Keller Williams & RE/MAX Settlement: Approved, Not Yet Paid
At a glance
- Status
- Approved, awaiting payment
- Defendant
- Keller Williams Realty, LLC; RE/MAX, LLC
- Settlement fund
- $28,500,000
- Claim deadline
- August 25, 2026
- No-proof cash option
- No
- Estimated payout
- pro rata cash share; proof of purchase (date, address, commissions paid) required
- Administrator
- A.B. Data, Ltd.
- Official site
- homebuyerlitigation.com
- Court
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division
- Case number
- 21 C 430
Last verified September 25, 2026
Key dates
| Milestone | Date | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Claim deadline | August 25, 2026(passed) | Last day to file for a payment |
| Opt-out (exclusion) deadline | June 23, 2026(passed) | Last day to leave the settlement and keep the right to sue |
| Objection deadline | None listed | Last day to object to the terms |
| Final approval hearing | August 4, 2026(passed) | When the judge decides whether to approve the settlement |
| Expected payout | Not yet scheduled | Payments are not sent until after final approval and any appeals |
Where to file
Keller Williams & RE/MAX Home Buyer Commission Antitrust Settlement is administered by A.B. Data, Ltd.. The only place to file is the official settlement website:
Verify on the official sitehomebuyerlitigation.com
Filing is free. No legitimate settlement charges a fee to file a claim.
You cannot file on RecordingLaw.com. We are an independent publisher, not the settlement administrator, and we are not affiliated with any court, agency, or defendant.
The claim deadline for the Keller Williams and RE/MAX commission antitrust settlement was August 25, 2026, and that window has closed. This is not a data breach. It is an antitrust settlement over home-purchase commissions, part of a larger lawsuit originally filed against several real estate brokerages and franchisors. Keller Williams Realty and RE/MAX have agreed to pay a combined $28.5 million to resolve the claims against them. Here is what the case alleges, who is actually covered, and what filing a claim requires.
What the lawsuit is about
This case is not about a hacked database or stolen personal information. It is an antitrust lawsuit over how real estate commissions get set when someone buys a home. The underlying case, captioned Batton v. National Association of Realtors, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, case number 21 C 430, against the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and a group of major brokerages and franchisors.
Keller Williams Realty and RE/MAX are two of the defendants named in that broader case, and they are the two that reached this particular settlement. The claims accuse them of practices that kept buyer-broker commissions higher than a competitive market would produce for people who purchased homes listed on a Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Keller Williams and RE/MAX deny wrongdoing; the settlement resolves the claims against them without either company admitting liability. NAR and any other remaining defendants in the underlying case are not part of this particular settlement fund, and this page covers only the Keller Williams and RE/MAX fund.
In plain terms, the inflated-commission theory behind cases like this one goes like this: for years, a buyer's agent commission was typically set upfront by the seller's side and published through the MLS before a buyer ever met their agent, rather than negotiated directly between the buyer and the agent representing them. Plaintiffs argue that structure discouraged price competition among buyer's agents and kept commission rates higher, and more uniform, than they would be in a market where buyers could freely negotiate what they pay for representation. Keller Williams and RE/MAX have not admitted that this happened; the settlement resolves the claims without a trial or a finding of liability against either company.
The legal posture explains why the class period differs by state. On May 2, 2022, the court dismissed the original complaint, concluding that home buyers were not direct purchasers of the allegedly inflated buyer-broker services and so lacked standing to sue for damages under the federal Sherman Act. The amended complaint then pleaded indirect-purchaser claims under state antitrust and consumer protection statutes, along with unjust enrichment. Because those are state-law claims, each state's own limitations period sets how far back a purchase can reach, which is why the start date runs from 2006 in Puerto Rico to 2019 in Texas.
Under the deal, Keller Williams and RE/MAX will pay a combined $28.5 million. The official settlement notice breaks that total down as $20 million from Keller Williams and $8.5 million from RE/MAX. Keller Williams and RE/MAX are also named in other, separate real estate commission antitrust litigation working through federal courts nationwide; this page covers only the Batton settlement fund described above, not any other case or fund those companies may be party to.
Where this stands right now
As of September 9, 2026, this settlement has received final court approval. The exclusion deadline, the date by which someone could leave the class entirely and keep the right to sue Keller Williams and RE/MAX separately, was June 23, 2026. That date has already passed. Opting out is different from objecting: objecting means staying in the class while telling the judge you think the deal is unfair. The official notice set the same date, June 23, 2026, as the deadline to file a written objection with the court and serve it on class counsel and both companies' counsel, and the window for either step has now closed.
The final approval hearing, also called a fairness hearing, was held on August 4, 2026, in Chicago before Judge LaShonda A. Hunt. The court granted final approval that same day, finding the settlements fair, reasonable, and adequate, and entered judgment dismissing the settled claims with prejudice. The order entered for the RE/MAX settlement is posted as a court document on the official settlement site. Unusually, the claim deadline of August 25, 2026 fell after the hearing date, so claims were still accepted for three weeks after the judge ruled. That window has now closed, and no payout date has been set. Funds like this one typically are not distributed until after the claim deadline passes and any appeal period runs, so there is no confirmed date yet for when money would actually go out.
Who's actually in the class
The class covers individuals and entities who purchased U.S. residential real estate that was listed on a Multiple Listing Service (MLS) during the covered period. That period runs through April 14, 2026, but the start date is state-specific, going back as early as January 25, 2006 depending on where the purchase happened. In plain terms, if you bought a home listed on an MLS sometime in roughly the last two decades and a buyer's agent commission was part of that transaction, you may be part of this class, but your state's exact starting date determines whether your specific purchase counts.
This is a broad, nationwide class by design. It is not limited to one state, one brokerage's customers, or one type of property; the common thread is simply an MLS-listed purchase inside the covered window. That said, membership is not automatic just because you bought a house at some point. The official notice lists the earliest qualifying purchase date for each state:
| Earliest purchase date | States |
|---|---|
| January 25, 2019 | Texas |
| January 25, 2018 | Alaska, Colorado, Kansas, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Washington |
| January 25, 2017 | Arizona, California, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Virginia |
| January 25, 2016 | Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Utah, West Virginia |
| January 25, 2015 | Alabama, Connecticut, Hawaii, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Wisconsin |
| January 25, 2013 | Wyoming |
| January 25, 2011 | Louisiana, Rhode Island |
| January 25, 2006 | Puerto Rico |
The class period for every state ends April 14, 2026. Keep in mind that entities, such as an LLC or trust that purchased property, may also qualify, not only individual buyers.
How much you can realistically expect
There is no fixed per-person payout. The $28.5 million fund will be divided pro rata among everyone who files a valid claim, and your share depends on how many people file, what the court-approved plan of allocation says, and what the court approves for attorneys' fees, costs, and any service awards to the named plaintiffs. These figures are estimates from a common fund and may be adjusted up or down; no specific amount is guaranteed to any claimant.
Because this is a nationwide class covering roughly two decades of home purchases, the pool of potential claimants could be large, and a large claimant pool tends to shrink individual shares in a fixed fund. The record does not state a minimum or typical payment, so treat any number you see, here or anywhere else, as an estimate rather than a promise. A commission on a home purchase is often a meaningful dollar figure, but a pro rata share of a $28.5 million fund split among a nationwide class of homebuyers is very unlikely to fully reimburse anyone's actual commission cost.
What proof you need to file
The official claim form asked for the address, purchase date, price, and commission paid for each home, completed to the best of your knowledge; if you were unsure of the exact purchase date, it allowed a best estimate. Documentary proof of payment, such as a closing statement, settlement statement, HUD statement, or similar transaction record, was requested if you had it, not required to file. Every claim also required a signed attestation that the information was true and correct, and the claims administrator could ask for more information to process a claim.
If you no longer had the original paperwork, the form pointed to property records as one place to find the details; you could also check with with the title company or closing attorney who handled the transaction. Do not send original documents if the process asks only for copies; keep your own file of whatever you submit.
How filing works
Filing happened only through the official claims process, administered by A.B. Data, Ltd. on behalf of the court; the link to the official site renders separately on this page. The deadline to file was August 25, 2026 and it has passed, final approval was granted on August 4, 2026, and that site is now where payment updates will appear.
If you're not sure you qualify, or the window has already closed for you
The claim window closed on August 25, 2026, so if you never filed, there is nothing further to submit in this claims process. The court granted final approval on August 4, 2026, so under the official notice the case is resolved as to Keller Williams and partially resolved as to RE/MAX; check whether a later claims period opens for any other defendant still litigating in the underlying case.
This settlement does not involve a reported breach of personal information, so the credit-freeze and identity-monitoring steps that make sense after an actual data breach do not apply here. If you are unsure whether your specific home purchase falls inside the class period for your state, the official Notice and FAQ page is the authoritative source, not a rough estimate.
For other open, currently verified settlements, see RecordingLaw's data breach and privacy settlement tracker.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Keller Williams and RE/MAX commission settlement?
It is a $28.5 million antitrust settlement resolving claims against Keller Williams Realty and RE/MAX in the case Batton v. National Association of Realtors, pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, case number 21 C 430. The claims accuse the two brokerages of practices that kept buyer-broker commissions higher than a competitive market would produce for people who bought homes listed on a Multiple Listing Service (MLS).
Is this a data breach settlement?
No. The Keller Williams and RE/MAX settlement does not involve a data breach or exposed personal information. It is an antitrust case about how real estate commissions were set for home buyers.
Am I eligible for the Keller Williams and RE/MAX settlement?
You may be eligible if you purchased U.S. residential real estate listed on a Multiple Listing Service (MLS) during the class period, which runs through April 14, 2026 with a state-specific start date as early as January 25, 2006. Check your purchase date and state against the official Notice and FAQ page to confirm.
How much is the Keller Williams and RE/MAX settlement payout?
There is no set amount. Payments come from a combined $28.5 million fund and are calculated pro rata, meaning your share depends on how many people file valid claims and what the court approves for fees and costs. The settlement record does not state a minimum or typical per-person payment.
What is the deadline to file a claim in the Keller Williams and RE/MAX settlement?
The deadline to file a claim was August 25, 2026, and it has passed, as had the earlier exclusion deadline of June 23, 2026.
Do I need proof of purchase to file a claim?
No, documents were not a filing requirement. The claim form asked you to enclose documentary proof of payment, such as a closing or settlement statement, if you had it, and to provide the purchase date, address, and commission paid to the best of your knowledge, with a signed attestation. The claim deadline of August 25, 2026 has now passed.
Can I still opt out of or object to the settlement?
The exclusion (opt-out) deadline was June 23, 2026, and that date has already passed as of this writing. Objecting is different from opting out: it means staying in the class while telling the court you think the settlement is unfair. The court held the final approval hearing on August 4, 2026 and granted final approval, so neither option is open now.
Is homebuyerlitigation.com the official settlement site?
Yes. As of September 9, 2026, homebuyerlitigation.com is the official, court-authorized site for this settlement, administered by A.B. Data, Ltd. RecordingLaw is an independent publisher and is not the settlement administrator.
When will Keller Williams and RE/MAX settlement payments be sent?
No payout date has been set yet. The court granted final approval on August 4, 2026, but payments in settlements like this one are typically not distributed until after the claim deadline, which passed on August 25, 2026, and any appeal period runs.
How to tell a settlement notice is real
Check the case name, case number, and court against the official settlement site. Go to that site directly instead of clicking a link in an email or text. Nobody legitimate will call, text, or email out of the blue asking for your Social Security number, bank account, or card details, and nobody will charge you to file. Report anyone who does at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Already have a notice with a link or sender address? Paste it into our settlement notice checker to compare it with the official claim sites we track.
Informational only. Not legal, tax, or financial advice, and not affiliated with any settlement.
RecordingLaw.com is an independent legal-information publisher. We are not a law firm, not a settlement administrator, and not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any court, government agency, defendant, or claims administrator described on this page. Reading this page does not create an attorney-client relationship.
We do not process claims and we never collect your claim information. You cannot file a claim on RecordingLaw.com. To file, opt out, object, or check your status, use only the official settlement administrator identified above. We link to it for your convenience.
Filing a legitimate claim is free. No legitimate settlement or administrator will charge you a fee to file, or ask for your Social Security number, bank, or card details by unsolicited call, text, or email. If someone does, it is likely a scam. Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Deadlines, amounts, and approval status change and are set by the court. We verify against the official administrator and court records, but confirm the current details on the official site before acting. Nothing here guarantees eligibility, a payment, or any amount. Settlement payments may be taxable. See IRS Publication 4345. and consult a tax professional. For advice about your specific situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state. Affiliate disclosure.
Updates
Corrected our description of the claim requirements (documentary proof of payment was requested if available, not required), added the official state-by-state class period start dates, the $20 million / $8.5 million funding split, the June 23, 2026 objection deadline, and the case's state-law posture, and clarified that the case is only partially resolved as to RE/MAX.
The Law Behind This Article
This article rests on the statutory provisions below, held in our own legal record and retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.
United States Code Title 15
§ 1Trusts, etc., in restraint of trade illegal; penaltyIn forcecited in 8 of our articles
Every contract, combination in the form of trust or otherwise, or conspiracy, in restraint of trade or commerce among the several States, or with foreign nations, is declared to be illegal. Every person who shall make any contract or engage in any combination or conspiracy hereby declared to be illegal shall be deemed guilty of a felony, and, on conviction thereof, shall be punished by fine not exceeding $100,000,000 if a corporation, or, if any other person, $1,000,000, or by imprisonment not exceeding 10 years, or by both said punishments, in the discretion of the court.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-17 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at uscode.house.gov
Cited in 11,228 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Ashcroft v. Iqbal (Supreme Court of the United States 2009, 556 U.S. 662)“…restall competitive entry, in violation of the Sherman Act, 15 U. S. C. §1. Recognizing that §1 enjoins only anti…”
- Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly (Supreme Court of the United States 2007, 550 U.S. 544)“…nion of the Court. Liability under §1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U. S. C. §1, requires a “contract, combination . .…”
- Mitsubishi Motors Corp. v. Soler Chrysler-Plymouth, Inc. (Supreme Court of the United States 1985, 473 U.S. 614)“…A. S. No. 6997, of claims arising under the Sherman Act, 15 U. S. C. §1 et seq., and encompassed within a va…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: DOJ Files Proposed Settlement With Willow Bridge Over Alleged Rent-Algorithm Collusion, Disney Streaming Antitrust Settlement: Claim Window Closed, JBS Beef & Pork Wage-Fixing Settlement: $202.8M
Sources and References
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division (case no. 21 C 430, Batton v. National Association of Realtors)(ilnd.uscourts.gov).gov
- Keller Williams and RE/MAX Home Buyer Commission Settlement, Official Case Website(homebuyerlitigation.com)
- Keller Williams and RE/MAX Settlement: Notice and Frequently Asked Questions(homebuyerlitigation.com)
- Keller Williams and RE/MAX Settlement: Court Documents(homebuyerlitigation.com)
- A.B. Data, Ltd., Class Action Administration (settlement claims administrator)(abdataclassaction.com)
- Order of Settlement with RE/MAX, LLC and Judgment, Batton v. National Association of Realtors, No. 1:21-cv-00430 (N.D. Ill. Aug. 4, 2026), Dkt. 351(homebuyerlitigation.com)
- Long Form Notice of Proposed Settlements with Keller Williams and RE/MAX, Batton v. National Association of Realtors, No. 21 C 430 (N.D. Ill.)(homebuyerlitigation.com)
- Homebuyer Litigation Claim Form, Keller Williams and RE/MAX Settlements(homebuyerlitigation.com)