Settling Defendants in Commission Lawsuits
Out of the 15 settling defendants, six were named in the Gibson suit and nine in the Keel suit.
The Gibson settling defendants include Keyes Co./Illustrated Properties ($2.4 million), NextHome ($600,000), John L. Scott ($1 million), LoKation ($925,000), Real Estate One ($1.5 million), and Baird & Warner ($2.2 million).
The Keel settling defendants include Side ($5.5 million), Seven Gables Real Estate ($1 million), Washington Fine Properties ($1.3 million), JPAR ($700,000), Signature Properties of Huntington ($850,000), Central New York Information Services ($125,000), Brooklyn New York MLS ($95,000), First Team Real Estate — Orange County ($1 million), and Sibcy Cline ($895,000).
The settlement amounts have brought the total for the commission lawsuits to approximately $1.04 billion, with over 2.5 million claims filed by May 9, 2025.
Judge Bough has granted final approval for the second round of Gibson settlements, as well as overseeing the Sitzer/Burnett suit and granting approval for settlements negotiated by RE/MAX, Keller Williams, Anywhere, HomeServices of America, and the National Association of Realtors.
A Different Approach by Howard Hanna Real Estate Services
While most defendants have chosen to settle in the commission lawsuits, Howard Hanna Real Estate Services has opted for a different strategy. The family-owned firm has continued to pursue litigation and has seen some success.
Recently, claims against Howard Hanna in the Davis commission lawsuit were dismissed by Judge Wendy Beetlestone of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The rule of reason analysis was used, different from the per se approach in the Sitzer/Burnett suit.
Despite some claims being dismissed, Howard Hanna has achieved victories in the Davis suit and was also dismissed from the Moratis home seller commission lawsuit in October 2024.