Commissions lawsuits

The last defendant standing in the Sitzer/Burnett case reaches a whopping settlement that will protect its 70,000 agents plus brands and franchises.

The court approved an April 19 request filed by the Gibson and Umpa plaintiffs to merge the lawsuits, which were both under the purview of Judge Stephen Bough.

The brokerages are the first to settle following preliminary approval of the NAR agreement by a Missouri judge earlier this week.

A hearing for final approval is scheduled for Nov. 26. The court filing also included information about who is covered in the nationwide class action.

Plaintiffs in Umpa and Gibson have asked the court to merge the two lawsuits. The antitrust cases cover similar ground and name several of the same defendants.

Sitzer/Burnett plaintiffs filed preliminary approval docs on Friday, triggering a countdown to opt in to the agreement process outlined by NAR and the courts.

The Supreme Court passes on a chance to weigh in, objections pile up, and Fannie and Freddie say it’s all right to exclude commissions from seller concessions.

PulteGroup, which potentially has thousands of claims as a seller, raised concerns about “needless and time-consuming” paperwork and lack of transparency.

The brokerage lost its bid to have the verdict tossed out, leaving it with fewer options as the lone defendant in the landmark commissions case.

The ruling leaves open the possibility of consolidation after settlements have concluded. But in the meantime, cases that had been on pause can move forward.

Attorneys argued that the home sellers “should not have to wait indefinitely to defend their verdict on appeal” and provided details about the case’s timeline.

Ruling could lead to further changes in industry practices by allowing the Department of Justice to revisit an antitrust case originally settled in 2020.

The firm argues that existing settlements in Sitzer/Burnett need to be finalized before a judgment can be made — and that won’t be an “uncontroversial” process.

HomeServices of America’s decertification request was denied, and the case will now shift to other post-verdict motions, including a request for a new trial.

Plaintiffs ask for more time to respond to the DOJ following NAR’s announcement, which could affect the existing deal in the Nosalek case.

Now the lone defendant in at least two cases, the brokerage vows to "aggressively pursue options" to resolve litigation even as it faces billions in damages.

In a call with media, NAR reps sought to dispel confusion and misinformation coming out of the March 15 settlement announcement.

The last defendant in the Sitzer/Burnett commissions case said it anticipated the motion and will respond with its own court filings in April.

During a livestream with nearly 50,000 viewers, eXp leaders discussed NAR’s proposed settlement while agents flooded the chat with reactions.

From buyer agreements to non-MLS places where cooperative compensation can appear, here’s what Keller Williams is telling leaders and agents about the deal.