CoStar Group Prevails in Trade Secrets Lawsuit Against News Corp’s Realtor.com
CoStar Group (NASDAQ: CSGP) has emerged victorious in a trade secrets lawsuit filed by Move Inc., operator of Realtor.com. The lawsuit, initiated in July 2024, accused CoStar and former Move employee James Kaminsky of trade secret misappropriation. Move initially claimed Kaminsky was hired to launch a news division using confidential information, but this was proven false as he was actually hired to write condominium descriptions for Homes.com.
The court denied Move's request for a preliminary injunction in September 2024, citing speculative allegations and lack of demonstrated harm. After CoStar's legal team threatened sanctions in March 2025, Move abruptly dismissed the case with prejudice. CoStar made no settlement payment, describing the lawsuit as a baseless PR stunt aimed at slowing down Homes.com's market progress.
CoStar Group (NASDAQ: CSGP) è uscita vittoriosa in una causa per segreti commerciali intentata da Move Inc., operatore di Realtor.com. La causa, avviata a luglio 2024, accusava CoStar e l'ex dipendente di Move, James Kaminsky, di appropriazione indebita di segreti commerciali. Move inizialmente sosteneva che Kaminsky fosse stato assunto per lanciare una divisione notizie utilizzando informazioni riservate, ma questo è stato dimostrato falso poiché era stato effettivamente assunto per scrivere descrizioni di condomini per Homes.com.
Il tribunale ha respinto la richiesta di Move per un'ingiunzione preliminare a settembre 2024, citando accuse speculative e mancanza di danni dimostrati. Dopo che il team legale di CoStar ha minacciato sanzioni a marzo 2025, Move ha bruscamente archiviato il caso con pregiudizio. CoStar non ha effettuato alcun pagamento di transazione, descrivendo la causa come un'iniziativa PR infondata mirata a rallentare il progresso di mercato di Homes.com.
CoStar Group (NASDAQ: CSGP) ha salido victorioso en una demanda por secretos comerciales presentada por Move Inc., operador de Realtor.com. La demanda, iniciada en julio de 2024, acusaba a CoStar y al ex empleado de Move, James Kaminsky, de apropiación indebida de secretos comerciales. Move alegó inicialmente que Kaminsky fue contratado para lanzar una división de noticias utilizando información confidencial, pero esto se demostró falso, ya que en realidad fue contratado para redactar descripciones de condominios para Homes.com.
El tribunal denegó la solicitud de Move para una orden de restricción preliminar en septiembre de 2024, citando acusaciones especulativas y falta de daños demostrados. Después de que el equipo legal de CoStar amenazara con sanciones en marzo de 2025, Move desestimó abruptamente el caso con prejuicio. CoStar no realizó ningún pago de conciliación, describiendo la demanda como un truco de relaciones públicas infundado destinado a frenar el progreso de mercado de Homes.com.
코스타 그룹 (NASDAQ: CSGP)는 Realtor.com 운영사 Move Inc.가 제기한 영업 비밀 소송에서 승리했습니다. 2024년 7월에 시작된 이 소송은 코스타와 전 Move 직원인 제임스 카민스키가 영업 비밀을 부당하게 사용했다고 주장했습니다. Move는 처음에 카민스키가 기밀 정보를 사용하여 뉴스 부서를 시작하기 위해 고용되었다고 주장했지만, 이는 사실이 아닌 것으로 밝혀졌습니다. 그는 실제로 Homes.com의 콘도미니엄 설명을 작성하기 위해 고용되었습니다.
법원은 2024년 9월 Move의 임시 금지 요청을 기각하며, 추측적인 주장과 입증된 피해의 부족을 언급했습니다. 2025년 3월 코스타의 법률팀이 제재를 위협한 후, Move는 갑자기 사건을 기각했습니다. 코스타는 어떤 합의금도 지급하지 않았으며, 이 소송을 Homes.com의 시장 진전을 늦추기 위한 근거 없는 PR 전략으로 묘사했습니다.
CoStar Group (NASDAQ: CSGP) a remporté une victoire dans un procès pour secrets commerciaux intenté par Move Inc., opérateur de Realtor.com. Le procès, initié en juillet 2024, accusait CoStar et l'ancien employé de Move, James Kaminsky, d'appropriation indue de secrets commerciaux. Move avait initialement affirmé que Kaminsky avait été engagé pour lancer une division d'actualités en utilisant des informations confidentielles, mais cela s'est avéré faux, car il avait en réalité été engagé pour rédiger des descriptions de condominiums pour Homes.com.
Le tribunal a rejeté la demande de Move pour une injonction préliminaire en septembre 2024, invoquant des allégations spéculatives et l'absence de dommages démontrés. Après que l'équipe juridique de CoStar a menacé de sanctions en mars 2025, Move a brusquement abandonné l'affaire avec préjudice. CoStar n'a effectué aucun paiement de règlement, qualifiant le procès de coup médiatique sans fondement visant à ralentir les progrès de Homes.com sur le marché.
CoStar Group (NASDAQ: CSGP) hat in einem Verfahren wegen Geschäftsgeheimnissen, das von Move Inc., dem Betreiber von Realtor.com, eingereicht wurde, gesiegt. Die Klage, die im Juli 2024 eingereicht wurde, beschuldigte CoStar und den ehemaligen Move-Mitarbeiter James Kaminsky der unrechtmäßigen Aneignung von Geschäftsgeheimnissen. Move behauptete zunächst, Kaminsky sei eingestellt worden, um eine Nachrichtenabteilung mit vertraulichen Informationen zu gründen, was sich jedoch als falsch herausstellte, da er tatsächlich eingestellt wurde, um Beschreibungen von Eigentumswohnungen für Homes.com zu schreiben.
Das Gericht wies Moves Antrag auf eine einstweilige Verfügung im September 2024 zurück und verwies auf spekulative Anschuldigungen und das Fehlen nachgewiesener Schäden. Nachdem das rechtliche Team von CoStar im März 2025 mit Sanktionen gedroht hatte, stellte Move den Fall abrupt mit Vorurteil ein. CoStar leistete keine Vergleichszahlung und bezeichnete die Klage als unbegründeten PR-Stunt, der darauf abzielte, den Marktfortschritt von Homes.com zu verlangsamen.
- Legal victory against competitor without any settlement payment
- Homes.com platform reportedly surpassing Realtor.com in marketplace performance
- Successful defense against potentially damaging trade secret allegations
- Nine-month legal battle potentially diverted resources and management attention
Insights
CoStar Group's legal victory against Move Inc. represents a significant defensive win that eliminates what could have been a material business risk. The dismissal with prejudice is particularly noteworthy as it permanently bars Move from refiling these same claims, providing CoStar with definitive legal closure.
The court's earlier denial of Move's preliminary injunction request highlighted fundamental weaknesses in Move's case, specifically citing the speculative nature of allegations and lack of demonstrated harm. Move's unusual litigation strategy—refusing to conduct discovery or depose key witnesses—suggested a case built on evidentiary foundation.
This outcome has competitive implications beyond the courtroom. Lawsuits alleging trade secret misappropriation can create substantial uncertainty for publicly-traded companies, potentially disrupting operations, damaging partner relationships, and diverting management attention. The dismissal removes this cloud without financial settlement, suggesting the claims lacked substantive merit.
From a corporate governance perspective, CoStar's aggressive defense strategy rather than seeking early settlement demonstrates management's confidence in their position and willingness to defend against what they viewed as anticompetitive legal maneuvers—a positive signal regarding leadership's approach to protecting shareholder interests against baseless claims.
This legal resolution highlights the intensifying competition in the online real estate marketplace sector. CoStar's statement that Homes.com has surpassed Realtor.com in the marketplace represents a significant shift in the competitive landscape of residential real estate portals.
The dismissal removes a potential obstacle to CoStar's expansion strategy in the residential market. Their "Your Listing, Your Lead" model referenced in the announcement represents a direct challenge to existing marketplace models by promising agents ownership of lead generation from their listings—a key differentiator in agent acquisition strategy.
This lawsuit appears to be symptomatic of broader competitive tensions as established players like Realtor.com face emerging threats from companies leveraging different business models. The legal battle likely consumed management bandwidth and resources for both companies, but with the case dismissed, CoStar can fully redirect those resources toward market expansion.
The resolution comes at a strategic moment for CoStar as they continue integrating their commercial real estate expertise into residential offerings. With this legal distraction eliminated, watch for accelerated efforts to capture market share from both Realtor.com and other competitors in the space, potentially through expanded feature sets, more aggressive marketing, or strategic acquisitions.
Following a nine-month legal battle and facing the prospect of court-imposed sanctions, Move has dismissed its lawsuit with prejudice, bringing the closely watched case to a decisive end
In July 2024, Move filed a federal complaint accusing CoStar Group and former Move employee James Kaminsky of trade secret misappropriation. Move’s core allegation—that Kaminsky had been hired by CoStar Group to launch a news division and was using information obtained from his time at Move to support that launch—was demonstrably false. Kaminsky was hired by CoStar Group to write descriptions of
At the outset, CoStar Group warned Move that it would seek sanctions if Move pursued its meritless claims. In response, Move quickly amended its complaint, deleting the false narrative about a news division and pivoting to a new, equally unfounded theory. When Move later sought a preliminary injunction, the court denied the request in September 2024, citing the speculative nature of Move's allegations, lack of demonstrated harm, and Move’s unprecedented refusal to take any discovery – including the decision not to depose Kaminsky or any CoStar Group employees.
Over the following months, CoStar Group pressed Move for evidence and continued to challenge the lawsuit’s legitimacy. In March 2025, CoStar Group’s legal team notified Move of its intent to seek sanctions. The very next day after the deadline CoStar provided in its notice for Move to dismiss its case, Move filed a motion to delay the proceedings. When CoStar Group responded with a detailed brief highlighting Move’s complete lack of evidence, Move abruptly asked CoStar Group if it would consent to the dismissal of Move’s entire case against CoStar Group – with prejudice.
“This lawsuit was a PR stunt from the start – ridiculous, and totally devoid of merit,” said Andy Florance, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of CoStar Group. “Nine months later, after a warning from our lawyers about sanctions, Move folded. We did not settle. We didn’t pay a dime. Move simply capitulated. From the beginning, Move had no evidence linking CoStar Group to any trade secrets, and this dismissal proves it. This was a desperate, anticompetitive stunt to slow down Homes.com as we passed Realtor.com in the marketplace.”
“We said we would win this case, and we did,” Florance added. “We remain focused on winning where it counts – in the marketplace. Our 'Your Listing, Your Lead' model on Homes.com continues to resonate with agents, buyers and sellers alike, and just as we’ve succeeded in court, we are confident we will continue to succeed in the market.”
About CoStar Group
CoStar Group (NASDAQ: CSGP) is a global leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, online marketplaces and 3D digital twin technology. Founded in 1986, CoStar Group is dedicated to digitizing the world’s real estate, empowering all people to discover properties, insights, and connections that improve their businesses and lives.
CoStar Group’s major brands include CoStar, a leading global provider of commercial real estate data, analytics, and news; LoopNet, the most trafficked commercial real estate marketplace; Apartments.com, the leading platform for apartment rentals; and Homes.com, the fastest-growing residential real estate marketplace. CoStar Group’s industry-leading brands also include Matterport, a leading spatial data company whose platform turns buildings into data to make every space more valuable and accessible, STR, a global leader in hospitality data and benchmarking, Ten-X, an online platform for commercial real estate auctions and negotiated bids and OnTheMarket, a leading residential property portal in the
CoStar Group’s websites attracted over 134 million average monthly unique visitors in the fourth quarter of 2024, serving clients around the world. Headquartered in
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Investor Relations:
Rich Simonelli
Head of Investor Relations
CoStar Group Investor Relations
(973) 896-8184
rsimonelli@costar.com
News Media:
Matthew Blocher
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CoStar Group Corporate Marketing & Communications
(202) 346-6775
mblocher@costar.com
Source: CoStar Group
FAQ
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