Real Estate Commissions Settlement: $42M

Consumers who sold a home listed on a multiple listing service (MLS) and paid a commission to a real estate brokerage in connection with the sale. Eligibility dates vary by state, ranging from Oct. 31, 2017 to Oct. 14, 2025 depending on location.

Claimants must provide information about the home sale and evidence of commissions paid.

If you've sold a home in the past several years and felt like your real estate commissions were unreasonably high, you're not alone—and you might be owed money.

A group of 35 real estate companies has agreed to pay $42,787,500 to settle claims that industry practices kept broker fees artificially inflated.

Most home sellers are familiar with the traditional commission structure: when you sell your house, you typically pay around 5% to 6% of the sale price in fees, which gets divided between your listing agent and the agent representing the buyer.

What many sellers didn't realize was that they had little choice in the matter. Industry rules essentially required them to fund both sides of the transaction.

A class action lawsuit challenged this setup, arguing it violated federal antitrust laws. Plaintiffs contended that the National Association of Realtors and member brokerages created a system where sellers couldn't opt out of paying the buyer's agent without effectively making their home unsellable.

Listing on a multiple listing service—the primary way homes reach potential buyers—came with strings attached that benefited agents at sellers' expense.

Nine brokerage defendants are part of this particular settlement: William Raveis, Howard Hanna, EXIT, Windermere, Lyon, Charles Rutenberg, My Home, Tierra Antigua and West USA. While none have acknowledged any wrongdoing, they've collectively agreed to pay tens of millions to put the matter behind them.

This case represents just one piece of a larger legal reckoning for the real estate industry. Similar lawsuits have resulted in settlements exceeding $1 billion, and the fallout has already prompted significant changes to how commissions are handled nationwide.

Eligibility and How to File

Whether you qualify depends on where your home was located and when you sold it.

Sellers in Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Wisconsin and Wyoming are covered for transactions between Oct. 31, 2017 and Oct. 14, 2025.

Arkansas, Kentucky and Missouri sellers qualify starting Oct. 31, 2018.

Everyone else in the country is eligible for sales occurring between Oct. 31, 2019 and Oct. 14, 2025.

Two conditions must be met: your property was listed through an MLS, and you paid a brokerage commission as part of closing. If you sold through a traditional real estate agent, you almost certainly meet both criteria.

Settlement payments will be calculated based on the commissions you paid relative to other claimants. Specific payment amounts haven't been announced, but those who sold pricier homes or paid higher commission rates can expect proportionally larger recoveries.

You'll need to gather documentation related to your sale when filing. Closing disclosures, settlement statements or other paperwork showing what you paid in commissions will help support your claim.

The deadline to file a claim, opt out or object is Dec. 30, 2025. A court hearing to finalize the settlement is set for Feb. 5, 2026.