CAMDEN, N.J. (Legal Newsline) – A New Jersey limited liability company alleges Zillow conspires with certain real-estate brokers to conceal property estimates.
EJ MGT LLC filed a complaint on Jan. 15 in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey against Zillow Group Inc., and Zillow Inc. for alleged violation of the Sherman Act and Clayton Act.
According to the complaint, the defendants publish "Zestimates," or their estimation of a residential property's fair market value on their online real estate database. The plaintiff alleges the defendants know this estimate is inaccurate and "have only allowed select brokers to conceal the display of Zestimates on their listings to the exclusion of the general public."
The plaintiff claims the agreements between defendants and brokers to conceal the Zestimates restrain trade and deprive the public of the benefits of open competition. It also alleges these agreements are illegal.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks judgment for compensatory damages, prejudgment interest, punitive damages and such other relief as the court deems just and proper. It is represented by Edward R. Grossi and Martin R. Kafafian of Beattie Padovano LLC in Montvale, New Jersey.
U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey Case number 2:18-cv-00584-CCC-JBC