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ew Jersey has joined the fray against RealPage, a company accused of facilitating a rent-fixing scheme with 10 prominent landlords. The state's Attorney General, Matthew Platkin, alleges that these landlords - including AvalonBay and Greystar - conspired to artificially inflate rents by sharing sensitive data and coordinating pricing strategies.

    At the heart of the complaint is RealPage's proprietary software, which uses non-public landlord data to suggest rental prices. Authorities claim this system not only restricts price reductions but also enables landlords to monitor each other's tactics, fostering a culture of collusion. The state further alleges that these landlords actively recruited others to join their ranks, exacerbating the problem.

    "The housing market in New Jersey is already skewed in favor of landlords," said Jeremy Hollander, Acting Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. "But the defendants wanted more." By design, RealPage's software allegedly promotes anticompetitive behavior, limiting price reductions and enforcing compliance through automated tools and direct oversight.

    The state charges that these actions violate both federal and New Jersey antitrust laws, as well as the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act. The complaint names several other landlords as co-conspirators, leaving open the possibility of additional defendants being added to the suit. RealPage has yet to comment on the allegations.