I
n the six months since the National Association of Realtors' (NAR) nationwide commission lawsuit settlement took effect, real estate agent attitudes toward the required business practice changes have shown only slight improvement. A recent survey by Clever Real Estate found that 64% of agents currently oppose the commission structure changes, down from 70% in April.

    The number of agents who believe the settlement will harm first-time homebuyers has decreased by 12 percentage points to 76%, while those who think it will lead agents to leave the industry have dropped by 9 percentage points to 86%. However, 72% of agents still expect a negative impact on the industry.

    The majority of agents (60%) dislike that they can no longer advertise offers of buyer agent compensation on the MLS, and 59% are unhappy about commission costs being shifted directly to buyers. In contrast, 57% of agents like having buyer agency agreements signed early in their relationships with clients.

    When it comes to commission rates, listing agents hope for an average of 2.6% in buyer's agent compensation, down from the previous average. Buyer agents are also open to lower commissions, with 55% saying they would accept 2%. However, they may be willing to accept a lower rate if there is high competition or if the seller has multiple properties.

    Agents are experimenting with new business strategies, including using short-term showing agreements and providing detailed cost breakdowns. Despite this, 36% of agents are less likely to work with buyers now than before.

    The majority of agents (90%) remain open to working with buyers, but two-thirds believe the settlement will cause buyers to be more hesitant to use an agent. However, 71% of potential buyers still plan to use an agent to buy a home.