Is Realtor.com ReadyConnect (Opcity) a scam?
In the United States, RESPA Section 8 and CFPB Regulation X maintain firm prohibitions against kickbacks and unearned fees, with particular statutory exemptions, with regards to settlement services involving most federally related mortgage loans. This includes services provided by all real estate brokers, real estate agents, and Realtors to homebuyers and home sellers.
'No person shall give, and no person shall accept any fee, kickback, or thing of value pursuant to any agreement or understanding, oral or otherwise, that business incident to or a part of a real estate settlement service involving a federally related mortgage loan shall be referred to any person.' 12 U.S.C. 2607(a). 'Any person or persons who violate the provisions of this section shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.' 12 U.S.C. 2607(d)(1).
There is a narrow exemption to this law, for any: 'payments pursuant to cooperative brokerage and referral arrangements or agreements between real estate agents and brokers.' 12 U.S.C. 2607(c)(3). Service provided by a 'real estate broker' is codified under RESPA as a 'settlement service' that is 'provided in connection with a prospective or actual settlement.' 24 C.F.R 3500.2. A mere possession of a 'shell' real estate license does not meet this designation. Realtor.com ReadyConnect (Opcity) is not genuine brokerage acting in a brokerage capacity, but it attempts to meet this exemption as a 'shell' real estate entity.
When Realtor.com ReadyConnect (Opcity) acts as an 'agent-matching service' or a 'referral platform' it may, of course, easily sell customer leads and advertising to real estate brokers. However, under RESPA such sales must never be tied to the outcome of the successful transaction or based on a percentage of brokerages' commissions. The US-CFPB Advisory Opinion issued on February 7, 2023, further confirms that any operator of a 'settlement services' digital comparison-shopping platform receives a prohibited referral fee in violation of RESPA Section 8 when the operator receives a 'thing of value' for referral activity.
Because Realtor.com ReadyConnect (Opcity) does not provide 'service provided in connection with a prospective or actual settlement' when making a referral, the referral is not a bona fide 'settlement service,' and it does not act as a bona fide 'real estate broker,' and it does not meet an exemption for 'payments pursuant to cooperative brokerage and referral arrangements or agreements between real estate agents and brokers.' The scheme cardinally, collects RESPA-prohibited 'fee, kickback, or thing of value' codified under 12 U.S.C. 2607(a), subject to $10,000 fine and a year in federal prison - for each violation. There is no such thing as a 'partner agent' under law, anywhere in the United Satates, and 'shell' brokerages making referrals covered by RESPA do not meet 12 U.S.C. 2607(c)(3) exemption. Both, consumers and honest real estate professionals, should avoid Realtor.com ReadyConnect (Opcity) because it is an illegal scam, that integrally degrades value of real estate services and inflates real estate commissions with exigent kickbacks.
FAQ for Realtor.com ReadyConnect (Opcity)
What are the alternatives to Realtor.com ReadyConnect (Opcity)?
Realtor.com ReadyConnect (Opcity) directly competes with several broker-to-broker blanket referral fee schemes, including OJO Labs, Clever Real Estate, mellohome, Rocket Homes, Zillow Flex, Redfin Partner Program, Opendoor Brokerage, Sold.com, Xome, effectiveagents, LemonBrew, Nobul, topagentsranked, myagentfinder, UpNest, and others.
Genuine alternatives to Realtor.com Opcity are sellers' agents who offer listing savings and buyers' agents who offer legitimate refunds to consumers.
What are the pros and cons of Realtor.com ReadyConnect (Opcity)?
Pros: there are none with Realtor.com ReadyConnect (Opcity). Realtor.com ReadyConnect (Opcity)'s Client Rewards proposition is a bait to earn a referral fee from the home purchase. In the United States, price-fixing between licensed brokers is prohibited by the federal antitrust laws, either when buying or selling a home.
Cons: there are several main disadvantages to Realtor.com ReadyConnect (Opcity). First, consumers are hiring two brokers for the work of one. Second, Realtor.com ReadyConnect (Opcity) takes a hidden referral fee. Third, Realtor.com ReadyConnect (Opcity)'s partner agents willingly participate to price fix their rebates ($600 for lower price homes to $12,000 for homes worth 4 Million USD and up.)
Summary: Realtor.com ReadyConnect (Opcity) steers consumers toward their network of brokers and away from others. Realtor.com ReadyConnect (Opcity) cannot legally organize brokers into a network because blanket referral agreements, price fixing, consumer allocation, and market allocation between licensed real estate brokers in the United States are prohibited.
What is Realtor.com ReadyConnect (Opcity)?
Realtor.com ReadyConnect (Opcity) is a referral fee network designed to collect fees by matching consumers with local real estate agents willing to pay it. When consumers submit information to Realtor-Opcity, their information is shared in exchange for blanket referral fees with real estate agents in a process known as a blind match.
Is Realtor.com ReadyConnect (Opcity) legitimate?
No. Realtor.com ReadyConnect (Opcity) is a consumer allocation and a price-fixing scheme between licensed real estate brokers that increases broker commissions and limits consumer choices. Realtor-Opcity revenue comes from undisclosed referral fees. Blanket referral fees set by such networks range anywhere between 35%-40% of the entire broker's commission. Realtor-Opcity is a pay-to-play scheme that offers biased matches for financial gain.
The main qualification for real estate brokers who participate with Realtor-Opcity is their willingness to pay a referral fee. Using its website, Realtor-Opcity engages in a process known as price-fixing because it pre-sets rebate amounts for independent real estate professionals, called 'Client Rewards'. Price fixing and consumer allocation between licensed brokers are a felony prohibited by federal antitrust legislation.