NAR opts in to $52.25M settlement in buy-side commission lawsuit

Plus: Report: This is the best week to sell

April 14, 2026

👋 Hello, Lone Star State! It’s Tuesday.

Today’s newsletter is 562 words—a 2.5-minute read.

1. NAR opts in to $52.25M settlement in buy-side commission lawsuit

The NAR announced Friday that it has reached a proposed agreement to resolve nationwide homebuyer claims tied to buyer-agent commissions.

The case, Tuccori v. At World Properties, is one of several antitrust lawsuits focused on how commissions are handled in real estate transactions.

If approved, NAR will pay $52.25 million into a fund over the next several years, with most payments scheduled after June 2028, following the final installment of the $418 million Sitzer/Burnett settlement, expected in early 2028.

2. Home price cuts hit record levels

New data from Redfin shows that 34.2% of home sellers lowered their list price in February 2026, the highest level for that month since 2012 and up from 31.5% a year earlier.

Among sellers who reduced their price, the average cut was $40,915 (7.3%), the largest February drop since 2023, while across all sellers, the average reduction was $13,463 (2.4%).

San Antonio led the nation, with 57.9% of sellers cutting prices, the highest share among the 50 largest metros, followed by Austin (55.2%) and Dallas (47.3%).

Source: Redfin

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3. Catch up quick

💵 Report: This is the best week to sell. (Realtor.com)

🚨 Seniors lost $7.75B to cybercrime in 2025, a 59% jump. (FBI)

🏠 Gov. Abbott proposes a tax relief plan. (Gov)

🚀 Top 10 brokerages control $974.8B in sales volume. (T3Sixty)

⚠️ Existing home sales hit their slowest pace since 2009. (NAR)

A MESSAGE FROM 1440 MEDIA

Daily news for curious minds.

Be the smartest person in the room. 1440 navigates 100+ sources to deliver a comprehensive, unbiased news roundup — politics, business, culture, and more — in a quick, 5-minute read. Completely free, completely factual.

4. First-time homebuyers in Texas remain near an all-time low

According to a Texas Realtors report, first-time buyers made up just 21% of all home purchases in 2025, barely above the record low of 20% the year before. Here are other key takeaways:

  • The median homebuyer age was 58.

  • All-cash purchases accounted for 30% of sales.

  • Nearly three-quarters of sellers (74%) reduced their asking price two or more times.

  • 91% of sellers and 93% of buyers reported being satisfied with the process.

  • 90% of buyers and 87% of sellers said they would likely use the same agent again.

5. Property taxes rose 3% on average in 2025

According to an ATTOM report, homeowners paid $396.8 billion in property taxes across more than 89.6 million single-family homes, a 3.7% increase from 2024.

The average home, valued at $494,231, generated $4,427 in taxes, up 3%.

Nationwide, the effective tax rate rose to 0.9% (from 0.86%), the highest level since 2020, when it reached 1.1%.

Among major metros with populations of at least 1 million, Houston saw one of the largest increases in property tax bills, rising 10%, well above the national average.

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