Commitments and Contingencies

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2021

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]

6.	Commitments and Contingencies

Legal Proceedings

From time to time, the Company may be involved in disputes or regulatory inquiries that arise in the ordinary course of business. When the Company determines that a loss is both probable and reasonably estimable, a liability is recorded and disclosed if the amount is material to the Company’s business taken as a whole. When a material loss contingency is only reasonably possible, the Company does not record a liability, but instead discloses the nature and the amount of the claim and an estimate of the loss or range of loss, if such an estimate can reasonably be made. Legal costs related to the defense of loss contingencies are expensed as incurred.

Claims or regulatory actions against the Company, whether meritorious or not, could have an adverse impact on the Company due to legal costs, diversion of management resources and other elements. Except as identified with respect to the matters below, the Company does not believe that the outcome of any individual existing legal or regulatory proceeding to which it is a party will have a material adverse effect on its results of operations, financial condition or overall business in each case, taken as a whole.

Avi Dorfman v. Robert Reffkin and Urban Compass, Inc.

In July 2014, Avi Dorfman (“Dorfman”) and RentJolt, Inc. (“RentJolt”) (collectively, “Plaintiffs”) filed suit against the Company and Robert Reffkin (“Defendants”), seeking compensation for certain services, trade secrets and other contributions allegedly provided in the formation of the Company. After miscellaneous motion practice, in June 2018, Defendants moved for summary judgment, the court held oral argument in October 2018 and ultimately denied the Defendants’ motion for summary judgment in October 2019. In November 2019, Defendants appealed portions of the court’s summary judgment ruling. In February 2020, the appellate court granted in part and denied in part Defendants’ appeal resulting in one plaintiff (RentJolt) voluntarily discontinuing its only remaining claim and leaving the case. Defendants have one motion in limine pending. A trial date has been set for September 2021.

Realogy Holdings Corp., et al v. Urban Compass, Inc. and Compass Inc.

In July 2019, Realogy Holdings Corp., NRT New York LLC (“Corcoran”) and many of its related entities (collectively, “Plaintiffs”) filed a complaint against the Company in the New York Supreme Court. The complaint alleges various violations of New York and California state law related to claims of unfair competition and seeks unspecified damages. The Company filed a Motion to Dismiss in September 2019. In September 2019, Plaintiffs filed an amended complaint, removing one claim and adding a claim for defamation. In November 2019, the Company moved to compel arbitration related to claims asserted by Corcoran and moved to dismiss all of the counts. In June 2020, the Court denied the motion to dismiss and denied the motion to compel arbitration as moot, granting Plaintiffs leave to amend the complaint as to claims asserted by Corcoran without prejudice to Defendants’ ability to move to compel or dismiss the Second Amended Complaint.

On July 3, 2020, Plaintiffs filed their Second Amended Complaint. On December 18, 2020, the Court denied the Company’s motion to compel arbitration on Plaintiffs’ second amended complaint without prejudice. Defendants’ Answer to the Second Amended Complaint and Counterclaims were filed on January 28, 2021. Additionally, the Company filed its appeal of the lower Court’s denial of the Company’s motion to dismiss and motion to compel arbitration on February 1, 2021. The appeal has been fully briefed and is awaiting determination. Discovery is proceeding. The Company is unable to predict the outcome of this action or to reasonably estimate the possible loss or range of loss, if any, arising from the claims asserted therein.

Letter of Credit Agreements

The Company has irrevocable letters of credit with various financial institutions, primarily related to security deposits for leased facilities. As of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the Company was contingently liable for $51.7 million and $50.7 million, respectively, under these letters of credit. These letters of credit are collateralized by the Company’s cash and cash equivalents.

Escrow and Trust Deposits

As a service to its home buyers and home sellers, the Company administers escrow and trust deposits which represent undistributed amounts for the settlement of real estate transactions. The escrow and trust deposits totaled $238.7 million and $46.1 million, respectively as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020. These deposits are not assets of the Company and therefore are excluded from the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets. However, the Company remains contingently liable for the disposition of these deposits.