REALTORS® are encouraged to have transparent conversations with current and prospective clients about the services they will provide and how they will get paid for those services. The National Association of REALTORS® developed the following message points to make sure members are up to date and knowledgeable about the litigation and help guide their conversations with current and prospective clients.
REALTORS® are champions of homeownership, property rights and the communities they serve.
Every REALTOR® adheres to a strict code of ethics based on professionalism, consumer protection, and the golden rule. REALTORS® draw on their unmatched knowledge to help buyers and sellers navigate one of the most complicated financial transactions of their lives. And REALTORS® are engaged neighbors committed to building and enhancing the communities they serve.
The MLS system and the way commissions are paid create competitive, efficient markets that benefit home buyers, sellers and small business.
The MLS system creates a highly efficient residential real estate market that fosters cooperation between brokers to the benefit of consumers. Commission structures (including how the listing broker pays the buyer broker) ensure greater access for a large community of home buyers who might otherwise be priced out of the market, which also would limit options for sellers.
Local, expert brokers play a crucial role in helping buyers and sellers achieve their goals.
Given the volume of information buyers have to navigate and the complexity of this transaction, buyer brokers serve many essential, highly informed roles ranging from scheduling home tours and inspections to coordinating with lenders and appraisers to coordinating attorney reviews and closing documents. Consumers agree: 78 percent of homebuyers say their broker was an important information source, and almost 90 percent would recommend their broker to a family member or friend.
These lawsuits are wrong on the facts, wrong on the economics, and wrong on the law.
Commissions are negotiable and, in fact, can be negotiated at any point during the transaction. The MLS and associated brokerage system create highly competitive markets with increased transaction volume and superior customer service. Consumers have many choices of different service and fee models among many brokers. Over 100 years, the courts have repeatedly validated this pro-competitive, pro-consumer MLS system, recognizing it increases the efficiency of the market and thus serves the best interests of sellers and buyers alike.
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This first graphic is also available in poster size 24 x 36" at the GAAR office
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