Appeals court weighs DOJ push to reopen NAR commission rule probe

A three-judge panel for the Washington, D.C., circuit seemed inclined to let the agency resume its probe into the National Association of Realtors’ cooperative compensation and pocket listing rules. Continue reading

NAR: ‘We have many grounds’ to appeal the Sitzer | Burnett verdict

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. Continue reading

Commission lawsuits are piling up. Keep track of them all right here

In the wake of the Sitzer | Burnett verdict, the number of bombshell lawsuits has rapidly multiplied — putting more pressure than ever on real estate’s status quo. Here’s a rundown of all the cases. Continue reading

South Carolina homesellers latest in line to sue NAR, Keller Williams

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. Continue reading

Mother of all commission suits filed in Illinois, this time by homebuyers

“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 new suit called Gibson. Continue reading

In ‘sudden’ reversal, NAR says listing brokers can offer 0%

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. Continue reading

Anywhere settles bombshell Sitzer and Moehrl commission lawsuits

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.” Continue reading

‘It’s well past time’: DOJ urges court to overturn NAR commission ruling

In a Friday brief, the Department of Justice argued the National Association of Realtors’ pocket listing and commission rules need “to be assessed on their merits” on whether they cost American homebuyers billions of dollars a year. Continue reading

Chamber of Commerce goes to bat for NAR in face of ‘unfair’ DOJ probe

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. Continue reading

‘Alarming’: NAR slams DOJ effort to resume commission investigation

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. Continue reading