This article is part of our Real Estate & Property Management Marketing Guide: how buyers, sellers, owners and tenants find you online, what the housing ad rules allow, and how to choose the right help. Want to know where your site stands? Get a free 20–30 page website audit within 24 hours.
The NAR settlement changed two things that show up on agent websites: buyers now sign a written agreement before touring a home, and offers of compensation can no longer appear on the MLS. NAR's own FAQ says these practice changes went into effect on August 17, 2024, and as of October 2026 they are still the rules NAR members follow.
Plenty of agent websites still carry pre-2024 copy, like "buyer representation at no cost to you" or a home search that hints at commission splits. That copy can now mislead buyers and create problems with your MLS or broker. This guide covers what changed, what has happened since, and what to update on your site.
It is part of our Real Estate and Property Management Marketing Guide. This is marketing guidance, not legal advice: confirm specifics with your broker of record and your state rules.
Key Takeaways
- Since 17 August 2024, MLS participants working with a buyer need a written agreement before the buyer tours a home.
- Offers of compensation cannot be shared on the MLS, but a listing broker may add them to its own IDX or VOW display for its own listings only.
- The court granted final approval of the settlement on 26 November 2024.
- NAR has since agreed to a separate homebuyer settlement (Tuccori) that, per NAR, requires no additional practice changes; it is subject to court approval.
- Your website should explain buyer agreements plainly and avoid saying your services are free unless you truly receive no compensation from any source.
What changed in August 2024
NAR's settlement FAQ sums the changes up in two parts. First, written buyer agreements are now required, and buyers and agents must agree in writing on how the agent will be paid before touring a home. Second, offers of compensation can no longer be shared on an MLS; they must be communicated off-MLS if a seller chooses to offer them.
Written buyer agreements
A few details from the same FAQ matter for how you describe your services online:
- Touring triggers it. The agreement is needed before a buyer tours a home. That includes a live, virtual tour given by an agent to a buyer who is not physically there (FAQ 74).
- It doesn't have to be an agency agreement. NAR policy does not dictate the type of relationship, the term, the services, or the compensation, which can range from $0 to a flat fee, a percentage or an hourly rate (FAQ 75).
- Compensation must be definite. Compensation in the agreement must be objectively ascertainable and not open-ended. "Whatever the seller offers" or a range like "between X and Y percent" does not qualify (FAQ 87).
- State law can require more. If state law requires a written agreement earlier, the earlier rule applies (FAQ 84).
- Open houses are different. An agent hosting an open house for the seller only is not "working with" the buyer and does not need a buyer agreement (FAQ 77).
Compensation off the MLS
Sellers can still choose to offer compensation to buyer agents. They just can't do it through the MLS. NAR's FAQ says an MLS can't even have a Yes/No compensation field (FAQ 52).
Where things stand as of October 2026
It is easy to repeat 2024 news as if nothing has happened since. Here is what NAR's own pages show today.
Final approval. NAR announced on 26 November 2024 that the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri granted final approval of NAR's settlement. The release notes that members must follow the practice changes in good faith to keep their released status.
The FAQ is still live. NAR's settlement FAQ page shows "Updated September 5, 2024" with one answer (FAQ 50) updated 17 October 2025. The practice changes it describes have not been replaced.
A second, homebuyer settlement. NAR's facts page now leads with a settlement to resolve homebuyer claims in Tuccori v. At World Properties. According to NAR's Tuccori FAQ (checked 29 October 2026), the agreement is subject to court approval and does not require any additional changes to business practices beyond those already implemented. For your website, that means no new copy changes yet. Watch for the court's decision.
MLS listing options. Separately from the settlement, NAR adopted Multiple Listing Options for Sellers, effective 25 March 2025, with MLSs required to implement it by 30 September 2025. It lets sellers choose a "delayed marketing" listing that stays out of IDX and syndication for a period the local MLS sets. Some listings may now reach your site's IDX search later than they reach the MLS.
Compensation and your website
This is where websites most often get it wrong.
Your own listings. NAR's FAQ says MLS participants may augment MLS data or data feeds with offers of compensation to buyer brokers on a broker website with an IDX or VOW feed, but only for listings of their own brokerage (FAQ 53).
Everyone else's listings. Using MLS data feeds to build a platform of compensation offers from multiple brokers is prohibited, and the FAQ warns this will lead the MLS to cut off that participant's data access (FAQ 54).
No one-click workaround. An MLS listing cannot link to a page that shows an offer of compensation with a single click (FAQ 55). If your listing pages are built to be linked from the MLS, check what that landing page displays.
Your MLS may have its own rules on top of NAR's. Ask your MLS before you add any compensation field to your site.
Update your buyer pages
Buyers arrive at your website with questions about the new agreements. Answering them well is good for trust and for search. Pages worth reviewing:
- "Working with buyers" page. Explain that you'll ask for a written agreement before touring, what it covers, and that terms are negotiable. Link NAR's consumer resources if your broker approves.
- Remove "free to buyers" claims. NAR's Code of Ethics says REALTORS® must not say their brokerage services are free unless the REALTOR® will receive no financial compensation from any source (Standard of Practice 12-1).
- Virtual tours and video. If your site offers live video tours, add a note that an agreement is needed first. See real estate video and virtual tours.
- Contact and booking forms. A "schedule a showing" form is a good place to say a short agreement comes first, so buyers aren't surprised.
- Seller pages. Sellers ask whether they should offer buyer-agent compensation. Explain their options and how offers are communicated, without promising outcomes.
- FAQ and blog posts. Search your site for "commission," "co-op," "no cost" and "free." Old posts are still ads.
Keep the tone factual. You are explaining a process, not arguing about the settlement.
Quick website to-do list
| Page or feature | What to check |
|---|---|
| Home search / IDX | No compensation shown for other brokerages' listings |
| Your own listing pages | Any compensation info approved by your broker and MLS |
| Buyer services page | Written agreement explained; no "free" claims |
| Showing request form | Note that an agreement comes before touring |
| Blog and FAQ | Pre-August 2024 posts updated or dated clearly |
| Site footer | Brokerage name and license info per your state |
For the full list of what an agent site needs, see Real Estate Agent Website Must-Haves. For how IDX feeds work, read IDX Explained.
Next step
The settlement made buyers do more research before choosing an agent, which raises the value of a clear, trustworthy website. Read How Home Buyers and Sellers Find a Real Estate Agent Online next. Then get a free 20–30 page website audit within 24 hours to find outdated settlement-era copy on your site.
Frequently asked questions
Is the NAR settlement final?
NAR announced that the federal court in Missouri granted final approval on 26 November 2024. The practice changes took effect earlier, on 17 August 2024. A separate homebuyer settlement in the Tuccori case is, per NAR, still subject to court approval as of October 2026.
Does the Tuccori settlement change anything for my website?
According to NAR's FAQ on that settlement, it does not require any additional practice changes beyond the ones from the earlier settlement. Keep following the 2024 practice changes and check NAR's facts page for updates.
Can I show buyer-agent compensation on my website?
Under NAR's FAQ, a listing broker may add offers of compensation to its IDX or VOW display only for its own brokerage's listings. Your MLS and broker may have more rules, so ask before adding it.
Do buyers need to sign an agreement before an open house?
Not if the agent at the open house is working only for the seller. NAR's FAQ says that agent is not "working with" the buyer. An agreement is needed when an agent working with the buyer arranges a tour.
Can my website say my services are free to buyers?
Only if you will receive no financial compensation from any source. That is NAR's Code of Ethics standard for REALTORS®, and state advertising rules on misleading claims may also apply.
