REMAX, Keller Williams Gain Approval for Batton 1 Settlement

REMAX and Keller Williams have secured final approval for their respective settlement agreements in the Batton 1 homebuyer commission lawsuit. Judge LaShonda Hunt, presiding over the Batton lawsuits, granted this final approval this week following a fairness hearing held on Tuesday. The court's orders indicated that the settlement terms were deemed fair and adequate, with no members of the settlement class lodging objections or opting out. Class members have until August 25, 2026, to submit their claims for compensation. The court noted that the distribution of the approved settlement fund will proceed at a later date, according to a court-sanctioned plan. With this final approval, the legal case against REMAX and Keller Williams has been dismissed. Keller Williams initially announced its settlement in early February 2026, followed by REMAX's announcement in late March 2026. Under the terms of their agreements, Keller Williams will contribute $20 million to the settlement fund, while REMAX will contribute $8.5 million. Both companies stated at the time of their settlement announcements that the terms did not necessitate any changes to their existing business practices. The Batton 1 lawsuit was originally filed in January 2021 and subsequently amended in July 2022, with Batton serving as the lead plaintiff. Similar to other home seller commission lawsuits, this litigation alleges that the policies established by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) have artificially inflated agent commissions, consequently leading to higher home prices for buyers. Beyond REMAX and Keller Williams, other defendants named in the Batton 1 suit include NAR and Anywhere Real Estate. Both NAR and Anywhere Real Estate had previously settled their involvement in the homebuyer commission lawsuit claims by opting into a settlement that was negotiated in the separate Tuccori homebuyer commission lawsuit. While these settlements were slated for final approval in early November 2026, a group of four retired federal judges has raised challenges to the opt-in settlement structures. These judges contend that approving such settlements could incentivize defendants in other class-action lawsuits to engage in "forum shopping" when seeking favorable legal venues.