The franchisor and plaintiffs offered different reasons for why HomeServices has yet to finalize its commission settlement agreement after announcing it had reached one for $250M in April
Howard Hanna is the latest brokerage to be hit with a buyer commission suit seeking class-action status
The homesellers object that the deals' payout is 'far too low' for the 'massive' number of injured parties and that franchisees should be required to implement practice changes
The second report by the Consumer Federation of America to focus on the California Association of Realtors in as many weeks examines the association's 7,000-word homeseller listing agreement
Effective immediately, listing brokers and agents can submit for-sale listings to the MLS without offering any cooperating compensation to the buyer broker
Plaintiffs allege REBNY and dozens of real estate brokerages perpetrated a 'wholly separate conspiracy' from the claims resolved by the NAR settlement, but defendants disagree
Attorneys for the plaintiffs in a case now known as Moratis stress that NAR's proposed settlement won't stop 'a key element of the antitrust conspiracy' and might take years to go into effect
It's tough to recruit from franchises, but that's where opportunity may lie, according to an analysis of Intel responses from 610 agents. Intel helps craft the right pitch to draw agents mulling a pivot
The vast majority of more than 600 multiple listing services nationwide have chosen to opt in to the National Association of Realtors' commission settlement, according to a new Inman analysis
The US Department of Justice on Monday argued NAR 'does not identify any errors of law or fact meriting panel rehearing' over whether the antitrust enforcer can reopen its probe into NAR rules
The antitrust enforcer has until June 20 and 21 to give its take on three real estate-related cases and potentially influence upcoming commission changes
Pennsylvania homeseller Spring Way Center is seeking to overturn the court approval of deals reached with Anywhere, Keller Williams and RE/MAX to resolve antitrust commission suits
Plaintiffs' lawyer Michael Ketchmark vowed legal action to enforce deal: 'Anyone who thinks they can send a few emails or bury their head in the sand and avoid the application of the law is wrong'
Buyer pipelines have been shrinking, agents told Inman in the latest Intel Index poll. A new metric unveiled today by Intel sheds light on the trend and aims to answer when it might turn around
In response to NAR's proposed settlement, the nation's 2nd largest MLS will add data fields on June 11 allowing sellers to signal they're willing to offer buyer concessions when they list a home
Northwest MLS says banning compensation in the MLS restricts consumer choice and transparency. Plaintiffs' attorney Michael Ketchmark says 'the fox is guarding the chicken house'
Pinellas Realtor Organization / Central Pasco Realtor Organization approved their merger with Greater Tampa Realtors, forming a new group called Tampa Bay Realtors
Opinion
The Inman Intel Index goes beyond sentiment and trends by tapping into the real estate industry's most engaged community. Add your voice to real estate's most ambitious monthly survey today
NAR's legal team, president and chief economist defended the group's cooperative compensation rule and used journalists as a scapegoat repeatedly during midyear panels earlier this month
Opinion
On the heels of the National Association of Realtors’ midyear meeting, broker-owner Teresa Boardman wonders why NAR doesn’t livestream (and engage) more members
Judge Stephen R. Bough said payouts and practice changes in NAR's deal, added to those in the Keller Williams, Anywhere and RE/MAX settlements, represent 'substantial benefits' for sellers
Agents and brokers talk. A lot. But what's left unsaid may be nearly as important. Intel analyzed survey responses of hundreds of real estate professionals for insights into an unbreakable bond
The ruling by Judge Stephen R. Bough on Thursday resolves antitrust claims in the Sitzer | Burnett, Moehrl and Nosalek commission cases. However, it won't quash other existing suits from buyers
The trade group had signaled plans to raise dues in 2025, but during a board of directors meeting Thursday at the Realtors Legislative Meetings voted 894-20 to leave them as-is for another year
The plaintiffs in a suit known as Batton 1 have filed for a temporary restraining order preventing the final approval of the Keller Williams, Anywhere and RE/MAX settlements
At the Realtors Legislative Meetings earlier this week, MLS executives were told they would be responsible for making sure real estate agents and brokers follow the new commission rules
Realtor.com CEO Damian Eales took to the podium on Monday at the MLS Forum of the Realtors Legislative Meetings to refute rival CoStar's earlier claims about Homes.com's growing traffic
At the Realtors Legislative Meetings on Sunday, National Association of Realtors President Kevin Sears spontaneously fielded questions about the trade group's proposed antitrust settlement
In an email, the 1.5M member trade group specified when agents would have to have signed written agreements with buyers, but stressed NAR would not dictate the agreements' terms
The proposed deal would resolve antitrust claims brought by homesellers but not homebuyers
Each month, the trade group publicly reports the size of its ranks and other data on its official website. But as recently as this month, state-by-state and national data is nowhere to be found
Buyers and sellers are confused about the new rules of the road. Trainer Bernice Ross and Jeff Lobb discuss how agents can change up the conversation and add clarity and confidence
You shared your back-in-the-saddle, boots-on-the-ground perspectives now that NAR's settlement has received preliminary approval
Sitzer | Burnett plaintiffs on Friday asked the court to preliminarily approve the proposed deal. Brokerages and MLSs that were left out initially will have to take action by June 18 to be covered
US homebuilder PulteGroup said it should have been provided with a plan to distribute claims so that it can estimate its recovery amount. But that document doesn't appear to exist
The US Supreme Court denied the real estate franchisor's request for consideration on Monday, but the plaintiffs won't be able to lay $4.7B in damages at HomeServices' feet — at least not yet
A panel of judges considering whether to consolidate real estate commission lawsuits into one cited the recent NAR settlement as a reason to deny the request
A $418M settlement in March by NAR caught agents and leaders by surprise. In a mixed bag of responses to the latest Intel Index poll, they shared their early reactions and existential fears
The Real Brokerage agreed to change business operations as part of its proposed settlement agreement in Umpa v. NAR
The Berkshire Hathaway affiliate says final judgment in the case shouldn't come before settlements are finalized, a process the franchisor does not expect to be 'uncontroversial'
The antitrust case from homebuyer and homeseller Hao Zhe Wang alleges MLS and broker services are illegally tied
Opinion
After the National Association of Realtors' proposed settlement, Coldwell Banker Realty president and CEO Kamini Lane offers 3 tips for agents amid commission compression chaos
The plaintiffs and defendants in the antitrust commission case indicated they would be available for a 3- to 4-week trial beginning Jan. 21, 2025, according to court filings earlier this week
Opinion
Explore how to transcend discounting and enhance value in response to the NAR settlement with strategic consultant Chris Pollinger
Opinion
Women in real estate are already earning about 60% less than men. Rachael Hite looks at the latest wage gap data and explores how commission compression could widen that gap
Robby Braun, partner at Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll, addresses 'misconceptions' about the NAR deal's impact and says Realtors who try to ignore the changes 'will get left behind'
Leaders at many brokerages say a lack of serious agents with a full-time commitment is a drag on the industry. Intel asks whether this might change in the wake of the latest settlements
They asked the court for more time to analyze the impact on their proposed settlement of NAR's proposed rule change banning the MLS display of commissions offered to buyer brokers
More than 90 brokerages would not be covered under the $418M deal, though most have the option of buying in
The verdict in the monumental Sitzer | Burnett commission case in Missouri — plus oversight by federal regulators — has splintered the industry as it scrambles to figure out how to move forward
Opinion
The Inman Intel Index goes beyond sentiment and trends by tapping into the real estate industry's most engaged community. Add your voice to the industry's most ambitious monthly survey today
Sitzer | Burnett plaintiffs asked the court to order the Berkshire Hathaway affiliate to pay most of the nearly $5.4B damages award after NAR, Keller Williams, Anywhere and RE/MAX settle
Most agents say they've heard from competitor brokerages in recent weeks. Intel examines what's on their mind as they decide whether to stay — or bolt
The sheriff has been ordered to arrest a landlord twice named worst in New York City and bring him to Rikers Island for up to 60 days over hundreds of building violations
After 5 years and nearly 100K hours of work, the law firms are asking a federal court for $82M of the proposed settlements to be paid by Anywhere, Keller Williams and RE/MAX
Amended complaint alleges Warren Buffett's company abused the trust inspired by his name to encourage homesellers to use HomeServices and further alleged price-fixing conspiracy
Defendant MLS PIN and plaintiffs Jennifer Nosalek, Randy Hirschorn and Tracey Hirschorn asked a district court judge for permission to respond to a statement of interest the DOJ filed in the case
California resident Andrea Freedlund is suing on behalf of homesellers who paid a buyer agent in the 4 years before Redfin announced it was leaving NAR, according to a suit filed in federal court
Approximately 28% of brokerage leaders believe 'recruiting and retaining talent' will be their most challenging responsibility 1 year from now, according to results from the Inman Intel Index survey
Consumer watchdog CFA hails federal agency's proposal to ban sellers from making compensation offers as a 'major watershed' in promoting more competition in real estate
There are no funds under NAR's policy available to pay for the cost of defending the Realtor associations nor their multiple listing services which have been sued, according to the trade group
The court dismissed a federal antitrust claim in the case known as Batton 1, but allowed state-law claims to proceed, partially due to the argument that commissions are baked into home prices
CoStar Group founder and CEO Andy Florance called Zillow, Realtor.com and Redfin pushback against Homes.com traffic numbers 'bait and switch' business tactics
Most real estate professionals believe rate cuts by the Fed will be crucial for a sales recovery, according to results from the Inman Intel Index survey. But the timing on those cuts is hazy
The Department of Justice said a proposed settlement in the major antitrust lawsuit might itself violate federal law and said buyers should negotiate their broker's commission directly
The trade group will not take on pet projects for the duration of NAR President Kevin Sears' tenure, which is slated to last until November 2025, he told NAR's Board of Directors Wednesday morning
The complaint — one of nearly two dozen targeting real estate's commission-sharing structure — alleges 'most' buyer agents will steer clients away from listings that offer lower commission
In remarks made in Boston that were later posted online, new NAR President Kevin Sears declared business will change for Realtors — whether they embrace it or have it 'forced down our throats'
Despite ongoing commission lawsuits, agents are more concerned about the health of the real estate pie than the size of their own slice, results of the latest Inman Intel Index survey show
The franchisor filed a petition to the Supreme Court requesting the review of an earlier appeals court ruling barring it from enforcing arbitration agreements signed by seller clients
Under the proposed deal, Keller Williams must inform franchisees that offers of compensation are not required. It also agreed to revise training materials and end rules requiring agents to join NAR
In a video that abruptly vanished from NAR's website Wednesday before resurfacing, Wright said the group does not set commissions — a practice it isn't currently being accused of — and welcomed competition from AREA
NAR was dismissed without paying any money or making any rule changes, but The PLS says it can reopen the case if they don't come to a deal
At Inman Connect, Ed Zorn proposed mandating buyer representation agreements, killing the MLS compensation field, adding a concession field, and creating a fund to pay out settlements
CRMLS, Bright MLS and MRED told the US District Court of the Central District of California's Western Division they had reached a deal 'in principle' with ThePLS.com
Intel is highlighting the most important data releases and events slated for each month of 2024 in an effort to help industry observers follow the arc of residential real estate's rebound this year
The Inman Intel Index goes beyond sentiment and trends by tapping into the real estate industry's most engaged community. Add your voice to the industry's most ambitious monthly survey today
Homesellers allege 36 Realtor association, brokerage, and multiple listing service defendants conspired to inflate buyer broker commissions in violation of state and federal antitrust laws
A federal court judge denied a request from the defendants to suspend the case pending the outcome of post-trial motions after the Sitzer | Burnett verdict
Las Vegas resident Nathaniel Whaley alleges the National Association of Realtors, the Northern Nevada Regional MLS and state and local Realtor groups conspired to inflate broker commissions
If you want to be a top-performing agent in 2024 — one who stays for the long haul — prioritize skill development to best adapt to the changing market, coach Darryl Davis writes
The National Association of Realtors may be on the verge of a bigger membership decline than it's ever seen before — including during the 2008 housing crisis. Intel explores why that is
Class-action complaints filed by Joseph Masiello and Robert Friedman join chorus of litigation nationwide objecting to trade group rules requiring sellers to offer compensation to buyer brokers
Members already reeling from a series of accusations and leadership changes told Inman Tracy Kasper's resignation as president after less than 5 months doesn't bode well for NAR's reputation
The National Association of Realtors' leader said she recently received a 'threat to disclose a past personal, non-financial matter unless she compromised her position at NAR'
Agent 'glut' means part-timers are now the majority, leading to 'widespread incompetence and pressure to maintain high commission rates,' according to the Consumer Federation of America
From cold calling and radio shows to painting classes, agent efforts to grow sphere of influence aren't one-size-fits-all
Sitzer | Burnett and its verdict cast a long shadow that will extend into 2024 and potentially shake up the real estate industry. But it wasn't the only lawsuit with commissions in the crosshairs
Ahead of Inman Connect New York in January, the Brown Harris Stevens CEO shared with Inman her tips for navigating challenging economic terrain and what she's looking forward to at ICNY
OneKey MLS's purchase of broker-owned Mid-Hudson MLS is expected to close in January. OneKey says it will provide more data and reach to agents while saving time and money
Christina Grace, a California resident who sold her home in Marin County, filed suit Friday against NAR, Compass and Keller Williams, among others, claiming she paid $50K in commissions
The National Association of Realtors' for-profit venture capital arm, Second Century Ventures, runs the program. Applications are due by Jan. 31
In separate lawsuits, homesellers allege the defendants — including Florida Realtors and West Penn MLS — conspired to enforce rules that inflated commissions on the sale of their homes
A 3-judge panel for the Washington DC circuit seemed inclined to let the agency resume its probe into the National Association of Realtors' cooperative compensation and pocket listing rules
The trade group's attorney says NAR is 'still analyzing' the consequences of the Sitzer | Burnett verdict. Judge Andrea R. Wood says Moehrl is a 'different case' that will likely go to trial in Q4 2024
After exceeding 8% in October, rising mortgage rates overtook 'lack of housing inventory' as the top concern for real estate agents, according to the latest monthly Inman Intel Index results.
At a Friday board meeting, a member of NAR's board of directors predicted 'less authority' in 2024 as the embattled trade group's growing Executive Committee shoulders more responsibility
The National Association of Realtors and Keller Williams have hired former US solicitors general to help them beat back the multibillion-dollar verdict
At a forum for reps of 50 large brokerage firms, The Realty Alliance CEO Craig Cheatham asked why the nearly 1.6M-member trade group can't use its political influence for an 'existential threat'
The National Association of Realtors laid out its arguments to overturn the ruling Tuesday. The plaintiffs' attorney said if the trade group doesn't change, it risks an injunction and DOJ wrath
The National Association of Realtors' legal team on Monday blamed the ruling on the judge. The plaintiffs' attorney, meanwhile, said NAR hadn't 'learned anything' from its 'resounding defeat'
A new commission lawsuit filed Monday seeking class-action status alleges sellers encountered 'illogical, harmful, irrational and anticompetitive effects' of NAR's cooperative compensation rule
Homeseller Monty March filed suit in the Southern District of New York Wednesday, alleging REBNY rules in Manhattan kept commissions high and violated state and federal antitrust laws
Some NAR staffers and members had called for Gland's resignation, alleging she allowed a toxic work environment to flourish unchecked while protecting wrongdoing at the top
'Batton 2,' exponentially larger in scope than Sitzer | Burnett and the Moehrl commission suits, was filed last week in Illinois and takes aim at many of the defendants in another suit called Gibson
Disrupting the National Association of Realtors' use of multiple listing services as a 'vehicle for higher commissions' is at the center of talks, lawyer Michael Ketchmark told Inman exclusively
In a final push on Monday, attorneys for real estate franchisors and the National Association of Realtors argued that homesellers in the case failed to prove a conspiracy to inflate commissions
HomeServices of America attorneys filed a motion Wednesday requesting a mistrial in the Sitzer | Burnett trial, saying a video submitted a day earlier jeopardizes its chances for a fair trial
The allegations, the high-profile witnesses slated to testify and all the evidence the jury will and won't see — it's all here as the long-awaited Sitzer | Burnett commission trial unfolds this week
An attorney for the Sitzer/Burnett homeseller plaintiffs calls the change a 'stunning admission of guilt' on the eve of a class-action trial set to start Oct. 16
The Department of Justice's antitrust division on Thursday requested a 2-month deadline extension to review a proposed deal between homesellers and MLS PIN, a broker-owned multiple listing service
A federal judge struck down charges that defendants conspired to 'fix,' 'maintain' and 'increase' prices for buyer brokerage services, but allowed claims they sought to 'control' prices to proceed
Coupled with findings of an internal investigation made public this month, the memo addressed to Donna Gland reveals NAR was aware of a 'hostile, toxic work environment' as early as March 2022
Employees of the trade group demanded the departures of NAR CEO Bob Goldberg, President Tracy Kasper, Chief Legal Officer Katie Johnson and head of HR Donna Gland on Monday
The deal resolves claims in both the Sitzer and Moehrl antitrust cases. The franchisor agreed to change its business practices, including 'no longer forcing homesellers to pay buyer’s agents'
Judge Patti Saris preliminarily approved the deal after settlement fund restructuring. The case could provide a sneak peek at broader changes pending bombshell commission suit outcomes
The company agreed to resolve the claims against it for $83.5M. Exact terms will be revealed when the plaintiffs ask the court to approve the deal, but an attorney for the plaintiffs says the franchisor is the first of the defendants to agree to 'change its practices'
Realtors are cancelling memberships, hounding local boards and organizing petition drives days after NAR resisted calls Thursday to censure Bob Goldberg for his handling of misconduct claims
Joseph Wihbey, Productive.ai's COO and head of product, took a different approach than everyone else in his pitch: he simulated a phone call with a potential client to show what the tool can do
Agents and industry leaders said National Association of Realtors President Kenny Parcell's resignation is the first step in making the organization safer for female employees and members
In interviews with 29 current and former NAR employees and leaders, including 19 who said they endured sexual harassment on the job, The New York Times described wrongdoing running not only through the trade organization but the subsidiaries and boards its executives currently sit on
The National Association of Realtors filed 4 requests in the US District Court in Western Missouri on Thursday involving commission rule changes, government investigations and discrimination
Most local associations maintain fewer than 2 years of reserves and draw on late fees as the most common source of non-dues revenue, according to NAR's inaugural Association Profile
Despite the ruling, Zillow said it looks forward to presenting its case to a jury and is 'confident that the evidence will show that REX’s business failed for reasons unrelated to Zillow'
Judge Thomas Zilly on Wednesday tossed antitrust claims against NAR and Zillow, saying REX had failed to prove the parties had agreed to work together to disadvantage non-MLS listings on Zillow
The antitrust enforcer argued NAR's pocket listing and commission rules need 'to be assessed on their merits' on whether they cost American homebuyers billions of dollars a year
Judge Patti Saris, of the US District Court in Massachusetts, said she 'loved' the commission rule changes the deal includes, but didn't think the litigation fund was fair for plaintiffs
At Inman CEO Connect, Russ Cofano, James Dwiggins and Greg Robertson debated the changes that agents and brokers may see as a result of homeseller lawsuits and government interference
At Inman Connect Las Vegas, real estate broker and attorney Kendall Bonner urged the industry to be proactive instead of waiting to be legally 'bullied' into change
The ruling against HomeServices of America in federal court on Wednesday sets the stage for a likely Oct. 16 start for the first of 2 highly anticipated bombshell commission trials later this year
Cory Shepard took the reins at the San Diego Association of Realtors last week after now-former CEO Michael Mercurio was accused of stealing over $1M in association funds, the complaint reads
In a 'friend of the court' brief, the Chamber said the government should have to keep its promise to not investigate the National Association of Realtors' commission and pocket listing policies
Starwood Capital Group Chairman and billionaire real estate investor Barry Sternlicht claims Fed inaction has all but ensured a recession is on the way. 'Nobody wants to sell anything today'
In a new brief, NAR claims the DOJ's argument for resuming its probe would 'destabilize the law.' The agency has sought to overturn an earlier ruling that quashed a request for more information
Starting Aug. 9, the nation's 2nd-largest MLS will allow listing brokers to offer buyer brokers nothing in compensation, according to an announcement from Bright
The real estate broker behind the provocative new account spoke to Inman on the condition of anonymity about his campaign to pressure NAR to enforce its own anti-hate speech policies