L
ouisiana real estate agents have filed a lawsuit against the National Association of Realtors (NAR) over membership rules that limit access to multiple listing service data and alleged reputational damage caused by scandals and lawsuits. The complaint, filed on January 2 in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana, names NAR, local associations, and several MLSs as defendants.

    The plaintiffs, including two real estate agents and two brokers, claim that the groups have engaged in anticompetitive practices by forcing agents to pay for three memberships to access MLS data. This restriction creates significant barriers to conducting business, they argue, as agents cannot effectively analyze and disseminate essential information without access to market area MLSs.

    The lawsuit also alleges that NAR's scandals and legal issues have harmed the reputation of all real estate professionals. The plaintiffs seek treble damages of not less than $10 million. In response, a NAR spokesperson stated that the organization will address the plaintiffs' claims in court and emphasized that local MLSs determine individual participation requirements.

    This lawsuit joins active cases in Texas, Michigan, and Pennsylvania challenging mandatory membership rules. At the heart of these complaints is NAR's three-way agreement requiring agents to join local, state, and national Realtor associations, a policy that has seen increasing pushback in recent months.