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…
The strangest part of the fight over private real estate listings is not that powerful companies are fighting for control of valuable inventory. That is business. It’s that what is too rarely said plainly is that consumer benefits and corporate benefits can coexist, and sometimes conflict. Compass calls its private listing strategy “seller choice.” Zillow…
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…
CHICAGO—The CEOs of Compass and Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED) each testified Thursday, July 2 that Zillow executives threatened them directly over their companies’ resistance to its listing access standards, with MRED CEO Rebecca Jensen recounting a Zillow executive’s warning that she could expect her “phone to be dumped” and all of her “text messages…
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…
Above, the Everett McKinley Dirksen Courthouse in Chicago where the hearing is taking place. Photo by Clarissa Garza. CHICAGO—Zillow, Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED) and Compass squared off in a Chicago courtroom Wednesday in a preliminary injunction hearing, kicking off two days of testimony, where a federal judge will decide whether Zillow can continue banning…
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)…
Jessica Edgerton, who takes over as CEO of the Council of Multiple Listing Services (CMLS) on July 1, gave RISMedia an interview last week that every agent should read—not because it sounds an alarm, but because it doesn’t. Edgerton gets the most important thing exactly right. Asked what is worth protecting as private listings and…
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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