Working through my CoStar renewal. Help me through this!
Posting Fromm throwaway as I am fearful of the mafia...I mean costar. 

I was told that I am required to add all agents as registered users. That’s big money!

They’ve threatened legal on me and have made my renewal process quite stressful and expensive. 

Has anyone had similar experience?  Any advice on how to navigate this process?

Godspeed to all costar competitors!
[{"id": "gxwyy2m", "text": "If you are a broker or member of a team, especially if you are getting a discount, then yes, all agents need their own registration.  This is to prevent other agents from using each others' membership to log in, get comps, etc. (Also to make sure CoStar makes as much money as possible).  And yes, they do check.\n\nIf you are signing up on your own/independently, then they can't really do anything.", "replies": [{"id": "gxx555y", "text": "We both know this is total BS, because there is no way for another \"team member\" to use your account because in order to login you have to use the QR code that gets sent to your phone. We all know we don't share phones.", "replies": [{"id": "gxxfdzj", "text": "QR code? I just get 2 factor authentication code. Realistically, the code could just be forwarded to whoever needs it", "replies": [{"id": "gxywwq3", "text": "QR, and facial recognition are used in addition to 2factor. This is set by the security dept.", "replies": [{"id": "gxyyli5", "text": "Wow, i haven\u2019t heard of anyone having those requirements yet. Wonder when they\u2019ll roll it out completely. We have USA, Canada, and GB access too. Surprised we weren\u2019t one of the first to be hit with additional security", "replies": [{"id": "gxz0ii8", "text": "Everyone with oast to coast US access got international. Unrelated!\n\nSecurity looks for things like:\n1) unlicensed brokers &amp; admins calling into support and saying they are using someone else license.\n2) multiple license swaps, one broker gives his license to another broker because they 'arent going to use it's and aren't one of the brokers who are required to have a license, then they call back 3 months later and have a license assigned.\n3) multiple new devices, all the time\n4) 2 separate IPs try to use the same login (less often used, esp during covid)\n\n:)", "replies": [{"id": "gxz1esa", "text": "Ahhh, so it\u2019s companies they suspect of sharing logins. Glad costar thinks we are an honest firm, ha", "replies": [{"id": "gxz2jz2", "text": "Typically but I wouldn't get too judgy on the firms that have other security features. I'm pretty sure sometimes they just throw darts at a dartboard. :-)", "replies": [], "depth": 8}], "depth": 7}], "depth": 6}], "depth": 5}], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}, {"id": "gxxqzyx", "text": "Never used their QR code in my life.  Always had the two-factor authentication.  Admins had to get their own account because agent got blocked for signing in at two different locations.", "replies": [], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "gxwznll", "text": "Just a quick note - if you sign up under a \u201cteam\u201d LLc and only have one or two members this will juke their system - just need to make sure only a few devices ever use the service", "replies": [{"id": "gxwzzs2", "text": "Understand the concept, would note... if the emails of the org are already in the system then they'd likely call a TO for official's review.", "replies": [{"id": "gxx03i0", "text": "Yeah gonna have to do a new domain etc to have at least one email", "replies": [], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "gxx4ws4", "text": "Costar is the gustapo of real estate data providers and a giant monopoly that the govt should have shut down years ago. This is how I handle CoStar....\n\nThese are your options....\n\nRenew their agreement with all of your agents. We BOTH know, this makes ZERO sense as most of your agents probably don't close commercial deals.\n\nCancel your membership with them. Look at other potential options such as AIR, Catalyst, Crexi, etc....as a short term solution. Get a new address that is separate from your current office address (my PO Box allows me to use it as an address as well). When I signed my CoStar agreement, that was the address I used. Since no other agents are attached to that address, there really isn't much they could do about forcing me to add other agents (since they don't share my \"office\" address). 2nd off - DO NOT let their rep into your office....EVER. They will walk around and find \"heads\" to add to your license. Once you have done this, reach out to them about starting up a NEW account with them. They don't grand father plans the way they do with Loopnet, so you aren't losing any \"special\" pricing by dumping them for a month or two.", "replies": [{"id": "gxy01jx", "text": "I\u2019m going to give my two cents here, even though no one asked for it \u2014 Absolutely do not sign up with Crexi. I\u2019m all for competition for CoStar but the experience with Crexi has been the worst. They offer nothing reputable and their  salesman sold me on \u201cbeing able to see who views my listings.\u201d Come to find out they force someone to fill out info when they view an OM on the site, which ends up with me getting about 4-5 shit leads a week. It\u2019s been a huge headache given the fact I was sold on something that wasn\u2019t true. Like I said, I would love for someone to come in and beat CoStar, but given Crexi\u2019s shittiness and the fact CoStar is currently is a court battle with them over stolen info, doesn\u2019t lead me to believe that they\u2019re going to be the one who takes the reigns", "replies": [{"id": "gxz28no", "text": "Crexi is the shittiest provider I have ever experienced....I LOAAAAATHHHEEE Costar but it is what is, a monopoly, and they provide the best data and nothing is even close, fuck those guys.   Xcelligent was my favorite until they shut them down.", "replies": [{"id": "gxz864x", "text": "Yep. That\u2019s pretty much where I\u2019m at, along with probably a majority of people on this sub", "replies": [], "depth": 4}, {"id": "gyuayso", "text": "RIP Xceligent. Some of those old X markets got scooped up by Catylist, I hear they can be hit and miss, but worth looking into. Catylist got bought out by Moody's earlier this year so they are expanding like gangbusters building out properties and comps on a nationwide level and the listings will come down the line.", "replies": [], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "gxxbq49", "text": "Ugh costar is the drug cartel of real estate. Yes they will charge you for every single license your brokerage has regardless if they are using the product or not. It\u2019s complete bullshit and there is nothing you can do about it other than pay up or don\u2019t do business.  Because they have bought everyone that is close to a competitor you have no other options.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "gxxht6o", "text": "CoStar's comps aren't accurate anyways, because brokers (like myself) don't want to give them up to share w/ their competition.  Real, detailed comps are shared broker to broker when it benefits both brokers. CoStar is the absolute worst and their platform looks like Windows 98.", "replies": [{"id": "gxxi6xk", "text": "I'm referring to lease comps here. Sale comps can be found on public record (I use fidelity national title passport website)", "replies": [], "depth": 2}, {"id": "gxxm9vo", "text": "Texas is a nondisclosure state and we quit giving them comps years ago. How you gonna ask me to feed you information then charge me out of the ass for it? We almost run our little submarket so get fukt, no comps from us.", "replies": [{"id": "gyuad4p", "text": "Depending on your location, I'm curious of your experience with Catylist as I know they have decent presence in some of the major markets there.", "replies": [], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "gxxnw9r", "text": "Everytime they call me asking for my data and closing info, I say sure...I'll trade my valuable info for discounts or a free month of loopnet.  \n\nSo I dont give them any info.", "replies": [{"id": "gxz3k6k", "text": "Brilliant lol", "replies": [], "depth": 2}, {"id": "gyzh857", "text": "but you could be a costar power broker award winner if you just give them enough of your information!!!", "replies": [], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "gxxtahg", "text": "Yes, they do bend us over. They are very protective of their data, and pricing is insane. Just like @woopiskin mentioned, it\u2019s a mainly broker populated database. It has a lot errors and then they\u2019re charging obscene amounts. \n\nI use a QR code to login. My brokers het the text authentication.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "gxy0z2m", "text": "I've really been digging Crexi lately", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "gxyxrob", "text": "Oh the fun of CoStar Renewal. \n\nSoo, yes there is a requirement for some brokers to be license. This is based on recoded sales/leases over a 3 year period. There isn't a way around it. Sorry.\n\nYou can look at your geographic package for savings. Or ask for a usage report to make sure you don't have any unused licenses.\n\nTip for those who haven't fallen into this hole: if you have a Sr broker (not a designated) who doesn't care about being seen on CoStar try not putting them on the advertising material on CoStar or attaching them to listings they really don't know anything about. This is how CoStar tracks s brokers activity.\n\nThey told you about the 4% yearly bump, right?", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "gxz3f2a", "text": "CoStar isn\u2019t worth the money. I worked my first year without it, got so used to it I barely use it at all now. They just pull data that\u2019s already in public databases and consolidate it. Very few broker transactions are even reported on CoStar, so it yields little insight beyond public records IMO.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "gy3gale", "text": "After you deal with them, maybe check [https://www.commercialedge.com/](https://www.commercialedge.com/) and request a demo to see if it fits your needs. :)", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "gzgvdoa", "text": "2 examples I knew where they implemented single or limited number of user license: 1 Brokerage where there was only one designated user that was allowed to log on and access all the data and any listing was put in that designated users name. They got the Power broker award, but it didn't mean anything since a whole team marketed and sold the deal. Typically only dying deals getting little traction were posted to Costar. Make sure to comply with only one user from a specific computer using the login so Costar doesn't bust you for sharing logins with multiple users. Costar still tried to threaten legal actions in this case since there were logins from multiple computers and tried that BS of saying all brokers should be registered. I like the post above of cancelling, never letting Costar sales in your office, and register a new single user service under a different name or entity. And make sure to tell the Costar researcher to piss off if they ask for comps!\n2. Loan Brokerage company using costar for comps and research in their reports. Only the designated user could pull the data.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}]