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A nationwide survey by The Real Brokerage suggests that, heading into the fall homebuying season, consumers’ expectations of how their agents would get paid might not have been changed by the flurry of media coverage around the National Association of Realtors’ commission lawsuit settlements this summer.

While 59 percent of agents in Real’s survey said they felt “very well prepared” for the changes that went into effect in mid-August, and 65 percent reported it was either “very easy” or “somewhat easy” to get buyer clients to sign representation contracts, 83 percent of those surveyed said their buyers still expected the seller to pay the buyer’s agent commission as had traditionally been the case for the last 20 years or more.

Sellers weren’t quite as eager for that outcome, but 63 percent of agents surveyed by Real reported that sellers were “frequently” open to paying the buyer’s agent and another 21 percent reported sellers were occasionally open to the idea. Sellers in the Midwest were the most likely to cover buyer agent compensation (67 percent), followed by the South (64 percent), the West (60 percent), and the Northeast (59 percent).

And despite the widespread talk from experts and worries from agents that the NAR settlements would put downward pressure on agent commissions, 55 percent of the agents in Real’s survey reported that sellers are offering to pay buy-side commissions of 2.5 percent or greater. Meanwhile, 30 percent of agents noted that sellers are offering commissions below 2.5 percent. In its announcement of the survey findings, Real added that its internal data on closed U.S. buy-side transactions since the rule changes shows average commission rates appear to be staying in line with historical levels.

“While it’s still early days, our internal data shows no significant changes in average commission rates for buy-side or sell-side transactions since the rule changes took effect,” Tamir Poleg, chairman and CEO of Real, said in a statement. “This stability suggests buyers and sellers continue to recognize the essential role agents play in navigating a home sale transaction, which is often the largest financial decision of an individual’s life.”

For its survey, the Real surveyed around 300 of its agents across the United States and Canada between Aug. 30, 2024 and Sept. 15.