From agent commissions to a brokerage compensation dispute, find out how real estate pros are making bank and protecting their pay.
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Invest in yourself, grow your business—real estate’s biggest moment is in San Diego!
Back when the commission lawsuits and subsequent National Association of Realtors settlement were dominating the headlines, Inman contributor Cara Ameer had lots of questions — 58, to be exact. One of the main things she was wondering about was how buyer-broker agreements would be enforced under the terms of the settlement.
After all, if agent services required a buyer-broker agreement, there had to be some sort of way to ensure that those agreements were worth the paper they’re printed on, right?
Last week, we finally got an answer to that question in Florida, where a real estate brokerage successfully appealed to arbitration when a buyer ghosted them on a transaction, ultimately purchasing with a different agent at a different brokerage.
Florida firm granted $24K after buyer breaks broker agreement by Lillian Dickerson
After Jeff Lichtenstein, broker-owner at Echo Fine Properties, heard from a mortgage broker that a buyer who had signed an exclusive representation agreement with his brokerage was buying a property with a different firm, he filed for arbitration following the closing on the purchase.
The arbitrator found in the brokerage’s favor, awarding Echo Fine Properties 3 percent commission on the $800,000 property the buyer subsequently purchased in February 2025, for a total of $24,000.
“The amount of litigation that will occur with over four million home sales transpiring nationwide could be very high,” Lichtenstein said in an email. “Hopefully, the results of this will be a benchmark so consumers don’t try to not pay a Realtor what they rightfully owe.”
Let’s get that bread. Get the bag. No matter how you phrase it, it’s all about getting paid. If you’re looking to do more business in 2026 and make more money, you need role models.
Fortunately, last week we brought you plenty of inspiration, with profiles of agents and brokers who are growing their businesses and their bank accounts, even amid tough market conditions.
$200K per year by Year 3: From part-time agent to powerhouse
If you’re looking to go full-time in real estate, Josh Ries writes, take a page out of Emily Nguyen’s playbook: Start with service, show up with value and when the time is right, jump in all the way.
How this brokerage CEO went from slinging ‘za to indie leadership
Learn how indie broker Andres Hoyos combines care for the industry and his agents and where he sees real estate moving in 2026.
‘Owning Manhattan’s’ Tricia Lee gets candid about not being featured in the Season 2 trailer
Find out how the “honorary mayor of Brooklyn” handled her fans’ outcry, what her expansion into Manhattan has been like, and what she really thinks about Jessica Markowski’s social media.
How a top DC agent went from college dropout to luxury mogul
Extra hours, social media and a team with the highest standards of service helped The Heider Company become one of the top-earning teams in the world at Sotheby’s International Realty.
The Download is a column in which Inman’s Christy Murdock takes a deeper look at the top-read stories of the past week to give you what you’ll need to meet Monday head-on.
Email Christy Murdock
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