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Cutting Edge Marketing Services For Real Estate Sales
Kate Baird and Jody Hudson; Marketing Partners for FSBO!
 

Welcome!  You are on the most popular and most informative real estate web site anywhere around! Perhaps you may wish to use us to YOUR advantage!

Kate and Jody are For Sale By Owner Marketing Consultants!  We will form a Marketing Partnership with you and your other Realtor or with just you and the two of us... YOU choose!

We invest our time and money in you and your property - to differing degrees - or not - according to your needs and wants! 

Sell your own property and pay YOUR Choice of commissions!  10%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2% and... You can pay a fair fee of your own choice - pay for what you get and get what you pay for!

For Sale By Owner; Marketing Services and Solutions:

Our Unique Customized Service FEE SCHEDULE.

Our most inexpensive Basic Commission Fee for listing on Sussex County MLS is 2% or 3% and a $700 fee to start; see number 5 below. 

We are FULL SERVICE REALTORS with options no other Realtors have.  Our full service fees, where we pay all the expenses and give you far more service than anyone else will do or can do (because of our unmatched marketing mix) are usually:
. . 7% for homes between $120,000 and $400,000. 
. . For mobile homes on land and homes less than $120,000 our fees range from 8% to 10% as the price goes down or on leased land, short term leases, etc. are involved. 
. . From $400,000 to $1,000,000 our full service brokerage fee is 6% to 8% depending on services required by the seller. 
. . Over one million dollars our full service fee ranges from 4% to 9% depending on location of property, ease of showing, and services required by seller.  For instance if seller requires print ads, which seldom work, our fees are higher.  There are many other variables... 
. . We charge only 3% to 6% for only the sellers side of the transaction just like the 3% and 4% brokers do (the buyers broker does not get paid that way unless they have a separate agreement from the buyers to pay the buyer's agent). 
. . Undeveloped land and lots we charge 10% which is the usual in our county, and you get Jody's 35 years experience in land sales and use as well as his previous experience in farming.  Even with raw land here, however, our fees are negotiable to less, along with our service as commensurate with the reduced fees.

This variable fee schedule is individually customized and we will gladly sit down with you and our published fees; listed here, to show you all the options (and draw lines and circles if you wish) :) to show you what you get for how much.  Then YOU decide how much you want to pay for what - and you can change your mind as you go.  Bottom line: we give much more for the dollar and give far more options - than anyone else in the American real estate market to the best of our knowledge.

We view this as a marketing partnership with you and that our investment and yours, is detailed and negotiated openly... rather than just agreeing to a reduced fee and then giving reduced service, without telling you...

1. Free to prospective FSBO and Marketing Partnership clients as an introductory marketing package:
   
   a. Free list of all properties in your area that are Active, Sold, Under Contract, Withdrawn from the market, or have Expired contracts with Realtors.  This is a detailed report for you and you are then free to go drive by the subject properties to get a feel for the market near your property over the last year.
   
   b. Free short e-mail or telephone consultation to mutually determine if you and Kate & Jody will improve your likelihood of selling success
    

2. $500  Kate and Jody, both professional photographers, will take what is usually several dozens of high definition digital pictures of your property and record word impressions to go with them.  From these pictures and impressions the descriptions are written.  Pictures are then resized and edited for color and clarity so that they look good but come up fast in all the digital format uses, on the Web, and on the MLS. 
    

3. $500 For Raw Land Jody will develop a soil profiles portfolio for your land or lot and guide you to getting professional soil scientist work, septic feasibility studies, etc. to make your property more interesting and attractive to the buyer!  This is for a single lot or small parcel suitable for one home.  The various soils scientists and contrators will charge you directly as there is no markup by Jody for this service as you would ordinarily see (often 50% or more markup).  This can easily gain you an added 10% to 40% (on larger tracts) by saving the buyer guess work and more expensive studies - so that the buyer is more knowledgeable and less concerned about the usability of the land.  Jody can guide your contractors, by going on site with them, to get you a better report if possible.   For larger sites where the seller wishes to divide the land, Jody will work with you as a consultant with fees and expenses as per below.
    

4. $350 total cost.  Creation of a CD for you to use with your home printer or at Staples, a print shop, etc.  This CD has your one page color flier Press-Ready, to be used as your on-site flier in a brochure box, also available at Staples.  The CD (for Print as Press-Ready copy) is done in Microsoft Publisher.  The CD is for you to use to make unlimited copies for use on site, in a brochure box, etc.  We suggest you do a first printing of 500 to 2,000 depending on estimated interest due to your property location and passing traffic.
    

5. $800.00  We will enter your property on the Sussex County MLS (see link at bottom of page here).  Each property is then available to all other Realtors with full descriptions and 8 pictures.  All inquiries that come to us can go to you at no charge.  It is your choice.
   
   NOTE: The Realtors Association requires us to charge the seller a fee and to represent the seller as a seller's broker in order to use the MLS.  However, the seller in this case, is receiving the most limited service and advice from the seller's broker and no service to the purpose of getting the transaction to settlement.  In view of this limited service our minimum commission fee is only Two percent of the selling price, to be paid by the settlement attorney to Brown's Real Estate from settlement proceeds. This gives you only the MLS and no other services from us, as required by our Associations.  This $700 plus 2% is recommended only for those who wish to take all the calls directly and handle the other agents and the buyers directly as an immediate pass-through from us with no further service.  We do not feel this is as fair to you as the next option; see next note.
   
   NOTE 2: You may also wish to use our Full Service at this point as listing agents only; instead of this #5 option above (see # 14 below).  
    

6. $800.00 We enter your property on www.RealMLS.com at www.Delaware.com with full description and up to 11 pictures!  We use as many pictures as possible.  These listings are available to members of RealMLS as well as the general public.  Search engines find www.RealMLS.com, as well as www.Kate-Jody.com
    

7. $1,000  Kate and Jody can create, for your specific property, on the www.Kate-Jody.com web site, your own separate Web page.  Your special page on their site, will have approximately 500 word essay and description, or even much longer if needed.  Another thing no other service does, along with the page itself is that your page will be separately submitted, along with several dozen different search strings, to the major search engines.  This sophisticated, expensive, effective but time consuming and all important search engine marketing work, is part of the reason our www.Kate-Jody.com pages, come up so well in the search engines...
   
   7a. In addition, by having your own page on their site, you get the advantage of many  thousands of hours of work over 7 years of time that it takes to come up high in the search engines.  It is all these hours and specific techniques that allow www.Kate-Jody.com to come up on the first page, near the top, when people search for "Rehoboth Beach Real Estate for sale" and thousands of other search strings, with most search engines.  Within a matter of days, not years, your property page on their site will be near the top of search engines for several different "search strings".  You can discuss this with Jody and help design the search strings.  Most web page designers only submit one search string, if any, and that is part is why their sites are not always well found.  If you have heard of Meta Tags, invisible tags, special words, etc... these are all old style and don't work any more.  In fact using many of these techniques will kill your chances with the search engines.
    

8. $1,000 for first two hours or less and $500 per hour thereafter; Helping (or going instead of you) to meet, greet, qualify and PRE-CLOSE your prospects.  Here we are acting as marketing and sales strategy consultants and can help you in your writing of your sales contract with your buyer.  Or with you or even if you are not there, we can act to put them IN contract; see 11a.  We will work with you and/or your buyer, in person or on the phone, to bring about a successful sale and settlement for your property.  Here we are acting as sales and closing consultants only, based on our experience and having a real estate license, and not as Listing-Realtors.  We can assist you here in selling non-real estate items, personal property, leases, etc.  By giving you an outside sales and closing viewpoint to assist you in your goals achievement. 
        8a. $1,000 or 1/2% which ever is greater.   Here, Kate and Jody will work with you and/or your buying-prospect - if that buyer is Able, Willing and Convincible to BUY NOW.  This is getting a first deposit, getting a signed contract or offer from them in writing.  Again, we will do this while you are with us or with your prospect, even in your absence.
        Example:  You, the seller, are out of town; you are selling on your own and a prospective purchaser calls you and wants to see your property.  First you qualify them, as much as possible.  When you feel they are a good, qualified and ready-to-purchase buyer, you tell them that you will call them back to make an appointment.  Here we strongly suggest that you tell them this is never to be on the weekend.  And, most importantly, they must bring a mortgage pre-approval letter or letter from their banker that proves they are able to purchase your property at the price.  Reason: many people are recreational lookers and aren't able or don't plan to buy.  Weekend lookers are often caught in traffic, become irritated, delayed or just change their mind because their interest was more recreational than actual.  Experience has shown that bona fide, qualified, purchasers will set an appointment during the week if they are serious and this one thing cuts out many of the recreational real estate hunters. 
        OK, now... You call us and we mutually agree on a time we can meet them with you or in your absence.  At that meeting or showing, every effort is made to sell the property, get a deposit and write an offer or if you are there; agree and sign a contract.  If you are not there; we can by phone write an offer that is acceptable to you, as we negotiate with them and with you on the phone.
        Cost: a. We show the property and do not get a contract, the cost is $1,000. Or, b. We also get a deposit and written offer that you have agreed to, while we are all in-communication, the cost is as per 11a.  From this point you and your attorney can take the contract to settlement with their attorney.  Or, you can move to number 8. above where we take it to closing for you.  Further note: Since we know a bit about these folks from the negotiations and have a better idea of what it will take to get them to settlement; how long and how difficult and what will likely need to be done - we can discuss a bit less of a fee and might be willing to negotiate to less than our normal number 8. percentage in this case.
    

9. $550 to $2,500; Full market evaluation based on full review (this takes several hours) of market conditions, and all MLS data for past year that have a substantial bearing on your property sales potential.  This is where your property is evaluated NOW against all the other pertinent properties that are now or have been on the market and the results they had.  This can usually be done in one or two days.  This is not an actual appraisal but may well come to within 3% of a full professional appraisal.  Professional appraisers use the best 3 to 10 properties to evaluate your property.  This service by Kate and Jody takes into account all of the pertinent properties on the market for a year or more.  You will get data sheets that they use for this evaluation, and explanatory comments, dates, comments regarding possibilities, etc.  A shorter version of this is available for $400 that does not include unique or rural properties but is done for condos, in-town homes and usual lots, etc.
   
   The more unique properties here or ones that have special needs to make them saleable, such as clean up, zoning changes, rubbish or building removals and such will result in much larger range of values in the results.
    

10. $300 per hour, advertising advice, with Kate and Jody simultaneously, to help you write winning ads, this includes suggestions on where to place ads and how to get the most for your money.  This will be in person locally or via phone, if not done locally.
     

11. $300 per hour consulting fee with Jody for such things as land evaluations, feasibility of building, developing, advice on land, building, marketing, problem solving, etc.  Much of the value for Jody in this matter is his 30 plus years of experience and his contacts in this business.  This is for Jody Only as a specialized service from him and may be out of Delaware if you wish.  In addition to the hourly fee are expenses (with no markup) for his actual costs of working and for lodging, food, travel, etc.  Mileage is at below cost in today's world but above the IRS allowance and is $.50 per mile (Note:  AAA has written that the real cost of driving a car is more than $.70 per mile when all is figured in).  Jody will give a very detailed accounting of all he does, who he speaks with and all the addresses, locations, phone numbers, contents of all discussions with bulleted notes and a full accounting, perhaps a digital recording, and a full and exact report of everything he does for you and why (when appropriate).  At any time you will be able to know exactly what has been done, with whom and be able to step right into his work and continue to the next step.  Billing is weekly.  Retainer fee is a prepaid estimate of one month's work and will be subtracted from the commission or from the last bill.  Larger projects can be bid at a higher or lower fee depending upon a negotiated agreement between the principal and Jody. 
     

12. $450 color tri-fold brochure, 6 panels folded for both sides of card stock.  Professionally designed and on CD Printer-Ready for you or your printer. 
    
    NOTE: These are all the services that are available for a full service listing with Kate and Jody but we have separated the cost here for those who want only partial service and want to sell and market property themselves.  You may want to sell yourself or you may want to list the property conventionally with Kate and Jody... it is your choice.
    
    
    Full Service Options: NO other Realtor offers:
     

13. Out of town, state wide or national service for you!  We can also work under a Specific Power Of Attorney, outside of the Delaware Beach area and outside of Sussex County or even outside of Delaware.  The specific P.O.A. legally allows us to do whatever is described therein without us needing a real estate license in the particular county or state.  Here we charge the added fees of one dollar per mile as a mileage charge and expenses as agreed upon by you.  Jody did such work for years; hourly fee plus mileage plus expenses plus specific commission.  Some clients, with substantial experience using several agents, Realtors or attorneys or employees for many years - found Jody to be a great savings and far, far, more effective than all previous experiences.  One client employed Jody in this way an average of over twenty hours a month over a period of nearly five years; until here sizable real estate goals and purposes were satisfied.  At one point this client also gave Jody a very substantial and unexpected bonus a luxurious vacation and a large check in appreciation for the great service and gains he acquired for her and her husband.
    
     

14. Three percent; of the selling price, Kate and Jody will will field all the calls, set appointments with other Realtors; be available for unlimited questions and give full assistance to the seller and other Realtors.  Kate and Jody will continually assist and manage getting the transaction to settlement on behalf of the seller, We have reduced this from our customary 7 to 10 percent.  In addition to this you choose the flat-fee dollar schedule for only the specialized Internet marketing services you want.  See #5 and #6 and #7 above.  The best, least expensive and most full service available in this market place is from us at 3% plus the options you wish of 5,6, or 7 or all three!  
     

15. Four percent; for large acreage parcels, this includes going with the other Realtors to preview the properties, walk them, give them all pertinent plats, soils work, etc. as provided by the seller and explain and train Realtors who are not familiar with land and developments.  And, all the services in 14 above.
    
     

16. 3%  to the Buyer's Agent.  We very strongly encourage you to take this option - which gains for you the strength of the thousands of other agents who do not have signed payment agreements from their buyers.  You can get selling assistance from Buyer Brokers at half the normal commission, that is 3.5%  paid by buyer.  We or any other Realtor can serve any buyer as a Buyer's Broker only; And as Buyer's Broker only the Buyer pays a commission fee, not you the seller.  You represent yourself and manage getting the transaction to settlement or hire an attorney to do this additional service, if you wish.  OR, of course add #16 here to #14 or #15 above for the best combination at the least price in the market-place! 
    
    We are able to offer these substantially reduced percentages because of the prepayments of our hard cost items which helps defray our costs - we pass the savings on to you!
    
    We know these options and variations are serious departures from what is available anywhere else and we expect you will want to discuss these options for your property and for the exact market at this time, for your exact location!  We will then pick and choose, at your direction and with our discussion to serve you according to your decisions!  Let's Talk.  We think we have now covered all the bases - BUT - we have arrived at this sheet of prices by customizing marketing plans for a long list of people like yourself that we have helped in the past.  We are willing to further customize for you if you see a way we can further modify this and work with you better!
     

17. Here is an example of one of our FSBO properties as featured on our site.  Cinderberry Estates, Restricted and Exclusive Wooded lots in Georgetown, Delaware 19947  Please take a look at an example of what we can do as an example of #7 above!