Antitrust ruling rocks real estate: Buyers brace for shift in commission structures
This report was created with support from enhanced software.
[LAUREN TAYLOR]
BIG NEWS IN REAL ESTATE AS THE WAY WE BUY AND SELL HOMES – COULD TRANSFORM – AFTER A GAME-CHANGING ANTITRUST RULING AGAINST THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS
A $418 MILLION SETTLEMENT, PENDING COURT APPROVAL, COULD SLASH THE TRADITIONAL 6% BROKER COMMISSION AND ALLOW FOR MORE COMPETITIVE RATES.
HOWEVER, CHALLENGES LOOM.
IT’S CURRENTLY COMMON FOR BUYERS NOT TO PERSONALLY COVER THE EXPENSES OF THEIR OWN AGENTS. HOWEVER, WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW SYSTEM, BUYERS COULD FIND THEMSELVES DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR BROKER FEES, POTENTIALLY ALTERING LONG-STANDING FINANCING PRACTICES.
ADDITIONALLY, NEW RULES MAY BURDEN BUYERS WITH ADDITIONAL PAPERWORK, PARTICULARLY IMPACTING FIRST-TIME HOMEOWNERS… HOWEVER – EXPERTS PREDICT THE RULING WILL LEAD TO SUBSTANTIAL SAVINGS FOR HOMEBUYERS.
THIS SHIFT MAY ALSO LEAD TO A MASS EXODUS OF REAL ESTATE BROKERS, AND IT’S ALREADY SENT REAL ESTATE STOCKS PLUMMETING.
NAR WILL IMPLEMENT THESE CHANGES BY MID-JULY, REGARDLESS OF COURT APPROVAL.