Debra Kamin

Then he realizes that he wants to get his house listed on Zillow. Everybody uses Zillow and Redfin to search for houses.

And he learns that Zillow actually has a program that homes that are sold for sale by owner, not with agents, are actually harder to find than homes that are listed by agents.

And he learns that Zillow actually has a program that homes that are sold for sale by owner, not with agents, are actually harder to find than homes that are listed by agents.

So basically, in real time, for all these people following him on Instagram, he's discovering all these layers to the real estate industry that he didn't know existed.

So basically, in real time, for all these people following him on Instagram, he's discovering all these layers to the real estate industry that he didn't know existed.

So he gets the home on the market, he stages it, he takes photos, it's ready to go. Buyer's agents in Boulder know about his house.

So he gets the home on the market, he stages it, he takes photos, it's ready to go. Buyer's agents in Boulder know about his house.

And one day, one of them gives him a call and says, something's happening that you need to know about. Agents representing buyers at my company are talking to each other in text and in person saying, we're not going to sell this guy's house because he's not playing by the rules.

And one day, one of them gives him a call and says, something's happening that you need to know about. Agents representing buyers at my company are talking to each other in text and in person saying, we're not going to sell this guy's house because he's not playing by the rules.

There's a word for this in real estate. It's called steering. You're either steering buyers towards a certain home or away from a certain home, and you're not allowed to do it, but it happens all the time.

There's a word for this in real estate. It's called steering. You're either steering buyers towards a certain home or away from a certain home, and you're not allowed to do it, but it happens all the time.

There's no hypothetical. They gave the explanation in text messages that I saw when I was reporting. Wow. They told this other agent who wanted to bring buyers, why would you take buyers to a house with a seller who's working against the system, who's undermining the way things have been done? It was a boycott.

There's no hypothetical. They gave the explanation in text messages that I saw when I was reporting. Wow. They told this other agent who wanted to bring buyers, why would you take buyers to a house with a seller who's working against the system, who's undermining the way things have been done? It was a boycott.

So Mike does find a buyer. There's a couple in Florida who sees the house on Zillow. They make an offer. He actually offers to pay a commission to the agent who's representing them. But in the end, he actually pulled out of the sale because Mike decided, after seeing so much of the inside workings of the real estate industry, that he wants to start a business to try to fix it. Wow.

So Mike does find a buyer. There's a couple in Florida who sees the house on Zillow. They make an offer. He actually offers to pay a commission to the agent who's representing them. But in the end, he actually pulled out of the sale because Mike decided, after seeing so much of the inside workings of the real estate industry, that he wants to start a business to try to fix it. Wow.

So rather than moving his family to Costa Rica, which was his dream, he's now going to stay in Colorado for the time being and work on this startup company that he's created. Wow. to try to change real estate commissions. Fascinating. And he told me about how it's not that he's trying to take down the real estate industry.

So rather than moving his family to Costa Rica, which was his dream, he's now going to stay in Colorado for the time being and work on this startup company that he's created. Wow. to try to change real estate commissions. Fascinating. And he told me about how it's not that he's trying to take down the real estate industry.

He believes that real estate agents are very important and sometimes are really useful.

He believes that real estate agents are very important and sometimes are really useful.

His message, though, which has been echoed by many other people I've spoken to in my reporting, is that you should be able to determine how much you want to pay for that service. And the industry gets on allowing those conversations to come to the surface. Sounds good. All right. Great to meet you. Bye. You too. Bye.