Around St. Charles County - 04/26/09 09:48 PM
Saturday May 2, Garden Tour and Plant Sale: 9 a.m. to noon, Saint Charles County Master Gardeners, University of Missouri Extension Center, 260 Brown Road, Saint Peters, Free Friday, May 8, American Cancer Society Relay For Life St. Charles: 6 p.m.-6 a.m., St. Charles West High School Saturday, May 16 and Sunday, May 17, 2009 Saturday, May 9, St. Charles County Spring Garage Sale: Family Area parking lot, 8:00 am - noon, $5 per car Saturday, May 9, Lewis and Clark Heritage Days, Frontier Park, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday/9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Lewis and Clark Louisiana Purchase encampment reenactment, Crafts, food, … (0 comments)

With Affordability Up, Home Buyers Return to the Market - 04/24/09 09:12 AM
<!-- Single post title end --> RISMEDIA, April 11, 2009-Thanks to record low mortgage rates and declining home prices, 55 million families - or half of all U.S. households - can afford today’s $200,000 median-priced new home, according to figures released by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). “That’s an increase of 17 million households from conditions just two years ago and the best housing affordability number we have seen in years,” said NAHB Chairman Joe Robson, a home builder from Tulsa, Okla. “We are now seeing the first signs that buyers are returning to the marketplace.”
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6 Landscaping Tricks That Wow Buyers - 04/20/09 10:32 PM
In today's market, sellers have to work harder to persuade buyers that their property is worth the bite.Landscape designer Michael Glassman has cooked up a recipe for guaranteed curb appeal.1. Add splashes of color. With every changing season, a landscape should provide a new display of colors, textures, and fragrances. "It’s best to use one or two and repeat them," Glassman says. Example: white iceberg roses that bloom in spring, summer, and fall as a backdrop; in front, a contrasting punch of purple salvia or lavender that will flower at the same time; and as an accent, a crape myrtle tree … (0 comments)

Survey: Households Say Now Good Time to Buy - 04/18/09 07:32 PM
More than three-quarters (78 percent) of potential first-time home buyers say that now is a good time to buy a home, despite widespread concern about the economy. Out of the 1,000 prospective U.S. first-time home buyers surveyed in early March for the CENTURY 21 First-Time Home Buyer Survey, 68 percent think now is a better time to buy than six months ago. Prices are the driving motivation for potential first-time home buyers with more than eight of ten first-time home buyers (85 percent) saying they consider current home prices affordable and 73 percent citing that taking advantage of current prices is … (0 comments)

'Psychological' Blueprint Helps House Hunters - 04/17/09 12:48 AM
Environmental psychologist Toby Israel, author of a new book, Some Place Like Home: Using Design Psychology to Create Ideal Place, says people’s childhood homes have a profound effect on what kinds of homes they like best.Before anyone buys, builds, rents or remodels, Israel believes they should consider what kinds of living spaces satisfy them, she says.One exercise she recommends for anyone searching for a home is to draw a timeline of all the places they've lived for six months or more and circle those that they liked the best, then describe why. She calls the result a "design psychology blueprint" that … (0 comments)

I'm running 13.1 miles and need your help - 04/14/09 08:39 PM
Hi friends, I will be running 13.1 miles this summer in an effort to bring awareness and raise funds to find a cure for ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. We appreciate everyone who has donated. If you would like to make a donation RIGHT NOW simply click to make a difference!
 
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We are Growing - 04/14/09 08:28 PM
Now is your chance to join The Grant Hickman Team. We are offering a unique opportunity for a qualified individual to strengthen our team. If you believe you have the drive, attention to detail, and customer service we are looking for, please contact me directly at realestate@granthickman.com.
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Congratulations to The Grant Hickman Team - 04/14/09 08:19 PM
The Grant Hickman Team earned a host of recognitions in 2008. The team was recently honored with:
· Most Improved Production Growth (26%)· #1 in Customer Service· #1 in Homes Sales· #1 in Number of Homes SOLD· Platinum Sales Leader· Agent of the Year· #1 Team at SCHNEIDER Real EstateMeet the #1 Real Estate Team
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Your Home Buying Experience - 04/14/09 08:04 PM

 
 
 
Q: Please introduce your family?A: Brian & Rachel Yost (and girls)Q: Where is your new home located?A: Ballwin, MO / Parkway West School DistrictQ: Describe your situation when you decided to purchase your homeA: Our goal was to move closer to the Christian school where our girls were going to attend. We originally found a house we liked and were moving forward without an agent. However, that deal fell through and we were racing against the clock to find another house. We wanted to be moved in before the girls started school. One of Grant's team members, … (0 comments)

Low Cost Mortgage Program Helps Buyers, Sellers and Neighborhoods - 04/14/09 07:49 PM
What do you think of this–buying a home with an interest rate one percent below the current rate; no closing costs; no income restrictions and no points. With the current instability in the housing market, this may seem to fit in the too-good-to-be-true category.But, it is true. The Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America (NACA), a non-profit homeownership and advocacy organization offers this type of loan. Founded in Boston in 1988, NACA has been in the forefront of getting people into homes with mortgages they can afford. The group works with major lenders and has $10 billion in funding commitments to finance … (0 comments)

When your mortgage application is rejected - 04/13/09 05:51 PM
Don't be surprised if your friendly lender, the one who invites you to sit down and apply for a mortgage, ushers you politely out the door empty-handed after you've chatted a bit.
The sudden chill isn't personal. The Mortgage Bankers Association, or MBA, in Washington, D.C., estimates that about half of all mortgage applicants are now being turned down. Though refinancing approvals remained static, the acceptance rate on mortgage applications suffered a 10 percentage-point drop, from 63 percent in the first half of 2007 to 53 percent in the first half of last year, according to mortgage data tracked semi-annually by … (0 comments)

First-time Buyers Drive February Sales - 04/13/09 05:48 PM
Existing-home sales increased in February, reversing losses in January, according to the latest report by the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. However, sales activity remains relatively soft, reflecting additional layoffs and buyers waiting for housing provisions in the economic stimulus package to take effect, according to NAR.Existing-home sales— including single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops—rose 5.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.72 million units in February from a pace of 4.49 million units in January. Existing-home sales are 4.6 percent below the 4.95 million-unit level in February 2008. Seasonal adjustment factors are more volatile in winter months, but sales rates … (0 comments)

Spotlight on Accent Closets - 04/08/09 02:31 PM
Q: Please introduce yourself?A: Rebecca Dutton, Custom Closet DesignerQ: What is the name of your business?A: Accent ClosetsQ: Where is your business located?A: 94 Algana Ct., St.Peters, MO 63376Q: Briefly describe what you/ your business does.A: Accent Closets provides St. Louis, St. Charles and the surrounding communities with affordable consultation, design and installation of custom storage solutions. We do closets, kitchen pantries, linen closets, laundry rooms, mudrooms, hobby/craft rooms, home offices and garage organization systems including epoxy flooring. We provide our customers with a free in-home consultation that includes computerized drawings of the project and on the spot price quotes. Once … (0 comments)

How Will Foreclosure Affect Credit Scores? - 04/08/09 09:13 AM
he amount of damage to a credit score caused by foreclosure, deed in lieu or a short sale during 2008 and 2009 may be mitigated by the slower economic times, say some credit and legal experts.FICO may have to adjust its credit scores to lessen the impact of a foreclosure in the last two years, says Todd J. Zywicki, a professor of law at George Mason University.''It just seems obvious that a foreclosure in 2008 or 2009 doesn't have as much information value as a foreclosure five years ago,'' he says. ''To the extent that foreclosure doesn't predict future behavior as … (0 comments)

4 Tips to Make a Home More Inviting - 04/03/09 02:34 PM
Model homes are important tools for builders because they help buyers fall in love with a home.Phyllis Ryan, president of the model-home division of Interior Concepts, a Maryland design firm that specializes in furnishing new homes, has some tips that might benefit anyone who is selling a home.
A stylish kitchen appeals to many buyers. If a sellers has upgraded cabinets and granite countertops, that’s good. If they don’t, it may help to display some stylish touches like an espresso machine, a retro toaster or just some luscious fruit. Lots of light makes spaces feel larger. Turn on all the lights … (0 comments)

Mortgage Rates Drop Below 5% - 04/03/09 02:32 PM
Freddie Mac reports a drop in the 30-year fixed mortgage rate to 4.98 percent during the week ended March 19 from 5.03 percent the prior year, marking the lowest rate since 4.96 percent in mid-January. Experts say rates could fall further in response to the Federal Reserve's announcement that it will add $1.2 trillion to the economy to alleviate the credit crisis.Source: Tulsa World (Okla.) (03/20/09)
 
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