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Understanding the

NAR Lawsuit Settlement

What You Need to Know

In March 2024, in response to a pending lawsuit judgment against them, the National Association of Realtors® released a set of proposed policy and practice changes that will reframe the relationship between real estate professionals and buyers. To be clear, the industry’s fiduciary commitment to the best interests of clients hasn’t changed, but the way agents and buyer clients formalize professional relationships will.

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Changes to the Homebuying Experience

As a homebuyer, this proposed settlement means there will be some changes to your real estate experience:

1. Required Buyer Agreements

Prior to this settlement proposal, it was acceptable (though not widely practiced) for buyer’s agents to forge relatively informal, unwritten agreements with their clients regarding service. Following these proposed changes, buyers must sign a service agreement with a real estate professional in order to be shown homes. 

2. Buyer’s Agent Compensation

Prior to the proposed changes in the settlement, buyer’s agents were compensated via a cooperation agreement with the seller and seller’s agent facilitated by the multiple listing service. While this sort of cooperation is still allowed, the MLS is no longer allowed to coordinate it. Buyer’s agents will now be responsible for negotiating their own compensation with clients.

FAQ

As a homebuyer, these changes will require new, important conversations between you and your real estate professional. A buyer service agreement will formalize your agent’s fiduciary responsibility to you, further protecting your interests. It will allow the opportunity for real, transparent communication with your agent around compensation, offering you a clear understanding of the cost of services and how those services benefit you. 

These conversations will ultimately set buyers up for greater success in their transactions. More buyers will start the home search process with a clear understanding of their strategy, how their agent will support them, and what it will take to get to the closing table. 

Two major changes: First, compensation offers to buyer’s agents will no longer be displayed on the MLS, and the MLS won’t be allowed to facilitate commission cooperation between the buy and sell sides of transactions. Second, all buyers will be required to sign a buyer agreement with their agent outlining service terms, including commission requirements.

Yes. Luxury Presence has created a strategy guide for agents seeking advice on negotiating buy-side compensation. Get your copy of The Future of Buy-Side Compensation here

The best agents have shifted their thinking from the top line to the bottom line. They're obsessed with the client experience. They're taking action very quickly to level up the technology in their businesses because they understand it's the only way to deliver strong profitability and a world-class client experience.

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How I Work With Buyers

As my client, you can expect nothing but the highest level of service and counsel. I take my fiduciary commitment to you extremely seriously and believe that the best way to advocate for your best interests is through preparation. For each property my clients consider, I create a complete set of market research, potential pricing and offer strategies, contract negotiation tactics, and more.

Before the NAR lawsuit settlement proposal, some buyer’s agents were able to get away with doing the bare minimum. Thanks to assumed cooperation with the seller, they might get paid for simply showing up, unlocking doors, and pushing papers. 

While that was never my approach, it is now no longer the world we live in. As my client, you can rest assured that I will provide you with expert-level service and advice throughout our professional relationship.

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Testimonials

"Jonnelle guided me through every step of the process and always went the extra mile for me."
"Jonnelle guided me through every step of the process and always went the extra mile for me."
Anthony
"We couldn't have asked for a better, Jonnelle as first-time homebuyers in the Los Angeles area."
"We couldn't have asked for a better, Jonnelle as first-time homebuyers in the Los Angeles area."
Dan & Kathryn
"Jonnelle is the kind of REALTOR you can trust. She is dependable, honest, and will always look out for your best interest."
"Jonnelle is the kind of REALTOR you can trust. She is dependable, honest, and will always look out for your best interest."
Joe K.
"When our dream house came up, she acted swiftly and calmly guided us through the whirlwind process of submitting an offer."
"When our dream house came up, she acted swiftly and calmly guided us through the whirlwind process of submitting an offer."
Sean & Chelsea
"Jonnelle made sure we understood what was happening and always kept us updated. She helped make a very hectic time a lot easier for us."
"Jonnelle made sure we understood what was happening and always kept us updated. She helped make a very hectic time a lot easier for us."
Jill
"Amazing negotiation skills that were extremely useful when there were multiple buyers all competing for an amazing property we had our hearts set on and which we won."
"Amazing negotiation skills that were extremely useful when there were multiple buyers all competing for an amazing property we had our hearts set on and which we won."
Buyer
"Working with Jonnelle is nothing short of first class! Everything from photos to the way she presents herself to how she presents the property is impeccable. I am forever grateful to her for selling my home in one of the toughest markets."
"Working with Jonnelle is nothing short of first class! Everything from photos to the way she presents herself to how she presents the property is impeccable. I am forever grateful to her for selling my home in one of the toughest markets."
Sarah H.
"Working with Jonnelle was a real joy. I'm new to LA and so needed help figuring out neighborhoods, understanding the local real estate process, etc. and Jonnelle was a big help. And she was also generous with her time as we saw lots of properties before selecting the option that worked best for me, and all the while I could count on her to be patient and provide objective advice. I recommend her highly."
"Working with Jonnelle was a real joy. I'm new to LA and so needed help figuring out neighborhoods, understanding the local real estate process, etc. and Jonnelle was a big help. And she was also generous with her time as we saw lots of properties before selecting the option that worked best for me, and all the while I could count on her to be patient and provide objective advice. I recommend her highly."
Alkarim J.
"I find myself incredibly fortunate to have worked with Jonnelle on my first home purchase. Jonnelle and I were able to quickly develop a rapport and she was a consistent source of valuable expertise throughout the home-buying process. Jonnelle guided me through every step of the process and always went the extra mile for me. I am incredibly grateful that I was able to have Jonnelle on my side through this journey."
"I find myself incredibly fortunate to have worked with Jonnelle on my first home purchase. Jonnelle and I were able to quickly develop a rapport and she was a consistent source of valuable expertise throughout the home-buying process. Jonnelle guided me through every step of the process and always went the extra mile for me. I am incredibly grateful that I was able to have Jonnelle on my side through this journey."
Buyer
"We finally decided to sell our home that we’ve owned for many, many years. It was definitely an emotional time but Jonnelle walked us through it and absolutely made sure our experience was nothing but comfortable and easy. She helped out above and beyond and I never felt like there was a question I couldn’t ask. From start to finish, the entire experience went smoothly and we got a great price due to her experience and knowledge!"
"We finally decided to sell our home that we’ve owned for many, many years. It was definitely an emotional time but Jonnelle walked us through it and absolutely made sure our experience was nothing but comfortable and easy. She helped out above and beyond and I never felt like there was a question I couldn’t ask. From start to finish, the entire experience went smoothly and we got a great price due to her experience and knowledge!"
Seller
"Jonnelle is thorough. She's kind. She's knowledgeable. Jonnelle was really everything we needed in finding our new rental property. When we would hit rough patches due to circumstances out of our control, she assured us everything would be okay, talked us through what we needed to do, and sure enough, we found the perfect place for us. Truly, Jonnelle knows what she's doing, she has a calm bedside manner and got us what we wanted in this crazy time of real estate!"
"Jonnelle is thorough. She's kind. She's knowledgeable. Jonnelle was really everything we needed in finding our new rental property. When we would hit rough patches due to circumstances out of our control, she assured us everything would be okay, talked us through what we needed to do, and sure enough, we found the perfect place for us. Truly, Jonnelle knows what she's doing, she has a calm bedside manner and got us what we wanted in this crazy time of real estate!"
Carlos
"Jonnelle is more than a Real Estate Professional; she is a gem. Her professionalism, engagement, and overall care were very apparent from the first conversation. I cannot say enough about Jonnelle – she is one of a kind. We could not be more thankful for her, her experience, and market analytics. We could not have done it without her. I say this with the utmost respect, when I say, there is no one more helpful, trusting, responsive, and professional as her. You are in the best hands with Jonnelle."
"Jonnelle is more than a Real Estate Professional; she is a gem. Her professionalism, engagement, and overall care were very apparent from the first conversation. I cannot say enough about Jonnelle – she is one of a kind. We could not be more thankful for her, her experience, and market analytics. We could not have done it without her. I say this with the utmost respect, when I say, there is no one more helpful, trusting, responsive, and professional as her. You are in the best hands with Jonnelle."
Buyer
"We were referred to Jonnelle by a mutual friend and it turned out to be a great experience. We needed to relocate cross-country quickly. Understanding that we had very little time to spend house hunting in LA, Jonnelle was fully engaged with us as we reviewed properties online, toured via FaceTime, and ultimately visited our final choices in person. When we decided to make an offer, Jonnelle was instrumental in making sure our house-buying process was smoothly executed. She made sure we understood what was happening and always kept us updated. Jonnelle helped make a very hectic time a lot easier for us."
"We were referred to Jonnelle by a mutual friend and it turned out to be a great experience. We needed to relocate cross-country quickly. Understanding that we had very little time to spend house hunting in LA, Jonnelle was fully engaged with us as we reviewed properties online, toured via FaceTime, and ultimately visited our final choices in person. When we decided to make an offer, Jonnelle was instrumental in making sure our house-buying process was smoothly executed. She made sure we understood what was happening and always kept us updated. Jonnelle helped make a very hectic time a lot easier for us."
Buyer
"Jonnelle was fantastic to work with. We didn't know exactly what we were stepping into when we wanted to buy our first house, but she walked us through the process every step of the way. When our dream house came up, she acted swiftly and calmly guided us through the whirlwind process of submitting an offer. From the time the house came up to our offer being accepted was only a week and Jonnelle dedicated her time and energy fully to making sure that happened. Throughout escrow, we felt over our heads, but she made everything feel digestible. Jonnelle is the type of REALTOR who you want, she is young, hungry, and willing to go the extra mile. Highly recommend."
"Jonnelle was fantastic to work with. We didn't know exactly what we were stepping into when we wanted to buy our first house, but she walked us through the process every step of the way. When our dream house came up, she acted swiftly and calmly guided us through the whirlwind process of submitting an offer. From the time the house came up to our offer being accepted was only a week and Jonnelle dedicated her time and energy fully to making sure that happened. Throughout escrow, we felt over our heads, but she made everything feel digestible. Jonnelle is the type of REALTOR who you want, she is young, hungry, and willing to go the extra mile. Highly recommend."
Sean
"Jonnelle Lewin is more than a real estate professional; she is a gem. I am fortunate to have been connected with Jonnelle through a referral. The buyer had nothing but incredible things to say about her and highly recommended her. So naturally, I gave her a call. From the first moment she introduced herself, I knew I was in good hands. Her professionalism, engagement, and overall care were very apparent from the first conversation. I cannot say enough about Jonnelle, she is one of a kind. Lastly, we could not be more thankful for her, her experience, and her market analytics. We could not have done it without her. I say this with the utmost respect when I say there is no one more helpful, trustworthy, responsive, and professional than Jonnelle. You are in the best hands with Jonnelle Lewin."
"Jonnelle Lewin is more than a real estate professional; she is a gem. I am fortunate to have been connected with Jonnelle through a referral. The buyer had nothing but incredible things to say about her and highly recommended her. So naturally, I gave her a call. From the first moment she introduced herself, I knew I was in good hands. Her professionalism, engagement, and overall care were very apparent from the first conversation. I cannot say enough about Jonnelle, she is one of a kind. Lastly, we could not be more thankful for her, her experience, and her market analytics. We could not have done it without her. I say this with the utmost respect when I say there is no one more helpful, trustworthy, responsive, and professional than Jonnelle. You are in the best hands with Jonnelle Lewin."
Cora T.
"Jonnelle Lewin has been an absolute godsend! I was terrified to dip my toe into the Los Angeles real estate market, but Jonnelle made it all feel so manageable. I never would have found a place in this crazy real estate market without her. She thoroughly and patiently explained the process every step of the way, helped me set my expectations, and negotiated an incredible deal for me. She has become a friend and a confidante along the way — a true all-in team member for me, not just someone there to make a quick buck. She continues to check in with me even now that we have closed and I am all moved in. She is the first person I go to when I need a great recommendation in the area, whether it is for a handyman, someone to clean the carpets, or a great new restaurant. She seems to know everyone, and everyone she connects me with is just as wonderful as she is. Jonnelle is a real class act and someone you can trust in a market where that can be impossible to find. If you are looking for a new home, a rental, or selling your place, I would definitely suggest calling Jonnelle. She is the best!"
"Jonnelle Lewin has been an absolute godsend! I was terrified to dip my toe into the Los Angeles real estate market, but Jonnelle made it all feel so manageable. I never would have found a place in this crazy real estate market without her. She thoroughly and patiently explained the process every step of the way, helped me set my expectations, and negotiated an incredible deal for me. She has become a friend and a confidante along the way — a true all-in team member for me, not just someone there to make a quick buck. She continues to check in with me even now that we have closed and I am all moved in. She is the first person I go to when I need a great recommendation in the area, whether it is for a handyman, someone to clean the carpets, or a great new restaurant. She seems to know everyone, and everyone she connects me with is just as wonderful as she is. Jonnelle is a real class act and someone you can trust in a market where that can be impossible to find. If you are looking for a new home, a rental, or selling your place, I would definitely suggest calling Jonnelle. She is the best!"
Buyer
"Working with Jonnelle she consistently demonstrated her deep knowledge and history with the area we were interested in. Not knowing the area ourselves it was a huge advantage for us to work with such an informed agent who grew up in the area. She leveraged her network, and insider information, that only a local would know, to help us make the most informed decision on our new home purchase with full confidence. Her personal approach to negotiations was a key contributor for us closing on our home. She was always available and communicated how each part of the whole process would move forward. Thanks to her experience, she found ways to get us the best deal possible, and most importantly, close on the home we wanted. Jonnelle came through with their commitment to excellence and our family’s needs. She went out of her way to ensure every detail was taken care of – from arranging inspections to researching potential issues with a property. She is not only an expert in her field, she is passionate about her work and finding the right home for her clients. At every step of the way we knew she had our personal needs in mind and was working in our best interest. We are so grateful we chose to work with her and highly recommend her for your own agent needs."
"Working with Jonnelle she consistently demonstrated her deep knowledge and history with the area we were interested in. Not knowing the area ourselves it was a huge advantage for us to work with such an informed agent who grew up in the area. She leveraged her network, and insider information, that only a local would know, to help us make the most informed decision on our new home purchase with full confidence. Her personal approach to negotiations was a key contributor for us closing on our home. She was always available and communicated how each part of the whole process would move forward. Thanks to her experience, she found ways to get us the best deal possible, and most importantly, close on the home we wanted. Jonnelle came through with their commitment to excellence and our family’s needs. She went out of her way to ensure every detail was taken care of – from arranging inspections to researching potential issues with a property. She is not only an expert in her field, she is passionate about her work and finding the right home for her clients. At every step of the way we knew she had our personal needs in mind and was working in our best interest. We are so grateful we chose to work with her and highly recommend her for your own agent needs."
Brandi F.
"Jonnelle was great to work with. I was a first-time buyer with NO idea what to expect. She put me in touch with an amazing lender who helped erase any concerns. The Compass app was an extra special touch as it was very user-friendly, allowed us to communicate about listings within the app so we stayed on the same page, and again was really easy to use (better than Zillow/Redfin etc). I felt confident in her knowledge of the market and her ability to help me find what I was looking for. She was also great at pointing out things that never crossed my mind. Looking forward to working with her again on my next purchase."
"Jonnelle was great to work with. I was a first-time buyer with NO idea what to expect. She put me in touch with an amazing lender who helped erase any concerns. The Compass app was an extra special touch as it was very user-friendly, allowed us to communicate about listings within the app so we stayed on the same page, and again was really easy to use (better than Zillow/Redfin etc). I felt confident in her knowledge of the market and her ability to help me find what I was looking for. She was also great at pointing out things that never crossed my mind. Looking forward to working with her again on my next purchase."
Emily H.
"Jonnelle was amazing. She helped us navigate the process of selling our property end to end, from assessing how and when to list the home to pricing and enhancements we could do to optimize the value, as well as staging options. The journey felt like a true partnership rather than just a transaction. Upon listing the property, Jonnelle provided frequent updates and set expectations with us about timing and market conditions. As the property went into escrow, she helped us navigate the process with escrow and the buyer, ensuring a balance between protecting our rights and ensuring the property got to close. All along, we felt we were in the hands of a very experienced professional who had our best interest at heart, instilling a high level of confidence and security. You will be in great hands with Jonnelle. We highly recommend her for your next transaction."
"Jonnelle was amazing. She helped us navigate the process of selling our property end to end, from assessing how and when to list the home to pricing and enhancements we could do to optimize the value, as well as staging options. The journey felt like a true partnership rather than just a transaction. Upon listing the property, Jonnelle provided frequent updates and set expectations with us about timing and market conditions. As the property went into escrow, she helped us navigate the process with escrow and the buyer, ensuring a balance between protecting our rights and ensuring the property got to close. All along, we felt we were in the hands of a very experienced professional who had our best interest at heart, instilling a high level of confidence and security. You will be in great hands with Jonnelle. We highly recommend her for your next transaction."
Seller