Fred Spike, Exclusive Buyers Agent-Broker, NC License #25752

Like many of us, Fred Spike and his family fell in love with Wilmington while walking along Wrightsville Beach at sunset. While watching his two children ran along the water’s edge chasing the ever elusive seagulls and sandpipers, he knew he had found “home”.

That was over 30 years ago, and what Charlotte lost when the Spikes relocated east, Wilmington gained.

Since moving here, Fred has been a driving force in Wilmington’s business and cultural communities. He was founder and CEO of a family of scientific supply businesses in North Carolina and Germany, serving pharmaceutical research laboratories world-wide, and his entrepreneurial spirit has helped him serve local civic organizations as well. Non-profits that have benefited from his energy and expertise include the United Way , The Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, the Cameron Art Museum, and local theatre groups.

The Spikes make their home near their beloved beach, and they never forget how lucky they are to be able to enjoy it frequently. Wilmington has proven to be all they had hoped for and more. The local school system is one of the best in the state, and the local university demonstrates the value the area places on education. And great music, theatre, festivals, and tons of opportunities for outdoor recreation make it hard to choose what to do during leisure time.

Fred’s clients appreciate his passion for Real Estate, as well as his financial expertise and insight. He formerly held Series 7 and 66 securities licenses, dealing with complex financial issues. And, Fred is a fully-licensed independent insurance agent, and can advise clients regarding the special insurance issues involved in coastal living.

Fred loves to share his knowledge about the Wilmington area and how to get the best deal when buying Real Estate. Just Ask!

Linda Mehner, Exclusive Buyers’ Agent – Broker NC License #248389

Born and raised in New York, Linda grew up on Staten Island and later moved to the beautiful Mid-Hudson Valley. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English at the State University of New York at New Paltz. Linda taught kindergarten and first grade in public schools in New York and in Las Vegas before returning to New York to join the hospitality industry.

Tiring of the long, cold winters in New York, Linda and her husband, Chuck decided to move south. After much research, they chose the Cape Fear region with its beautiful beaches and rivers and plenty of opportunities to experience impressive theater, good music and great food.

Linda decided to put her customer service background to good use in the real estate field. She has spent her entire career providing five star service – as a teacher, a hotel manager, a hotel/resort development project manager, and now as a REALTOR® and Exclusive Buyers Representative.

Linda especially likes working with buyers to find the best home, at the best price, while providing her clients with all the information they need to make an informed decision. If you want to work with someone who will listen to your needs, diligently research properties that meet your needs, respond to your questions quickly, return calls, e-mails, and text messages in a timely manner, and negotiate the best deal, Linda will provide all of this and more as an exclusive buyers’ agent.

Being involved in her career and her community is important to Linda. She has earned the Graduate of the Realtor Institute designation (GRI), the Senior Real Estate Specialist designation (SRES), and e-PRO certification. She is currently completing requirements for the Council of Residential Specialists designation (CRS) and the Accredited Buyer Representative designation (ABR).

Carol Adams, Vice President of Operations

Carol was born and raised in central California and as a child didn't know about the East Coast. She never knew that Wilmington, NC existed and would someday steal her heart and become her new home.

Carol and her husband met on a blind date, married in 1995 and soon after moved to Oregon. They enjoyed the beauty of the Pacific Northwest and the laid back lifestyle. However, when an opportunity to move to New York was offered by his company, they jumped at the chance for a new adventure. After a couple years, his company moved them again, this time to Williamsburg, VA. After eight wonderful years however, they decided that one more move was in their future. After enjoying vacations to the Outer Banks, they knew they needed to live near the beach. A spur-of-the-moment trip to Wilmington confirmed what they had been looking for… a "big" city with small town charm and a beach within reach. They moved to Wilmington in 2006 and know this is where they'll stay.

Along the way Carol has held various positions in the health care and medical fields focusing on medical billing and payroll accounting. Most recently, Carol worked as the payroll administrator for a local Wilmington company before joining Just Four Buyers Realty, Inc.

When she isn't working, Carol likes to spend time with the Pleasure Island Sea Turtle Project, looking for shark's teeth, kayaking, sewing, and turning trash into treasure! She and her husband like to explore Wilmington and the surrounding area and spend a lot of time getting "lost."

Kathleen Baylies, Exclusive Buyers Agent-Broker, NC License #208895

Real estate has always been an interest of Kathleen’s, and she began to think seriously about getting into the business after enjoying successfully handling many of her own personal transactions. She’s been in the business, and making good deals for her clients, since 2003.

Kathleen loves working with people, and attributes her success to being a good listener. She knows that a good agent understands their buyers’ priorities and matches them up with appropriate opportunities. She strives to save her clients money and/or aggravation during the buying process…in fact, it’s one of the things she likes best about being in this business. After all, she says, “If I can’t do that, why should they hire me?”

One of her biggest frustrations is watching buyers put themselves at a disadvantage because they don’t understand the process. Kathleen explains, “Many people believe that they can save money by acting without their own agent and going directly to a listing agent or a builder. Unfortunately, by the time they realize they are paying the same price and have no one looking out for their best interests, it is too late. North Carolina real estate law does not work in the best interest of the buyer. If buyers call a listing agent or go to a development on their own, they have essentially eliminated the option of having their own representative (unless they pay a buyer’s agent directly). In the state of North Carolina it’s the agent who introduces you to the property that gets paid—regardless of what the buyers want. In other words, if a buyer walks into an open house by themselves and is shown the property by the seller’s agent, that agent gets paid the commission and works for both the seller and the buyer. Quite a disadvantage for the buyer. Therefore, it is essential that buyers find an exclusive buyers’ agent before starting to look at any property.”

Kathleen knows that staying on top of her game is essential, and that being in the real estate business is a lifelong learning experience. In addition to the course work required to keep and earn her real estate license, she has earned the Accredited Buyer’s Representative designation, and is an Accredited Luxury Home Specialist and e-PRO. She’s also working on completing the educational requirements to earn the Certified Residential Specialist and the Resort & Second Home Property Specialist designations.

The most important thing Kathleen would like potential clients to understand is that she will work diligently on every aspect of their real estate transaction. She handles each one as if it were her own, and is adamant about always wanting to do the right thing for every client. Kathleen reiterates, “After all, what is best for them is what’s best for me. This business lives and dies by referrals. So…how am I going to generate the most referrals? By trying to make the most money I can off of your transaction or saving you as much money as possible? The answer is clear. Wouldn’t you agree that my interests are best served by protecting YOUR best interests?”

On a Personal Note:
When not helping clients purchase homes or investment properties, Kathleen can frequently be found walking on Kure Beach, where she lives with her two shelter rescue dogs (that she willingly admits she spoils rotten!), or sharing some laughs with friends at one of her favorite downtown Wilmington restaurants. She places a priority on community service, and has served on boards and committees for many organizations, including the American Red Cross/Cape Fear Chapter, Downtown Business Alliance and Friends of WHQR Public Radio.

Kathleen's Testimonials