Commissions

National Association of Realtors Settles Lawsuit Over Inflated Real Estate Commissions, Potentially Shifting Costs for Homebuyers

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Chicago, IL – The National Association of Realtors has reached a settlement in a legal battle accusing the organization of artificially inflating real estate commissions. This agreement has the potential to significantly impact the amount consumers pay during real estate transactions. Representing approximately 1.5 million real estate agents across the country, the real estate group has agreed to pay a total of $418 million over the course of four years to resolve multiple cases. In addition to the financial settlement, the association has also committed to making changes to the regulations that critics argue have … Read more

Berkshire Hathaway Energy Joins Lawsuit Accusing National Association of Realtors of Conspiring to Keep Real Estate Commissions High Nationwide

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KANSAS CITY, Missouri – In a lawsuit filed on Monday, Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway was named as a defendant alongside several brokerages and the National Association of Realtors. The suit alleges that these entities conspired to artificially inflate real estate commissions across the nation. The addition of Berkshire Hathaway Energy to the case, which owns HomeServices of America, could potentially increase the financial exposure of the conglomerate. HomeServices was previously ordered to pay $1.78 billion in a similar antitrust lawsuit, a verdict that they plan to appeal. The complaint specifically accuses Berkshire Hathaway Energy of … Read more

Real Estate Professionals in California Hit with New Lawsuit Alleging Collusion and Inflated Commissions

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SACRAMENTO, California – Real estate professionals in California are facing yet another commission lawsuit. On Thursday, Willsim Latham, LLC. filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Sacramento, alleging collusion among real estate industry players to artificially inflate real estate agent commissions. The lawsuit targets MetroList Services, the area’s Multiple Listing Service (MLS), as well as various local Realtor associations and brokerages including RE/MAX, Anywhere, Keller Williams, eXp World Holdings, NorCal Gold, Williams L. Lyon & Associates, Guide Real Estate, Paul M. Zagaris Real Estate, and Century 21 Select Real Estate franchise. MetroList, unlike other … Read more

Biden’s Departments and Commissions Rack Up Record-Breaking 3,018 Rules and Regulations in 2023

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Washington, D.C. – The regulatory agencies and commissions under President Joe Biden’s administration wrapped up the year 2023 with a staggering 3,018 legally binding rules and regulations. While this number may seem high, it is actually fairly typical as annual rule counts have consistently exceeded 3,000 in recent years. In fact, back in the 1990s, rule counts exceeded 4,000, and in the 1970s and early 80s, they even surpassed 7,000. The large number of rules and regulations, coupled with the increasingly costly nature of these regulations, highlights the growing accumulation of fat rules in the … Read more