March 15 (Reuters) - The National Association of

Realtors said on Friday it has resolved a slew of litigation

accusing the trade group and brokerages of conspiring to keep

real estate commissions artificially high nationwide.

Under the settlement, the realtor group would pay $418

million over about four years.

The accord also resolves claims against more than 1 million

members, state and local realtor associations, and most smaller

brokerages. Court approval is required.

As part of the settlement, the realtor group also agreed

starting in mid-July to prohibit offers of broker compensation

on its Multiple Listing Service, and require participants in

that service to enter written agreements with buyers.

Home buyers had sued the realtor group and many brokerages

over the longstanding industry practice of having home sellers

pay the combined 5% to 6% commissions for their own agents and

for buyers' agents.

Critics say commissions should be lower, and sellers should

be able to list homes on various databases without paying

buyers' agents.

In October, a jury in Kansas City, Missouri ordered the

National Association of Realtors and several brokerages to pay

$1.78 billion, which a judge could have tripled, in an antitrust

case over the commissions.