The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) sent a cease and desist letter to Phoenix REALTORS® on Thursday regarding the local association’s MLS Choice option.

In a Dec. 18 email obtained by Real Estate News, General Counsel Lesley Muchow told NAR personnel that the association was taking “necessary action” to defend its three-way agreement, which maintains that Realtors must join associations at the local, state and national level. MLS Choice would allow agents to gain MLS access without opting into that three-tier membership system.

“To be clear, NAR does not require that real estate professionals be members of a Realtor association to access an MLS. MLS participation is determined at the local level,” the email read. “NAR continues to promote competition and supports pro-consumer local broker marketplaces. This is a matter of maintaining standards for the Realtors brand as we always have and will continue to do.”

Phoenix Agent has reached out to both NAR and Phoenix REALTORS® for comment.

Editor’s note: This story is developing and will be updated as new information becomes available.