After the decision on $1.8 billion, the clock is ticking with a 6% real estate commission.

U.S.people turn to agentsreal estateto help them sellhouse. It is one of the few industries that has been able to largely escape the changes that have helped consumers cut costs in the Internet age. This is largely due to the strength of the National Association of Realtors, the largest professional organization in America and a significant lobbying group for the real estate industry.

However, a judgment rendered in state courtMissourion Tuesday, which ordered NAR and two brokerage firms, Homeservices of America and Keller Williams Realty, to pay $1.8 billion dollars in restitution for colluding to keep artificially high commissions, could usher in a new era in home buying and selling.

The other two firms originally named in the lawsuits by the sellers arehouses- Re/Max and Anywhere Real estate - formerly Realogy, parent company of Coldwell Banker, Century 21, Sotheby's International Realty and Corcoran - have agreed to an out-of-court settlement totaling $140 million. As part of the agreement, they said they intend to make changes to their business practices, including dropping the requirement that agents be NAR members.

Although state governments license real estate agents, NAR expects its members to strictly adhere to a code of ethics. NAR and brokers promise to appeal the court ruling, which means that commissions for thereal estateuntil they're gone.

Some impact on the real estate market may come from court and U.S.

government decisions regarding NAR's antitrust practices. This is another test for the association, which has already faced a difficult year due to the lesson and problems in the real estate market.

Reaction to the verdict among real estate agents varies. Nothing is changing yet, but the long-term impact of the verdict may manifest itself in the division of commissions between buyer's and seller's agents. Analysts believe this could lead to lower house prices.

Real estate professionals hope the changes to the commission system will help lower costs for consumers and improve services.