Judge gives final OK to 15 commissions settlements
The deals in Gibson and Keel total more than $20 million, closing another chapter in the years-long litigation over agent fees.
Several more brokerages and MLSs can breathe easier after a district court judge signed off on another round of settlements in the commissions lawsuits.
Six brokerages involved in the Gibson case and nine defendants in the Keel case received final settlement approval from Judge Stephen Bough in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri on Tuesday, June 24.
The damages paid by the 15 real estate companies totaled just over $20 million, adding to the overall settlement fund that has topped $1 billion. Bough also approved attorney fees in the amount of one-third of the damages.
In addition to the monetary payouts, the companies agreed to make policy changes, if they haven't already done so, similar to those mandated by the National Association of Realtors' 2024 settlement.
Which deals were approved? In the Gibson case, the settling brokerages were The Keyes Company and Illustrated Properties; NextHome; John L. Scott; The K Company Realty, aka LoKation; Real Estate One; and Baird & Warner.
Two other Gibson defendants — Weichert and eXp — reached settlements in a separate case, but those deals were delayed after coming under scrutiny. They received preliminary approval from a Georgia judge in May.
The Keel case, first filed in January 2025, included settlements from Side, Seven Gables, Washington Fine Properties, First Team Real Estate, Signature Properties of Huntington, Cairn Real Estate Holdings, Central New York Information Service, Sibcy Cline and Brooklyn New York MLS.
Little drama: Unlike earlier Gibson settlements and the NAR deal, which were subject to multiple objections, the latest approvals were met with little resistance. Only one objection was filed in the Keel case and none in Gibson, and both hearings were wrapped up in under 20 minutes.
"Approval of this settlement allows us to put a significant distraction behind us and continue focusing on providing our agents with the resources and support necessary to serve the real estate needs of homebuyers and sellers," Baird & Warner said in a company statement.
Millions of claims filed: In a filing prior to the hearing, attorneys for the home sellers noted that more than 2.5 million claims had been filed by members of the settlement class. The settlement fund currently stands at nearly $1.04 billion.
"The Settlement Agreements at issue achieve the goals of the litigation, benefit the Settlement Class, and account for the risks and uncertainties of continued, vigorously contested nationwide litigation," the filing stated.