April 26 (Reuters) - A real estate brokerage owned by

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway ( BRK/A ) said on Friday it

reached a $250 million settlement of nationwide antitrust

litigation that is expected to change how real estate agents are

paid.

HomeServices of America, the largest U.S. real estate

brokerage, was the last remaining defendant in a case against

the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and four brokerages.

Its settlement would eliminate the risk of a much higher

payout, after a jury in Kansas City, Missouri in October sided

with home sellers who accused the industry of conspiring to keep

real estate commissions in that state artificially high.

Jurors awarded $1.78 billion of damages, which a judge could

have tripled.

HomeServices' settlement requires court approval. Lawyers

for the plaintiff sellers did not immediately respond to

requests for comment.

The NAR agreed to settle nationwide antitrust litigation for

$418 million last month, and won a judge's preliminary approval

on Tuesday.

It also agreed to rewrite rules for paying buyers' and

sellers' agents. Analysts said the changes could lower

commissions by at least 25%.

With the latest settlement, the NAR and brokerages including

HomeServices Anywhere Real Estate and Re/Max ( RMAX )

would pay more than $943 million to resolve antitrust claims.

Berkshire Hathaway ( BRK/A ) owns 92% of Berkshire Hathaway Energy,

which owns HomeServices as well as a variety of utilities,

pipelines and renewable energy projects.

HomeServices spokesperson Chris Kelly said the brokerage's

settlement represents "a sole obligation of HomeServices, with

no participation by any parent entity," and will result in a

$140 million after-tax accounting charge.

Berkshire Hathaway Energy remains a defendant in a similar

Kansas City case against several brokerages.

Lawyers for plaintiffs there did not immediately respond to

requests for comment.

Buffett's conglomerate, Berkshire Hathaway ( BRK/A ), ended 2023 with

$167.6 billion of cash and equivalents.