A spate of recent lawsuits makes it clear the NAR’s legal woes are far from over. Where do they (and you) go from here?
Whether it’s refining your business model, mastering new technologies, or discovering strategies to capitalize on the next market surge, Inman Connect New York will prepare you to take bold steps forward. The Next Chapter is about to begin. Be part of it. Join us and thousands of real estate leaders Jan. 22-24, 2025.
Each week on The Download, Inman’s Christy Murdock takes a deeper look at the top-read stories of the week to give you what you’ll need to meet Monday head-on. This week: A spate of new lawsuits makes it clear the NAR’s legal woes are far from over. Where do they go from here — and what should you do to protect yourself?
Despite all of the hand-wringing and pearl-clutching around the National Association of Realtors’ commission lawsuit settlement, which went into effect in most markets on Aug. 17 and will be finalized this November, it’s just the tip of the legal iceberg for the country’s largest trade group.
The organization recently said it would take steps to pivot its legal strategy following the exit of Chief Legal Officer Katie Johnson. Is it too little too late, beset as NAR is on all sides from consumers, the U.S. government, brokerages and agents?
Last week, Pennsylvania broker Maurice Muhammad filed suit against NAR, Pennsylvania Association of Realtors and Greater Lehigh Valley MLS for $5.6 million. At issue? The requirement that he be a Realtor to access the MLS.
Muhammad’s suit follows one filed by two Michigan brokers and an agent in August naming NAR, their state and local associations and Realcomp II, their MLS.
These suits come in tandem with legal challenges from consumers and the Department of Justice, as well as legal questions surrounding the trade group’s…