Debra Kamin

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.

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.

If you talk to economists and analysts in the industry, they will say the settlement was a massive breakthrough moment. If you talk to agents, many of them will say the settlement changed nothing. There is a huge gap in understanding. And in the middle are agents on the ground just trying to make money and home sellers and buyers just trying to navigate the process.

If you talk to economists and analysts in the industry, they will say the settlement was a massive breakthrough moment. If you talk to agents, many of them will say the settlement changed nothing. There is a huge gap in understanding. And in the middle are agents on the ground just trying to make money and home sellers and buyers just trying to navigate the process.

There's no clear communication here about how it's supposed to work.

There's no clear communication here about how it's supposed to work.

Yes and no. The Justice Department has been investigating the National Association of Realtors for years. There's been a back and forth with them for a very long time. The settlement was brought by private home sellers.

Yes and no. The Justice Department has been investigating the National Association of Realtors for years. There's been a back and forth with them for a very long time. The settlement was brought by private home sellers.

It wasn't, but the DOJ was absolutely investigating NAR, and they continue to investigate NAR. Commissions and the conversations about commissions are a huge piece of that investigation. But the Justice Department has a lot of other things on their plate right now.

It wasn't, but the DOJ was absolutely investigating NAR, and they continue to investigate NAR. Commissions and the conversations about commissions are a huge piece of that investigation. But the Justice Department has a lot of other things on their plate right now.

The government is very busy and working with many fewer staff than they used to. So it's really anyone's guess how high of a priority this is and if there's going to be further enforcement. Is there an appetite for it? Yes, definitely.

The government is very busy and working with many fewer staff than they used to. So it's really anyone's guess how high of a priority this is and if there's going to be further enforcement. Is there an appetite for it? Yes, definitely.

If I've learned anything in the last year from reporting on this, it's that buying and selling a home is really scary and really overwhelming to the vast majority of people. Mike is an anomaly because he decided to just go with his own and kind of figure it out as he was going along. For most of us, it's really scary. I've sold a home. I remember sitting down with my agent.

If I've learned anything in the last year from reporting on this, it's that buying and selling a home is really scary and really overwhelming to the vast majority of people. Mike is an anomaly because he decided to just go with his own and kind of figure it out as he was going along. For most of us, it's really scary. I've sold a home. I remember sitting down with my agent.

I had no idea what the stack of papers was in front of me, and we just agreed to whatever she said because we trusted her.

I had no idea what the stack of papers was in front of me, and we just agreed to whatever she said because we trusted her.

I did not ask about the commission. I'm willing to say that to you, Michael, to your face. I did not ask about the commission. I think we paid 6%. I honestly don't remember. If it happened to me, it can definitely happen to anyone who's listening to this. It is not a problem to pay 6% as long as you know what you've agreed to. Which probably means asking.

I did not ask about the commission. I'm willing to say that to you, Michael, to your face. I did not ask about the commission. I think we paid 6%. I honestly don't remember. If it happened to me, it can definitely happen to anyone who's listening to this. It is not a problem to pay 6% as long as you know what you've agreed to. Which probably means asking.