On Friday, the National Association of REALTORS® announced a settlement agreement in a homebuyer antitrust class-action case, Tuccori et al. v. At World Properties, et al., concerning buyer-agent commissions. The case included allegations that certain industry practices impacted competition and compensation structures. The settlement would not require any new practice changes for agents and brokers who are members of NAR, but reaffirms NAR commitment to the previous practice changes.
If approved by the court, the settlement includes a release of liability for REALTOR® members, state and local REALTOR® associations (including those that do, and do not, operate multiple listing services (MLSs), REALTOR® MLSs, non-REALTOR® MLSs, and real estate brokerages with a REALTOR® as principal that have not previously settled or been named in similar litigation and meet specified eligibility criteria, including compliance with NAR rules and policies and not asserting claims contrary to the settlement.
Importantly, NAR is not named in the Tuccori case but elected to engage in the Tuccori court-approved opt-in settlement process to secure a comprehensive resolution to these homebuyer claims. The Tuccori opt-in settlement mechanism allows parties facing similar claims in other litigation to resolve those claims efficiently through the settlement framework.
In a statement released on NAR’s website, NAR CEO Nykia Wright explains how this agreement reflects the organization’s comprehensive three-year plan.
“In NAR’s 2026-2028 Strategic Plan, we committed to the industry that we would protect and advance the legal interest of REALTORS®. This settlement is a part of our efforts to fulfill that commitment and will promote a more resilient industry,” Wright says in a press release. “This outcome, which provides a broader level of protection and release for the industry than has been secured in any previous NAR settlement, is a result of NAR’s new legal team’s diligent approach to addressing legal risk and reinforces our commitment to delivering greater value and stability for our members, so they can remain focused on their clients and getting to their next transaction.”
NAR General Counsel Jon Waclawski says the settlement secures “meaningful protections.”
“This outcome is a direct result of the more deliberate and strategic legal approach our team has adopted,” Waclawski says. “We sought this settlement to secure meaningful protections for our members and the industry. We moved decisively to resolve these claims in a way that avoids significant potential liability and positions NAR more effectively going forward, ensuring our members can continue unlocking the American Dream for generations to come.”
NAR’s legal team will seek a stay in the Batton case, which made similar allegations to those made in the Tuccori litigation.
As part of the settlement, NAR will pay $52.25 million into a settlement fund over several years, with the bulk of the payments beginning after June 2028. NAR’s final payment in the Sitzer/Burnett settlement is due February 2028.
For more information, NAR has published a comprehensive FAQ on its site facts.realtor.
