The real estate industry is not lacking in antitrust lawsuits. But while industry professionals await the results of the suits against the National Association of Realtors, Zillow has just dodged legal trouble of its own.
A lawsuit alleging that Zillow violated the Lanham Act and the Vermont Consumer Protection Act due to use of deceptive tactics in its for-sale-by-owner listing services and advertisements was dismissed last week by a federal judge in Vermont.
The suit was filed in January 2021 by Picket Fence Preview, Inc., a for-sale-by-owner listing site operating in Vermont and New Hampshire. The case was initially dismissed in August 2021, but Picket Fence appealed the decision. Zillow filed a motion to dismiss the case a second time in May 2022.
Zillow allows homeowners to list their for-sale-by-owner properties on the site for free, However, Picket Fence alleges that the listing service is not necessarily free. Picket Fence claims that instead of directing a potential homebuyer viewing a for-sale-by-owner property on the site to the current homeowner listing the property, it instead puts them in contact with a Zillow Premier Agent. The complaint goes on to state that agents who have signed up for Zillow’s Premier Agent lead generation system would receive these leads.
Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.
Featured News
Chamber of Commerce Sues to Overturn FTC Non-Compete Ban
Apr 24, 2024 by
CPI
FTC Chief Warns of Healthcare Price Fixing Risks Amid Tech Advancements
Apr 24, 2024 by
CPI
Amazon’s Investment in Anthropic Faces Antitrust Scrutiny
Apr 24, 2024 by
CPI
Italian Antitrust Authority Fines Amazon €10 Million for Unfair Trade Practices
Apr 24, 2024 by
CPI
Tuta Mail Raises Alarm Over Google Search Ranking Plunge Amidst DMA Rollout
Apr 24, 2024 by
CPI
Antitrust Mix by CPI
Antitrust Chronicle® – Economics of Criminal Antitrust
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
Navigating Economic Expert Work in Criminal Antitrust Litigation
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
The Increased Importance of Economics in Cartel Cases
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
A Law and Economics Analysis of the Antitrust Treatment of Physician Collective Price Agreements
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
Information Exchange In Criminal Antitrust Cases: How Economic Testimony Can Tip The Scales
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI