Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield today announced a major settlement with MV Realty, a Florida-based real estate brokerage that used deceptive and coercive marketing to trap Oregon homeowners in 40-year “Homeowner Benefit Agreements.” The agreements gave MV Realty exclusive rights to list consumers’ homes for decades—often in exchange for just a few hundred dollars—and allowed the company to file liens that blocked families from refinancing, selling, or accessing the equity in their own property.
“This was an outrageous scheme that took advantage of Oregonians who were just trying to get a little financial breathing room,” said Attorney General Dan Rayfield. “For a few hundred bucks, MV Realty tried to trap people in their 40-year contracts that stuck to their homes – and even their kids. That’s not just a bad deal – that’s cruel. Because of this settlement, those families are finally out from under it. They can work with any agent they choose, and they don’t owe MV Realty a dime.”