Redfin Publishes Commissions on Over 700,000 Homes for Sale

Rhea-AI Summary

Redfin (RDFN) has announced the publication of buyer's agent commissions for over 700,000 home listings, enhancing transparency in real estate transactions. This change follows a settlement between the U.S. Department of Justice and the National Association of Realtors, allowing Redfin to disclose commissions from various brokerages. CEO Glenn Kelman emphasized the potential for significant cost savings for consumers through price competition. With Redfin's refund program, buyers have saved over $380 million since 2019. The average buyer's commission in Seattle decreased slightly from 2.8% to 2.7% after commissions became public.

Positive

• Increased transparency in real estate commissions could enhance consumer trust and engagement.
• Redfin was the first nationwide brokerage to publish buyer's agent commissions, signaling industry leadership.
• The refund program has saved buyers over $380 million since 2019, showcasing cost-saving potential.

Negative

• Buyer agent commissions declined from 2.8% to 2.7% in Seattle, indicating potential pressure on commission rates.

SEATTLE, Feb. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- (NASDAQ: RDFN) — Redfin (www.redfin.com), the technology-powered real estate brokerage, is now publishing the buyer's agent commission for over 700,000 home listings in regions where this data is available. Redfin's mission to redefine real estate in the consumer's favor means giving consumers access to the most transparent data and saving customers' money on fees.  

Publishing this data is possible because of an upcoming settlement agreement between the U.S. Department of Justice and the National Association of Realtors. Redfin was the first nationwide brokerage to publish the commission offered for its own agents' listings on its website. But prior to the DOJ/NAR agreement, the company was restricted from publishing the commission on other brokerages' listings.

"Homebuyers will finally see how much money their agent stands to earn on any home for sale, letting them evaluate whether they're getting good value for their money," said Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman. "On the other side of the deal, people listing their home will find out what other sellers are paying buyers' agents, without having to take their agents' word for it. This information could usher in a new era of price competition that saves consumers billions of dollars in fees."

Redfin has long been a leader in offering full service for a lower fee. When a homebuyer purchases with a Redfin agent in select markets, Redfin gives a portion of the commission it earns back to the buyer in the form of refund at closing. The average Redfin Refund was $1,850 in 2019. Through year-end 2019, the Redfin Refund had saved buyers over $380 million.

In addition to making buyer's agent commission fees public, the NAR/DOJ agreement also forbids real estate agents from misrepresenting that buyer broker services are free. According to a 2019 survey commissioned by Redfin, 61% of homebuyers did not fully understand how their agent was paid. This leaves buyers unable to compare agent services and evaluate them on service and price.

Redfin now displays commission for listings in approximately 65 MLSs and will add data in additional areas as it becomes available.
As of today, Redfin is publishing the commission for approximately 65 multiple listing services (MLSs) and the company will publish the data from the remaining MLSs it belongs to as soon as they make the data available. The buyer's agent commission can be found in the property details on individual listing pages on Redfin.com.

Buyer agent commissions declined in Seattle after commissions became public.
In Seattle, the only market where the local MLS allowed brokerage sites like Redfin to publish all buyer's agent commissions prior to the DOJ/NAR agreement, the typical buyer's brokerage commission declined slightly, from 2.8% in 2019 to 2.7% in 2020, according to a Redfin analysis of MLS data. Nationally, the average buyer's brokerage commission remained flat at 2.7% between 2019 and 2020. 

For more information visit: www.redfin.com/news/real-estate-commission-transparency/.

About Redfin
Redfin (www.redfin.com) is a technology-powered residential real estate company, redefining real estate in the consumer's favor in a commission-driven industry. We do this by integrating every step of the home buying and selling process and pairing our own agents with our own technology, creating a service that is faster, better and costs less. We offer brokerage, iBuying, mortgage, and title services, and we also run the country's #1 nationwide brokerage website, offering a host of online tools to consumers, including the Redfin Estimate. We represent people buying and selling homes in over 90 markets in the United States and Canada. Since our launch in 2006, we have saved our customers over $800 million and we've helped them buy or sell more than 235,000 homes worth more than $115 billion.

For more information or to contact a local Redfin real estate agent, visit www.redfin.com. To learn about housing market trends and download data, visit the Redfin Data Center. To be added to Redfin's press release distribution list, email press@redfin.com. To view Redfin's press center, click here.

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SOURCE Redfin

FAQ

What recent change has Redfin (RDFN) made regarding buyer's agent commissions?

Redfin has published buyer's agent commissions for over 700,000 home listings, enhancing transparency.

How much have buyers saved through Redfin's refund program?

Buyers have saved over $380 million through Redfin's refund program since 2019.

What was the average buyer's brokerage commission in Seattle after Redfin published the data?

The average buyer's brokerage commission in Seattle declined from 2.8% to 2.7%.

Why is Redfin now able to publish commissions for various brokerages?

This change is due to a settlement agreement between the U.S. Department of Justice and the National Association of Realtors.

How many MLSs does Redfin currently display buyer's agent commissions for?

Redfin displays buyer's agent commissions in approximately 65 MLSs.