R
eal estate broker and influencer Anthony Lamacchia criticized the Department of Justice's (DOJ) actions in the industry during a session at NAR NXT. He called it "ridiculous" what the DOJ has been doing to real estate, stating that they "deserve" to be checked.

    The DOJ has taken an active interest in residential real estate, investigating the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and state associations, as well as weighing in on several court cases. Lamacchia expressed his dissatisfaction with the agency's actions, saying it's overplaying its hand in many areas.

    Lamacchia predicts that once Trump takes office, the upper echelon of the DOJ will be looking for jobs, which he sees as a positive development for the industry. He also criticized plaintiffs' lawyers in commissions cases, describing them as "pocket-picking" and "blood-sucking attorneys" who have been emboldened by the DOJ's actions.

    The DOJ has taken several notable actions in recent years, including investigating NAR, making formal inquiries into state associations, taking action against RealPage, filing a brief in a case involving Zillow, and weighing in on data sharing. Lamacchia believes that these actions will be wound down under the new administration.

    Lamacchia also spoke out against the high legal fees associated with commissions cases, which he described as "judicially sanctioned extortion." He predicts that class members will receive payouts of around $21 each, calling it a joke.