
The Realtors settlement is already changing the way some Americans buy and sell homes
CNN
The seismic settlement announced by the National Association of Realtors earlier this month has not yet been approved, but it is already sending shockwaves through the real estate industry.
The seismic settlement announced by the National Association of Realtors earlier this month has not yet been approved, but it is already sending shockwaves through the real estate industry. The mere prospect of a future settlement has already caused some Americans to change their behavior when buying and selling their homes. Some prospective homebuyers said they plan to restart their housing search after the new rules are in place in hopes of finding lower home prices, while some homesellers aren’t waiting for the new rules to take effect in July to lower — or even eliminate — the commission they offer to buyers’ agents. Housing experts say the $418 million settlement will effectively demolish the current real estate business model, in which home sellers pay both their agent and their buyers’ agent, which critics say inflated housing prices. If approved by a judge, the settlement comes with new rules for Realtors. “This is unchartered territory,” said Debra Dobbs, a Realtor in Chicago, of the potential new rules. The new rules could help lower home prices, experts say.













