MLS/Association News

The state association is rolling out buyer agreements and other forms that it believes offer a balance of simplicity and agent protections.

The California association has been the subject of a DOJ inquiry and a scathing CFA report. Updates released this week may allay some of those concerns.

A new statement takes aim at “misinformation and concern” surrounding the proposed sale of REcolorado and provides details on the buyer and his intentions.

After unveiling a scathing critique of the association’s buyer agreement last week, the CFA is back with a new report focused on C.A.R.’s listing contract.

New FAQs from the MLS and from its current owners, DMAR and SMDRA, shed light on user fees post-sale, but the timing and price of the deal remain undisclosed.

The Department of Justice is keeping a sharp eye on the industry as the August 17 deadline for settlement-mandated practice changes draws closer.

The Realtor association owners of the MLS said the decision was made “in the best interests of our collective membership” following confidentiality violations.

The California association said the Consumer Federation of America’s assessment was “misguided” and that its forms will be fully compliant.

A statement from REcolorado says its potential sale to a private equity firm is not the best way to separate MLSs from Realtor association ownership.

Association owners of REcolorado say now is “the right time to sell” and that decoupling MLSs and associations can provide protections and improve operations.

The associations that own the 16th-largest MLS surprised its leaders with a deal that “scared the absolute hell out of us,” REcolorado’s vice chair said.

The plaintiffs argued that the proceedings should move forward, but the DOJ wants to delay approval of the deal — and the judge appears to have been swayed.

The California Association of Realtors informed members that the DOJ expressed concern over new forms related to the NAR settlement and MLS practices.

A former project manager said she was subjected to sexual harassment and retaliation in a lawsuit filed June 18 in Illinois District Court.

“This was more than simply a social media post,” said the LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance president, calling for “proactive actions” and ethics code enforcement.

The home search giant filed a lawsuit last December over the removal of its showing platform in the ARMLS and Metro MLS regions.

The Austin-based MLS will roll out mandatory changes a few days early to help its members “own the moment” in August and beyond.

Starting in June, the field will include an option for payment of buyer agent fees, and updates coming in August will give sellers more flexibility.

The organization is the first non-NAR MLS to announce its intentions, and it says keeping the compensation field provides more transparency for consumers.

Pending NAR approval, the newly formed organization will be a Florida powerhouse and the sixth-largest Realtor association in the nation.