Keller Williams Realty has agreed to pay a combined $90 million to settle two antitrust class actions over real estate commissions: a $70 million settlement with home sellers and a $20 million settlement with home buyers. Neither has produced payouts yet. The seller settlement received final approval in May 2024 but is tied up in appeals at the Eighth Circuit. The buyer settlement is awaiting a final approval hearing scheduled for July 28, 2026.
What the Lawsuits Alleged
Both settlements grew out of the same core claim: that the National Association of Realtors, Keller Williams, and other large brokerages conspired to keep real estate commissions artificially high in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act. Plaintiffs pointed to NAR’s Buyer Broker Commission Rule, which required sellers listing on a Multiple Listing Service to offer blanket compensation to the buyer’s agent. In practice, sellers ended up paying both sides, typically 5 to 6 percent of the sale price combined.1Cohen Milstein. Moehrl v. National Association of Realtors, et al.
The issue came to a head on October 31, 2023, when a federal jury in the Western District of Missouri found NAR, Keller Williams, and HomeServices of America liable in Burnett v. National Association of Realtors and awarded roughly $1.8 billion in damages, an amount the court could have trebled to more than $5 billion under federal antitrust law.2The Real Deal. Jury Finds NAR, Brokerages Guilty in Sitzer Commissions Suit3Syracuse Law Review. $1.8 Billion Is Only the Beginning: How Burnett v. NAR Could Change the Real Estate Industry Rather than take its chances on appeal, Keller Williams settled.
The $70 Million Seller Settlement
Keller Williams announced its $70 million settlement on February 1, 2024. Executive Chairman Gary Keller said the company had “full confidence in the strength of our appeal” but chose to settle because the appellate process could be “long and unpredictable.”4The Real Deal. Keller Williams Settles Sitzer for $70M The deal resolved the Burnett case along with more than a dozen related suits nationwide and released Keller Williams, its franchisees, and its agents from similar pending litigation.5NY1. Keller Williams Agrees to Pay $70 Million to Settle Real Estate Agent Commission Lawsuits Nationwide
Who Qualifies
The class covers anyone who sold a home listed on an MLS in the United States and paid a commission to a real estate brokerage in connection with that sale, within date ranges that vary by geography and MLS. You did not need to have used a Keller Williams agent to be eligible; the settlement was bundled with the Anywhere Real Estate and RE/MAX deals into one claim process.6Real Estate Commission Litigation. Burnett Settlement Information
The claim filing deadline was May 9, 2025, and it has passed. If you did not file by that date, you cannot claim a share of this settlement.
Why Nothing Has Been Paid Yet
Judge Stephen R. Bough granted final approval to the Keller Williams, Anywhere, and RE/MAX settlements on May 9, 2024. But class members who objected filed appeals with the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals starting May 31, 2024, and until those appeals are resolved, no money can be distributed.6Real Estate Commission Litigation. Burnett Settlement Information
The Eighth Circuit heard oral arguments in January 2026. The panel probed whether the settlements were fair, whether they improperly released claims held by home buyers, and whether the trial court abused its discretion in approving them.7Bloomberg Law. Huge Realtor Settlement Appeals Get Probed for Fairness, Scope A ruling is expected by late spring or early summer of 2026, though there is no guaranteed timeline, and further appeals could still delay distribution.8Real Estate News. Appellants Have Their Final Say About Commissions Settlements
The $20 Million Buyer Settlement
The buyer-side case, Batton v. National Association of Realtors, was filed in the Northern District of Illinois on behalf of home buyers rather than sellers. It argued that the same cooperative compensation system inflated home prices and harmed buyers.9Chicago Agent Magazine. Keller Williams Batton Settlement
Keller Williams reached a preliminary $20 million settlement on January 20, 2026. RE/MAX followed with an $8.5 million deal on March 22, 2026, bringing the combined buyer-side fund to $28.5 million.10Dapeer Law. Keller Williams RE/MAX Homebuyer Settlement Unlike the seller deal, this one does not impose new business-practice requirements, because Keller Williams already adopted the industry-wide reforms tied to the earlier settlements.11HousingWire. Keller Williams Batton Settlement
Who Qualifies
The class covers people who purchased residential real estate listed on an MLS in the United States during defined statutory periods that vary by state (starting as early as January 25, 2006, in Puerto Rico) through April 14, 2026.12Home Buyer Litigation. Home Buyer Litigation Settlement Information
How to File a Claim
A.B. Data, Ltd. is administering the settlement. You can file online at homebuyerlitigation.com or by mail. You will need property purchase details and proof of payment, such as closing statements.13Home Buyer Litigation. Home Buyer Litigation FAQ
The key dates:
- Claim filing deadline: August 25, 2026.
- Deadline to opt out or object: June 23, 2026.
- Final approval hearing: July 28, 2026, before Judge LaShonda A. Hunt.10Dapeer Law. Keller Williams RE/MAX Homebuyer Settlement
Opting out must be done in writing by mail; phone and email requests are not accepted. If you opt out, you cannot receive a payment but you keep the right to sue on your own. If you object, you must remain in the class and file written objections with the court and serve copies on both sides’ counsel by June 23, 2026.13Home Buyer Litigation. Home Buyer Litigation FAQ
How Much You Might Receive
No buyer payments have gone out. Distribution cannot happen until after the July 28, 2026 hearing, and only if the court grants final approval and no appeals follow. Valid claimants will receive a pro rata share of the net settlement fund, meaning the money left after attorneys’ fees, litigation expenses, service awards, and administration costs. There is no guaranteed minimum, and individual amounts will depend on how many people file valid claims.10Dapeer Law. Keller Williams RE/MAX Homebuyer Settlement
How the Settlements Changed Real Estate Transactions
The seller settlement required Keller Williams to adopt reforms that line up with the broader NAR changes that took effect August 17, 2024. If you are buying or selling a home now, expect the following:14Keller Williams. NAR Settlement FAQs
- Agents must enter into a written buyer representation agreement before showing a home. The agreement must specify the agent’s compensation in “objectively ascertainable” terms and state that commissions are not set by law and are fully negotiable.
- Offers of cooperative compensation are banned from MLS listings, and MLSs cannot include fields displaying that information.
- Listing agents must disclose in writing to sellers, and get their written approval for, any payment offered to a buyer’s agent, including the specific amount, before it is paid.
- Keller Williams agents and franchisees are no longer required to be NAR members.
- The company pledged not to express or imply a minimum commission requirement in franchise agreements, training materials, or policies.15Real Estate News. Keller Williams Reaches $70M Settlement in Commissions Case
For decades, the buyer’s agent’s commission was effectively invisible to the buyer because the seller paid it. Under the new rules, buyers and their agents must agree on compensation upfront, and sellers have clearer authority over what, if anything, they offer to the other side.