El Podcast

E52: How a $1.8 Billion Ruling Reshapes Real Estate - w/ Dr. Ann Schnare

Episode Summary

Dr. Ann Schnare, President of AB Schnare Associates LLC, joins us to discuss the recent $1.8 billion verdict against the National Association of Realtors and brokerage firms. The lawsuit, a landmark case, accuses them of antitrust violations related to common commission practices. Dr. Schnare the potential repercussions on the real estate industry, discussing the impact on agent fees, the three primary parties involved, and the challenges sudden regulatory changes might pose.

Episode Notes

Dr. Ann Schnare breaks down the implications of the $1.8B real estate commission lawsuit, revealing how changes to traditional agent fee structures could make it much harder—especially for first-time and lower-income buyers—to purchase a home.

Guest Bio: Dr. Ann Schnare is president of Ann Schnare Associates LLC, a housing and mortgage finance consultancy. With prior leadership roles at Freddie Mac and the Urban Institute, she’s an expert in real estate markets, financial reform, and fair lending. Her career spans decades of research and policy impact in U.S. housing finance.

Topics Discussed:

• The $1.8B Missouri lawsuit against the National Association of Realtors
• How real estate agents are typically paid and how that may change
• The impact of fee restructuring on buyers, sellers, and agents
• Why mortgage rules and down payment hurdles matter more than ever
• The future of Zillow, MLS, and agent business models in a disrupted market
• Racial homeownership gaps and housing access for minority families
• The importance of zoning reform, affordable housing, and ADUs
• The influence of hedge funds, Airbnb, and interest rates on housing supply

Best Quotes:

• "The short answer is that it would make it much harder to buy a home."
  — On what happens if sellers can no longer pay buyer agent fees.
• "If it were an all-cash world, none of this would matter. But it’s not."
  — On why mortgages amplify the impact of agent fee changes.
• "The homeownership gap between white and Black Americans was 30% in 1960—and it’s still 30% today."
  — On why equity in housing remains an urgent, unfinished task.