Gary’s Auto Service, located at 1779 N. Lindbergh Blvd in Florissant, Mo is donating a rebuilt car to a needing family on Dec. 27th. Mike Moehlenkamp, owner of Gary’s Auto Service, is donating a 1995 Mercury Grand Marquis, reconditioned, with rebuilt transmission, new tires, and much more that will be a safe and reliable vehicle for a family in need of a car. “It’s a way to help someone out there who may need a reliable car to make their life a little easier,” said Mike. For more information, email Mike at mike@garysautoonline.com. 

Applications can be downloaded from their website, www.garysautoonline.com. All applications must be dropped off or sent in to Gary’s Auto Service by December 23rd.

A believer in small steps and sharing, St. Charles County resident Grant Hickman saw a need to pass along information so that others could enjoy what he had learned. The result is knowledgeFULLgiving.com, an online book exchange site that makes it easy for members to list books, request books and receive books at no charge other than postage. Titles range from self-help, inspirational, biographies, non-fiction, cooking and business planning.

“One of our goals is to post (100) books by the end of (name month) to provide our members with a wide range of reading enjoyment and learning,” says founder Grant Hickman. “I created this site because I believe the act of giving and receiving knowledge is powerful and important. This has dramatically changed my life and I want you to share in this positive experience through reading, giving and receiving. The concept to share knowledge really isn’t mine alone. We need everyone’s contribution! By taking small steps, you help impact someone else’s life.” Hickman, who is also a St. Charles County real estate agent, designed the site to be reader and user friendly. “The sign-up process for some book sharing sites is extensively complicated. I want our readers to quickly begin sharing and reading. This is an online sharing library. In this age of digital downloaded books, there’s just something very special about holding a real book in your hands, that someone has given you, and anticipating all that the words have to offer.”

The Grant Hickman Team partners with local industry leaders to provide top of the line services for our home buyers and sellers. We are so proud of our partners at Mister Sparky Saint Louis.

Mister Sparky Saint Louis has been awarded the prestigious 2011 Angie’s List Super Service Award, an honor bestowed annually on approximately five percent of all the businesses rated on the nation’s leading provider of consumer reviews on local service and health providers. The award reflects businesses’ consistently high level of customer service.

“This is our second Super Service Award in a row,” says Brooke Schoene. “It speaks to the fact that we value and respect our customers and provide electrical services that are worthy of a recommendation. Our professional, skilled St. Louis electricians know that if we don’t do our job right, the first time, customers will go elsewhere. This award validates our customers’ trust.”

According to Angie’s List Founder Angie Hicks, “Only a fraction of the businesses rated on Angie’s List can claim the sterling service record of being a Super Service Award winner because we set a high bar. The fact that Mister Sparky Saint Louis can claim this status speaks volumes about its dedication to consumers.”

Angie’s List Super Service Award winners have met strict eligibility requirements including earning a minimum number of reports, an exemplary rating from their clients and abiding by Angie’s List operational guidelines.

Ratings are updated daily on Angie’s List, but members can find the 2011 Super Service Award logo next to business names in search results on AngiesList.com.

I’ve had the privilege to visit many homes throughout my career as a REALTOR. Certainly the old adage “Home is where the heart is” comes shining through. Many homeowners take that extra step and add personalized items to their home. I find this adds elegance to any room and a sense of self and pride in homeownership.

 The opportunity to personalize is wide open as embroidered monogramming goes below the traditional bath towels and linen. Anything you touch can be personalized to add flair and pride to your home! If the center of your home is the kitchen, think about monogrammed dish towels, glasses and or cutting boards.

 The bathroom just invites fragrant monogrammed soaps and those embroidered towels. Personalized seat covers are popular for your dining room and living room, plus coasters for those personalized glasses. Embroidered napkins add a touch of elegance to any dinner party.

 And remember that any article you have personalized for yourself is a wonderful gift idea for the new homeowner. Embroidered items show you are thinking of that person and a cookie cutter housewarming gift is not the way you want to honor the recipient.

 During the Victorian era, all sorts of materials were hand-embroidered to denote social status. Now we have computerized digital sewing machines that can create any personalization you have in mind in a matter of days instead of months.

 Enjoy your home and enjoy giving personalized items to friends and family. Both ways, embroidery will add a touch of elegance and hominess.

The big news last week is the extraordinarily low mortgage interest rates. And this time, the rates really are historic, the lowest since the 1940s. Combined with lower housing stock prices, this really is the best time ever to end your career as a house hunting fence sitter.

According to the latest word from Freddie Mac, the Primary Mortgage Market Survey shows the traditional 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaging 3.94%. A year ago the average interest rate was 4.27%. A 15-year fixed-rate mortgage came in at an average of 3.26%. Last year, the rate was 3.72%.

Some potential buyers are still waiting for that stupendous “deal,” but we see this level of interest rates just that deal. Combine that with an amazing selection of homes, and you have a remarkable opportunity to buy or refinance.

Before you begin your search, be prepared. Lending institutions have tightened there qualifications for a loan, but the money is there for organized buyers.

Check your credit rating first. Lenders look for a rating of 660 and above, but that can vary from lender to lender. The higher your credit score, the lower your interest rate.

Pay down any debt you have now, and pay your bills on time. Lenders want to see that you are a cautious and dependable spender with the ability to repay the loan. This lowers your debt-to-income ratio.

Don’t borrow any more money. Taking out another loan skews your credit score. You really don’t need that new car right now.

Stay in your present employment position. Job hopping will reduce you ability to get a loan.

Save. The higher your down payment, the better interest rate you’ll get.

With all of these preparations, get pre-qualified with a lender. As you begin your home search, pre-qualification shows you are serious and sellers will take your offer seriously.

Now you’re ready to take advantage of these incredibly low interest rates to buy your dream home!