Apply Online
Schedule a Call

MLS/Associations

Estimated damages in Batton commission lawsuit come in at over $10 billion

Anywhere, Brokerage, Commission Lawsuit, HWmember, Keller Williams, Legal, MLS, MLS/Associations, NAR Lawsuit Settlement, National Association of Realtors, RE/MAX, Real Estate /

Almost five years have passed since the original Batton homebuyer commission lawsuit was filed, and the plaintiffs are finally asking for certification of their proposed class.  Filed in U.S. District Court in Illinois, the lawsuit alleges that the National Association of Realtors (NAR), Anywhere, Keller Williams and RE/MAX all took part in a “decades-long, nationwide […]

Estimated damages in Batton commission lawsuit come in at over $10 billion Read More »

Estimated damages in Batton commission lawsuit come in at over $10 billion

Anywhere, Brokerage, Commission Lawsuit, HWmember, Keller Williams, Legal, MLS, MLS/Associations, NAR Lawsuit Settlement, National Association of Realtors, RE/MAX, Real Estate /

Almost five years have passed since the original Batton homebuyer commission lawsuit was filed, and the plaintiffs are finally asking for certification of their proposed class.  Filed in U.S. District Court in Illinois, the lawsuit alleges that the National Association of Realtors (NAR), Anywhere, Keller Williams and RE/MAX all took part in a “decades-long, nationwide

Estimated damages in Batton commission lawsuit come in at over $10 billion Read More »

CoStar doubles down on Zillow in copyright lawsuit

Andy Florance, CoStar Group, HWmember, Legal, MLS/Associations, Real Estate, Zillow /

In a public update on its ongoing copyright infringement legal battle with Zillow, CoStar Group is claiming that the listing portal giant is continuing to infringe on CoStar’s intellectual property by displaying CoStar owned images on its site.  Filed in late July,  CoStar’s lawsuit accuses Zillow of “rampant” copyright infringement of listing photos. The complaint

CoStar doubles down on Zillow in copyright lawsuit Read More »

CoStar doubles down on Zillow in copyright lawsuit

Andy Florance, CoStar Group, HWmember, Legal, MLS/Associations, Real Estate, Zillow /

In a public update on its ongoing copyright infringement legal battle with Zillow, CoStar Group is claiming that the listing portal giant is continuing to infringe on CoStar’s intellectual property by displaying CoStar owned images on its site.  Filed in late July,  CoStar’s lawsuit accuses Zillow of “rampant” copyright infringement of listing photos. The complaint

CoStar doubles down on Zillow in copyright lawsuit Read More »

NAR appoints former Etihad Airways exec to lead event strategy

MLS/Associations, National Association of Realtors, Nykia Wright, People Movers, Real Estate /

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) is continuing to revamp its leadership team. On Friday, the trade association announced the appointment of Amanda Whitehead as its new vice president of event strategy and member engagement. “As NAR charts a new path and as part of our strategic efforts to continue to add and prove value

NAR appoints former Etihad Airways exec to lead event strategy Read More »

De-risking the MLS: CEOs say consumer friendliness is the best line of defense

CMLS, HWmember, MLS, MLS/Associations, NorthstarMLS, northwest mls, Real Estate, SmartMLS /

The legal teams at multiple listing services (MLS) have been getting quite the workout over the past few years, first with the commission lawsuits and more recently with lawsuits related to Realtor association membership and MLS access. Given these circumstances MLSs are naturally looking for ways to lower their legal risk portfolio, with “derisking” being

De-risking the MLS: CEOs say consumer friendliness is the best line of defense Read More »

‘It’s complicated:’ brokers talk navigating MLS relationships at CMLS

Brokerage, California Regional MLS, CMLS, HWmember, MLS, MLS/Associations, Real Estate /

According to Craig Cheatham, the president and CEO of The Realty Alliance, if you were to assign a Facebook relationship status to the relationship between MLSs and brokers it would be “it’s complicated.”  “The MLS is at once the most valuable tool of the broker and, at the same time, it is the thing at

‘It’s complicated:’ brokers talk navigating MLS relationships at CMLS Read More »

Compass-Anywhere deal sparks MLS reckoning

California Regional MLS, CMLS, Compass, HWmember, MLS, MLS/Associations, National Association of Realtors, Real Estate /

For many in the multiple listing services (MLS) industry, Monday’s announcement that Compass was acquiring Anywhere served as a wake-up call of sorts.  Over the past year, Compass has worked to grow its stockpile of exclusive listings, but many did not consider the Robert Reffkin-helmed firm a serious threat to the MLS structure, due to

Compass-Anywhere deal sparks MLS reckoning Read More »

Breaking away: MLSs explore separation from Realtor associations

CMLS, Florida Realtors, Houston Association of Realtors, HWmember, MLS, MLS/Associations, Real Estate, Realtor, SmartMLS /

In many real estate markets across the country, the local and state Realtor associations are one and the same with the local multiple listing service (MLS). However, as the real estate industry evolves, many are calling for MLSs and associations to consider “a separation of church and state.”  “For me, chocolate covered raisins are the

Breaking away: MLSs explore separation from Realtor associations Read More »

NAR faces new Whittman antitrust suit over membership structure

Greater Capital Area Association of Realtors, Legal, Maryland Realtors, MLS, MLS/Associations, National Association of Realtors, Northern Virginia Association of Realtors, Real Estate, Virginia, Virginia Realtors, Washington, D.C. /

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) may have been dismissed from two lawsuits related to its three-way membership agreement, but that didn’t stop William Whittman from filing his own suit on Friday. Whittman, who is a licensed broker in Maryland, D.C. and Virginia, is suing NAR, Virginia Realtors, Northern Virginia Association of Realtors, Maryland Realtors

NAR faces new Whittman antitrust suit over membership structure Read More »