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Realtor Rebellion
Forced fees, fading trust, and a system begging for disruption
Splits and Caps Daily: Action for Agents
April 21, 2025
📈 Market Move:
Fee Fight Frenzy
Another day, another lawsuit aimed at dismantling NAR's pay-to-play model.
This week, a Georgia broker named Jerome Milko (licensed in three states — flex alert 💪) filed an antitrust lawsuit against the National Association of Realtors. He says he's been coughing up membership fees for 37 years just to access MLS listings. Total damages? $75,000. And he's not alone.
This lawsuit joins a growing squad of agents nationwide — from Michigan to Texas — all saying the same thing: “Why are we paying thousands just to do our job?”
It’s all happening in the wake of NAR’s $418M settlement and the removal of mandatory broker compensation. Translation: the old model is crumbling, and agents are questioning everything — especially fees that don’t add value.
Big picture? The legal hits keep coming, and the once-untouchable NAR might need a serious rebrand… or a good defense attorney.
🌟Quote of the Day:
"Stay away from those people who try to disparage your ambitions." — Mark Twain
📊🤔 Agent Poll Results
On 4/18, we asked: Do you think MLS rules are helping or holding back agents today?
The results are in!
A) Helping — structure keeps the game fair: 50%
B) Holding back — it’s a straitjacket in a TikTok world: 17%
C) Bit of both — needs a 2025 update: 17%
D) I just work here, man: 17%
Whoa! Great mix of opinions. Keep ‘em coming!
🎉 Fun Fact of the Day:
Zillow Once Bought... and Bombed: Zillow tried flipping homes (aka Zillow Offers) and lost $881 million in one year. Even billion-dollar companies sometimes forget the golden rule: buy low, sell... not into a market correction.
📚 Book Recommendation:
"Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind" by Al Ries and Jack Trout—This book is like the cheat code to branding, except it was written decades ago—and still slaps.
Here’s the deal: people don’t buy “better.” They buy different. And if you’re not the first in someone’s brain when they think of your category (agent, team, neighborhood specialist, etc.), you’re invisible.
Positioning breaks down how to own space in someone’s head—whether you're marketing yourself, a product, or a $3M waterfront listing. It's not about being louder… it’s about being sharper. More focused. More memorable.
If you’ve ever wondered why some agents dominate while others grind in silence, this book explains it. Spoiler: It’s not the market. It’s the mindshare.
There’s no secret sauce. Just reps, relationships, and relentless follow-up.
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