The National Association of Realtors announced a settlement with groups of home sellers, in which the realtor association agreed to end antitrust lawsuits through a settlement involving the payment of $418 million in damages and the elimination of rules stipulating a 6% realtors’ commission on standard home purchases.
In terms of the settlement, the agents’ commission will no longer be included in listings placed on multiple listing services. This move is expected to push home prices lower, with the abolishment of the current homebuying model where sellers pay both their broker and the buyer’s broker.
With prices expected to fall, TD Cowen Insights reported that real estate commissions are set to fall between 25% and 50% following the decision to bring an end to 6% commissions. Real estate shares slumped following the decision, with Zillow and Compass both sinking by more than 13%. Real estate brokerage Redfin declined by 5%.