Keller Williams & RE/MAX Class Action Lawsuit
Keller Williams & RE/MAX class action lawsuit.
Keller Williams conspired with brokers to inflate buyer-agent commissions, driving up the prices home buyers paid for homes.
Keller Williams & RE/MAX Class Action Lawsuit
A class action lawsuit has been filed against Keller Williams and RE/MAX over allegations that they conspired with other major brokerages to inflate the commissions home buyers indirectly paid. The case began on January 25, 2021, when home buyer Judah Leeder sued the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), Keller Williams, RE/MAX, and Anywhere Real Estate (formerly Realogy) in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. After the court required indirect-purchaser claims, plaintiffs Mya Batton, Aaron Bolton, Michael Brace, Do Yeon Kim, Anna James, James Mullis, Theodore Bisbicos, and Daniel Parsons filed an Amended Complaint on July 6, 2022. The lawsuit centers on four legal claims: violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act, violation of state antitrust statutes, violation of state consumer protection statutes, and unjust enrichment. Plaintiffs allege the defendants used NAR's "Buyer-Agent Commission Rule" and steering practices to keep buyer-agent commissions artificially high, inflating home prices nationwide. Class counsel are Lowey Dannenberg, P.C. and Korein Tillery, LLC. Keller Williams and RE/MAX deny any wrongdoing. The case (No. 1:21-cv-00430) continues against NAR and Anywhere. Full case documents are available at www.homebuyerlitigation.com.
Keller Williams & RE/MAX Class Action Settlement - $28,500,000
The Keller Williams and RE/MAX settlement creates a $28.5 million all-cash fund — $20 million from Keller Williams and $8.5 million from RE/MAX, which settled at the same time. There are no vouchers or credits; every dollar is cash. The claim deadline is August 25, 2026. The settlement covers a nationwide class: anyone who bought residential real estate in the United States listed on a multiple listing service (MLS), from the start of their state's statutory period through April 14, 2026. The qualifying start date depends on where the home was bought — as early as January 25, 2006 in Puerto Rico and as late as January 25, 2019 in Texas, reflecting each state's antitrust statute of limitations. Beyond the cash payment, Keller Williams and RE/MAX agreed to cooperate with plaintiffs in the ongoing case against the remaining defendants. The settlement fully resolves the claims against Keller Williams and partially resolves them against RE/MAX. To share in the fund, eligible home buyers must file a valid claim before the deadline.
Deadline for filing a claim: August 28, 2026
Real Estate Commission Class Action Payout: $100
How much you receive from the Keller Williams and RE/MAX settlement depends on a pro rata formula, not a flat per-person check. Each claimant's share is based on a "Transaction Amount" — an estimate of the inflated-commission harm on each home purchased, calculated from the price paid and the buyer-broker commission. Your payment equals your Transaction Amount divided by all claimants' totals, multiplied by the net settlement fund. Claimants whose calculated share falls below the cost of processing instead receive a guaranteed Minimum Payment Amount, so small claims still get paid. No proof of purchase is required to file, though closing documents strengthen a claim. Anyone who was also part of the Keller Williams seller-side Burnett/Moehrl settlement has their amount reduced by 75%. Payments follow the July 28, 2026 final approval hearing, plus any appeals and claim verification — a process that can take a year or more. Claimants choose payment by debit card, settlement check, PayPal, or Venmo. If a payment does not arrive, contact the claims administrator A.B. Data at 1-800-329-4562 or check the official settlement website for status updates.
Real Estate Commission Class Action Eligibility
You may be eligible if you bought a U.S. home listed on an MLS where a real estate commission was paid, within your state's qualifying window. Because this is an indirect-purchaser case, eligibility depends on where you bought — the earliest qualifying date ranges from 2006 in Puerto Rico to 2019 in Texas, so two buyers who closed the same year may not both qualify. To claim, you must have purchased residential real estate in the United States listed on an MLS, within your state's statutory period through April 14, 2026, with a commission paid to a real estate agent or broker on the sale. Defendants, their affiliates and employees, the presiding judge's staff, and anyone who opted out are excluded. The claim form asks for the purchase address, purchase date, purchase price, total commission paid, and the buyer-side commission — plus any home you later sold, which is used to apply the seller-settlement reduction. No proof of purchase is required to file, though closing documents strengthen your claim.
Real Estate Commission Class Action Claim Form
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FAQ
Because this is an indirect-purchaser antitrust case, each state’s statute of limitations sets the earliest qualifying purchase date. It ranges from January 25, 2006 in Puerto Rico to January 25, 2019 in Texas, so your buy date alone doesn’t determine eligibility.
All cash. Keller Williams pays $20 million and RE/MAX pays $8.5 million, for a $28.5 million fund. There are no coupons, credits, or vouchers — only cash payments to eligible home buyers who file valid claims.
By a pro rata formula. The administrator estimates the inflated-commission harm on each home you bought (your Transaction Amount), then divides it by all claimants’ totals. More purchases and higher commissions paid mean a larger share of the net fund.
If you were also part of Keller Williams’ seller-side Burnett/Moehrl settlement, a 75% discount applies to your Transaction Amount. It accounts for the risk those claims were already released when you settled as a home seller.
No proof is strictly required, but it helps. You can estimate your purchase date and commission, but closing statements or settlement letters strengthen your claim and may be requested by the administrator during an audit.
This case is the buyer-side companion to the seller settlements (Burnett, Moehrl). Those compensated home sellers; this $28.5M Keller Williams and RE/MAX settlement compensates home buyers, who allege the same conspiracy inflated the prices they paid.
Class counsel seek $9.5 million — one-third of the fund — plus $4.5 million in expense reimbursement and up to $500,000 for ongoing litigation costs. The court decides the final amount at the July 28, 2026 hearing.
Service awards total just $32,500 — about 0.11% of the fund. Five plaintiffs get $5,000 each, James Mullis gets $3,500, and Theodore Bisbicos and Mya Batton get $2,000 each, recognizing the effort of bringing the case.
Yes. You file a separate claim for each home purchased, and each purchase adds to your Transaction Amount. The claim form also asks whether you later sold a home, which is used to apply any seller-settlement discount.
No leftover funds return to Keller Williams or RE/MAX. The court decides how any remaining money is redistributed — typically reallocated among claimants — so the entire fund stays with the class.