Monopoly in Wintergreen?

Thanks to the HooK, I saw this story in the DP. Monopoly or healthy competition? At the very least, this should prove interesting. If partnering with Wintergreen is a monopoly, might this have ramifications with developments (not location-specific) that say “exclusively marketed by” whereby the implication is that buyers must use that company if they want to see the development?

Wintergreen is a very different market than Charlottesville, but I didn’t foresee this coming.

Update: Jennifer gives us the attorney’s point of view.

Update 2/27/2007: The Washington Times has picked up the story, with this nifty quote:

Wintergreen Resort Premier Properties “is charging sellers 6 percent commissions,” said Allen Foster, attorney for Mountain Area Realty. “Mountain Area Realty was charging 5 to 51/2 percent. So we know consumers are being harmed.”

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