Survey supports Realtors’ claims that commissions are negotiable

Only 31 percent of homebuyers or sellers try to negotiate a lower commission, but 64 percent of those who do succeed, LendingTree survey finds. Continue reading

Redfin in crosshairs as new lawsuit targets buyer-broker commissions

California resident Andrea Freedlund is suing on behalf of homesellers who paid a buyer agent in the four years before Redfin announced it was leaving NAR, according to a suit filed in federal court. Continue reading

NAR breaks silence on DOJ call to decouple commissions

Consumer watchdog CFA hails federal agency’s proposal to ban sellers from making compensation offers as a “major watershed” in promoting more competition in real estate. Continue reading

January existing sales offer mixed signals about market’s future

Existing-home sales struggled to break out of a winter slump, according to a National Association of Realtors report published on Thursday. The sale of existing single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops declined 1.7 percent year-over-year… Continue reading

NAR: Commission suit insurance coverage ran out ‘some time ago’

There are no funds under NAR’s policy available to pay for the cost of defending the Realtor associations nor their multiple listing services which have been sued, according to the trade group. Continue reading

HomeServices dropped from long-running buyer commission lawsuit

The court dismissed a federal antitrust claim in the case known as Batton 1, but allowed state-law claims to proceed, partially due to the argument that commissions are baked into home prices. Continue reading

Nevada homeseller files yet another commission lawsuit

Angela Boykin is suing over a home sale from 2022. Her case is the second such recent lawsuit out of Nevada, and adds to the growing number of cases that have followed the Sitzer | Burnett verdict . Continue reading

DOJ to Nosalek judge: Broker commissions should be decoupled

The Department of Justice said a proposed settlement in the major antitrust lawsuit might itself violate federal law and said buyers should negotiate their broker’s commission directly. Continue reading

NAR halts ‘presidential initiatives’ for next 2 years amid turmoil

The trade group will not take on pet projects for the duration of NAR President Kevin Sears’ tenure, which is slated to last until November 2025, he told NAR’s Board of Directors Wednesday morning. Continue reading

Utah homeseller files commission lawsuit against NAR, 13 others

The complaint — one of nearly two dozen targeting real estate’s long-standing commission-sharing structure — alleges that “most” buyer agents will steer clients away from listings that offer a lower commission. Continue reading