The National Association of Realtors® announces a new expertise-driven application process for its 2027 governance committees. The updated process is designed to better align member expertise with committee responsibilities and strengthen governance by helping ensure members are matched to roles based on experience.  The 2027 committee application process begins with a new Expertise Profile, which…

Read More

The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) has announced the first phase of governance updates aimed at improving efficiency, modernizing its committee structure and better aligning with member needs and industry priorities—specifically, “sunsetting” a handful of committees, groups and forums. The changes follow member feedback and an internal review process, according to NAR, and are part…

Read More

A federal judge handed the National Association of Realtors (NAR) a major legal win today, throwing out a lawsuit by two brokers and an agent in Michigan, who had claimed that rules restricting MLS access violated federal and state antitrust laws. Douglas Hardy, Glenn Champion and Dylan Trent filed the lawsuit all the way back…

Read More

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…

Read More

Per a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and court documents, REMAX has reached a settlement agreement in the Batton commission lawsuit (the first and largest by homebuyers) and will pay $8.5 million to resolve claims that it implemented and enforced rules that harmed buyers. The news comes the day after Judge LaShonda…

Read More

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…

Read More

Pending home sales saw a slight uptick in February, continuing an optimistic trend ahead of a long-awaited spring boom, according to the latest data from the National Association of Realtors® (NAR). However, this spring boom may now be delayed due to geopolitical tensions, economists warn. NAR’s Pending Home Sales report found that sales grew 1.8%…

Read More

Above, Merri Jo Cowen After nearly two decades leading Stellar MLS, CEO Merri Jo Cowen is transitioning into a full-time leadership role at Universal Consulting Opportunities (UCO), the organization’s global MLS advisory subsidiary. Cowen will focus on expanding UCO’s international consulting efforts, working with real estate organizations to develop and modernize MLS systems and practices…

Read More

Ahead of the much-awaited spring season, existing-home sales have seen a modest improvement that has been characterized as a “potential” sign of increasing demand, according to the latest data from the National Association of Realtors® (NAR). NAR’s Existing-Home Sales Report saw a 1.7% increase in sales to a rate of 4.09 million in February, a…

Read More

The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) has announced the launch of its new podcast, REALTOR® News Change Agents, a series “designed to fit the pace of the real estate profession—fast, engaging and built to meet members where they are with insight they can use to build their business and get to their next transaction,” a…

Read More