When home buyers provide their contact information on real estate websites in order to reach an agent, it's worth more than they may realize.
Big players like Zillow and Realtor.com pass that information to real estate agents who have already agreed to pay the referral platform a kickback of between 25% and 38% of the commission they earn.
"These fees do not ensure the best customer service, often the opposite," said Stephen Brobeck, a senior fellow at the Washington, D.C.-based Consumer Federation of America.
