People who bought qualifying homes listed on a multiple listing service and paid a brokerage commission may be eligible to claim money from a proposed nationwide antitrust settlement. The National Association of Realtors and numerous real estate brokerage defendants have agreed to contribute a combined $120,334,500.
The settlement does not provide a fixed payment for each homebuyer. Approved claims will share the net fund proportionally, and eligibility depends on the defendant, state, transaction date, MLS listing, and whether a brokerage commission was paid. Claims must be submitted by October 27, 2026.
Who may be included in the homebuyer settlement?
The settlement generally covers people who purchased a home listed on an MLS anywhere in the United States, paid a brokerage commission in connection with the purchase, and completed the transaction during an applicable class period.
There is no single start date for every buyer. Depending on the state and settling defendant, the period can begin as early as 2006 or as late as 2019, with the covered periods ending June 25, 2026. The official notice contains a table that matches defendants, geographic areas, and dates. Buyers should consult that table rather than relying only on the general description.
This is a buyer settlement. A person who only sold a home is not included on that basis. Some people who released related claims through earlier home-seller settlements may also be excluded as to particular defendants.
What did the lawsuit allege?
The plaintiffs alleged that NAR rules and brokerage practices reduced competition, kept buyer-broker commissions artificially high, and caused buyers to pay inflated home prices or receive less valuable brokerage services. The defendants deny the allegations and deny violating antitrust law.
The proposed agreement is not a ruling that the defendants did anything wrong. It is a negotiated resolution intended to avoid the risk, delay, and expense of continued litigation. In addition to money, the settling parties agreed to business-practice changes described in the settlement documents.
Those practice changes are part of a broader shift in how real estate professionals communicate and negotiate compensation. They do not guarantee that a particular buyer paid too much, and they do not determine an individual claimant's payment.
How will individual payments be calculated?
Approved claimants will receive proportional shares of the net settlement fund. The allocation may consider the number of qualifying properties and the brokerage commissions connected with each transaction. The exact payment cannot be known until the administrator reviews all claims and the court approves relevant costs.
The gross fund is $120,334,500, but administration expenses, court-approved attorneys' fees and litigation costs, and other authorized deductions will reduce the amount available to claimants. Class counsel may request fees of up to one-third of the fund plus reimbursement of expenses.
Some defendants are contributing through installments. The notice therefore anticipates that distributions could occur in more than one payment over several years after the settlement becomes final. Claimants should keep their contact and payment information current with the administrator.
What information does the claim require?
The claim form asks for information about the qualifying purchase, including the property and transaction. The notice does not identify a separate documentary proof threshold, but claimants must provide accurate details sufficient for the administrator to validate eligibility.
Claims can be filed online or by mail by October 27, 2026. The administrator warns that postal postmarks may not always be applied promptly. Anyone mailing a form should send it well before the deadline and consider using a service that provides a receipt or tracking record.
A person with more than one qualifying purchase should follow the form's instructions for listing each property. Submitting inconsistent duplicate claims can delay processing. Online filers should save the confirmation page or email; mail filers should retain a complete copy.
Why the class-period table matters
The most common eligibility mistake may be assuming that every home bought before June 25, 2026, qualifies. A transaction must fall within the period tied to the relevant defendant and location, and it must involve an MLS-listed home and a paid brokerage commission.
Buyers who used multiple brokers, moved between states, or purchased several homes should evaluate each transaction independently. The official settlement site is the best place to find the controlling defendant list, class-period table, exclusions, and claim instructions.
Because the case involves many settling entities, a prior release in a separate real estate settlement may affect only some claims or defendants. Anyone unsure about the effect of an earlier seller-settlement claim should compare both releases or obtain independent legal advice.
What are the remaining deadlines?
The deadline to object or request exclusion is September 17, 2026. Excluding oneself gives up any payment from this settlement but preserves the ability to pursue released claims independently. Objecting keeps the person in the class while asking the judge to reject or modify the agreement.
The final approval hearing is scheduled for November 2, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago, with a remote option described in the notice. The notice does not specify a time zone. Payments will not begin until the settlement is finally approved and appeals, if any, are resolved.