By Richard Haggerty
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March 21, 2025
In the organized real estate space, 2024 will mark the settlement of lawsuits totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. I cannot imagine any real estate company or agent wanting to repeat that experience. However, suppose brokers actively encourage sellers to accept more limited listing exposure for their benefit as opposed to the sellers’ benefit—in the words of Yogi Berra, it could be déjà vu all over again. I believe it’s tough to argue against more visibility of a listing benefiting home sellers and prospective buyers alike. I also think that submission of listings to the MLS promotes fair housing principles and equal access to housing, where selected or limited marketing of listings can lead to potential discrimination, even if unintentional. In this instance, I don’t think it is necessary to focus solely on mandatory rules; instead, focus on doing what is right for the consumer. That means providing the consumer with all available options for achieving their goals and following all lawful instructions to help them achieve them.