by Hilary Marsh, Managing Director, REALTOR.org

Grrr…misinformation is so hard to erase! The RE.net has been in an uproar all day after a FSBO site issued a news release filled with false info about REALTOR.com.

Move.com, which operates REALTOR.com on behalf of the National Association of Realtors, has demanded a retraction of the release, and NAR is doing everything we can to counteract this with the facts. I’d love it if everyone reading this blog helps us spread the truth by re-blogging, tweeting, etc.
Contrary to what the ForSaleByOwner.com news release says….

1) They are NOT in a partnership with REALTOR.com
2) The settlement between NAR and the DOJ did NOT force REALTOR.com to accept FSBO property listings
3) Properties from sellers not represented by Realtors will NOT appear on REALTOR.com
4) MLSs still get to decide which listings to distribute to REALTOR.com

As Michael Wurzer explained on the Flex MLS blog, “So, this is just another version of a limited service listing, not some revolution in policy regarding FSBOs.”

Also, as Laurie Janik, NAR’s general counsel, told VAR Buzz,

“Please reassure your members that there are no unlisted properties on Realtor.com.

“We still cannot figure out the basis for the outrageous claims being made by ForSaleByOwner.com in this press release. No relationship exists between that entity and Realtor.com. Listings displayed on Realtor.com continue to be provided by the MLSs, and contrary to the headline, there is NO “agent free access to Realtor.com.”

Read NAR’s official news brief on REALTOR.org.