Derek Bauer's Seller Marketing Plan and Listing Standards
Derek Bauer's Seller Marketing Plan and Listing Standards
What Derek actually does, what he commits to in writing, and why he'd rather turn a seller down than let one down.
Most sellers get vague answers when they ask an agent what they will actually do to market a home. This page exists to answer that question specifically. Derek Bauer brings 24+ years of full-time experience, 1,100+ closed transactions, $225M+ in closed real estate volume, and a 99.08% lifetime list-to-sale price ratio (verified MLS data) across Brighton, South Lyon, Howell, Lyon Township, Milford, Northville, Novi, Ann Arbor, and the surrounding Livingston, Oakland, Washtenaw, and southern Genesee County communities of Southeast Michigan.
Every Bauer listing operates under The Bauer Listing Standards: a written Communication Guarantee, a written Easy Exit Guarantee, and a defined set of universal commitments that apply to every client. On top of that baseline, sellers choose from three marketing packages: Essentials, Signature, and Premier. Pricing is determined through honest analysis of the market rather than what a seller might want to hear at a listing appointment. The sections below walk through each piece.
The Bauer Listing Standards
Regardless of which marketing package a seller selects, a consistent set of service commitments applies to every Bauer listing. Two of these are signed written addenda that become part of the listing agreement itself. The others are operational standards Derek applies to every client.
In addition to both written guarantees, every Bauer listing includes:
- A Transparency Activity Log URL where listing activities are tracked for your review
- Showing requests and feedback access through ShowingTime as items are posted in the system
- Electronic lockbox for tracked agent access, Bluetooth-enabled where supported (declinable at seller's request)
- Professional yard sign (declinable at seller's request)
- Notification to every Real Estate One agent across the brokerage network on every new listing
- Global referral network exposure through Real Estate One's membership in Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, an invitation-only network of 550 independent firms across 70+ countries
- Organic social media presence across YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, where Derek regularly shares listings to his working network
- Open houses available on request, hosted by a trusted colleague from Derek's Real Estate One office when a seller wants them
- Scheduled listing reviews at 2 weeks, 30 days, and every 2 weeks thereafter, covering showing activity, buyer and agent feedback, competitive market movement, and recommended strategy adjustments
Where Your Listing Appears
Broad syndication is the default on every Bauer listing. When a home goes active, it is distributed to the sites where buyers and agents actually search, starting with the local cooperation database and expanding outward across consumer portals, brokerage networks, and global referral channels.
- Realcomp II Ltd MLS, the primary cooperation database for Southeast Michigan agents
- Zillow, Realtor.com, Homes.com, Trulia, Redfin, and Movoto
- The Real Estate One website network, including realestateone.com and derek.realestateone.com
- BauerRealtySolutions.com and Derek's search ecosystem
- LeadingRE.com, the global network exchanging 30,000 to 40,000 referrals among members annually
- Luxury Portfolio International for qualifying higher-priced listings, LeadingRE's luxury marketing division that markets approximately 50,000 luxury homes annually
- Hundreds of additional agent and brokerage IDX sites that pull from the MLS feed
The First 48 Hours
Once the listing agreement is signed, Derek's work starts immediately, and the sequence depends on whether the home is photo-ready.
If your home is photo-ready: the professional photo, video, floor plan, and (where applicable) drone shoot is scheduled right away. Brochure design is triggered if your package includes it. The yard sign and electronic lockbox are placed. The Transparency Activity Log URL is set up and populated. Within 1 to 2 days of professional content production, the listing is ready to go live in the MLS.
If your home needs preparation: the same milestones are scheduled along your runway, whether that is days, weeks, or months. Home preparation is its own discipline. Derek's 12-tool Moving Reality Check walks sellers through planning, prep, timing, and execution one decision at a time, so the heavy thinking is already done before the listing agreement is signed.
Start the Moving Reality Check →
Derek's role during the preparation window is to keep the launch sequence ready so nothing slows the moment you are ready.
Marketing Package Options
Beyond the universal commitments, sellers choose the level of marketing investment that fits the property and the goals. Specific pricing for each package is discussed during your Seller Discovery Session, not published online, so the conversation can reflect your property and situation honestly. Broker compensation is not set by law and is fully negotiable.
- Professional HDR photography
- MLS listing with broad public syndication (Derek's recommended exposure strategy)
- Coming Soon ramp-up when schedule and seller goals allow
- Compliant agent-to-agent pre-launch outreach
- Professional listing description copywriting
- 2D floor plans
- Cinematic video walk-through
- Short-form highlight reel optimized for social media
- Heavy-weight full-color bi-fold brochure with QR code to the listing video
- Conditional drone aerial imagery (lot size, acreage, waterfront properties)
- Zillow Showcase premium listing display
- Virtual staging for vacant homes
- Twilight and dusk photography
- Dedicated single-property website with custom URL
- Expanded print campaign: just-listed postcards and mailed brochures targeted to the surrounding area
- Paid social media promotion, geographically focused around the property's market area
- Professional staging coordination for vacant or transitional homes when recommended
Book a Seller Discovery Session →
Pricing Honesty
Derek likes to say that pricing real estate is part art and part science, and pricing is a process, not an event. Derek's pricing process, called the Bauer Pricing Strategy, combines a full Realcomp MLS read - active competition, recent closed sales, pending sales, and failed-to-sell listings - with the primary pricing anchor on live active inventory rather than older closed sales alone. The analysis also surfaces off-market transactions through additional tools. Adjustments for square footage, bed and bath count, lot size, age, condition, and recent updates are built into the analysis without being walked through line by line, because Derek is not a licensed appraiser. The resulting recommendation is presented as a realistic range.
Pricing is ultimately what buyers are willing to write checks for. An agent can suggest any number at a listing appointment. Whether the market agrees is a different question, and that difference is where overpriced listings die quietly on the vine.
Derek's 99.08% lifetime list-to-sale price ratio (verified through Realcomp MLS data across 1,100+ closed transactions) reflects pricing that is defensible to the market rather than pricing optimized to win listing appointments. The Bauer Pricing Strategy is the methodology behind that ratio.
From sale price to net proceeds. A defensible list price is only the first number. The number most sellers actually plan their life around is what they walk away with after mortgage payoff, Michigan transfer taxes ($8.60 per $1,000 of sale price), prorated property taxes, title costs, broker compensation, and any negotiated concessions. Derek built SellerProceeds.com specifically for Michigan sellers so the full picture can be modeled before any listing conversation. It is the only Michigan-specific net proceeds calculator built by a licensed Michigan Associate Broker, and it requires no sign-up to use.
Open the Net Proceeds Calculator →
On offers. When multiple offers arrive, Derek walks sellers through the options case by case. Sometimes a review date with notice to all interested parties is right. Sometimes a best-and-final deadline is right. Sometimes accepting the strongest offer on the table when it arrives is the right answer. The seller's circumstances and priorities drive the recommendation, not a one-size-fits-all protocol.
What Derek Does Not Guarantee
Honest limits matter. Derek does not guarantee:
- A specific sale price. Market conditions drive outcomes, and no ethical agent can contractually commit to a price that buyers will actually pay.
- A specific timeline to sale. Days on market depend on pricing, condition, competition, rates, and broader economic conditions, all of which move independently of agent effort.
- That every showing produces feedback. Feedback is submitted by third-party agents and buyers. Derek requests feedback in a reasonable manner through ShowingTime and shares what is received.
- That third-party reporting is always complete or instantaneous. Syndication platforms, feedback systems, and analytics dashboards have occasional delays and gaps.
What Derek does commit to is how he works: the written Communication Guarantee, the written Easy Exit Guarantee, scheduled listing reviews at defined intervals, transparency through the Activity Log, and pricing analysis that reflects the market rather than what is comfortable to hear. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Individual transaction outcomes vary.
Ready to Begin
The first step is a Seller Discovery Session. Derek reviews your property, your goals, and your timeline; walks you through all three marketing packages with specific pricing; and discusses a preliminary net proceeds estimate so you know what to expect before any agreement is signed.
If you would like to model your own net proceeds before that conversation, run your numbers first at SellerProceeds.com. Then book the session.
Run Your Numbers at SellerProceeds.com →
Book a Seller Discovery Session →
Related resources:
- Home Seller Guide - process overview from listing through closing
- Is It a Good Time to Sell in SE Michigan?
- What Is My Home Worth?
- SellerProceeds.com - Michigan net proceeds calculator
- MovingRealityCheck.com - 12-tool seller prep toolkit
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it cost to list my home with Derek Bauer?
Specific pricing for each of the three marketing packages (Essentials, Signature, Premier) is discussed during your Seller Discovery Session. Broker compensation is not set by law and is fully negotiable, and all compensation is determined through negotiation between the parties. Pricing varies based on the package level you select and the specifics of your property. To estimate what you would actually walk away with at closing, use the free Michigan Net Proceeds Calculator at SellerProceeds.com. Equal Housing Opportunity.
What areas does Derek Bauer serve?
Derek's primary service area spans four Southeast Michigan counties. In Livingston County, that includes Brighton, Howell, Hartland, Hamburg Township, Green Oak Township, Pinckney, Fowlerville, and surrounding communities. In Oakland County, much of the west and northwest including South Lyon, Lyon Township, New Hudson, Milford, Highland, White Lake, Commerce Township, Wixom, Walled Lake, Novi, Northville, Farmington Hills, West Bloomfield, and Waterford. In Washtenaw County, the northern portion including Ann Arbor, Saline, Chelsea, and Dexter. In southern Genesee County, Fenton and Linden. If your community is not named specifically but you are in or adjacent to these counties, reach out directly. Equal Housing Opportunity.
How do I estimate what I will actually walk away with at closing?
Use SellerProceeds.com, Derek's free Michigan-specific net proceeds calculator. It models your mortgage payoff, Michigan state and county transfer taxes ($8.60 per $1,000 of sale price), prorated summer and winter property taxes, title insurance and closing costs, negotiated broker compensation, and any seller concessions. It is the only Michigan-specific net proceeds tool built by a licensed Michigan Associate Broker. No sign-up, no email required, and entering your information does not trigger any automated marketing outreach. Net proceeds estimates are based solely on user-entered assumptions and do not constitute legal, financial, or appraisal advice. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Can I cancel my listing if I become dissatisfied with Derek's service?
Yes. Every Bauer listing includes a written Easy Exit Guarantee as an addendum to the listing agreement, giving you a defined right to request cancellation with no early termination penalty. The full terms of the addendum are walked through during your Seller Discovery Session before any agreement is signed. Equal Housing Opportunity.
How often will Derek communicate with me during the listing?
At a minimum, you receive a weekly Friday update by phone or email depending on your preference, which is a signed commitment in a written addendum to your listing agreement. Communication beyond the Friday minimum happens as needed throughout the listing whenever strategy questions, showing feedback, offer activity, or market developments warrant it. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Will Derek list my home at whatever price I want?
Not always. If pricing expectations are significantly out of alignment with what comparable sales and active competition support, Derek may respectfully decline the listing rather than take on a home that is likely to sit overpriced. His 99.08% lifetime list-to-sale price ratio across 1,100+ closed transactions is earned through pricing discipline at the start, and that discipline benefits every seller who works with him. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Does Derek hold open houses?
Open houses are available on request and are hosted by a trusted colleague from Derek's Real Estate One office in Brighton. Derek's preference is to concentrate marketing effort on professional content, broad syndication, and qualified agent-brought showings rather than open-house foot traffic. If you want open houses as part of your strategy, they are yours. Equal Housing Opportunity.
What happens if my home does not sell in the expected timeframe?
Every Bauer listing includes scheduled review conversations at 2 weeks, 30 days, and every 2 weeks thereafter. Each review covers showing activity, buyer and agent feedback, competitive market movement, and recommended adjustments. Whether the next step is a price adjustment, a staging refresh, new photography, or a marketing tactic change depends on what the data from your specific listing is telling us. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Connect With Derek
Whether you are months away from listing or ready to discuss a launch in the next two weeks, Derek welcomes a direct, confidential conversation about your property and your goals.
Derek Bauer
Associate Broker, REALTOR® | Real Estate One
Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) - Residential Real Estate Council
565 E. Grand River Ave., Brighton, MI 48116
Derek@BauerRealtySolutions.com
Broker compensation is not set by law and is fully negotiable. All compensation is determined through negotiation between the parties. The Communication Guarantee and Easy Exit Guarantee referenced on this page are incorporated into the listing agreement through written addenda with full terms; prospective sellers are encouraged to review the complete addenda language before signing. The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional real estate, legal, financial, or tax advice. Net proceeds estimates referenced on SellerProceeds.com are based solely on user-entered assumptions and do not constitute legal, financial, or appraisal advice. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Individual transaction outcomes vary. Derek Bauer is a licensed Michigan Associate Broker (License #6506038159) operating under Real Estate One, 565 E. Grand River Ave., Brighton, MI 48116. Equal Housing Opportunity.
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