Brett Baker 2.0

Tax Certificate Sales

Brett Baker, E-Pro, GRI (Coldwell Banker, Gordon Co. Realtors) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 15:29:20 -0500

The county where I live in Missouri is preparing for a Tax Certificate Sale. This is where property owners have not paid their Real Estate taxes over the past 3 years and the County Assessor's Office auctions off the property. There are a number of catches that I am trying to weed through. I am trying to get prepared for the large auction that is coming up at the end of this month and I am curious if anyone has had any experience, good or bad, with purchasing these properties in their communities. I would really like to hear from people in Missouri as the rules are the same across the state, though I would welcome comments from anyone with experience in the matter.

This part is a bit long but here is how Tax Certificate Sales are handled in Missouri:

The Tax Certificate Sale

All lands and lots on which taxes are delinquent and unpaid for three (3) years are subject to a tax certificate sale at public auction. The tax sale is held annually on the 4th (fourth) Monday in August commencing at 10:00 a.m. at the Cole County Courthouse.

•Delinquent taxes with penalty, interest and costs may be paid to the county collector at any time prior to the scheduled sale date.

•The list of properties subject to sale is published in the Jefferson City News Tribune for three consecutive weeks prior to the tax sale.

•Non-residents of Missouri may not bid unless special arrangements have been made with the collector prior to the sale.

•The sale is conducted by the collector. Bidding begins for the amount of taxes, penalties and sales costs.

•Buyers or a buyer's representative must be present to bid.

•Each parcel offered for sale is individually identified by advertised item number, parcel number and owner of record.

•Buyer must sign an affidavit stating that he/she is not currently delinquent on any tax payments on any property. Failure to sign such affidavit, as well as signing a false affidavit, may invalidate the property purchase. Affidavits are available at the collector's office or the sale site immediately prior to the tax sale.

•The successful bidder receives a sale sheet identifying the parcel and bid price at the auction. The total purchase price must be paid to the collector's office immediately at the close of the sale. Cashier's check, bank draft, cash or money order are accepted. Personal checks are not accepted.

•If the bid is not paid, a penalty of 25% of the bid amount plus a prosecuting attorney's fee may be assessed against the bidder.

•The collector issues and mails a certificate of purchase to the purchaser. The certificate of purchase is retained for one year or until the property is redeemed with the exception of certificates issued prior to August 28, 2003 which are retained for two years or until property is redeemed.

•The original property owner may redeem the property anytime within one year from the sale date.

•The purchaser may assign ownership of the certificate of purchase by completing the assignment portion on the certificate. The assignee must be a resident of Missouri. The certificate can not be assigned to anyone owing delinquent taxes. Such assignment must be notarized and presented to the collector's office to be recorded. The collector's office normally has a notary public available.

•Liens are not extinguished at the time of sale or during any period of redemption.

The Redemption Period

Property sold at tax certificate sale for delinquent taxes may be redeemed within one year from the issuance of a Certificate of Purchase as follows:

•Property may be redeemed by the owner of record, or by any person holding a publicly recorded deed of trust, mortgage, lease, lien or claim upon the property. If property is being redeemed on the owner's or lienholder's behalf, a signed statement of authorization from the owner or lienholder must accompany the redemption request;

•Please advise the collector's office at least twenty-four hours prior to the date you will be redeeming; call to schedule an appointment and allow twenty minutes to process;

•Pay the collector the bid amount on the certificate of purchase plus 10% annual interest on the amount of sale less any surplus;

•Pay the collector the amount of any subsequent years' taxes paid, if applicable, plus 8% annual interest;

•Payments must be made by cashier's check, money order, or bank draft - no personal checks will be accepted.

The County Treasurer holds any overage (the amount left after taxes/fees are paid to the Collector) until the redemption period is over. This amount is then paid to the original owner if they apply. If not, it is held until such time it is distributed to the appropriate school district.

Disputed claims are determined at a public hearing before the Cole County Commission.

The Collector's office notifies the Certificate of Purchase holder when the property has been redeemed. The Certificate of Purchase must be surrendered to the Collector before the holder will be reimbursed the bid amount plus interest. The Collector will provide a check to the Certificate of Purchase holder for the redeemed amount.

A Certificate of Redemption will be issued to the owner of record when property is redeemed. The Certificate of Purchase holder will be notified when a Certificate of Redemption is issued.

The Collector's office makes every attempt to notify the interested parties; however, failure to receive notice(s) does not affect the legal time constraints for redeeming property or obtaining a Collector's Deed.

The Collector's Deed

If the property has not been redeemed during the one year redemption period, the holder of the Certificate of Purchase may apply for and receive a Collector's Deed to the property. A Collector's Deed can be issued to the Certificate of Purchase holder provided the following has occurred:

•The legal holder of the Certificate of Purchase is named as the original tax sale purchaser or the assignee on the original Certificate of Purchase;

•A title search on the property has been made by the purchaser and verification furnished to the collector;

•Purchaser has provided an affidavit to the collector ninety days prior to requesting a collector's deed that the purchaser has done the following:

•notified by certified mail the publicly recorded owner at the last known available address and anyone with a publicly recorded deed of trust, mortgage, lease, lien or claim upon the property, that they have ninety days to redeem said property or be forever barred from redeeming said property; and

•provided to the collector verification for the above title search and certified mailings;

•The certificate of purchase holder has notified the collector by affidavit that no publicly recorded deed of trust, mortgage, lease, lien, or claim exists; if the search revealed there are no lien holders or claimants; and

•Property liens, with the possible exception of a federal tax lien, are extinguished once a collector's deed is issued assuming compliance with notification(s) to lienholder(s) is proven;

•The Certificate of Purchase has been surrendered to the collector; and

•Appropriate fees have been paid to the collector; and

•All taxes that have accrued on the property have been paid.

Failure of the purchaser to obtain a Collector's Deed within two years from the date on the Certificate of Purchase results in the loss of the purchaser's lien on the property.

The Collector's office makes every attempt to notify the interested parties; however, failure to receive notice(s) does not affect the legal time constraints for redeeming property or obtaining a Collector's Deed.

Jefferson City Market Update, May 3

Brett Baker, E-Pro, GRI (Coldwell Banker, Gordon Co. Realtors) — Sun, 04 May 2008 14:31:38 -0500

Curious to know just how the market is doing in Jefferson City? Well, here are the details, hot off the press.

*All Information is for Jefferson City. No surrounding communities are included.*

There are 433 homes on the market with prices ranging from $26,650-$1,400,000.
To date there have been 217 homes sold this year.
The average sale price is $136,189
The average list price is $141,713
The average List Price to Sale Price ratio is 96%

Here is some interesting information on how these homes were financed.
199 out of 217 homes were purchased using conventional financing. (The banks are lending money!)
11 homes were purchased using cash alone.
4 homes were purchased using FHA financing.
3 homes were purchased using VA financing.

The hottest price range in the Jefferson City market has been $120,000-$139,999 There have been 33 homes sell to date.
The slowest price range is everything above $399,999. No homes have sold yet in 2008.

Homes on average are on the market for 91 days. This means it is normal to be on the market for at least 3 months.

Here is another interesting way to look at the data:
72 homes sold in 0-30 days
32 homes sold in 31-60 days
27 homes sold in 61-90 days
29 homes sold in 91-120 days
30 homes sold in 121-180 days
22 homes sold in 181-365 days
5 homes sold in 366-720 days

I hope this information is usefull to you. I will continue to update this post on a monthly basis.

Feel free to call Brett Baker at 573-761-3330 anytime. I love to talk Real Estate!

How Much Can You Afford?

Brett Baker, E-Pro, GRI (Coldwell Banker, Gordon Co. Realtors) — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:13:38 -0500

Before you can begin to search for a new home, you need to determine your budget and estimate how much you can afford. One of the most important factors in figuring out your financial budget is getting pre-approved for a mortgage.

What is a Mortgage? The first step towards financing a new home is getting pre-approved for a mortgage. A mortgage is an advance of money from your lender that will cover the finances of your new property. Over an extended period of time, you must pay the bank back each month a percentage of the money they lent you plus interest, until the total sum is paid in full. This is how most homes are financed.

Documents You Will Need. When you apply for a mortgage, you will need to furnish information regarding your income, expenses, and obligations. To save time, have to following items available for each borrower:

Two most recent pay stubs
W-2s for the last two years
Federal tax returns for the last two years
Last two months’ bank statements
Long-term debt information (credit cards, child support, auto loans, installment debt, etc.)

For more information please give me a call at 573-761-3330. I love to talk Real Estate.

What is the Financing Process Like?

Brett Baker, E-Pro, GRI (Coldwell Banker, Gordon Co. Realtors) — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:03:32 -0500

Here is an easy way to understand the financial steps you'll need to take to guide you towards your new home.

Calculate your budget
Apply for a mortgage
Lender begins processing the application
Lender provides booklet of estimated closing and related costs
Lender requests an appraisal of home, a credit report and verification of employment and assets
Estimate of your loan costs in form of initial Truth in Lending Disclosure Statement
Lender evaluates the application and approves the loan
Search begins – Sales Associate shows you multiple listings
You find the house you want
You make an offer
Lender disburses funds to closing agent
Sign closing documents and loan is funded
Appropriate documents recorded at county recorder’s office
The home is sold and it is yours

Each step is important and will help you become a stronger buyer. For more information on the financing process call Brett Baker at 573-761-3330 today.

Whay is the Financing Process Like?

Brett Baker, E-Pro, GRI (Coldwell Banker, Gordon Co. Realtors) — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:01:59 -0500

Here is an easy way to understand the financial steps you'll need to take to guide you towards your new home.

Calculate your budget
Apply for a mortgage
Lender begins processing the application
Lender provides booklet of estimated closing and related costs
Lender requests an appraisal of home, a credit report and verification of employment and assets
Estimate of your loan costs in form of initial Truth in Lending Disclosure Statement
Lender evaluates the application and approves the loan
Search begins – Sales Associate shows you multiple listings
You find the house you want
You make an offer
Lender disburses funds to closing agent
Sign closing documents and loan is funded
Appropriate documents recorded at county recorder’s office
The home is sold and it is yours

Each step is important and will help you become a stronger buyer. For more information on the financing process call Brett Baker at 573-761-3330 today.

Does moving up make sense?

Brett Baker, E-Pro, GRI (Coldwell Banker, Gordon Co. Realtors) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:01:13 -0500

These questions will help you decide whether you’re ready for a home that’s larger or in a more desirable location. If you answer yes to most of the questions, it’s a sign that you may be ready to move.

Have you built substantial equity in your current home? Look at your annual mortgage statement or call your lender to find out. Usually, you don’t build up much equity in the first few years of your mortgage, as monthly payments are mostly interest, but if you’ve owned your home for five or more years, you may have significant, unrealized gains.
Has your income or financial situation improved? If you’re making more money, you may be able to afford higher mortgage payments and cover the costs of moving.
Have you outgrown your neighborhood? The neighborhood you pick for your first home might not be the same neighborhood you want to settle down in for good. For example, you may have realized that you’d like to be closer to your job or live in a better school district.
Are there reasons why you can’t remodel or add on? Sometimes you can create a bigger home by adding a new room or building up. But if your property isn’t large enough, your municipality doesn’t allow it, or you’re simply not interested in remodeling, then moving to a bigger home may be your best option.
Are you comfortable moving in the current housing market? If your market is hot, your home may sell quickly and for top dollar, but the home you buy also will be more expensive. If your market is slow, finding a buyer may take longer, but you’ll have more selection and better pricing as you seek your new home.
Are interest rates attractive? A low rate not only helps you buy a larger home, but also makes it easier to find a buyer.

9 Home Staging Tips For A Faster Sale

Brett Baker, E-Pro, GRI (Coldwell Banker, Gordon Co. Realtors) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:35:02 -0500

First Impressions Count. Roll out the red carpet for potential homebuyers by sprucing up your entryways, especially the one on a lockbox. Welcome mats, planters filled with seasonal flowers, and clutter-free foyers and hallways set the stage.
Sell the space, not your stuff. Remember that the goal of a successful showing is to make a prospect feel at home – like it’s theirs, not yours. Put away your extensive personal collections. Less is more: open up your space so prospects can actually see what they’re buying.
Paint and elbow grease work wonders. Fresh paint and a thorough cleaning will give you the greatest “bang for your buck.” Remember that neutral walls are your best be when staging a home for sale.
Go with the flow. Arrange furniture for easy traffic flow. Consider placing a major piece of furniture at an angle, such as a couch or desk. Angles add interest and can create a more open feel.
See the light. Move lamps to dark corners and arrange window treatments so that natural light floods your rooms. Brighter is better, and your rooms will look larger.
Go green. Live plants can add decorative flair, without spending a bundle. Plants and cut flowers have a way of warming up a room.
Don’t forget the outdoors, especially this time of year. If you have a porch, deck, or patio, clean the furniture and replace worn cushions. Breath new life into your deck with a fresh finish. There are a variety of staining and sealing products that are easy to apply.
Make the kitchen sparkle. De-clutter the countertops by removing toasters, food processors and other non-decorative items. If you have a breakfast table or counter, put out a couple of table settings complete with place mats, napkins, and dinnerware.
Warm up an empty home. If your home is vacant, consider renting furniture for key rooms, but don’t go overboard. Ask your real estate professional for advice, based on your home’s unique features and selling points.

No More 100% Financing....Have you heard?

Brett Baker, E-Pro, GRI (Coldwell Banker, Gordon Co. Realtors) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 16:16:27 -0500

You read it right. No more 100% financing. Of course I can't speak for every community so I am speaking for mine, Jefferson City, MO. The local banks are no longer making true 100% financing options available to their customers. Now there are some ways around it...at least somewhat. They will still offer 80/20 programs. Many first time home buyers over the past few years have relied on these 100% financing program and have gotten themselves into a lot of trouble. I am glad my local banks are making these changes and I hope that first time home buyers will recognize the importance. Buyers...it is important that you are able to bring some money to the table in a Real Estate transaction. It helps make your offer more solid and it is a much better financial decision. Understand that it may mean waiting a bit longer until you can save the right amount to get started but it will be worth it.

Have a great day!

Open Houses, Saturday April 12th

Brett Baker, E-Pro, GRI (Coldwell Banker, Gordon Co. Realtors) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 11:50:14 -0500

I am having a few open houses this weekend and I would love for you to stop by. Here is where I will be.

9:30-10:30 2014 West Edgewood

This home is listed at $245,900 and has 5 bedrooms, 3 baths, 2 kitchens and 1 great lot with mature trees and nice views. Over 3500 finished square feet.

11:00-12:00 1214 Southwest Blvd

This nice little house is listed at $83000 and sits on a large 1 acre lot in town. Located close to all community amenities. A little TLC will make this one a gem.

1:00-2:00 1603 Dry Creek

This new construction is listed at $217,000 and can be ready for you in no time. There are gorgeous wood floors and spacious rooms.

All of these open houses are on Saturday, April 12th. Hope to see you there.

Signs of Spring in Jefferson City

Brett Baker, E-Pro, GRI (Coldwell Banker, Gordon Co. Realtors) — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 18:34:26 -0500

I saw this tree lined stree today and just had to take a few pictures. We are so ready for spring here in Jefferson City and I was glad to see some signs of it. The Real Estate market is picking up and trees are starting to bloom and for me that means buyers should be coming out of their shells and looking at homes. Sellers, it's time to do some yardwork, plant a few flowers and get your home looking good. Your competition will be. The next one was an eve better find because I could get the Capitol building in it as well. The Capitol building is the essence of our town so I just love to get pictures of it.

Look for this one on the cover of the Jefferson City Home Buyers Guide on Fridays. I am going to submit this one with a few others I took this weekend. Have a wonderful weekend!

Is your profile accurate? Mine is now

Brett Baker, E-Pro, GRI (Coldwell Banker, Gordon Co. Realtors) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 15:41:59 -0500

Recently, I have been reading a lot of different blogs trying to take in as much information about the real estate market as I can. There are so many aspects of real estate that is hard to keep up on everything all at once. My focus has been on my online marketing and what is being said about me on the internet.

I came across an article talking about HomeThinking.com and I was curious to find out what it said about me. First of all, HomeThinking.com is a web site that gathers information about the homes you currently have listed and have recently sold. It takes that information and creates a summary about you and your production. This summary is presented to buyers and or sellers as a way to determine if they want to use you as their Realtor of choice. The profile has a component that allows the potential customer to contact you directly via e-mail but it has a kicker. It also suggests that they contact 2-3 other Realtors in your area and it sometimes has a sponsored agent that it will try to get the customer to contact in every case.

Here is what I thought, I want to make sure this information is correct so people are making a fair judgment about me and are able to get in contact with me easily if they choose to start on that site. So, anxiously I found the website and began navigating to my profile. Much to my dismay it took a long time to find my name. I was nearly last on a list of nearly 300 Realtors some of which do no business in my community and in reality do very little business at all. Wait... it gets worse. I found two separate profiles about me and neither of them was correct. One stated that I worked for a company that was incorrect and the other showed my first name as GRI when that is actually a designation that I have. E-mails from that profile were addressed to GRI Baker. Needless to say this is not a great way to make a first impression on home buyers and or sellers.

The silver lining is that all of this information was easily corrected. I simply made contact with the sites creator and began to diligently update my production stats. The creator happens to be an AR member which I recently found out. Quick action was taken to remove my incorrect profiles and it was easy for me to log-in and update all of the information about me. I also found that by updating my information I was able to move up the ranks to the second spot in the list. There is a sponsored agent in my community so I would only be able to get to the top by purchasing a sponsored profile page. For now I am fine with being the second listing. It is much, much better than where I was previously.

So here is my advice and my question.

Advice: Check out Homethinking.com. Update your profile so the information about you is accurate. Test the e-mail function so you will know what a contact from the site looks like if and when you get one. Work with the creator of the site to try and make it better. It is a free marketing tool so take advantage of it.

Question: Surely there are some other sites out there that have similar information and issues. Do you know of one that we all need to be aware of?

Have a great day!

New in Jefferson City......100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Brett Baker, E-Pro, GRI (Coldwell Banker, Gordon Co. Realtors) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 13:22:17 -0500

Introducing The New Standard of

Excellence

In Real Estate Service

Brett Baker Delivers

Satisfaction Guaranteed

100% Satisfaction or My Commission Back

That's right, when you employ Brett Baker to sell your home, if, at the end of the transaction, you do not feel that he has earned his commission, he will gladly give it back. No hassles, no questions asked. Brett believes that his real estate knowledge, outstanding marketing skills, and a total commitment to service will convince you that he has indeed earned his commission. The problem with selecting a real estate agent today is that you usually don't find out how good or bad an agent is until the transaction is over and you have already paid his or her fee. Brett takes the risk out with his innovative Satisfaction Guaranteed program. If you are considering a real estate move call Brett Baker today. You'll be glad you did, it's guaranteed.

Is your profile accurate? Mine is now.

Brett Baker, E-Pro, GRI (Coldwell Banker, Gordon Co. Realtors) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 12:34:27 -0500

So here is my advice and my question.

Question: Surely there are some other sites out there that have similar information and issues. Do you know of one that we all need to be aware of?

Have a great day!

2014 West Edgewood Drive, Jefferson City, MO 65109

Brett Baker, E-Pro, GRI (Coldwell Banker, Gordon Co. Realtors) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 17:17:25 -0500

2014 West Edgewood, More than meets the eye! Nestled on a large wooded lot near the heart of Jefferson City, the curb appeal alone commands attention. When driving by you'll notice the beautiful gazebo, the large mature trees, and the intriguing shape. It takes a closer look to really understand the great features available here. Inside the kitchen and the living room are the main attractions on the main level. The kitchen has wood floors and lots of storage in custom TOBY cabinets. There is also a nice pantry with 7 pull-out shelves. A gas fireplace in the living room adds warmth and the high ceilings give a great sense of space. Upstairs offers 4 bedrooms including the master suite, 2 full bathrooms, and tons of additional storage in the easily accessable attic. Downstairs you will find a multi-level basement with many great features. A full mother-in-law quarters adds a new demension to the home. There is a seperate laundry, bathroom, and full kitchen with fridge, dishwasher, stove, and microwave. The oversized family room offers another gas fireplace and easy access to the back of the home where you will enjoy the outdoors from the covered patio and the gazebo. Wait...there's more. Down one more level there are a few more rooms that are as spacious as they are versitle. One room could be used as an office, one could be a hobby or game room, and finally there is a large laundry room with plenty of space for added storage.

Take a moment to check out the virtual tour here! For more information and multiple pictures stop by my website. http://www.realestatejeffersoncity.com/

Holts Summit, Market Activity Update_4/2/08

Brett Baker, E-Pro, GRI (Coldwell Banker, Gordon Co. Realtors) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:58:10 -0500

Curious to know just how the market is doing in Holts Summit? Well, here are the details, hot off the press.

*All Information is for Holts Summit. No surrounding communities are included.*

There are 433 homes on the market with prices ranging from $49,900-$539,000.
To date there have been 21 homes sold this year.
The average sale price is $146,928
The average list price is $149,879
The average List Price to Sale Price ratio is 98%

Here is some interesting information on how these homes were financed.
16 out of 21 homes were purchased using conventional financing. (The banks are lending money!)
2 homes were purchased using cash alone.
1 home was purchased using FHA financing.
2 homes were purchased using VA financing.

The hottest price range in the Jefferson City market has been $160,000-$179,999 There have been 7 homes sell to date.
The slowest price range is everything above $250,000. No homes have sold yet in 2008.

Homes on average are on the market for 87 days. This means it is normal to be on the market for at least 3 months. Not a great reason to try to make a low ball offer.

Here is another interesting way to ook at the data:
4 homes sold in 0-30 days
5 homes sold in 31-60 days
6 homes sold in 61-90 days
0 homes sold in 91-120 days
3 homes sold in 121-180 days
3 homes sold in 181-365 days
0 homes sold in 366-720 days

I hope this information is usefull to you. I will continue to update this post on a monthly basis. Have a great day!

Jefferson City Market Update 4/2/08_Hot off the press!

Brett Baker, E-Pro, GRI (Coldwell Banker, Gordon Co. Realtors) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:40:27 -0500

Curious to know just how the market is doing in Jefferson City? Well, here are the details, hot off the press.

*All Information is for Jefferson City. No surrounding communities are included.*

There are 433 homes on the market with prices ranging from $26,650-$1,400,000.
To date there have been 159 homes sold this year.
The average sale price is $134,392
The average list price is $140,544
The average List Price to Sale Price ratio is 96%

Here is some interesting information on how these homes were financed.
146 out of 159 homes were purchased using conventional financing. (The banks are lending money!)
8 homes were purchased using cash alone.
2 homes were purchased using FHA financing.
3 homes were purchased using VA financing.

The hottest price range in the Jefferson City market has been $120,000-$139,999 There have been 25 homes sell to date.
The slowest price range is everything above $399,999. No homes have sold yet in 2008.

Homes on average are on the market for 94 days. This means it is normal to be on the market for at least 3 months. Not a great reason to try to make a low ball offer.

Here is another interesting way to ook at the data:
49 homes sold in 0-30 days
25 homes sold in 31-60 days
19 homes sold in 61-90 days
24 homes sold in 91-120 days
20 homes sold in 121-180 days
19 homes sold in 181-365 days
3 homes sold in 366-720 days

I hope this information is usefull to you. I will continue to update this post on a monthly basis. Have a great day!

252 Constitution, Jefferson City, MO 65109

Brett Baker, E-Pro, GRI (Coldwell Banker, Gordon Co. Realtors) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 14:48:02 -0500

You must see this beautiful home! Inside and out, it is simply immaculate. The one acre lot is fully irrigated and graced with established landscaping. Inside, the foyer is inviting and open with soaring ceilings and pristine flooring. Elegant and impressive only begins to describe the oversized dining room that is full of light. There are many custom features in the kitchen including the granite counters, built in desk, and gleaming wood floors. You will enjoy preparing meals with the chef quality gas stove, and double ovens. Not to mention the double warming drawers. All the appliances are stainless steel. Slip away to the spacious master retreat complete with oversized master bath and large walk-in closet. Melt away the stress in the jetted tub and enjoy the convenience of double vanities and a separate tiled shower. The main level also includes a office with built-in bookshelves and a light filled bay window. The upper level has three large bedrooms and a bonus room. One bedroom has its own full bath and the other two are connected by a large jack-and-jill bath. The bonus room could be used as another bedroom or it could be a great play room. Do you need more space? The basement is fully finished and offers more than enough space for a large family room and a separate game room. There is a full second kitchen complete with fridge, dishwasher, stove, and microwave as well. This basement is a great spot for entertaining a large group of friends. There is even an exercise room with floor to ceiling mirrors and a third garage.

This immaculate home is available for $399,900. Click here to see a virtual tour. You can also find more information and many more photos at www.RealEstateJeffersonCity.com

Two birds...one stone. Here's the slingshot.

Brett Baker, E-Pro, GRI (Coldwell Banker, Gordon Co. Realtors) — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 22:28:14 -0500

Does your association have a cooperative agent tour? If not I think you should try to pioneer one as soon as possible. It may sound like a simple thing but it gets results. When you can get a large number of agents in your listings and see fresh listings your buyers may be interested in at the same time I believe you have time well spent.

What is a Cooperative agent tour you say? This a tour where agents from several different companies get together once a week to view new mls listings. Now this is different from your office tours 10 fold. Yeah, it is great for you to get agents from your office to see your listings but if you are in a small office, how much exposure are you getting? How many new listings are you seeing if you are only touring your office listings?

Exposure is the key to success. A house that doesn't get shown doesn't get sold! (It is at least much harder) Imaging being able to tell your seller that their home will be viewed by at least 25-30 agents in one showing! The top selling agents are involved in my tour so I know these numbers are great. While we are on tour these agents are on the phone to their buyers saying "Hey, there is a house you have got to see!

Any new agents out there? When I was a newbie one obstacle for me was knowledge of the market. Talk about a crash course, the coop tour is a great way to learn about what is out there. That knowledge alone is worth your time. It is so much easier to sell a product you are familiar with. Get out there and take advantage of the tours in your local board. It can do nothing but help your business.

In conclusion, there are many benefits to you, the successful agent including Increased exposure to your newest listings, Networking with top agents, and Instant feedback on Price and Condition. Not to mention the fact that you are gathering knowledge of the market and knowledge is power.

Tout your cooperative tours to agents you know or start one of your own. Either way get out there and sell some homes!

Gambling with our future in Jefferson City, MO

Brett Baker, E-Pro, GRI (Coldwell Banker, Gordon Co. Realtors) — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 12:33:07 -0500

To bet or not to bet? That is the burning question in Jefferson City, Missouri. It seems as though our community is split down the middle but sometimes it is hard to tell for sure. Jefferson City is the Capitol city but we have the least entertainment opportunities in the entire state.

Echoing the words of many proponents, permitting riverboat gambling would bring increased revenue that would support many of the much needed project our community is trying to accomplish. We need a significant convention center badly because we are losing out on the revenue it could bring to our community. We can't even support small organizations in our town so people are taking their money to Columbia, Springfield, Branson, and just about everywhere else. Allowing Riverboat gambling would help fund the needed Convention Center. We need better restaurants and other entertainment options to help keep dollars and people in Jefferson City. Currently there are more people going to nearby Columbia and The Lake of The Ozarks to spend their hard earned cash than there are people going out in Jefferson City.

Opponents feel like the crime rate would increase but a relatively nearby casino town has experienced no increase in crime. In reality non violent crime has decreased. (Increased revenue for the town has allowed for a better staffed and payed Police Force) Social decline has been the best and most understood argument against it. I understand that people have addictions and that there is a problem when people are spending their life savings at the Casino.

I am no doubt for strongly considering the addition of the Casino to our community. Selfishly, I am looking forward to the possibility of increased property values and increased interest from people looking to relocate to the area. Actually, I am more for much needed increased entertainment opportunities and I would be for other options that will help increase our towns revenue in an effective manner. The casino seems like a great opportunity for us. The idea is going to be opened up to the community for a vote in April which I think is a step in the right direction.

Does anyone out there have an opinion on the matter? Maybe there is something important that I am not thinking about.

2014 West Edgewood Drive, Jefferson City, MO

Brett Baker, E-Pro, GRI (Coldwell Banker, Gordon Co. Realtors) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 18:52:04 -0500

Take a moment to check out the virtual tour here! For more information and multiple pictures stop by my website. www.RealEstateJeffersonCity.com

515 Natchez Trace, Jefferson City

Brett Baker, E-Pro, GRI (Coldwell Banker, Gordon Co. Realtors) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:47:05 -0500

515 Natchez Trace, Jefferson City, MO. Available for $229,900. This gorgeous home is in the Natchez Trace Estates Subdivision where new homes are selling fast. There are currently 32 homes in this subdivision ranging from $199,000 to $329,000.

Get this 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom rancher for less than what it costs for new construction. The floor plan features main level living with the option for future expansion into the 1500+ square foot basement.

Retreat to the master suite and relax in the jetted tub or simply wash away the stress under the seperate shower.

Entertain in style in the open yet functional kitchen with attractive stainless steel appliances. The home is situated near the end of a cul-de-sac street on a large level lot. The back yard features 364' of 6' cedar privacy fence. There is room for an additional driveway down to the third car garage. This home is a great deal at $229,900. Call today for more information or to schedule a showing.

Click here to see a virtual tour or go to www.RealEstateJeffersonCity.com to see more high quality pictures.

252 Constitution, Jefferson City, MO

Brett Baker, E-Pro, GRI (Coldwell Banker, Gordon Co. Realtors) — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 21:30:27 -0500

This immaculate home is available for $419,000. Click here to see a virtual tour. You can also find more information and many more photos at www.RealEstateJeffersonCity.com

Jefferson City, Missouri...The Center of it All

Brett Baker, E-Pro, GRI (Coldwell Banker, Gordon Co. Realtors) — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 16:08:26 -0600

Jefferson City, Missouri is at the center of it all. The community, founded in the early 1800's now stands tall as the Capitol of the "Show Me" state. Currently we have a little over 40,000 and growth is peaking over the horizon. The Capitol building overlooks the great Missouri River and is a beautiful sight to behold. Thomas Jefferson himself once said "I'm proud to lend my name to this historic community."

We are located on the Missouri River in the northern middle of Cole County. Our median age is 36.5 and the average household income is $42,200. For more detailed demographic information check out the following site. www.city-data.com/city/Jefferson-City-Missouri.html

Why would you want to come to Jefferson City? Our community has a rich history icluding sites visited by Lewis and Clark, murals painted by Thomas Hart Benton, and many gorgeous historical buildings. A great site to take a look at is www.VisitJeffersonCity.com. You will learn much more about our rich history and so much more.

Jefferson City is MOVING FORWARD. Our community is making every effort to develop economically. Great strides have been taken recently to develop a stronger DOWNTOWN area. There are plans to build a new convention center, a new Federal Courthouse is scheduled to be built, and many of the hisotic buildings are undergoing major renovations. To get a much more complete picture of the change that is on the horizon visit our City's web site at www.jeffcitymo.org.

Education in the Capitol City. Our schools are among the top rated schools in Missouri. To learn more about the Jefferson City Public School System go to www.jcps.k12.mo.us.

Real Estate in Jefferson City, MO. If you are considering a mover to Jefferson City it would be wise to check out all of the above sites first. There is so much to learn about our community and many great opportunities to get the information you need. Currently there are around 714 residential listings in and around the Jefferson City area. These homes range from $29,000 to $1,400,000. You will find homes from 600 square feet to well over 7000 square feet. Most homes here have basements and at least one side of a home in Jefferson City is brick. Most of the remaining homes built in the oldest parts of town (named OLDTOWN) were built from 1850-1940 and there is a wide variety of architectural styles.

If you are interested in Jefferson City and would like to see some of the homes on the market you can visit my website at www.RealEstateJeffersonCity.com. We have virtual tours and multiple photos on all of our listings.

Be sure to check back often to learn more about our great community. Have a great day.