The Council of Multiple Listing Services (CMLS) claims around 230 members—MLSs ranging in size from a couple hundred to over 100,000 members. As many in real estate are quick to point out, each serves a unique geography, and often has different structures, resources and goals—both a unique boon and a huge pitfall in the face…
In the face of a rapid and accelerating shift in the MLS landscape, the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) announced today that it is introducing two new optional MLS policies, focused on topics at the forefront of the ongoing debate—namely, data and membership—along with tweaks to MLS committee eligibility and a new policy statement. According…
Editor’s note: The COURT REPORT is RISMedia’s weekly look at current and upcoming lawsuits, investigations and other legal developments around real estate. Realtor® association, board sued over MLS merger A handful of Louisiana brokers are suing their local Realtor® association and its board over a recently approved consolidation with ROAM MLS, seeking to remove the…
Another broker lawsuit targeting MLS access rules and the National Association of Realtors®’ (NAR) “three-way agreement” was dismissed by an appellate court on Sept. 9, as challenges to these long-standing policies and structures have so far failed to advance in courthouses across the country. Lou Eytalis, a Texas broker who decried membership feeds and restrictions…
Editor’s note: The COURT REPORT is RISMedia’s weekly look at current and upcoming lawsuits, investigations and other legal developments around real estate. eXp denied judgment ahead of trial, though Sanford scores win Judge Andre Birotte of the federal central district of California ruled late last week that a jury will decide whether eXp is liable…
An appellate court today denied multiple appeals that had sought to overturn the National Association of Realtors®’ (NAR) 2024 settlement agreement, putting a legal period on the end of the seven-year long commission lawsuit saga that upended real estate practices and undermined NAR’s standing in the industry. A panel of three judges for the Eighth…
Editor’s note: The COURT REPORT is RISMedia’s weekly look at current and upcoming lawsuits, investigations and other legal developments around real estate. NAR and Mauricio Umansky spar over decade-old fraud allegation In a long-running lawsuit filed by listing startup PLS.com against the National Association of Realtors® (NAR), allegations of “unprofessional” conduct and “improper” demands are…
The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) provided the second quarterly update on its new strategic plan, as the organization has promised more transparency and a holistic turnaround after facing years of backlash in the wake of the commission lawsuits. In a statement, NAR CEO Nykia Wright, who took the reins with a mandate to make…
The National Association of Realtors® (NAR), in a long-running lawsuit filed by a private listing startup, is now seeking to scrutinize the communications of the American Real Estate Association (ARA, a competing association that made headlines and grew rapidly in the wake of the Burnett verdict and scandals at NAR). In a court filing last…
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…
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