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SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Voters have approved a tax on mansions to pay for affordable housing initiatives in New Mexico's capital city of Santa Fe. Tuesday's vote signals newfound public support for so-called mansion taxes to fund affordable housing and stave off homelessness. The buyer would pay $6,000 to the city’s affordable housing trust fund. Santa Fe voters previously shied away from prominent tax initiatives, rejecting a 1% tax on high-end home sales in 2009 and defeating a tax on sugary drinks to expand early childhood education in 2017. The Santa Fe Association of Realtors has filed a lawsuit aimed at blocking the tax, arguing that it the city overstepped its authority under state law.

Organizations: SANTA FE, —, Voters, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Association of Realtors Locations: SANTA, New Mexico's, Santa Fe, Los Angeles, Chicago, Santa

☆ Courts Throw the Book at the Realtors
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Photo: Gene J. Puskar/Associated PressIn the aftermath of “A Big Legal Defeat for the Realtors” (Review & Outlook, Nov. 1), there will be some chaos in the real-estate market. Will a buyer trust the seller’s agent to represent him properly? The United Auto Workers can conspire against three auto makers to increase the cost of automobiles. The teachers unions can conspire for more pay—without any improvement in student results—or to close down schools. Yet it is the real-estate agents and National Association of Realtors who are accused of conspiring to set commission levels, which, from personal knowledge, I know they don’t.

Persons: Gene J Organizations: Associated Press, Realtors, United Auto Workers, National Association of Realtors

☆ Homeowner insurance and climate have become major factors in real estate
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Farmers Insurance deemed it too risky to continue insuring homes in Florida and pulled out of the market there entirely. The average cost for homeowners’ insurance in the United States is about $1,820, according to an analysis by NerdWallet, but there are many variables. As climate risks continue, a standoff has developed over who should pay the cost of insuring homes against ever-growing risks. And for many of the properties that are on the market you can’t obtain insurance? “We’ll have to see some creative solutions in the near term to create that competitive marketplace for insurance,” she said.

Persons: Michael Monaghan, Sellers, “, ’ ” Monaghan, ”, Monaghan, Will, Amy Bach, United, Hurricane Andrew, ” Bach, mitigations, Bach, Jennifer Branchini, Branchini Organizations: DC CNN, Coldwell, Allstate, . Farmers Insurance, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, Hurricane, FAIR, California Department of Insurance, California Association of Realtors, State Farm, Farm, “ Locations: Washington, California, Bayside, ”, Florida, Monaghan, United States, “, San Francisco, “ Florida, Louisiana, WUI, Pleasanton

☆ How the cost of homebuying and selling will change after landmark court loss over real estate commissions
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Cheryl Winokur Munk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

A recent jury verdict against the National Association of Realtors and large residential brokerages could upend the residential real estate industry. Here's what real estate agents, homebuyers and sellers need to know about potential changes in residential real estate economics. A bad time for bad news in real estateThe jury verdict comes at a time when many real estate agents are already feeling a pinch. At a time when home sales are already under pressure, "this lawsuit is just another punch in the gut for real estate franchises," said Bill Gross, a self-employed real estate broker associate in California with eXp Realty. Lawsuits focused on fees reinforce the general trend of trying to lower fees in the real estate market, Schipani said.

Persons: Max, Mike DelPrete, Bill Gross, there's, Keefe, Ryan Tomasello, Gilbert J, Schipani, we've, Glenn Kelman Organizations: National Association of Realtors, NAR, realtors, Max Holdings, Federal, University of Colorado Boulder, eXp Realty, Tempus Fugit, Compass Locations: Missouri, Kansas City, St, Louis, Springfield, Columbia, U.S, California

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: Datadog, Re/Max, Planet Fitness, Tripadvisor and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Revenue was $547.5 million, topping the $524.7 million expected. Planet Fitness — Shares rallied 12.4% after the gym chain topped expectations for both earnings and revenue for the third quarter. Vivid Seats beat analysts' expectations for third-quarter revenue, while also offering strong guidance on the measure for 2023 and 2024. Tripadvisor — Shares of the travel website operator jumped 9.5% after the company beat third-quarter earnings and revenue expectations. Hims & Hers Health also raised its full-year guidance and announced a $50 million share repurchase program.

Persons: Max —, Morgan Stanley, Max, StreetAccount, Tripadvisor, Sanmina, Goldman Sachs, D.R, Horton —, — CNBC's Pia Singh, Tanaya Macheel, Sarah Min, Alex Harring, Jesse Pound Organizations: StreetAccount, Revenue, National Association of Realtors, BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Reuters, Elliott Investment Management, BioMarin, Air Products, Chemicals, UBS, Credit Suisse Locations: Swiss

☆ Re/Max shares tumble as Morgan Stanley warns of litigation risks in wake of landmark realtor conspiracy ruling
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Shares of Re/Max sank Tuesday after Morgan Stanley warned the brokerage firm could be in for some rocky times ahead in the wake of a landmark ruling against realtors and brokerages. Morgan Stanley thinks the ruling could increase the risk of further litigation and expensive settlements. The bank downgraded Re/Max to underweight from equal weight and slashed its price target to $9 per share from $19.50. The brokerages typically take a slice of its agent's earnings. Shares of Re/Max have already lost more than 40% year to date.

Persons: Max, Morgan Stanley, Ronald Kamdem, Kamdem, Sellers, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: realtors, brokerages, National Association of Realtors

☆ Lawsuits are shaking the NAR’s grip on America’s real estate fees
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

It’s easy to forget how much we used to rely on real, physical paper and, like, other people to buy basic things. It wasn’t all that long ago that you’d call a travel agent to book a flight. But the sellers argued that in a competitive market, the buyers should pay their own agent’s commission, and negotiate that fee separately. Because even though the NAR says fees are negotiable, the industry has made 5%-6% commissions so standard that most people wouldn’t question it. According to Bloomberg, Realtor commissions are high by global standards.

Persons: CNN Business ’, Anna Bahney, Keller Williams, Bob Goldberg, ”, you’re, you’ll Organizations: New, New York CNN, CNN Business, National Association of Realtors, Homeservices, Keller, Keller Williams Realty, NAR, MLS, Bloomberg, Department of Justice Locations: New York, Missouri, America, Australia

☆ After a $1.8 billion verdict, the clock is ticking on the 6% real estate commission
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( Manav Tanneeru | Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

And yet, every day, people across America hire a real estate agent to help them sell a home. While state governments license real estate agents, NAR has an extensive code of ethics it expects members to adhere to. NAR and the brokerages have vowed to appeal the verdict, which means real estate commissions aren’t going anywhere immediately. Last month Redfin, an internet real estate company, left the association. The longer-term impact of the verdict may be that the pairing of buyer’s agent commission and seller’s agent commission will eventually be separated.

Persons: Keller Williams, –, Corcoran —, Kenny Parcell, ”, Mantill Williams, Darryl Frost, homesellers, Stephen Brobeck, ” Brobeck, Jen Davis, ” Davis, “, they’ll Organizations: DC CNN, National Association of Realtors, Homeservices, Keller, Keller Williams Realty, Coldwell Banker, Sotheby’s, Realty, NAR, US Department of Justice, “, Consumer, Consumer Federation of America, Holt Homes Group Locations: Washington, America, Missouri, Keefe, Springfield , Missouri

☆ Real-estate agents may be forced to charge home buyers less, thanks to a new $1.8 billion verdict
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

On Tuesday afternoon at a courthouse in Kansas City, Missouri, the collective nightmare of the real-estate industry became reality. For decades, the basic structure of how real-estate agents get paid when they help someone buy or sell their home has remained roughly the same. Here's how it works: When you list your home for sale on an MLS, you're required to offer a commission to the buyer's agent. The good buyer's agents who can prove their value will be fine, Brobeck predicted. Buyers might also start making offers on the condition that the seller agrees to pay both agents' commissions — otherwise, no deal.

Persons: Burnett, —, Stephen Brobeck, Brobeck, Mike Rosenthal, Rosenthal, Sellers, Saul Klein, you've, Klein, Keller Williams, Bob Goldberg, Inman, Opendoor, James Rodriguez Organizations: National Association of Realtors, NAR, MLS, Consumer Federation of America, Consumer, nab, New York Times, Justice Department Locations: Kansas City , Missouri, Missouri , Illinois, Kansas, California

☆ A $1.8 billion earthquake just hit the real estate industry
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

On Tuesday afternoon at a courthouse in Kansas City, Missouri, the collective nightmare of the real-estate industry became reality. For decades, the basic structure of how real-estate agents get paid when they help someone buy or sell their home has remained roughly the same. Here's how it works: When you list your home for sale on an MLS, you're required to offer a commission to the buyer's agent. The good buyer's agents who can prove their value will be fine, Brobeck predicted. The wild thing is, the decision could be just the beginning of tumult for the real-estate industry.

☆ Yes, it's possible to get a 4.8% mortgage today — here's how
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A top homebuilder executive shared advice for getting a lower mortgage rate right now. Taylor Morrison's Tawn Kelley suggested borrowing directly from a builder's mortgage arm. AdvertisementAdvertisementHigh mortgage rates have deterred many would-be homebuyers from purchasing a property over the last year. But here may be a glimmer of hope: People may have more luck securing a lower mortgage rate if they buy a new-construction home. Builder incentives include rate buydowns, mortgage rate locks, and forward commitments.

Persons: Taylor Morrison's Tawn Kelley, Kelley, —, Tawn Kelley, homebuilder Taylor Morrison, Insider's Alex Nicoll, Freddie Mac, Taylor Morrison, Organizations: Service, National Association of Realtors, Mortgage, Finance Locations: balk

☆ National Association of Realtors CEO Bob Goldberg Stepping Down
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Nicole Friedman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The National Association of Realtors’ building in Washington, D.C. Photo: AlamyThe chief executive of the National Association of Realtors resigned Thursday in the wake of a historic verdict against the group. Bob Goldberg , who has been NAR’s chief executive since 2017, announced in June that he would retire at the end of 2024. But he said he recently decided to accelerate his departure.

Persons: Bob Goldberg Organizations: National Association of Realtors ’, National Association of Realtors Locations: Washington ,

☆ National Association of Realtors CEO quits earlier than expected after federal lawsuit loss
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Laya Neelakandan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The National Association of Realtors announced Thursday that CEO Bob Goldberg will resign earlier than expected, as the group contends with the fallout from a federal lawsuit and a harassment scandal. The leadership transition comes days after a federal jury found the association — and some residential brokerages, including units of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway — liable for conspiring to artificially inflate commissions from home sales. The association did not mention the lawsuit in Goldberg's decision to step down. Starting Nov. 30, Goldberg will be replaced by Nykia Wright, who's serving as interim CEO while the association searches for a permanent replacement. Goldberg will continue to serve as an executive consultant through the transition, the association added.

Persons: Bob Goldberg, Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway —, Kenny Parcell, Goldberg, Nykia Wright, who's Organizations: National Association of Realtors, NAR, New York Times, CNBC PRO Locations: Edmonton , Alberta, Canada, Warren

The Chicago-based NAR said Thursday that Bob Goldberg would be stepping down after a 30-year career at the trade association. Nykia Wright, former CEO of the Chicago Sun-Times, was tapped to take over on an interim basis, beginning Nov. 20. Real estate agents must be dues-paying members of the NAR in order to advertise themselves as Realtors. Its size and influence in the U.S. real estate industry has not only made the trade association a target in litigation, but also brought it under the scrutiny of the Justice Department. The department filed a complaint in 2020 against the NAR, alleging it established and enforced rules and policies that illegally restrained competition in residential real estate services.

Persons: Bob Goldberg, Nykia Wright, Goldberg, “, Wright, Kenny Parcell, Tracy Kasper Organizations: ANGELES, National Association of Realtors, Chicago Sun, NAR, The New York Times, Realtors, Justice Department, of, U.S ., Times Locations: Chicago, Kansas City , Missouri, Missouri, The, Utah, U.S, Western, of Missouri

☆ National Association of Realtors CEO steps down, days after real estate group found liable for conspiring to inflate rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( David Goldman | Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Washington, DC CNN —Bob Goldberg, chief executive officer of the National Association of Realtors, the nation’s largest trade association, is stepping down, the organization announced Thursday. Earlier this week, a federal jury in Missouri found NAR and two brokerages conspired to keep real estate agent commissions artificially high and determined they were liable for $1.8 billion in damages. Nykia Wright, previously CEO of the Chicago Sun-Times, has been appointed NAR interim Chief Executive Officer, starting November 20th. “We are delighted to welcome Nykia as interim CEO,” said NAR President Tracy Kasper, a real estate agent from Nampa, Idaho, and broker-owner of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Silverhawk Realty. He added: “Nykia’s strategic expertise and forward-looking perspective are exactly what NAR needs to continue advancing its mission in an ever-changing world.”

Persons: Bob Goldberg, Kenny Parcell, Redfin, Nykia Wright, Nykia, ”, Tracy Kasper, Berkshire Hathaway, Silverhawk, Kasper, “, ” Goldberg Organizations: DC CNN, National Association of Realtors, NAR, Chicago Sun, Times, Sun - Locations: Washington, Missouri, Nampa , Idaho, Berkshire

☆ 8 cities where home values are soaring the most in the US, including 5 with median prices still under $260,000 — and 5 where prices are plummeting the fastest
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( William Edwards | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Morningstar just published its Q4 Markets Observer note. The firm highlighted cities where home prices are rising and falling the most. Many high-flying markets that saw massive relative appreciation in the pandemic era are now cooling off in a big way, while those that saw more tepid gains are still plugging along. In Morningstar's Q4 Markets Observer note published this week, the firm used National Association of Realtors data to highlight cities in the US seeing the highest appreciation right now, as well as those where prices are falling the fastest. They found that more affordable markets are performing better from Q2 2022 to Q2 2023.

Persons: Morningstar Organizations: National Association of Realtors Locations: Cincinnati, Houston, Philadelphia

☆ A Big Legal Defeat for the Realtors
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Journal Editorial Report: The week’s best and worst from Kim Strassel, Bill McGurn and Dan Henninger. Images: AP/Reuters Composite: Mark KellyThe National Association of Realtors has objected to our editorials challenging its anti-competitive business model, but what do you know. On Tuesday a federal jury found the Realtors liable under U.S. antitrust laws for conspiring to fix prices in the class-action case Burnett v. NAR. Missouri home sellers challenged a Realtor rule requiring seller agents to provide a blanket offer of compensation to a buyer’s broker to list a home on the association’s affiliated multiple-listing service (MLS). These databases of homes for sale are similar to stock exchanges in that they match brokers and sellers.

Persons: Kim Strassel, Bill McGurn, Dan Henninger, Mark Kelly, Burnett Organizations: Reuters, National Association of Realtors, Realtors, NAR Locations: Missouri

☆ The Way You Pay to Buy or Sell a Home Is About to Change
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Nicole Friedman | Laura Kusisto | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

An open house at a home for sale in Scarsdale, N.Y., early this year. Photo: Tiffany Hagler-Geard/Bloomberg NewsHome buyers and sellers face the prospect of major changes to how much and in what way they pay their real-estate agents, following Tuesday’s historic verdict against the National Association of Realtors and large residential brokerages. Those changes could range from minor tweaks to the commission system to a more radical restructuring of the residential real-estate industry, such as more people buying homes without using agents or buyers paying their agents by the hour.

Persons: Tiffany Hagler Organizations: Geard, Bloomberg News Home, National Association of Realtors Locations: Scarsdale, N.Y

The verdict could upend decades-old practices that have allowed real estate agents to boost commissions by forcing sellers to pay commissions to buyers' real estate brokers. Representatives of Compass and Douglas Elliman declined to comment. BTIG analyst Soham Bhonsle in an investor note said the fact that Douglas Elliman, Redfin, Compass and eXp were being sued by the same lawyers was a negative for their stocks. Zillow (ZG.O) shares initially fell 0.33% after brokerage Jefferies cut its price target, citing the impact of Tuesday's verdict. While Zillow is not a defendant in either lawsuit, Jefferies said Tuesday's verdict "increases the chances of a ban on commission sharing and Zillow having to pivot the business model."

Persons: Douglas, Mike Segar, Douglas Elliman, Berkshire Hathaway's, eXp, Glenn Kelman, Soham Bhonsle, Jefferies, Zillow, HomeServices, Chibuike Oguh, Jonathan Stempel, Michelle Price, Bill Berkrot, Matthew Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, World Holdings, National Association of Realtors, Compass, NAR, Thomson Locations: Manhattan's, New York City , New York, U.S, Kansas City , Missouri, Berkshire, America, Western Missouri, Missouri , Kansas, Illinois, New York

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A series of court challenges are seeking to upend longstanding real estate industry practices that determine the commissions agents receive on the sale of a home — and who foots the bill. But already the NAR and several real estate brokerages are facing another lawsuit over agent commission rules. As home prices have soared in recent years, pushing the national median sales price to $394,300 as of September, so have agents’ commissions. Traditionally, that works out to a 5% to 6% commission split roughly evenly between the buyer’s and seller’s agents. “The real solution is for buyers to be able to finance the buyer-agent commissions as part of their mortgages.

Persons: “, ” Mantill Williams, Williams, Fresh, ’, ” Williams, ”, Stephen Brobeck, Max, Brobeck, Michelle Chapman Organizations: ANGELES, National Association of Realtors, NAR, Western, of, Redfin Corp, Weichert Realtors, Compass Inc, “, Consumer Federation of America, Inc, MLS, Associated Locations: Missouri, U.S, of Missouri, New York

☆ A new 'wake-up call for real-estate agents' could reshape how we buy and sell homes
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Hana R. Alberts | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A jury found Tuesday that real-estate agents and brokerages kept their commissions artifically high. The verdict, she added, is "a wake-up call for real-estate agents." The seller might no longer pay out both agents' commissions after the sale closes. Currently, home sellers often list their properties for higher sums because they expect to pay broker fees. AdvertisementAdvertisement"NAR and corporate real-estate companies have had a stranglehold on real-estate commissions for too long," the plaintiffs' lawyer, Michael Ketchmark, said outside the courtroom Tuesday, according to the Journal.

Persons: brokerages, —, Sissy Lappin, James Rodriguez, Rodriguez, Bernstein, Keller Williams, Michael Ketchmark Organizations: Service, National Association of Realtors, NAR, Wall Street, Keller, Keller Williams Realty Locations: Houston , Texas, Midwest

☆ Major landlords, RealPage sued in DC for alleged rent-fixing scheme
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Laya Neelakandan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The alleged collusion violates the District of Columbia's Antitrust Act, the office said. Washington, D.C., Attorney General Brian Schwalb's office said Tuesday that it's suing RealPage, a property management software company, and 14 of the district's largest landlords for allegedly colluding to raise rents. In a statement to CNBC, a company spokesperson for William C. Smith & Co. said the company does not comment on pending litigation. The software uses proprietary, nonpublic data and statistical models to estimate supply and demand and generate a price to maximize the landlord's revenue. RealPage has previously been sued by renters in the Southern District of California and Tennessee over the past year.

Persons: Igor Golovniov, Brian Schwalb's, it's, RealPage, William C, Smith, didn't, Schwalb, Jennifer Bowcock, Berkshire Hathaway Organizations: Inc, Getty, Columbia's, Washington , D.C, CNBC, Southern District of, D.C, National Association of Realtors, CNBC PRO Locations: Washington ,, Southern District, Southern District of California, Tennessee, Seattle , Texas, Boston, Missouri, Berkshire

Plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit have asked a judge to order changes in how the home-sale industry operates. Photo: Rich Pedroncelli/Associated PressKANSAS CITY, Mo.—A federal jury on Tuesday found the National Association of Realtors and large residential brokerages liable for about $1.8 billion in damages after determining they conspired to keep commissions for home sales artificially high. The verdict could lead to industrywide upheaval by changing decades-old rules that have helped lock in commission rates even as home prices have skyrocketed—which has allowed real-estate agents to collect ever-larger sums. It comes in the first of two antitrust lawsuits arguing that unlawful industry practices have left consumers unable to lower their costs even though internet-era innovations have allowed many buyers to find homes themselves online.

Persons: Rich Pedroncelli, — Organizations: Associated Press KANSAS CITY, National Association of Realtors Locations: Mo

Persons: Rich Pedroncelli, — Organizations: Associated Press KANSAS CITY, National Association of Realtors Locations: Mo

☆ Realtors found liable for $1.8 billion in damages in conspiracy to keep commissions high
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

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