Agents have typically taken a commission on the sale of a home that totals 5% to 6% of the price. But new rules have created an opening for brokers who charge much less.

Realtors hope it will be easier to buy a house in 2024. It can't get much harder: last year was one of the slowest on record thanks to high mortgage rates coupled with a housing shortage.

It's harder to afford homeownership than it's been in decades as a steep run-up in both prices during the pandemic and more recently interest rates hit buyers from both sides.