OUR PHILOSOPHY
Because we are a 100% buyer-focused broker, we offer buyers a variety of services that you will not find with most other real estate brokers. Many real estate agencies offer buyers the same basic services they have been offering for decades. That’s not us.
After selling a home, many real estate agents often give buyers a gift, such as a scented candle or decorative plate. We would like to give our clients something more memorable: a check for more than $10,000. We charge fees based on the time spent working for you, our client, or the services provided. Consequently, several of our flat-fee plans give buyers a rebate on part or all of the commission we earn.
This means we work for you, and only you. We owe nothing to the Seller, except for fair-dealing. With the flat-fee plans, we have no incentive whatsoever to have you purchase a property simply to earn a commission. We have no incentive to see you purchase a more expensive property simply to earn an even larger commission. For traditional real estate agents, the only way they get paid is if they sell you a home or condo—the more expensive the better . . . even if the property and the market are not right for you. As a flat-fee broker, we are here to tell you the truth, and nothing but the truth about the homes or condos you look at and the Ocean City area real estate market. Our only goal is to protect you, and if that means telling you this is not a good time to buy or this is not the area for you, that is what we will do.
There’s another angle too. In today’s chaotic real estate marketplace, many of the best buys, the best opportunities, are not traditional “listed” properties. Foreclosure sales and distressed seller-direct short sales often fit this description. With our flat-fee plans, we can dig around outside the traditional channels and listed MLS marketplace for unique properties that are available “below the radar” to the general public and brokerage community. Our focus is always on our service and your property search, not whether the property has been “listed” by a seller with an offered commission.
SERVICES
We offer 4 different varieties of payment option plans. The full details are contained in our written Exclusive Buyer Agency Agreement. The highlights, briefly, are as follows:
Traditional Straight Commission – Our most popular and frequently requested option. No service fees to you. The Sellers pay our fees. The traditional commission paid is offered by the Seller. You receive full service. That is, we will assist you in evaluating properties, preparing offers, and assistance in negotiating in your best interests. These services include consultations, assistance with lender selection and mortgage pre-approval, property searches and evaluations, property screenings and drive-by’s, home tours, offer generation and negotiation strategy, in short– the full menu all the way thru closing. No Retainer is required, but no rebate is provided to you.
Full Flat-Fee Services with 100% Commission Cash-Back – This is a service for serious buyers only that are certain they are going to buy a home or condo. If you are definitely buying a property, this option saves you thousands. You pay a flat-fee, and we return the full commission we receive from the Seller . . . to YOU. Here’s an example: On a $500,000 home or condo that we receive a $15,000 Seller paid commission . . . your flat-fee is just $7,500 plus out of pocket expenses. At closing, we write you a check for the $15,000 we received from the Seller, so you just pocketed $7,500 cash-back. On a million dollar home or condo at a 3% commission, you receive $22,500 cash-back. Your flat-fee includes 40 hours of our time. Additional blocks of time are available at the same fee.
“New Construction Advantage” 50% Commission Cash-Back – Buy any new construction home or condo from a builder or developer, using HomeBuyerPower® as your broker, and you receive up to 50% of the commission we receive from the builder or developer. You MUST contact us BEFORE contacting the builder or developer so we can register you. If we spend one day with you, you receive up to 50% Cash-Back of the commission we receive from the builder or developer. If we spend two days with you, you receive up to 25% of the commission we receive from the builder or developer. On a $500,000 home or condo that we receive a $15,000 commission . . . you could pocket $7,500 cash-back. On a million dollar new home or condo at a 3% commission, you could receive a $15,000 rebate. Please note though that this only applies if you use HomeBuyerPower® as your broker, and you have not already seen the home or condo with another broker or contacted the builder or developer directly.
Hourly Fee “Contract Advantage” Services – We offer different versions of this service depending on the level of effort you desire.
What if you’ve done your own research, located a property, do not require any customary buyer-brokerage services but do wish to make an offer with a carefully crafted pro-buyer Agreement of Sale prepared on your behalf by a Maryland licensed attorney buyer-broker? We are here to help on an hourly basis. We offer solution-oriented confidential assistance in preparation of real estate contracts, residential and commercial leases, wraparound mortgage loans, lease and purchase option agreements, land installment contracts, seller financing instruments, and required statutory disclosures. All Agreements of Sale are “hand prepared” — that is, they are prepared by a licensed Maryland attorney based upon your unique situation and goals. This is not a “form blank insertion” effort with a “standard board” contract.
What if you’ve done your own research, located a property, do not require any customary buyer-brokerage services but do wish to be represented during contract negotiations? We are here to help on an hourly basis. Assistance in negotiation, counseling, and review of Agreements of Sale by a Maryland licensed attorney buyer-broker is available.
What if you’ve done your own research, located a property, do not require any customary buyer-brokerage services but do wish to be represented at closing? We are here to help on an hourly basis. Has your attorney reviewed the documents you are expected to execute at closing? Who is protecting you? Assistance in review of HUD-1 settlement statements, deeds, deeds of trust, promissory notes, mortgages, financing statements, security agreements, special powers of attorney, condominium and homeowner association disclosures and related documents by a Maryland licensed attorney buyer-broker is available. Attendance at closing by a Maryland licensed attorney buyer-broker is also available if you wish.
