National Association of Realtors antitrust settlement (2024)
The National Association of Realtors agreed to pay $418 million and change how agent commissions are set, following jury verdicts that its rules inflated seller costs. Buyers and sellers gained room to negotiate fees that had long hovered near 6%.
Brokerages scrambled to rewrite contracts and defend their commission splits.
Fee pressure squeezed margins across the industry, rewarding low-cost, tech-driven models over traditional franchises.
That margin squeeze is the backdrop for RE/MAX's stall and its decision to sell to a cheaper, software-first rival.
