There are some significant changes happening in the real estate industry:
If you've been following the Zillow lawsuit, you might know that recently, two major players, Realogy (which includes Coldwell Banker, Century 21, and Sotheby's) and RE/MAX, settled this lawsuit. While other companies and the National Association of REALTORS are still part of this ongoing lawsuit, these two giants settled for substantial amounts—Realogy for 85 million and RE/MAX for over 55 million.
But what's more crucial is what they agreed to within the settlement itself, not just the financial aspect:
They've agreed to give sellers the option to not pay buyer agent commissions (BAC) when listing their homes. This means that when a property is listed on the MLS, sellers can choose to set the buyer agent commission to zero.
Imagine this scenario:
In your market, a significant portion of sellers start opting not to pay a buyer agent...
Guys, you've probably heard about the class-action lawsuits targeting realtor organizations, MLS groups, and large franchises.
The plaintiffs claim that they were unaware they were paying both their own fees and the buyer's fees. The lawsuits aim to either eliminate seller-paid brokerage fees or ensure transparent disclosure of these fees. While similar lawsuits have been filed in the past, these recent cases are gaining traction, resulting in settlements.
For instance, a New England MLS paid a 3 million settlement to resolve the issue.
This poses a significant challenge to our industry's business model, which has operated on the basis of sellers covering the REALTOR fees for decades. We may face a future where we have to approach buyers and inform them that they must pay their fees at closing and make a choice regarding representation. If they want me to represent them, we'll have a conversation, sign a document,...
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