Which laws prevent real estate licensees from setting standard commission rates?

Antitrust laws are designed to promote fair competition and prevent monopolies in the marketplace. One key aspect of these laws is that they prohibit businesses, including real estate professionals, from engaging in practices that could restrain trade or create unfair competitive advantages. Setting standard commission rates among real estate licensees could be seen as price-fixing, which is a violation of antitrust regulations. This is because such actions could eliminate competition, restrict consumer choice, and potentially lead to inflated costs for buyers and sellers.

In contrast to this, consumer protection laws primarily focus on protecting consumers from fraudulent or deceptive practices and ensuring that they are treated fairly. Property laws govern the rights and responsibilities related to property ownership and transactions but do not specifically address commission rates. Competition laws can sometimes overlap with antitrust laws but generally encompass broader regulations that promote market competition. However, in the context of setting commission rates, antitrust laws are the most directly applicable.