WASHINGTON — Homeowners who sold a house in recent years may be eligible for compensation as part of a collection of class-action lawsuits, but time is running out to file your claim.
The settlement stems from a series of federal class-action lawsuits that claimed U.S. homeowners were forced to pay inflated real estate agent commissions when selling their homes. Keller Williams, Anywhere Real Estate, HomeServices of America, Re/Max and Redfin are among the major real estate brokerage brands that have agreed to pay millions to make home seller lawsuits go away.
The lawsuits also resulted in the National Association of Realtors changing its policy on commissions, which went into effect in August 2024.
Homeowners who believe they may qualify are encouraged to gather their closing documents and submit claims before the May 9, 2025, deadline.
Real estate commission settlement: How to submit a claim
Homeowners have until May 9, 2025, to submit claims through the settlement website or by mail.
Eligibility depends on three key factors: selling a home during specified date ranges, listing the property on a multiple listing service (MLS) in the United States and paying commission to a real estate brokerage in connection with the sale.
The settlement covers sales across the entire country, though eligibility periods vary by region and by real estate company.
The settlement totals $208.5 million, with Anywhere and RE/MAX collectively contributing $138.5 million and Keller Williams adding $70 million. These funds will be distributed to qualifying Settlement Class members who submit approved claim forms, after deducting attorneys’ fees, expenses, administration costs, and service awards, according to the settlement website.
The exact payout each eligible homeowner may receive will depend on various factors, including the total number of approved claims and specific circumstances of each sale.
Importantly, sellers don’t need to have used an agent from the defendant companies—which include Anywhere, RE/MAX, and Keller Williams—to qualify for compensation. However, the claims process requires submitting evidence of the home sale and commissions paid.
“To receive a benefit, a Settlement Class Member must submit a claim form with information pertaining to and/or evidence of your home sale and commissions paid to the Notice and Claims Administrator,” the settlement notice says. The administrator will review documentation and may reject claims that are incomplete, submitted after the deadline, or cannot be confirmed.
You can submit the claim online, using this link, or by printing the claim form and sending it via email or mail before the deadline, the settlement webpage says.
If you are uncertain if you are eligible, you may also contact the Settlement Administrator at 888-995-0207.
ANYWHERE and RE/MAX settlements:
Eligibility window: April 29, 2014, through Feb. 1, 2024
- Heartland MLS (encompassing the Kansas City metropolitan area, counties in eastern Kansas, counties in southwest Missouri, and counties in northwest Missouri);
- MARIS MLS (encompassing the St. Louis metropolitan area, counties in eastern Missouri, and counties in western Illinois);
- Columbia Board of Realtors MLS (encompassing Columbia, Missouri and its surrounding areas);
- Southern Missouri Regional MLS (encompassing Springfield and Joplin, Missouri and their surrounding areas).
Eligibility window: March 6, 2016 through Feb. 1, 2024
- Bright MLS (Delaware, Baltimore, Maryland area, District of Columbia, parts of New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area, Richmond, Virginia areas, parts of West Virginia);
- Carolina/Canopy MLS (Charlotte, North Carolina area, including portions of South Carolina);
- Triangle MLS (Research Triangle Area, North Carolina);
- Stellar MLS (Tampa, Orlando, and Sarasota, Florida areas);
- Miami MLS (Miami, Florida area);
- Florida Gulf Coast (Fort Myers, Florida area);
- Metro MLS (parts of Wisconsin, including the Milwaukee areas);
- Yes MLS/MLS Now (Cleveland, Ohio, Eastern Ohio, and parts of West Virginia);
- Columbus Realtors MLS (Columbus, Ohio areas);
- Northstar MLS (Minnesota, Wisconsin);
- Wasatch Front/Utah Real Estate (Salt Lake City, Utah area);
- REcolorado/Metrolist (Denver, Colorado area);
- Pikes Peak MLS (Colorado Springs, Colorado area);
- GLVAR MLS (Las Vegas, Nevada area);
- SABOR (San Antonio, Texas area);
- ACTRIS/ABOR (Austin, Texas area);
- HAR MLS (Houston, Texas area);
- NTREIS (Dallas, Texas area);
- ARMLS (Phoenix, Arizona area);
- Realcomp II (Detroit, Michigan area)
Eligibility window December 17, 2016 through February 1, 2024
- MLS PIN (Massachusetts)
Eligibility window February 1, 2020 through February 1, 2024
- Any MLS in the United States other than the MLSs listed above
Keller Williams settlement:
Eligibility window: April 29, 2014 through Feb. 1, 2024
- Heartland MLS (encompassing the Kansas City metropolitan area, counties in eastern Kansas, counties in southwest Missouri, and counties in northwest Missouri);
- MARIS MLS (encompassing the St. Louis metropolitan area, counties in eastern Missouri, and counties in western Illinois);
- Columbia Board of Realtors MLS (encompassing Columbia, Missouri and its surrounding areas);
- Southern Missouri Regional MLS (encompassing Springfield and Joplin, Missouri and their surrounding areas).
Eligibility window: March 6, 2016 through Feb. 1 2024,
- Bright MLS (Delaware, Baltimore, Maryland area, District of Columbia, parts of New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area, Richmond, Virginia areas, parts of West Virginia);
- Carolina/Canopy MLS (Charlotte, North Carolina area, including portions of South Carolina);
- Triangle MLS (Research Triangle Area, North Carolina);
- Stellar MLS (Tampa, Orlando, and Sarasota, Florida areas);
- Miami MLS (Miami, Florida area);
- Florida Gulf Coast (Fort Myers, Florida area);
- Metro MLS (parts of Wisconsin, including the Milwaukee areas);
- Yes MLS/MLS Now (Cleveland, Ohio, Eastern Ohio, and parts of West Virginia);
- Columbus Realtors MLS (Columbus, Ohio areas);
- Northstar MLS (Minnesota, Wisconsin);
- Wasatch Front/Utah Real Estate (Salt Lake City, Utah area);
- REcolorado/Metrolist (Denver, Colorado area);
- Pikes Peak MLS (Colorado Springs, Colorado area);
- GLVAR MLS (Las Vegas, Nevada area);
- SABOR (San Antonio, Texas area);
- ACTRIS/ABOR (Austin, Texas area);
- HAR MLS (Houston, Texas area);
- NTREIS (Dallas, Texas area)
- ARMLS (Phoenix, Arizona area); and
- Realcomp II (Detroit, Michigan area)
Eligibility window December 17, 2016 through Feb. 1, 2024
- MLS PIN (Massachusetts)
Eligibility window October 31, 2019 through Feb. 1, 2024
- Any MLS in the United States other than the MLSs listed above