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National Association of Realtors

Mayors back Realtor.com’s campaign to address the housing crisis

Affordability, Homebuilders, Housing Inventory, National Association of Realtors, Politics, Real Estate, Realtor.com, Regulatory Compliance /

The U.S. Conference of Mayors formally endorsed a bipartisan statement to support the Let America Build campaign — a housing policy initiative backed by Realtor.com — during the organization’s annual meeting in Tampa on Sunday. The resolution — introduced by Austin Mayor Kirk Watson — acknowledges the mounting housing affordability crisis, and it calls for […]

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Are broker-to-broker referral fees next in the real estate hot seat?

Brokerage, Commission Lawsuit, HWmember, Legal, National Association of Realtors, northwest mls, Real Estate, Real Estate Agents, Regulatory /

When the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) agreed to implement mandatory buyer representation agreements as part of its commission lawsuit settlement agreement, the trade group said it was in the name of increased transparency.  It’s with this same goal in mind that Northwest MLS (NWMLS) said it chose to implement referral fee disclosures. “Northwest MLS

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More pets than kids: The increased role of animals in real estate

Homebuyers, Homebuying, HWmember, National Association of Realtors, Real Estate, U.S. Census Bureau /

As American demographics shift, so do the priorities of homebuyers, and pets are playing an increased role in real estate decisions. “Did you know there are more households with pets than children?” Jessica Lautz, deputy chief economist and vice president of research at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), wrote in a recent blog post.

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15 commission lawsuit settlements gain final approval

Commission Lawsuit, Howard Hanna, Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, HWmember, Legal, NAR Lawsuit Settlement, National Association of Realtors, Real Estate, Side Real Estate, Sitzer/Burnett /

In a move that’s unsurprising, U.S. District Court Judge Stephen Bough has granted final approval to 15 more commission lawsuit settlement agreements. Bough granted final approval to settlements negotiated in the Gibson and Keel suits during a joint hearing on Tuesday afternoon.  The settling defendants in the two suits, both of which are being overseen

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Does Zillow’s policy really restrict Compass’s business?

Clear Cooperation, Compass, Glenn Kelman, HWmember, Legal, National Association of Realtors, Real Estate, Redfin, Robert Reffkin, Zillow /

While the more attention-grabbing parts of Compass’s complaint in its suit against Zillow included late night calls between Robert Reffkin and “co-conspirator” Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman, and a tense meeting with Zillow executives, the complaint also detailed the business impacts Compass is feeling as a result of Zillow’s policy.  In the complaint, Compass claims that

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Inventory is rising, but existing home sales remain in a major slump

Existing home sales, Housing Market, HWmember, National Association of Realtors /

The May existing-home sales report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows sales at just 4.03 million, a 0.7% decrease year over year and up 0.8% compared to April. It was the slowest May for existing home sales since 2009 and the fourth consecutive month with a year-over-year decline in sales. Unsold inventory also continues

Inventory is rising, but existing home sales remain in a major slump Read More »

15 commission lawsuit settlements are up for final approval next week

Commission Lawsuit, HWmember, Legal, NAR Lawsuit Settlement, National Association of Realtors, NextHome, Real Estate, Side Real Estate, Sitzer/Burnett /

Commission lawsuit settlement agreements from 15 real estate industry players, including major names like Keyes Co./Illustrated Properties, Side, JPAR, NextHome and Baird & Warner will be up for final approval on Tuesday, June 24. The fifteen settling defendants, which come from the Gibson and Keel suits, filed a joint motion for final approval of the

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Are settlement rules pushing down agent commissions? New survey says the opposite

Agent, Commission Lawsuit, HWmember, National Association of Realtors, Real Estate, Real Estate Agents, Sitzer/Burnett /

Few events in recent real estate history have rattled the industry more than the antitrust lawsuits filed against major brokerages and the National Association of Realtors (NAR), accusing them of artificially inflating agent commission rates. NAR settled the Sitzer-Burnett case for $418 million and agreed to rules that the plaintiffs believed would help bring down

Are settlement rules pushing down agent commissions? New survey says the opposite Read More »

House Democrats call for more action on US housing crisis

Democratic Party, House of Representatives, Housing Crisis, Housing Market, HWmember, Legislation, National Association of Realtors, National Low Income Housing Coaltion, Ohio, Urban Institute /

As the economic situation for many Americans continues to evolve due in part to the cost of housing, one Democratic member of the House of Representatives used her time on the floor Tuesday to call for more action to address rising housing expenses. Rep. Shontel Brown (D-Ohio) on Tuesday introduced a House Resolution calling for

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‘No legitimate justification’: California broker sues NAR over ‘anticompetitive’ dues

California, California Association of Realtors, HWmember, Lawsuit, Legal, National Association of Realtors, Real Estate /

A California real estate broker is suing the National Association of Realtors (NAR) over a policy that forces brokers to pay dues for agents who aren’t members of their state, local or national Realtor associations. John Diaz, who’s based in Modesto, claims that NAR’s Variable Dues Formula (VDF) policy penalizes brokers for associating with agents

‘No legitimate justification’: California broker sues NAR over ‘anticompetitive’ dues Read More »