Compass is big—historically big. That is something that no one in the industry is disputing. After its acquisition of Anywhere and all that company’s brands, Compass International Holdings (a new parent company overseeing all these new subsidiaries) oversees somewhere in the range of 80,000 agents, who collectively closed half a million transactions last year. What…
The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) is settling buyer lawsuits for $52.25 million, opting into a copycat lawsuit in Illinois in what is being described as a “broader” release for all NAR members, brokerages and MLSs. The settlement is meant to resolve claims by homebuyers over the same claims put forward in the Burnett case…
Zillow on April 10 announced that an additional 28 brokerages have signed on to be part of its “Zillow Preview” premarketing program, bringing the total to “nearly 60,” according to the portal, as the industry continues to parse out the principles of this strategy. The new companies appear to be mostly large regional brokerages, including…
A federal judge ruled yesterday that eXp must face accusations of fraud related to its actions in the wake of sexual assault allegations against top recruiters, writing that plaintiffs provided significant evidence that the brokerage lied about conducting an investigation into two men accused of drugging and assaulting women at company events. “Plaintiffs allege, in…
A federal judge handed the National Association of Realtors (NAR) a major legal win today, throwing out a lawsuit by two brokers and an agent in Michigan, who had claimed that rules restricting MLS access violated federal and state antitrust laws. Douglas Hardy, Glenn Champion and Dylan Trent filed the lawsuit all the way back…
Borrowers and buyers suing Zillow for alleged RESPA violations and racketeering laid out new arguments in court filings last week, largely focused on pushing back against the portal’s contention that their lawsuit lacks legal merit while emphasizing their case hinges on agents’ obligations to represent clients’ best interests. The case, composed of two consolidated class-action…
In its lawsuit against Zillow focused on alleged infringement of copyrighted photos, CoStar Group is adding new allegations today, claiming that Zillow is continuing to “publish” images it has watermarked and identified, including some that were previously removed by the portal after the lawsuit was filed. Originally filed back in the June of 2025, CoStar…
So-called “premarket” listings appear to be the next big trend for the industry. Zillow’s recent pivot to host what are essentially “Coming Soon” properties (and a mad rush by brokers to strike deals with the portal or other consumer platforms) was an overwhelming affirmation that real estate believes that, to some degree, limited marketing options…
Just under nine months after filing a bombshell lawsuit against Zillow, Compass is dropping its legal challenge after the portal quietly modified its “Listing Access Standards” yesterday. The lawsuit had claimed that Zillow conspired with fellow portal Redfin to prevent Compass from implementing its “three-phased marketing plan” that involves a private listing phase. Last April,…
The mad dash for premarket power is showing no signs of slowing, as mega-brokerage eXp announced that it is striking a listing partnership with Realtor.com®, Homes.com and ComeHome.com (HouseCanary’s portal in Google Search), just 24 hours after Zillow launched a similar partnership with five other big national companies. Starting next month, eXp agents will be…
When clients buy a home, under-the-radar issues often involve factors beyond cosmetic appeal, which can lead to significant financial and legal problems down the line. Read more.
