The battle over private listings is playing out nearly everywhere—from statehouses and courthouses to brokerage offices and Wall Street boardrooms. As opponents and supporters of the practice make their cases, the debate looks vastly different depending on the venue. But one tool that is nearly always effective is data. And as the practice draws more…
Zillow research released in May found that home sellers lost a combined $1.49 billion to same-agent dual agency and $1.36 billion to off-MLS listings between 2023 and 2025, based on an analysis of more than 15 million transactions. Two sources with no role in the study—a Chicago broker/owner and a real estate economist—reviewed the findings…
A federal congressional committee sent letters to Compass CEO Robert Reffkin and MRED CEO Rebecca Jensen in relation to their partnership, scrutinizing the relationship between the nation’s largest brokerage and the Chicago-based MLS that is already at the center of a federal lawsuit. The letters were penned by a subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee…
In yet another major escalation in its effort to re-shape the foundations of real estate, Compass filed a cascade of state-level ethics complaints Tuesday through 30 Realtor associations, at least 50 MLSs and real estate regulators across 26 states, targeting Zillow and focusing on allegedly misleading property designations on listings. A source with direct knowledge…
The last time Google dipped a toe into real estate search, it walked away. Now, it’s going all in. The search giant announced it was expanding its real estate listings pilot to all 50 states this summer, powered by a partnership with data firm HouseCanary. As more brokerages and MLSs sign on to the initiative…
In a supplemental post-hearing brief filed by defendants Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED) and Compass, the defendants argue that Zillow is not entitled to relief because “any harm, if it exists at all, is self-inflicted.” “If Zillow wants MRED’s feed, the ‘lifeblood’ of its business that it receives virtually for free, all Zillow has to…
The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) has penned a letter requesting that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) investigate mega-brokerage Compass for its several recent partnerships with MLSs that simultaneously expanded their platforms nationwide, alleging that the deals “raise significant anti-consumer concerns” and potentially “violate fair housing protections.” Specifically, the…
In the continued evolution of the MLS landscape as of late, California Regional MLS (CRMLS) recently announced a “Limited Exposure in Coming Soon” option for listings. A post on the MLS’s Knowledgebase blog details that the option will prevent a designated listing from being circulated through IDX feeds. Specifically, CRMLS stated that the new option…
Editor’s note: RISMedia will be on the ground in Chicago this week to provide live coverage of the hearing. Stay tuned to RISMedia.com for the latest updates. A long-simmering dispute between Zillow and Chicago-based MLS Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED) exploded into a public battle last month, ending up (like many recent industry disputes have)…
Northwest MLS (NWMLS) on Thursday, defended its countersuit against Compass in the Western District of Washington, urging Judge Jamal N. Whitehead to allow the MLS’s fraud, Consumer Protection Act and tortious interference claims to proceed against the mega-brokerage in a high-profile battle over MLS policies that is likely to reverberate across the industry. Responding to…
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