State AGs urged to probe Zillow, pocket listings, referral fees

A coalition of consumer and housing advocacy organizations is urging state attorneys general to launch coordinated investigations into dominant real estate listing platforms, pocket listing strategies and referral-fee driven agent matching systems, arguing that current practices are distorting housing markets and keeping costs elevated for buyers and renters. HousingWire has exclusively learned that a group of national and state-based advocacy organizations plans to send a letter to Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, in his capacity as president of the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG), and to member attorneys general, on Wednesday morning, calling for “housing market integrity” to become a coordinated enforcement priority. The coalition, which includes American Economic Liberties Project, Americans for Financial, Reform Education Fund, Arkansas Community Organizations, Children’s Advocacy Alliance, Consumer Action, Consumer Federation of America, Demand Progress Education Fund, Economic Empowerment Center DBA Lending Link, Lake Research Partners, Native Voters Alliance NV, Nevada Chapter of the National Organization for Women, Nevada Justice Association, New...