Plaintiffs in an antitrust lawsuit that could shake up the real estate industry have subpoenaed mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, sharpening scrutiny of real estate commissions nationwide. The subpoenas were issued by the smaller of two bombshell commission lawsuits filed against the National Association of Realtors and real estate franchisors Realogy, Keller Williams, RE/MAX, HomeServices […]
DOJ Alleges Discrimination by City of Hesperia
The U.S. Department of Justice is suing the city of Hesperia, alleging it discriminated against black and Latino renters. The lawsuit announced last week takes aim at a city ordinance that required landlords to evict tenants who had allegedly committed crimes on or near their property, but encompassed entire families, including children, for alleged criminal […]
Trulia Sued by Broker Over Premier Agent Advertising
Trulia, an online search portal owned by Zillow Group, is being sued over its Premier Agent program, which allows agents and brokers to advertise buyer’s agent representation on listings. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of New York and first reported by The Real Deal, seeks $5 million in damages from the company, claiming […]
Lawsuit Dismissed: 316-House Highland Project Moves Forward
The 316-house Mediterra project approved in 2016 by the Highland City Council is showing signs of moving forward after a lawsuit was dismissed last year. Last Wednesday, Nov. 19, the planning commission voted to recommend several dozen changes to the council. There are three main parts to the revision, said Kim Stater, the city’s assistant community development director. Changes […]
4 States Sue Feds Over Property Tax Law
President Donald Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Job Act into law late last year, and officials from New York, Connecticut, Maryland, and New Jersey argue that the legislation is disproportionately harmful to their residents. The tax reform bill put a cap of $10,000 on certain state and local tax deductions, including property taxes. Several […]
Realtor.com Sued for ‘Fraud’ Against Agents
REALTORS® are responding to a lawsuit against Realtor.com, alleging that the company is engaged in “unethical and fraudulent” practices, that mislead agents. Realtor.com is operated by Move Inc., owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. The domain name realtor.com, however, is owned by NAR and licensed to Move Inc. In an eight-count amended complaint filed in Los […]
Oct. 31 – CVAR At A Glance
Featured Classes and Events Oct. 31 | Happy Halloween! Nov. 1 | Secrets to Finding Hidden VA Buyers – Lunch & Learn CVAR East Nov. 3 | Commercial Open Forum Nov. 4 | Probate Process A-Z Nov. 7 | CRMLS Training Nov. 8 | Structure Your Team – Lunch & Learn – CVAR East Nov. […]
How to Minimize Risk of Lawsuits
After a property closes, issues can come to light that make the new owners or the sellers upset and want to place blame on their agents. “The number of lawsuits is growing again as real estate markets are heating up, and that means more transactions and claims,” says Eric Myers, vice president of the errors […]