Real estate people love to extol the limitless potential of a career in the business. Michele Harrington’s story makes the hype a reality. While Harrington’s path from U.S. Marine to CEO of Southern California’s iconic FirstTeam Real Estate was anything but predictable, there was one constant that fueled her momentum every step of the way:…
A federal judge in the Northern District of Georgia has granted final approval to a series of commission-related antitrust settlements involving several real estate brokerages, bringing an end to the cases after a prolonged fight between two groups of plaintiffs and accusations that the companies negotiated “sweetheart” deals. The dispute stems from a broader clash…
Following commission-focused class-action lawsuits, the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) agreed to rule changes in 2024, one of those being the mandatory use of written buyer agreements before any property showing so as to ensure transparency. But at the state level, laws have been passed contradicting this mandate. In 2025, Alabama passed a law which…
Borrowers and buyers suing Zillow for alleged RESPA violations and racketeering laid out new arguments in court filings last week, largely focused on pushing back against the portal’s contention that their lawsuit lacks legal merit while emphasizing their case hinges on agents’ obligations to represent clients’ best interests. The case, composed of two consolidated class-action…
A federal judge has dismissed the majority of federal claims in an antitrust lawsuit brought by four Louisiana real estate brokers challenging the National Association of Realtors®’ (NAR) mandatory three-way membership requirement for MLS access—though the door remains open for the plaintiffs to refile some of those claims. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick of the…
So-called “premarket” listings appear to be the next big trend for the industry. Zillow’s recent pivot to host what are essentially “Coming Soon” properties (and a mad rush by brokers to strike deals with the portal or other consumer platforms) was an overwhelming affirmation that real estate believes that, to some degree, limited marketing options…
A new survey from Zillow finds a striking reversal in market dynamics: by the fourth quarter of 2025, 51% of agents said market conditions were favoring buyers, the first time that had been true all year. From this same time last year, inventory is up 5%, the monthly mortgage payment on a typical U.S. home…
Today, many brokerages feel caught between two priorities: growing the business and protecting the agent experience. Too often, growth wins and service quietly erodes. This results in operational debt that comes to light when the market tightens. That erosion isn’t accidental. Growth fails when the systems meant to support it were built too late. Sustainable…
A federal judge dealt a significant blow to Washington-based Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS), refusing to throw out an antitrust lawsuit brought by the real estate giant Compass. In the 23-page order filed Thursday, U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead denied NWMLS’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit, ruling that Compass at this early stage, had…
For Teresa Palacios Smith, inclusion is not a program—it is a practice. As chief inclusion and engagement officer at HomeServices of America, Palacios Smith has spent her career building bridges between the real estate industry and the diverse communities it serves. A Cornell-certified DEI expert, she leads initiatives that reach over 23,000 agents across more…
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