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Ruling broadens online real estate listings

By Jay Thompson

Real Estate Technology with Zillow

July 14, 2006 05:38 PM

Here's a very interesting article on a recent ruling regarding "limited service" brokers and their listings on sites like realtor.com. It's out of Austin, TX but the ramifications could be much more far reaching.

In a nutshell, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has ruled that the Austin Board of Real Estate must reverse an anticompetitive policy governing which listings are shown on Web sites.

"Discount broker" or not, every Realtor should read this...

Ruling broadens online real estate listings

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Bryant Tutas

Tutas Towne Realty, Inc and Garden Views Realty, LLC - Winter Garden, FL

Selling Florida one home at a time

Very interesting post and links. I did not even realize their were areas where these types of listings were prohibited from being on the WEB. This is surely a violation of Antitrust laws. I am in Florida and we have many of these Real Estate Co that are just charging a flat fee to place your property on the MLS. I don't like it but this is a free economy and the consumer should be able to decide who to do business with. I would be against any law that prohibited this more than I am against the practice. Thanks for the info.

Jul 15, 2006 12:42 AM

Kristal Kraft

Novella Real Estate - Denver, CO

Selling Metro Denver Real Estate - 303-589-2022

I am wondering if in preparing a buyer agency agreement an agent should separate the "limited service" fees from the "full service fee".

As we all know working with a "limited service" broker or FSBO is much more time consuming and difficult than working with a full service broker who does his part of the job.

I always explain the ramafication of working with FSBO's to my clients, so now we need to expand that explanation to include the others as well.

Jul 15, 2006 12:54 AM

Donna Harris

Donna Homes, powered by JPAR - TexasRealEstateMediationServices.com - Austin, TX

Realtor,Mediator,Ombudsman,Property Tax Arbitrator

Interesting... I thought the article was going to go a different direction saying the limited brokers didn't want to reciprocate their listings... I didn't realize it was the board holding them back. WIsh that happened in Dallas! jk

Jul 15, 2006 03:30 AM