NAHB to Host Shop Talk on NAR Lawsuits
针对全国房地产经纪人协会(NAR)和其他大型房地产公司的集体诉讼在过去几个月里一直是全国媒体报道的主题. In March 2024, 原告和被告达成了一项拟议的和解协议，将结束索赔诉讼, as well as others raised by home sellers.
In these class-action lawsuits, 原告——包括出售在多重上市服务(MLS)系统上列出的房屋并支付佣金的人——声称被告要求房屋卖家向代表其房屋买家的代理人支付过高金额的行为违反了联邦反垄断法.
在这些诉讼索赔复杂，集中在NAR的MLS合作赔偿规则, 它要求卖方代理向买方代理提供佣金，以便在MLS(特定地理区域的待售房屋数据库)上列出待售房产。.
Historically, 这就产生了5%到6%的佣金, 一半给卖方代理，一半给买方代理. 然而，购房者并不直接支付他们的代理费. 相反，买方代理的佣金由卖方支付，作为成交成本的一部分. According to plaintiffs, 这违反了联邦反托拉斯法，因为它减少了竞争，并将佣金提高到服务应有的水平之上.
NAR Settlement Overview
Last month, the plaintiffs and the defendants reached a proposed joint settlement agreement. As part of that agreement, NAR将在未来四年支付4.18亿美元，并同意改变各种做法. 这是在先前和解总额208美元的基础上增加的.向被告Anywhere Real Estate, Inc .， RE/MAX, LLC和Keller Williams Realty Inc .赔偿500万美元.
一旦和解得到法院的批准, 原告必须找到一种方法将协议告知全班. When the class has been established, 原告将按照法院批准的计划分配这笔资金.
The settlement would resolve claims against NAR; more than 1 million NAR members; all state, territorial and local Realtor associations; all association-owned MLS systems; and all brokerages with an NAR member as principal that had a residential transaction volume in 2022 of less than $2 billion.
Changes Under the Settlement
除了向原告支付4.18亿美元外，NAR还同意改变各种做法. As a result, it will:
- 停止要求上市代理或卖方向买方代理提供补偿.
- 阻止上市代理人在上市代理人名单上作出补偿要约或披露上市代理人在上市代理人名单上的补偿. MLS上的所有补偿字段都必须取消. (注:上市代理和卖方仍可向买方代理提供补偿, but not through the MLS.)
- 在向买方代理提供补偿之前，停止要求房地产经纪人MLS的会员资格.
- 要求所有与买方合作的房地产经纪人MLS参与者与买方签订书面协议. 协议必须说明买方代理将得到多少报酬, 没有一个无限制的付款，不允许代理支付超过协议规定.
- 阻止代理商根据提供给买方代理的补偿来过滤MLS列表.
- 要求卖方代理人以书面形式告知卖方他们计划支付给买方代理人的金额，并获得卖方的批准.
NAR的发布不包括美国家庭服务公司及其相关公司的代理，因为他们仍在诉讼中.
The settlement is subject to court approval, 但预计这些变化将于2024年7月中旬生效. 还有一种可能性是，美国司法部(Department of Justice)可能会介入，判断和解是否令人满意, which could lead to additional changes, delays or abandonment of the settlement.
Visit nar.realtor/competition-in-real-estate for the latest updates on this lawsuit.
Learn More about the Settlement
NAHB will host a Shop Talk on Tuesday, April 30 at 3 p.m. ET to discuss the proposed settlement, who is released from liability, 哪些做法将会改变，这对建筑商和他们的销售代理意味着什么.
主持人:新房解决方案咨询公司的金伯利·麦基 & Training
Panelists:
- 来自New Homes Now Selling和Big Block Realty的Kimberly McKeag说
- Tom Ward of NAHB Legal Advocacy
- Shawn Woods of Ashlar Homes
Disclaimer:
NAHB提供的信息仅供一般指导. 此信息不构成提供法律意见, tax advice, accounting services, investment advice, 或任何形式的专业咨询，也不应被解释为这样. 此处提供的信息不应作为咨询专业税务的替代, accounting, legal, or other competent advisers.