Laura, have you ever sold a house?

I have ever sold a house.

I have never sold a house I have bought twice,

and you know, it's like a funny thing actually I have no idea how much my

agent got paid. In the US when someone decides to buy or sell a house they typically pay a real estate agent to get the

job done.

Here's our colleague Laura Kisto.

So I decide to sell my home.

And I go out and I find an agent.

And I'll talk to the agent.

And one of the things, one of the first conversations

that we'll have is about the commission.

And what is it going to be and what are we going to offer

to the buyer's agent?

Laura says that those commissions are often one of the more nebulous parts of a home sale.

This is sort of an important thing to understand, that I as a seller, in effect, she's sort of a chain of different people, but I in effect as a seller in effect to sort of a chain of different people but I in effect as a

seller when I sell my home and the one who pays the buyer's agent. For a long time

this is how many real estate transactions have played out.

Critics have said that it's a system that lacks transparency

and keeps home prices high.

And now, a historic verdict in a federal class action lawsuit could upend how it all works.

A bombshell court ruling in the real estate industry could affect those who are buying or selling a home.

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