In 2024, the National Association of Realtors paid $418 million to settle an antitrust lawsuit. Part of the settlement gives homebuyers more leverage over their agents’ compensation, potentially lowering the cost of buying a home. But new research from Texas McCombs shows the settlement may not have gone far enough. John Hatfield, professor of finance, suggests more flexible compensation can benefit sellers as well as buyers. He finds that when properties offer lower commissions to buyer agents, those agents tend to steer their clients away from looking at them. 

Collaborative organizations, involving government agencies, nonprofit groups and other key stakeholders, are often created to address regional challenges such as preserving watersheds – but these organizations often fail to accomplish their stated goals. A new study suggests there is a specific administrative approach that improves the ability of these collaborative groups to deliver the services they were created to provide.