Antitrust has been a loaded topic in real estate since at least the commission lawsuits of the 2020s that alleged many foundational rules and practices in real estate violated antitrust laws, and the Department of Justice (DOJ) launching its own parallel inquiry. Now, federal agencies are looking to review and revise existing antitrust guidelines, the…
In a bold move that underscores deepening tensions between MLSs and major real estate portals, Realtracs—in an email sent to its members Wednesday morning—has announced that it intends to cut off Zillow’s access to its MLS data feed effective June 1. The decision comes after Zillow allegedly refused to comply with the new IDX display…
Above, Brian Donnellan, left, and Brian Schneider In an op-ed published earlier this month, Brian Donnellan, CEO of Bright MLS, referred to much of the recent industry upheaval as “noise.” Partnerships, consolidations, new entrants—all things that “sidestep” issues that directly affect real estate professionals, he argued. Also in that op-ed, Donnellan revealed that Bright was…
Private listings and networks remain a hot-button issue in real estate, one where sharp lines are being drawn—with MLSs playing a critical role. Recently, Compass announced a partnership with Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED) to bring that MLS’s private listing network nationwide. Other MLSs, such as Tennessee’s Realtracs, have also gone national, even if the…
Zillow is asking a federal judge for emergency relief after Chicago’s dominant MLS, Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED), cut off access to more than 30,000 residential listings, a move the online real estate platform characterizes as an illegal retaliation orchestrated with competitor Compass. In a motion May 21 in the U.S. District Court for the…
Housing starts softened in April after March’s sharp increase, though year-over-year comparisons remain slightly positive as the housing market navigates shifting seasonal patterns. In the New Residential Construction report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau, new housing starts were down 2.8% from March to a seasonally adjusted…
The majority of listings in the Chicago area disappeared from Zillow this morning, around eight hours after a midnight deadline set by local MLS Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED), marking a dramatic escalation in a bitter, high-stakes dispute over restrictions on “private listings” that is playing out nationwide. A sharply-worded announcement from MRED that went…
Through a pilot initiative, tech giant Google is working with HouseCanary to bring MLS listings directly into Google Search, after a brief hiatus when the program initially launched late last year. The pilot is powered by HouseCanary’s ComeHome portal and is only available on mobile devices. It appears as a sponsored search result and includes…
In a court filing in federal court in Washington on Sunday, May 17, Northwest MLS (NWMLS) is accusing mega-brokerage Compass of promising, then failing to produce documents, datasets and communications in a lawsuit over private listing rules, as both parties have accused each other of anti-competitive practices. The lawsuit, filed by Compass a little over…
Above, Josh Jarboe, broker/owner of REMAX Empire Buyers in Kentucky Joe Hayden, in his recent op-ed, criticizes brokerages for innovating outside the MLS while simultaneously admitting sellers deserve choice and flexibility. You can’t have both. The market is evolving, and some brokers are uncomfortable because they can no longer control where consumers search, market and…
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