A class action lawsuit has been filed against the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and big residential real estate brokerages and other local associations by a group of Bay Area homeowners.
The suit alleges that member realtors colluded in violation of federal antitrust law, allegedly forcing sellers to pay inflated broker fees and commissions.
The suit also names as defendants: RE/MAX Holdings, Inc., Anywhere Real Estate Inc., Keller Williams Realty, Inc., Compass, Inc., eXp World Holdings, Inc., Bay Area Real Estate Information Services, Inc., Marin Association of Realtors, North Bay Association of Realtors, Northern Solano County Association of Realtors, Inc., and Solano Association of Realtors, Inc.
The complaint alleges that these entities violated the federal Sherman Act, the Cartwright Act and California state laws.
The lawsuit was filed Dec. 8 in San Francisco federal court by attorneys Jill M. Manning, Daniel L. Warshaw, Bobby Pouya, Naveed Abaie and Eric J. Mont, of the firm of Pearson Warshaw, of San Francisco and Sherman Oaks.
The lawsuit is similar to scores of similar actions filed in other courts across the country leveling similar accusations against the NAR and other realtor organizations and brokerages.