Keller Williams Realty has agreed to pay $20 million to settle allegations that it took part in a long-running conspiracy to fix real estate broker commissions and inflate home prices — a deal now awaiting preliminary approval from an Illinois federal judge.
The proposed agreement, known as the Keller Williams $20M Settlement, could mark a pivotal moment in litigation that has stretched for years and weathered multiple legal setbacks.
A Deal Framed as a Turning Point
In a motion filed Monday, eight named plaintiffs told the court the proposed settlement is more than a financial payout. They described it as an “ice-breaker” agreement that not only compensates homebuyers who claim they were forced to pay artificially high commissions, but also secures Keller Williams’ cooperation.
That cooperation, they said, includes deposition testimony, potential trial testimony and the production of documents — evidence that could prove critical as the broader case continues.
“The proposed settlement exchanges these costs and a lengthy litigation timeline with financial recovery, certainty, and the preservation of court resources,” the plaintiffs wrote. They emphasized that continued litigation carries the risk of no recovery at all, making immediate compensation a “substantial benefit” for the settlement class.
