FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  December 31, 1987

             FTC CITES NEW YORK REAL ESTATE SERVICE;
                    REACHES CONSENT AGREEMENT
     The Federal Trade Commission today announced a consent
agreement with Multiple Listing Service Mid County Inc. (Mid
County) of Brooklyn, N.Y., under which the real estate firm will
end various practices that have allegedly restrained price and
service competition among residential real estate brokers.
     In a complaint accompanying the consent agreement, the FTC
charged that Mid County:  denied membership to any firm not
operating a full time brokerage office;  fixed the maximum share
of the commission that could be retained by any listing broker on
a co-brokered sale;  adopted a rule that could be interpreted to
exclude homeowners from any role in the determination of
commission splits between listing and selling brokers;  adopted a
rule that could be construed as discouraging broker acceptance of
exclusive agency listings;  required its members to disclose the
total commission or the split of commission agreed to between
listing brokers and property owners; and prohibited members,
other than the listing broker, from soliciting and relisting of
any property until the prior listing expired.
     Under terms of the consent agreement, Mid County is
prohibited from:  requiring that any applicant or member operate
a full time office;  fixing, maintaining or recommending any
division of commission between selling and listing brokers;
adopting any policy that has the purpose or effect of exclusive
agency listings;  requiring any member to inform Mid County or
any of its members of the commission agreed to between any
listing broker and homeowner;  and adopting any policy having the
purpose or effect of delaying the solicitation of a listing
agreement.
     The FTC's New York Regional Office handled the
investigation.
     A consent agreement is for settlement purposes only and does
not constitute admission of a violation of law.  When the
Commission issues a consent order on a final basis, it carries
the force of law with respect to future actions in regard to the
respondent.  Each violation of such an order may result in a
civil penalty of up to $10,000.
     The consent agreement appeared in the Federal Register
December 30, 1987.  It is subject to public comment for 60 days,
until February 29, 1988. Comments should be addressed to Office
of the Secretary, Federal Trade Commission, 6th Street and
Pennsylvania Avenue N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580.
     Copies of the consent agreement, the complaint and an
analysis of the agreement are available from the FTC's Public
Reference Branch, Room 130, same address as above; 202-326-2222;
202-326-2506.
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MEDIA CONTACT:             Duff Thomas, Office of Public Affairs,
                           202-326-2178
STAFF CONTACT:             Alfred J. Ferrogari, New York Regional
Office,
                           212-264-8855

FTC File No. 851-0108
(NY-MLS)