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32Proposed changes in real estate could alter the way buying a house works in the US. But according to top local real estate pros, the changes aren%u2019t a catastrophe and could bring about positive change.The mid-March headlines sounded earth-shattering: a $4m-plus settlement bombshell was going to change the way real estate is done in the United States.The topline news was indeed big. The National Association of Realtors agreed to pay $418m to settle lawsuits around the way commissions are handled. The specifics can get a bit technical, but the main changes are straightforward. Listings on multiple listing services (MLS) can no longer offer to compensate buyer%u2019s agents, and buyer%u2019s agents will need to enter into written agreements with clients before doing any work. The settlement must still be approved by a judge.Real estate experts, consumer advocates and other have debated what all it could mean and what changes it could bring about. However for leading Fort Lauderdale real estate professionals, this is not the time of panic some have made it out to be.%u201cThe headlines are a lot worse than the story,%u201d luxury specialist Tim Singer said. %u201cOur whole industry is based on realtors cooperating with each other. There%u2019s always been an offer of compensation of some kind, and now it%u2019s being better explained to the sellers.%u201dSinger has been in the South Florida real estate business since 1987; like other well-known local real estate professionals, he%u2019s seen others not make it in the business. He reckons that could happen again.%u201cThe qualified, experienced people will stay,%u201d he said. %u201cWe%u2019ve seen cycles before where people run to the business, find out it%u2019s not so easy and run away. There%u2019s always places where there%u2019s some abuse in business. This is maybe cleaning up some of that, and good. That%u2019s the positive here. I do believe the headlines were overly dramatic.%u201dJody Lewis of Douglas Elliman Real Estate plans on conducting business as she always has.%u201cIt%u2019s not going to affect me personally because honestly, integrity and loyalty are always my first three things,%u201d she said.The Big Buy-In By Erik PetersenThe headlines are a lot worse than the storyTop local realtors weigh in on commission changes%u201c %u201d