in January, where we’ll be discussing this manifesto, and much more
by Brad Inman Dec 18
New York's largest MLS grows to nearly 50K agents with acquisition
OneKey MLS's purchase of broker-owned Mid-Hudson MLS is expected to close in January. OneKey says it will provide more data and reach to agents while saving time and money
by Andrea V. Brambila Dec 13
California homeseller who paid $50K in commissions files lawsuit
Christina Grace, a California resident who sold her home in Marin County, filed suit Friday against NAR, Compass and Keller Williams, among others, claiming she paid $50K in commissions
by Andrea V. Brambila Dec 12
Commission suits hit Realtors, brokerages in Florida, Pennsylvania
In separate lawsuits, homesellers allege the defendants — including Florida Realtors and West Penn MLS — conspired to enforce rules that inflated commissions on the sale of their homes
Facade Flags Justice Department Building Washington DC
A 3-judge panel for the Washington DC circuit seemed inclined to let the agency resume its probe into the National Association of Realtors' cooperative compensation and pocket listing rules
NAR argues against setting trial date in Moehrl commission suit
The trade group's attorney says NAR is 'still analyzing' the consequences of the Sitzer | Burnett verdict. Judge Andrea R. Wood says Moehrl is a 'different case' that will likely go to trial in Q4 2024
by Andrea V. Brambila Nov 29
NAR directors confront power shift as executive committee steps up
At a Friday board meeting, a member of NAR's board of directors predicted 'less authority' in 2024 as the embattled trade group's growing Executive Committee shoulders more responsibility
by Andrea V. Brambila Nov 20
Sitzer | Burnett defendants bulk up lawyer bench to prep for appeal
The National Association of Realtors and Keller Williams have hired former US solicitors general to help them beat back the multibillion-dollar verdict
by Andrea V. Brambila Nov 17
NAR won't use lobbying chops for 'legislative fix' to commission suits
At a forum for reps of 50 large brokerage firms, The Realty Alliance CEO Craig Cheatham asked why the nearly 1.6M-member trade group can't use its political influence for an 'existential threat'
by Andrea V. Brambila Nov 16
NAR: 'We have many grounds' to appeal the Sitzer | Burnett verdict
The National Association of Realtors laid out its arguments to overturn the ruling Tuesday. The plaintiffs' attorney said if the trade group doesn't change, it risks an injunction and DOJ wrath
by Andrea V. Brambila Nov 15
NAR will argue for 'complete reversal' of Sitzer | Burnett verdict
The National Association of Realtors' legal team on Monday blamed the ruling on the judge. The plaintiffs' attorney, meanwhile, said NAR hadn't 'learned anything' from its 'resounding defeat'
by Andrea V. Brambila Nov 14
Collabra appoints former Bright MLS exec to board of directors
David Charron joins Collabra's board as the real estate technology and analytics company makes a bid to partner with more multiple listing services
by Jim Dalrymple II Nov 13
South Carolina homesellers latest in line to sue NAR, Keller Williams
A new commission lawsuit filed Monday seeking class-action status alleges sellers encountered 'illogical, harmful, irrational and anticompetitive effects' of NAR's cooperative compensation rule
by Andrea V. Brambila Nov 10
New commission lawsuit targets REBNY and 26 companies in NYC
Homeseller Monty March filed suit in the Southern District of New York Wednesday, alleging REBNY rules in Manhattan kept commissions high and violated state and federal antitrust laws
by Taylor Anderson Nov 10
Mother of all commission suits filed in Illinois, this time by homebuyers
'Batton 2,' exponentially larger in scope than Sitzer | Burnett and the Moehrl commission suits, was filed last week in Illinois and takes aim at many of the defendants in another suit called Gibson
Sitzer | Burnett plaintiffs' attorneys in talks with Department of Justice
Disrupting the National Association of Realtors' use of multiple listing services as a 'vehicle for higher commissions' is at the center of talks, lawyer Michael Ketchmark told Inman exclusively
REcolorado, Lundy partner to create new vision of home search
The Centennial State’s largest MLS has entered into a relationship with Lundy, a company that translates property databases into voice search-capable applications for the vision-impaired
by Craig C. Rowe Oct 16
Full court press: What to know as the Sitzer | Burnett trial unfolds
The allegations, the high-profile witnesses slated to testify and all the evidence the jury will and won't see — it's all here as the long-awaited Sitzer | Burnett commission trial unfolds this week
by Andrea V. Brambila Oct 16
A reverse arrow on a street
An attorney for the Sitzer/Burnett homeseller plaintiffs calls the change a 'stunning admission of guilt' on the eve of a class-action trial set to start Oct. 16
Andy Florance: Bombshell lawsuits will upend Zillow's business model
CoStar CEO Andy Florance dished with Intel about the commission lawsuits, Zillow and NAR as Homes.com nabbed 100M unique visitors for the first time ever in September
DOJ intervention puts MLS commission settlement on ice
The homeseller plaintiffs agreed to a 2-month extension of deadlines related to a proposed deal with MLS PIN after the federal agency asked for time to assess the deal's 'competitive impact'
MLS commission settlement in jeopardy amid new DOJ 'concerns'
The Department of Justice's antitrust division on Thursday requested a 2-month deadline extension to review a proposed deal between homesellers and MLS PIN, a broker-owned multiple listing service
Zillow fends off final claims in fruitless REX lawsuit
The now-defunct brokerage failed to convince a jury that Zillow used unfair tactics when it gave non-MLS listings a separate place on its site
by Daniel Houston Oct 2
CoreLogic mobile MLS-Touch app available to 1M real estate agents
MLS-Touch provides connections to 4 home showing solutions driven by the data of each MLS in which it's active. It can be deployed by MLSs that don't use Matrix, CoreLogic’s listing solution
by Craig C. Rowe Sep 22
RE/MAX settles bombshell commission lawsuits for $55M
The deal resolves claims in both the Sitzer and Moehrl antitrust cases. The franchisor agreed to change its business practices, including 'no longer forcing homesellers to pay buyer’s agents'
by Andrea V. Brambila Sep 18
Nestfully adds 2 prominent Florida MLSs to its search portal
The addition of the 2 largest Florida MLSs means that Nestfully now represents 343K+ agent and brokerage subscribers
by Craig C. Rowe Sep 14
MLS PIN settlement approved after overcoming judge's qualms
Judge Patti Saris preliminarily approved the deal after settlement fund restructuring. The case could provide a sneak peek at broader changes pending bombshell commission suit outcomes
by Andrea V. Brambila Sep 14
RentSpree finds its NorthstarMLS in new partnership
NorthstarMLS is one of the midwest's largest organizations, serving agents and consumers in Minnesota and parts of northern Wisconsin
by Craig C. Rowe Sep 11
CoreLogic, Restb.ai smarten home search for Georgia homebuyers
First Multiple Listing Service, a 57,000-member organization based in Georgia, will launch enhanced home search powered by the joint partnership
by Craig C. Rowe Sep 6
Anywhere settles bombshell Sitzer and Moehrl commission lawsuits
The company agreed to resolve the claims against it for $83.5M. Exact terms will be revealed when the plaintiffs ask the court to approve the deal, but an attorney for the plaintiffs says the franchisor is the first of the defendants to agree to 'change its practices'
NAR seeks to suppress DOJ probe from jury as commission trial nears
The National Association of Realtors filed 4 requests in the US District Court in Western Missouri on Thursday involving commission rule changes, government investigations and discrimination
by Andrea V. Brambila Aug 25
Court rules Zillow falsely labeled REX listings as case heads to trial
Despite the ruling, Zillow said it looks forward to presenting its case to a jury and is 'confident that the evidence will show that REX’s business failed for reasons unrelated to Zillow'
by Andrea V. Brambila Aug 22
REX antitrust claims against NAR and Zillow dismissed with prejudice
Judge Thomas Zilly on Wednesday tossed antitrust claims against NAR and Zillow, saying REX had failed to prove the parties had agreed to work together to disadvantage non-MLS listings on Zillow
by Andrea V. Brambila Aug 16
Industry rallies to work around ongoing Rapattoni cyberattack
Multiple listing services impacted by an ongoing ransomware attack on Rapattoni are defaulting to manual updates, texting and email to communicate listing updates, according to reports
by Craig C. Rowe Aug 15
Multiple listing services to real estate brokers: You complete us
Greg Robertson, Joshua Coleman, Amy Gorce and Gene Millman debated whether the relationship between MLSs and brokers has improved over the past decade during a session at Inman Connect
by Andrea V. Brambila Aug 10
Judge balks at 'unusual' MLS settlement in commission case
Judge Patti Saris, of the US District Court in Massachusetts, said she 'loved' the commission rule changes the deal includes, but didn't think the litigation fund was fair for plaintiffs
The commission suits are headed to trial. What happens after that?
At Inman CEO Connect, Russ Cofano, James Dwiggins and Greg Robertson debated the changes that agents and brokers may see as a result of homeseller lawsuits and government interference
4 ways to improve real estate as bombshell commission suits sizzle
At Inman Connect Las Vegas, real estate broker and attorney Kendall Bonner urged the industry to be proactive instead of waiting to be legally 'bullied' into change
HomeServices appeal dismissed as court eyes October for Sitzer trial
The ruling against HomeServices of America in federal court on Wednesday sets the stage for a likely Oct. 16 start for the first of 2 highly anticipated bombshell commission trials later this year
Arizona Realtors can stay hot with new DirectOffer partnership
This is the 2nd such partnership the real estate technology company has secured lately, having also agreed to work with the Realtor Association of Metropolitan Pittsburg, DirectOffer said
by Craig C. Rowe Aug 1
Chamber of Commerce goes to bat for NAR in face of 'unfair' DOJ probe
In a 'friend of the court' brief, the Chamber said the government should have to keep its promise to not investigate the National Association of Realtors' commission and pocket listing policies
'Alarming': NAR slams DOJ effort to resume commission investigation
In a new brief, NAR claims the DOJ's argument for resuming its probe would 'destabilize the law.' The agency has sought to overturn an earlier ruling that quashed a request for more information
by Andrea V. Brambila Jul 26
How 'computer vision' is disrupting real estate, 1 listing photo at a time
As ChatGPT reimagines how agents write, computer vision extracts data from millions of images to tell deeper stories about home, Restb.ai Chief Product Officer Nathan Brannen tells Intel
by Craig C. Rowe Jul 26
Bright MLS breaks with NAR policy on commissions
Starting Aug. 9, the nation's 2nd-largest MLS will allow listing brokers to offer buyer brokers nothing in compensation, according to an announcement from Bright
by Andrea V. Brambila Jul 20
Gary Keller at Keller Williams KW Family Reunion 2019
The Sitzer/Burnett antitrust case is set to begin Oct. 16 but could be moved to February. The court denied the franchisor's request to change the date because it conflicts with KW's Family Reunion
by Andrea V. Brambila Jul 11
'Marginal agents' with fewer sales now claim quarter of commissions
Agents with 5 or fewer sales a year took in an estimated 25-30% of all commission income in 3 disparate markets, according to an analysis of MLS data by the Consumer Federation of America
by Andrea V. Brambila Jul 10
The stories and trends that defined a whirlwind first half of 2023
Intel takes a look back at the market trends, brokerage strategies, Wall Street happenings and legal controversies that shook the past 6 months and could well define the remainder of 2023
by Marian McPherson Jul 5
MLS turns back on franchisors after settling commission case for $3M
Homesellers plan to use funds from MLS PIN, the largest multiple listing service in New England, to continue antitrust litigation against Anywhere, Keller Williams, RE/MAX and HomeServices
Scenic View Of Mountain Range Against Blue Sky
New Mexico MLS — a statewide MLS with 1,150 agent, broker and appraiser subscribers — will likely launch Aligned Showings in either Q4 2023 or Q1 2024, according to MLS Aligned
by Andrea V. Brambila Jun 27
NAR kicks off nationwide search for 'diverse' CEO candidates
Applications to become the 1.5M-member trade group's 13th chief executive will be accepted through July 31, the National Association of Realtors announced
by Andrea V. Brambila Jun 27
Miami Realtors sweetens tech recipe with Chocolatechips.ai
Agents who use the new system can rapidly generate social media content, marketing visuals, property descriptions and other assets to boost market attention
by Craig C. Rowe Jun 20
UtahRealEstate.com advances search with Restb.ai's intelligence
The website's new skill leverages a form of artificial intelligence called computer vision to scan images for rapid description creation, item tagging and room identification, the company said
by Craig C. Rowe Jun 9
DOJ: NAR commission and pocket listing investigation should resume
The US Department of Justice wants 'to resume its consequential investigation of conduct that affects over $100 billion in broker fees paid by Americans annually,' according to an appeal
CoStar to sunset Homesnap brand this year as it transitions to Homes
The real estate juggernaut is sunsetting the Homesnap brand name and products by the end of the year in favor of transitioning users to its dominant residential real estate brand Homes.com
Judge narrows in on trial date for bombshell commission lawsuit
If the parties don't settle, expect a lengthy trial for the Moehrl homesellers' case against NAR, Anywhere, Keller Williams, RE/MAX and HomeServices of America
by Andrea V. Brambila May 30
Bombshell commission suit 1 step closer to trial after appeal rejected
A federal appeals court on Wednesday denied a request from NAR, Anywhere, Keller Williams, RE/MAX and HomeServices of America to overturn class certification in the Moehrl lawsuit
by Andrea V. Brambila May 25
6 takeaways from NAR's midyear conference
From voting to raise membership dues to requiring fair housing training to learning best practices for artificial intelligence, Realtors are steering their own fate in the industry
by Andrea V. Brambila May 18
With lawsuits in play, NAR Midyear treads lightly with commission talk
At the Realtors Legislative Meetings, NAR attorney Charlie Lee stressed agents can't count on a 'standard' commission and will have to negotiate compensation with clients and listing brokers
by Andrea V. Brambila May 17
Danger ahead: MLSs consider agent alerts for perilous properties
At the National Association of Realtors' midyear conference, a committee on Realtor safety suggested adding MLS data fields to signal hazards such as bad cell service and limited visibility
by Andrea V. Brambila May 17
Built by 3 MLSs, search portal Nestfully should have considered a 4th: Tech Review
Opinion
The goal isn’t to get '500 million people to come to the site' - Nestfully
by Craig C. Rowe May 12
'The best tools in the market:' RentSpree picks up 4 more MLSs
RentSpree's end-to-end solution was selected by Rhode Island Association of Realtor’s Statewide MLS, Heartland MLS, Intermountain MLS and REsides Inc., the company exclusively told Inman
by Craig C. Rowe May 10
Miami Realtors get free Milestones Labs home management app
Sixty thousand South Florida agents and brokers will be able to provide buyers and sellers with self-branded online homeowner portals, the Miami Association of Realtors announced Tuesday
CRMLS partners with Local Logic to offer market intelligence to agents
The Local Logic tool will provide members of the California Regional Multiple Listing Service with critical demographic and economic intelligence on real estate markets around the country
by Craig C. Rowe May 8
NAR raises alarm on  floor plan use, vacant lot scams, 'unfair' contracts
Charlie Lee, the National Association of Realtors' senior counsel, spoke on legal issues impacting agents at the MLS Association Executives Session at the Realtors Legislative Meetings on Sunday
washington dc
The Realtors Legislative Meetings will run May 6-11 and some sessions will be live-streamed for National Association of Realtors members. Here's everything to look for as the conference starts
Value of promoting sustainability in listings keeps falling, Realtors say
An Inman analysis of NAR data on residential sustainability over the past 7 years reveals that fewer agents and brokers believe touting energy efficiency in listings elicits meaningful results
Austin Board of Realtors taps Clare Losey as first housing economist
Bringing on Dr. Clare Losey will allow ABoR to produce ongoing reports on all aspects of the Central Texas economy for its 20,000-plus members, their clients, and local policymakers
REACH turns 10: Inside the NAR tech accelerator's success rate
Since the accelerator launched a decade ago, 80 companies have graduated from the program, an Intel analysis shows. More than 75% are still in business and about 20% have been acquired
Frank Major, trailblazer who carved path as Bright MLS's first CTO, dies
Major was known for his kindness, brilliance and contributions to real estate innovation. 'Like many of us, I will greatly miss his friendship,' Bright MLS Chief Executive Brian Donnellan said
CEOs of the nation’s largest MLSs converge to shore up rental market
Formed by RentSpree, the 'Rental Industry Leadership Board' includes heads of the California Regional MLS, Bright, Beaches and more amid a continued push for Realtors to focus on rentals
by Taylor Anderson Apr 27
Denver Metro to provide teams app, Shaker, as member benefit
Shaker is a mobile-1st solution on both iOS and Android operating systems used in managing listings and transactions and automating tasks and deadlines, among key business processes
by Craig C. Rowe Apr 19
RentSpree's ApplyLink deployed by Austin Board of Realtors
RentSpree has led a charge into the MLS space to promote the value of renters as future home ownership prospects, as well as to simply offer a better method for working with the renters
by Craig C. Rowe Apr 12
Joint venture owned by CRMLS, Bright begins selling MLS data 
REdistribute aims to aggregate and distribute data for MLSs and participating brokers, sell it to institutions — including government-sponsored entities — and share the revenue with brokers
7-state mega MLS ditches alphabet soup, rebrands as 'Prime'
CEO Chad Jacobson: 'Our name no longer ties us to a geographic location, but instead embodies our desire to be the best at what we do'
'Stop arguing and start adjusting': Agents react to class-action ruling
From 'NAR is toast' to 'don't make any rash decisions,' real estate agents, executives and thought-leaders offered their thoughts on the explosive Moehrl class certification ruling Wednesday
by Andrea V. Brambila Mar 31
Bombshell multibillion-dollar commission suit now a class action
A judge on Wednesday granted class certification in a federal commission suit that could rock the real estate industry and impact how agents are compensated nationwide
by Andrea V. Brambila Mar 29
DOJ appeals NAR win in probe of commission, pocket listing rules
The antitrust enforcer wants a higher court to overturn a ruling that limits its investigation into the Realtor trade group's Participation Rule and Clear Cooperation Policy
by Andrea V. Brambila Mar 28