J. Cate Kassab, the CEO, broker-in-charge, and owner of My Upstate Home LLC, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who for her work in the real estate industry. With a career spanning more than 15 years, she has established a noteworthy approach to real estate, one influenced by her background in education that focuses on transparency and personalized service.
From Classroom to Real Estate
Kassab’s career began in the field of Special Education back in 2001, where she learned the importance of IEPs (individualized education plans).
“As a special education teacher, I learned that one size doesn’t fit all, not in any service-based industry,” she explains. “Every student needed their own individualized plan, and I’ve applied this same principle to real estate with ISPs (individualized service plans).”
She created multiple service packages that clients can choose from and individualize to collectively tailor-make each and every service plan for each unique client. She remarks, “The clients have loved it because it gives them a chance to only pay for what they need.”
This philosophy has led Kassab to establish My Upstate Home, a company operating very differently from traditional real estate firms. How? For starters, the company eliminates corporate overhead fees, allowing agents to retain more of their commissions and clients to save more of their money without having to hire a discount brokerage or receive limited services.
The model aims to provide a more personalized service to clients without increased costs. Just by removing the middlemen, clients can save up to thirty percent, sometimes even more depending on the services they choose.
Kassab’s academic background includes a bachelor’s degree from Clemson University and a master’s degree from Seton Hall University. She has held certifications as a teacher, principal, superintendent, realtor, insurance agent, and broker-in-charge.
Transparency in Real Estate Transactions
My Upstate Home prioritizes transparency in real estate transactions due to Kassab’s own beliefs that consumers should know exactly where their money is going. Today, the only commission-related numbers any client sees on a settlement statement is the total brokerage commission. Because of that, the average consumer has no idea how that total commission is divvied up once received by each brokerage. She is advocating for more transparency on settlement statements in which there is a line item for the total commission as well as a line item for the agent’s commission. This way, any client can determine if they are happy with what the brokerage provided for what they paid and if they are happy with what the agent provided for what they paid.
“I choose to believe that no one is being intentionally deceptive by not sharing the actual costs of their fees. But, as a consumer, hiring an agent at any firm, you need to know that information to make a well-informed and educated decision that protects you and your family. I believe if you knew where your money was really going, you would make very different decisions,” she states. “Ask upfront, ‘How much am I paying the middlemen, and what am I getting for that?’ My answer to you would be, ‘Zero. You are getting whatever services you select and have an itemized ISP (individualized service plan) provided.’”
This transparency extends to how brokerage fees impact agents’ earnings and services. Agents working with brokerages that have high corporate, affiliate, and franchise fees retain less of their commission. Consequently, they have smaller marketing budgets compared to agents at firms without such fees. This difference can significantly affect the level of service and exposure a property receives during a sale. Customers and agents alike can save much more when they need not factor in 15% or 35% in their budgets.
Tailoring Services to the Upstate South Carolina Market
My Upstate Home’s approach is tailored to the specific needs of the Upstate South Carolina market, where homes in the multimillion-dollar range are rare. Kassab notes that roughly 80 percent of the homes in both San Francisco and San Jose are worth one million and up, while in Upstate South Carolina, only 2.5 percent of homes are valued at $1 million or more.
“I couldn’t subscribe to the thought that every consumer, no matter their location or individual needs, would benefit the most from paying for affiliations, marketing, and services that have absolutely nothing to do with them or their specific market,” Kassab explains.
Focusing on Relationships and Community
Kassab’s strategies are effective. She reports that My Upstate Home is the most transparent real estate company she has ever encountered in nearly twenty years. She says, “When clients know their agent truly cares and has the power to provide complete transparency, the entire game changes. I created a business model that isn’t just client centered verbally, we can actually prove it in your transaction.”
“Our clients often return and recommend us to others,” she notes. “We are meeting their needs, in a refreshing new way, with a level of transparency they have never seen before.” The higher level of transparency helps agents create more trusting relationships with their clients. The added level of trust is directly impacting the Upstate communities in a very powerful way.
What’s Next for My Upstate Home
Kassab aims to expand My Upstate Home across the Upstate with up to twenty agents over the next five years. “I want to keep the company small enough to remain boutique while being large enough to meet the needs in the Upstate,” she remarks. She also plans to use digital platforms to share information about the company and how it is making a difference.
As the real estate industry evolves and competition intensifies, Kassab believes that brokerages will need to adapt to remain competitive. “When brokerages compete, you win. It’s that simple. We’re making a difference because someone had to and we can,” she says.
Kassab’s approach to real estate, informed by her background in education and commitment to transparency, offers an alternative to traditional real estate practices. As she continues to develop My Upstate Home, she remains focused on providing the highest quality, personalized services to clients and support for her agents in the Upstate South Carolina market.
