$120M NAR real estate commission class action settlement

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) and several real estate brokerage companies agreed to pay more than $120 million to resolve claims they violated federal antitrust laws by conspiring to raise and fix real estate broker commissions.

The NAR settlement benefits individuals who purchased a home that was listed on a multiple listing service (MLS) anywhere in the United States where a commission was paid to any brokerage in connection with the transaction during the applicable class period. The class period varies by state, with qualifying purchase dates beginning Dec. 8, 2017, Dec. 8, 2018 or Dec. 8, 2019, depending on where the home was located.

The settlement does not include individuals who sold a home and are part of existing home seller settlements or individuals who exclude themselves from the settlement.

Homebuyers in the class action lawsuit claim the NAR and several real estate brokerages conspired to raise and fix real estate broker commissions, resulting in inflated home prices and reduced buyer-broker services.

The NAR is a national trade association for real estate agents.

The defendants have not admitted any wrongdoing but agreed to a $120,334,500 settlement to resolve the real estate lawsuit.

Under the terms of the NAR settlement, class members can receive a cash payment based on the amount they paid in commissions for their home purchase. Class members who paid the highest commissions will receive the largest payments. Exact payment amounts will vary.

The defendants also agreed to maintain or extend certain business practice changes to ensure real estate commissions are competitive and fair.

The exclusion and objection deadlines are Sept. 17, 2026.

The final approval hearing for the real estate antitrust settlement is scheduled for Nov. 2, 2026.

To receive a settlement payment, class members must submit a valid claim form by Oct. 27, 2026.