Consumers awarded $2.4 million in anti-trust lawsuit against MLS and Brokers

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massachusets real estate closings supreme court ruling Consumers awarded $2.4 million in anti trust lawsuit against MLS and Brokers

Logue vs. Pennsylvania real estate players

Pennsylvania homeowner Thomas Logue filed a class action lawsuit in April 2010, alleging that a group of real estate brokerages and a local MLS (and its board of directors) conspired to keep broker commissions artificially high by limiting competition among companies, according to court documents. The area real estate companies stifled competition by keeping some rival businesses from effectively marketing properties, blocking discount brokers from listing in the MLS, alleges the suit, which Logue’s attorneys say caused him to pay more than was necessary to list his home in 2006.

This summer, a motion for preliminary approval of a settlement in the case was approved by the judge after denying a motion to dismiss by the defendants, laying the ground for this week’s approval of a settlement in the amount of $2.4 million, of which Logue’s attorneys will receive $1 million and Logue will receive $10,000. Court documents do not reveal the number of buyers that will split the remaining $1.39 million.

Logue filed the lawsuit against West Penn Multilist Inc., Howard Hanna Real Estate, Coldwell Banker Real Estate, Freeman Realty, Northwood Realty and Prudential Preferred Realty regarding purchases through these companies between February 13, 2005 and February 13, 2009.

Anti-trust laws were established in the 1800s to protect consumers from cartels and monopolies, which this case showed was in play on the Pennsylvania real estate scene. MLS companies have long struggled with business rules that dictate what is legitimate and what is not, and in this case, the judge agreed to this $2.4 million settlement alleging the brokerages and the MLS, along with their board of directors blocked discount brokerages.

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Tara Steele

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fredromano

Very interesting post. I wonder what proof they have on the MLS and other brokers. I have no doubt that this happens all over the country, and it's sad that it does. PS. I think having to login to comment really stinks. I like your old comment method, and I think you will get a lot less comments because of this new way.

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bruce hahn

Great news! If this effort spreads to the many other MLSs employing similar efforts to prop up real estate commission rates, the cost of selling American homes could drop significantly. We need more lawsuits like this to stop these anticompetitive practices. Bruce Hahn President American Homeowners Grassroots Alliance Serving the interests of the nation's 70 million homeowners and future homeowners since 1984. The American Homeowners Grassroots Alliance is a nonpartisan consumer advocacy organization dedicated to assisting the nation's 70 million homeowners understand significant policy issues affecting homeowners and homeownership, and empowering homeowners to make their voices heard by state and federal officials. Visit our web site http://www.americanhomeowners.org. Contact us at: 6776 Little Falls Road, Arlington, VA 22213-1213. Cell: 571-214-1013; Headquarters: 703-536-7776

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fredromano

Very interesting post. I wonder what proof they have on the MLS and other brokers. I have no doubt that this happens all over the country, and it's sad that it does.

PS. I think having to login to comment really stinks. I like your old comment method, and I think you will get a lot less comments because of this new way.

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bruce hahn

Great news!

If this effort spreads to the many other MLSs employing similar efforts to prop up real estate commission rates, the cost of selling American homes could drop significantly.

We need more lawsuits like this to stop these anticompetitive practices.

Bruce Hahn
President
American Homeowners Grassroots Alliance

Serving the interests of the nation's 70 million homeowners and future homeowners since 1984.

The American Homeowners Grassroots Alliance is a nonpartisan consumer advocacy organization dedicated to assisting the nation's 70 million homeowners understand significant policy issues affecting homeowners and homeownership, and empowering homeowners to make their voices heard by state and federal officials.

Visit our web site http://www.americanhomeowners.org. Contact us at: 6776 Little Falls Road, Arlington, VA 22213-1213. Cell: 571-214-1013; Headquarters: 703-536-7776

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  1. AgentGenius says:
    November 7, 2011 at 5:32 am

    MAJOR NEWS: consumers awarded $2.4 million in anti-trust lawsuit against a MLS and brokers for blocking discounters http://t.co/w2R426zQ

  2. WHITNEY-MILLER says:
    November 7, 2011 at 5:34 am

    MAJOR NEWS: consumers awarded $2.4 million in anti-trust lawsuit against a MLS and brokers for blocking discounters http://t.co/w2R426zQ

  3. Matt Nowak says:
    November 7, 2011 at 5:38 am

    RT @AgentGenius: Consumers awarded $2.4 million in anti-trust lawsuit against a MLS & brokers for blocking discounters http://t.co/Jvr1NFx1

  4. Eric Duncan says:
    November 7, 2011 at 5:41 am

    Consumers awarded $2.4 million in anti-trust lawsuit against MLS and Brokers – AGBeat http://t.co/29tR6l3N

  5. Steven konefsky says:
    November 7, 2011 at 5:43 am

    http://t.co/PlUvM8Kn /via @AgentGenius. Major loss for MLS And price fixing

  6. Thad Schell says:
    November 7, 2011 at 5:51 am

    Real Estate News: Consumers awarded $2.4 million in anti-trust lawsuit against MLS and Brokers http://t.co/I5S0TWDw

  7. Jason Blackburn says:
    November 7, 2011 at 10:03 am

    Consumers awarded $2.4 million in anti-trust lawsuit against MLS and Brokers – AGBeat http://t.co/HQjGlT67

  8. Alex Allison says:
    November 7, 2011 at 12:11 pm

    Consumers awarded $2.4 million in anti-trust lawsuit against MLS http://t.co/FzBmdc6H via @AGBeat

  9. AgentGenius says:
    November 7, 2011 at 1:02 pm

    BIG NEWS: consumers awarded $2.4 million in anti-trust lawsuit against a MLS and brokers for blocking discounters http://t.co/w2R426zQ

  10. JWL Consulting says:
    November 7, 2011 at 1:17 pm

    Consumers awarded $2.4 mi in anti-trust suit against MLS and Brokers – 1 mil for attys, 10k for plaintiff. http://t.co/Avbq6vY5 via @addthis

  11. Bill Wendel says:
    November 7, 2011 at 1:27 pm

    Q: Consumers awarded $2.4 million in anti-trust lawsuit vs MLS & Brokers http://t.co/KYnx1CWm @AGBeat Anymore suits in pipeline? #realestate

  12. Vince Rokose says:
    November 7, 2011 at 1:46 pm

    BIG NEWS: consumers awarded $2.4 million in anti-trust lawsuit against a MLS and brokers for blocking discounters http://t.co/w2R426zQ

  13. Tina Fine says:
    November 7, 2011 at 1:56 pm

    BIG NEWS: consumers awarded $2.4 million in anti-trust lawsuit against a MLS and brokers for blocking discounters http://t.co/w2R426zQ

  14. James K Barath, CMPS says:
    November 7, 2011 at 2:08 pm

    Consumers awarded $2.4 million in anti-trust lawsuit against MLS and Brokers http://t.co/qaZWRkJb

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    November 7, 2011 at 3:06 pm

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  19. Fred Glick says:
    November 7, 2011 at 3:11 pm

    Consumers awarded $2.4 million in anti-trust lawsuit against MLS and Brokers http://t.co/hIE7bZ1s via @AGBeat

  20. AgentGenius says:
    November 7, 2011 at 3:37 pm

    Consumers awarded $2.4 million in anti-trust lawsuit against MLS and Brokers http://t.co/hIE7bZ1s via @AGBeat

  21. AgentsCompared.com says:
    November 7, 2011 at 3:49 pm

    Consumers awarded $2.4 million in anti-trust lawsuit against MLS and Brokers – AGBeat http://t.co/5udwovc5

  22. Michael Erdman says:
    November 7, 2011 at 3:49 pm

    Consumers awarded $2.4 million in anti-trust lawsuit against MLS and Brokers – AGBeat http://t.co/XmMEiWgk

  23. AgentGenius says:
    November 7, 2011 at 4:15 pm

    Consumers awarded $2.4 million in anti-trust lawsuit against MLS http://t.co/FzBmdc6H via @AGBeat

  24. Andy Theobald says:
    November 7, 2011 at 4:20 pm

    Class action lawsuit against West Penn MLS now a national story – http://t.co/1Ze1I1ZN (via @AgentGenius)

  25. AgentGenius says:
    November 7, 2011 at 4:30 pm

    Class action lawsuit against West Penn MLS now a national story – http://t.co/1Ze1I1ZN (via @AgentGenius)

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  28. Patrick Reilly says:
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  29. Jacob Clayton says:
    November 7, 2011 at 8:44 pm

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  33. AgentGenius says:
    November 7, 2011 at 11:22 pm

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  35. Esterlita Beja says:
    November 7, 2011 at 11:46 pm

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  36. AgentGenius says:
    November 8, 2011 at 1:07 am

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  37. Manny Gonzalez says:
    November 8, 2011 at 1:53 am

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  42. AgentGenius says:
    November 8, 2011 at 6:09 am

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  43. Terri Chandler-Royse says:
    November 8, 2011 at 6:22 am

    Consumers awarded $2.4 million in anti-trust lawsuit against MLS and Brokers http://t.co/OaBOTr1k via @AGBeat #RealEstate #News

  44. AgentGenius says:
    November 8, 2011 at 7:16 am

    Consumers awarded $2.4 million in anti-trust lawsuit against MLS and Brokers http://t.co/miTSPGyu via @AGBeat

  45. AgentGenius says:
    November 8, 2011 at 7:34 am

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  46. Kathryn Wunnicke says:
    November 8, 2011 at 7:34 am

    Consumers awarded $2.4 million in anti-trust lawsuit against MLS and Brokers http://t.co/miTSPGyu via @AGBeat

  47. AgentGenius says:
    November 8, 2011 at 8:35 am

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  48. AgentGenius says:
    November 8, 2011 at 2:22 pm

    Major lawsuit settled, consumer alleged anti-trust laws violated by MLS and brokers: http://t.co/w2R426zQ

  49. shortsaleblog says:
    November 8, 2011 at 2:22 pm

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  50. CATHY KINNEY says:
    November 8, 2011 at 4:35 pm

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  52. Homeowner sues MLS and Wins! | Selling by Owner 101 says:
    November 28, 2011 at 5:09 pm

    [...] Consumers awarded $2.4 million in anti-trust lawsuit against MLS and Brokers Tara Steele | 2011/11/07  | 27 Comments [...]

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