In October 2023, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) was found liable by a federal jury of making home sellers pay excessive commission fees. Following a settlement between the NAR and the federal government, many new...more
Major changes hit the U.S. housing market this past month that may lead to lower housing prices across the nation. These changes stem from a settlement agreement entered into by the National Association of Realtors (“NAR”),...more
The real estate industry is experiencing a situation due to new rules relating to buyers’ brokers in residential real estate transactions. Earlier this year, facing a $1.8 Billion verdict, the National Association of Realtors...more
In 2019, home sellers brought a series of class-action lawsuits against the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and several national real estate brokerages, alleging that the defendants conspired in anticompetitive...more
In the latest chapter of a long-running investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division into real estate industry practices, the D.C. Circuit revived DOJ’s 2021 investigation of the National...more
On April 5, 2024, the D.C. Circuit ruled that the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division could reopen an investigation of allegedly anticompetitive practices of the National Association of Realtors (“NAR”). See Nat’l Ass’n...more
Suppose we compare how orchestra violinists are paid to how residential real estate agents are paid. In contrast to violinists, who must spend a fixed amount of time in rehearsals and concerts, real estate agents receive the...more
The homebuying market as we know it is about to see sweeping changes. On Friday, March 15, 2024, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) announced a settlement with groups of home sellers, agreeing to end antitrust...more
Real estate brokerage franchisor Keller Williams has agreed to a settle claims related to the ongoing broker commission antitrust litigation. Burnett v. National Ass’n of Realtors, Case No. 4:19-CV-00332 (W.D. Mo.), which has...more
A recent federal jury verdict in Missouri has gotten the attention of real estate industry professionals around the country. The jury in Sitzer v. National Association of Realtors et. al (Case No. 4:19-cv-00332-SRB) ordered...more
A federal jury ruling just changed the game for real estate brokers and the commissions they are permitted to collect. In Sitzer v. the National Association of Realtors, the defendants (which included the National Association...more
Recently, a federal jury in Missouri returned a verdict ordering the National Association of Realtors (“NAR”), along with several other national real estate brokerages, to pay $1,785,310,872.00 in damages after finding NAR...more
A federal jury in Kansas City deciding a class-action lawsuit involving a class of home sellers recently found that the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and certain other residential real estate brokerages conspired to...more
On October 31, 2023, a Missouri jury awarded the plaintiff class in Sitzer/Burnett v. Nar, et al a $1.78 billion damages verdict against several real estate brokerage companies and the National Association of Realtors, based...more
On October 31, 2023, a federal jury in the Western District of Missouri found that the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and multiple other real estate brokerages violated antitrust laws by conspiring to inflate the...more
For home sales, multiple listing services (MLS) are the main source of information about properties listed for sale. And, buyers cannot access MLS listings on their own, because MLS limits most access to licensed real estate...more
Will the California Supreme Court’s anticipated decision in Hiroshiike v. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Company, significantly impact real estate agency law and the fiduciary duty of real estate agents? 25 states have...more