Real

Cincinnati Jury Delivers $22 Million Verdict Against Property Tycoon for Fraudulent Real Estate Deal Involving Local Fitness Center

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CINCINNATI — A Hamilton County jury has awarded Revolution Fitness nearly $22.3 million in a legal battle against Doug Evans and his company, BEE Holdings, LP, after finding that they had unlawfully blocked the fitness chain from purchasing a leased property. The jury ruled that Evans and BEE Holdings engaged in deceptive practices by failing to uphold a contractual agreement that would have allowed Revolution Fitness to consider buying the space it had occupied since 2014. Evidence presented during the trial illustrated a pattern of misrepresentation and concealment on the part of Evans and his … Read more

New Class-Action Lawsuit Challenges Real Estate Giants Over Alleged Commission Conspiracy Impacting Homebuyers

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CHICAGO — A lawsuit has been filed in U.S. District Court by homebuyer Matt Cwynar against several real estate brokers, accusing them of conspiring to maintain inflated commission rates in the buyer-agent market. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) is not named as a defendant but is implicated as a co-conspirator alongside affiliated brokerages and multiple local MLSs. The complaint outlines allegations that brokers collaborated to enact anti-competitive practices that artificially raised commission fees, resulting in higher costs for consumers across Illinois and other states. Cwynar contends that prior to recent changes in NAR policies, … Read more

Battle Over Real Estate Transparency: Mauricio Umansky Revives Antitrust Suit Against NAR Amidst Controversial Listing Rules

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Los Angeles, California — The battle over the National Association of Realtors’ Clear Cooperation Policy has resurfaced, spearheaded by Mauricio Umansky, founder of The Agency and co-founder of the pocket listings website PLS.com. Umansky has reignited an antitrust lawsuit against NAR, which he initially filed in 2020, with the aim of challenging restrictive real estate listing rules that he claims limit homeowners’ marketing choices. The newly refiled complaint as of July 1 alleges that the Clear Cooperation Policy undermines homeowner agency, asserting that individuals should have the freedom to decide how they market their properties. … Read more

PRA Elevates Diogo Freitas to Partner, Bolstering Real Estate Expertise and Growth in Madeira

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Funchal, Madeira — PRA – Raposo, Sá Miranda & Associados has announced the promotion of Diogo Freitas to partner at the firm, underscoring its commitment to internal development and growth within the legal sector. Freitas, who joined PRA in 2023, has focused on real estate law and has been instrumental in enhancing the firm’s influence in the region. Chairman Pedro Raposo expressed strong support for Freitas’s new role, highlighting his consistent efforts and the significant contributions he has made since joining the firm. “The elevation of Diogo to partner is a logical progression,” Raposo stated, … Read more