Facilitator Fees/Marketing Ideas

cuteboysmommy1

New to this site/board.  DH and I adopted our DS two years ago and now are in the process of "waiting" for our second.  Since our agency doesn't market us much more than showing the book to girls they meet with, I have been trying to find new ways to market us and get us more exposure.  We currently have profiles on several free sites and also have a facebook page.  I have bookmarked a couple of facilitators too, but am just flabergasted at that fees can run when going through a facilitator!  Our first adoption from start to finish cost us 23,000......we are finding you can't even touch a facilitator situation without forking over at least 20,000.  And that doesn't even include our attorney fees and our homestudy process (which so far has cost us 10,000).  Am I the only one who thinks this is crazy?

 And does anyone else have any other ideas on marketing?  Thanks in advance!!

Go_Dawgs

Be very careful and make sure that you have a handle on what is legal to do in your state.  Profiles on adoption sites may be illegal where you live.

GLynn2009

Why did you homestudy cost $10,000...... That seems super high to me.

cuteboysmommy1

The 10,000 does not cover JUST the home study.  It covered all the paperwork, counseling, homestudy, preparations of our birthmom letter, etc to get us prepared to be in the book.  Our total adoption for our son 2 years ago, from start to finish, was 23k. 

silliestbunny

I am working with several facilitators along w/a large adoption center.
I've found that most situations range from 29K-38K, and it includes all but travel, finalization, and facilitator fees.  
I have found situations as low as 16K but also as high as 47K. 

I struggle with balancing being patient with being financially responsible.

Good luck!

Temp206787500007404

Ditto Go_Dawgs.  "Marketing" or advertising by adoptive parents is illegal in my state -- your profile can only be shown by an agency or attorney.

In addition, facilitators and consults are not legal in some states.  So make sure you look into that as well.

AuburnBride06

Ditto what everyone else said.

Man, $10,000 is a lot, even for that stuff.

It baffles me how ridiculously expensive facilitators & agencies can be.

rwunderlich13

We used a facilitator and it was not nearly what you're finding others to be. Our entire adoption was probably 23k.

cuteboysmommy1

Thanks for all the comments.  Yes, per our attorney, our state (MN) allows adoptive parents to advertise for a birthmom. She said it is NOT legal for facilitators operate in Minnesota, which we already knew.