
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has agreed to pay $418 million over four years and change certain rules to settle a series of lawsuits over the industry’s sales commission fees, a move expected to greatly decrease home-selling costs.
“No longer will homeowners be required under NAR rules to offer compensation to buyers agents," Michael Ketchmark, lead attorney for the plaintiffs in the case, told Kiplinger in an interview. The new rules "will return the sale of homes to the free market and allow technology to benefit sellers of homes."