Compass is suing the Northwest MLS in alleged defense of homeowner choice, calling the broker-owned listing portal a “monopolist” with the “most restrictive homeowner marketing rules in the country.” The brokerage announced its pursuit in a press release on April 25.

Washingtonians are the only Compass clients in the country who are currently prohibited from using the brokerage’s “Private Exclusive” or “Coming Soon” listing options, the brokerage said. Compass claims that, on average, clients who use these pre-marketing options are more likely to sell their homes faster and for more money, with homes also about 30% less likely to undergo a price drop after being pre-marketed.

The lawsuit is just the latest twist in an ongoing conflict between NWMLS and Compass that followed the National Association of REALTORS’® recent Clear Cooperation Policy update, which allows delayed marketing of listings.

Earlier this month, NWMLS suspended its listing feed with Compass for two days, saying the brokerage failed to add its listings to the MLS as required by its rules. In March, Compass solicited Washington home sellers for a class-action lawsuit against NWMLS.

“Compass is proud to support Washington homeowners who are asking the right question: Why are we the only homeowners in America without a choice in how we sell our home?” said Compass Founder and CEO Robert Reffkin. “The NWMLS system wasn’t built to serve homeowners — it was built to preserve the monopolistic power of the NWMLS.”

Reffkin also said that Compass has seen “strong demand from Seattle homeowners for pre-marketing options.”