A landmark settlement announced last week that could change how the National Association of Realtors handles real estate transactions has sparked headlines about potential price drops in the US housing market.

But in virtually all cases, the impacts on housing costs will be driven by market forces of supply and

The National Association of Realtors and two brokerage firms were ordered to pay nearly $1.8 billion in damages to about a half a million home sellers after a federal jury found they had conspired to artificially inflate commissions paid to real estate agents.

The decision could radically alter the home buying process in the US and could potentially lead to a restructuring of the entire real estate industry, lowering the cost of moving homes by reducing commissions, The New York Times reported.

A Missouri jury Tuesday sided with the plaintiffs in the class-action lawsuit, awarding them a total of $1.78