Home Buying Info & Tips

USBank Home Mortgage Announces The American Dream Program!

We are pleased to announce an exciting new mortgage program that makes it easier for you to get into the home of your dreams.  Being offered by USBank Home Mortgage, this program includes a fixed interest rate, 97% loan to value on a new home purchase, entry cost assistance, no mortgage insurance, a repair escrow and a rehabilitation feature.

To find out more, see the attached information by clicking this link: American Dream Program CC 1-12-12

 

Everything You Need to Know About Purchasing a Home in Today’s Market

Thinking of Buying a Home?
Have Questions about the Process?

The home buying process can be an experience that’s exciting, complex and unique, but often times buyers have more questions than answers.

Whether you’re a first-time buyer or a repeat purchaser that’s bought and sold many homes. This FREE 33 page guide will help you make an informed home buying decision.

Get your free guide here:  http://bit.ly/nygGGd

 

Make Moving Day Easier

Here are some tips from U-Haul on how to make moving day a bit easier:

• Move on a weekday if you can, when banks, utilities and government offices are open.
• Order preprinted address labels with your new address as soon as you know it. It makes the change-of-address process much easier.
• Keep a utility log to check service-transfer dates. If you’re moving locally, leave the power and water on at your old address a few extra days so you can go back and clean up after your move.
• Choose a “packing room” ahead of time and box up a few things each day.
• To save time, rent a carpet shampooer at the same time you rent your truck.
• Mark each box with its contents and destination room. That way, you and your helpers will know where each box belongs at your new home.
• If moving locally, you may want to leave your pets with a friend during moving day. Animals can become confused and frightened during a move.
• Remember to allow for extra braking room when driving a moving van. Anticipate stops and allow a 3-second gap between you and the vehicle in front of you.
• U-Haul moving vans require up to 12 feet of overhead clearance. Watch out for drive-thru restaurant and motel over-hangs.

Source:  U-Haul

5 Tips to Get Your Finances in Order and Save Money in Your New Home

By Paige Tepping

Buying a new home can be an exciting adventure, especially for first-time buyers. But the process isn’t all fun and excitement—owning a home comes with increased responsibilities and challenges that many new buyers haven’t previously faced. Before you get into the routine of day-to-day life in your new home, there are certain things that can be done to help you save a little money.

According to The Simple Dollar blog, the following tips will help homeowners save money while still living comfortably in their home.

1. Check the insulation. If your new home has an attic, make sure you take a peek around before you begin using the room for storage. It is especially important if you have an unfinished attic to check and be sure there is at least six inches of insulation around the entire room. Take the time to thoroughly inspect the insulation and replace any areas as needed.

2. Lower the temperature on your water heater. If you’re looking to save some money on your energy bill, turn your hot water heater down to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. If your water heater is a few years old, you may want to think about adding an extra layer of insulation to keep the heat where it’s needed.

3. Create a home maintenance checklist. Even though you have just moved into a new home, home maintenance can’t be forgotten. Create a home maintenance checklist now and be sure to go through the list at least once a month. Include any maintenance projects you can think of—including tasks that may only need to be completed every few months. This way nothing will get overlooked and you can take preventive action which will help extend the life of your appliances.

4. Hang your clothes up to dry. While drying your clothes in the dryer is a huge convenience for many homeowners, it also eats up a lot of energy. If you’re looking to save both energy and money, invest in a clothes rack where you can hang your clothes to dry.

5. Install energy-efficient appliances. Energy-efficient appliances may cost more upfront, but in the end, they will save you plenty of money. Do your homework before heading to your local Lowe’s and be sure to go for appliances that are reliable and energy efficient.

Source:  RISMedia/Lowe’s

Still Time to Register for FREE Green Living Seminar

Reminder to reserve your seat for the first of a FREE four-part Green Living series  

Wednesday, October 27 at 6:30pm.  

JUST ADDED: Announcement of the newly released ENERGIZE MISSOURI HOMES PROGRAM.  Attend the Basic Green Living seminar on Wednesday, October 27th to learn how you can receive a FREE energy audit and improvements through this just released State of Missouri funded program. 

Home Green Home, Coldwell Banker Gundaker, REA Homes,  and Sustaining Spaces have teamed up to offer a FREE four-part seminar to help you easily integrate “Green” into your home, lifestyle and daily habits.  Attend one or all sessions.

LOCATION: Des Peres Lodge
                     1050 Des Peres Rd.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010     6:30 – 7:30
Basic Green Living – Simple and Inexpensive Solutions to Greening Your Home and Lifestyle
    Kathleen Engel – Home Green Home  www.homegreenhome.us
Landscaping for Energy Efficiency
    Marla Esser – Sustaining Spaces  www.sustainingspaces.com

Wednesday, January 26, 2011     6:30 – 7:30
Green Building, Better Building – A Perspective from a High Performance Luxury Home Builder
    Jeff Bogard – REA Homes  www.reahomesllc.com

Wednesday, Feb 23, 2011     6:30 – 7:30
Energy Audits and Home Performance Improvements
   Marc Bluestone – Home Green Home www.homegreenhome.us

Wednesday, March 23, 2011     6:30 – 7:30
Landscaping for a Healthier Lawn and Garden

To reserve your seat, please call:
Kathleen Engel ­­­­­­­­­­­­
Marketing and Outreach Manager
Home Green Home

314-288-5568 (cell)

Stop Double Taxation – Protect Missouri Homes!

The Vote “YES” To Stop Double Taxation Committee is moving ahead to inform voters about the need to prohibit real estate transfer taxes in Missouri, after the state on Friday dropped plans to appeal a key court ruling. The proposed state constitutional protection against the unfair taxes will appear on the Nov. 2 general election ballot as Amendment 3.

The state’s dismissal of its appeal to the Missouri Supreme Court followed positive talks between the Vote “YES” To Stop Double Taxation Committee and the offices of Secretary of State Robin Carnahan and Attorney General Chris Koster. Together, they agreed to ask Cole County Circuit Judge Paul Wilson to modify his ruling in the committee’s favor issued earlier this week. The judge agreed to the modification, addressing the state’s issues while declaring there were more than enough valid signatures of registered voters to place Amendment 3 on the ballot.

“This is a win-win-win for Missourians,” said Chuck Hatfield, of Stinson Morrison Hecker, LLP, attorney for the Vote “YES” To Stop Double Taxation Committee. “The Secretary of State may move ahead with the important work of finalizing the fall ballot. The taxpayers are spared the time and expense of litigation. And our committee can focus on informing Missouri voters about the need to Vote “YES” To Stop Double Taxation by barring unfair real estate transfer taxes in the state.”

The 21,000-member Missouri Association of Realtors, which is strongly supporting Amendment 3, commended Secretary Carnahan and Attorney General Koster and their professional staffs for working constructively with the Vote “YES” To Stop Double Taxation Committee to resolve possible issues and avoid needless court delays. 

Transfer taxes on home sales are double taxation because Missourians already pay annual property taxes on real estate, often over many decades of ownership. Missouri is among just 13 states that do not impose a transfer tax on real estate sales, including all of Missouri’s neighboring states. As state, county and city revenues decline, politicians may be tempted to impose new transfer taxes – just as Missouri citizens are struggling to make it.

The wording of Amendment 3 is straightforward and simple: “Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to prevent the state, counties, and other political subdivisions from imposing any new tax, including a sales tax, on the sale or transfer of homes or any other real estate?”

Learn more about the amendment at www.YesToSaveHomes.com.

Government To Require a License For Your House is a HOAX

Thanks to Bryce Thomason for advising me that this information is a hoax.  While I did check with snopes.com and found no reference that it was, I would never have shared it had I not believed the information to be accurate.  Please accept my apologies.

Find out more here:  http://www.realtor.org/government_affairs/gapublic/american_clean_energy_security_act 

If you own a home …… you gotta read this…all of it!!! 

Something every home owner should be made aware of! 

Don’t want to be bothered with “Political stuff?”   You’d better read this one. It will come as a huge shock to you if you aren’t informed as to what Obama is up to, and apparently it has already passed one hurdle. It will take very little now to put it into actual law!!  YOU’D BETTER WAKE UP AMERICA !!!! So you think you live in a free country, boy have you got a surprise coming. 

A License Required for your HOUSE? 

If you own your home you really need to check this out. At the end of this email is the Google link to verify.  If the country thinks the housing market is depressed now, wait until everyone sees this; no one will be buying homes in the future. 

Five Tips to Make House Hunting More Enjoyable

As the housing market continues to attract more buyers and sellers, finding the perfect home can required a lot of time and effort.  Here are my Five Tips to Make House Hunting More Enjoyable:

1.  Don’t Set Too Many Appointments for One Day – While you may believe that visiting as many properties as possible in one day will help you get closer to your perfect home, this strategy may actually cause you to miss seeing the home of your dreams.  Allow yourself enough time to explore each aspect and room at length, even if it’s just to allow for comparison with the next home on your list.  If you do find something of interest, you will want to have ample time to fully tour each room in greater detail.  This is your biggest investment; make sure you allow yourself the time to be sure it meets all your needs.

2.  Comfortable Attire – Casual dress is best when touring potential homes.  Not only comfortable dress for the season, but slip-on shoes or socks might be in order for homes with new carpet or flooring who may request you remove your shoes during the tour.  Comfortable shoes are a must – you’ll be going up and down stairs and doing a lot of walking, not to mention reaching, or bending to examine all the high and low spots.

3.  Ride Together – When touring multiple properties in one day, car pooling is the way to go – this also ensures that everyone stays together and is able to see the home at the same time. Even better, if you’re the passenger, you can focus on the neighborhood around each home rather than having to watch for street signs and house numbers.

4.  Considering the Area – Make sure you take notice of the area surrounding each home you’ll tour.  How far is it to the closest shopping area, what neighborhood amenities are there?  Where are the nearest schools?  Are there activities within walking distance; how far will you be from your job; and does there seem to be an unusually large number of homes on this block that are for sale? 

All of these considerations play into the benefits this home has to offer you even before you set foot in it.  Making note of the area surrounding the house can help you determine whether or not you want to make an offer.

5.  The Nose Knows – Generally speaking, if there’s a bad odor inside or outside the home you will want to find out why.  Also, if the home seems overpowered with the smell of fragrant candles or potpourri, this could be the seller’s way to mask a deeper problem.  If you smell mildew or mold, this can indicate a larger problem that could cost thousands of dollars to repair.  Pet or smoke smells can dissipate over time, but if you’re interested in a home with a strong odor, take the time to hire a professional home inspector to determine its cause before you close the sale.

Motivated Creve Coeur Seller Takes Another Price Reduction!

Price reduced more than $100,000 another $21,000!  Exceptional 1.5 sty executive style home boasts over 5,300 sq feet w/top of the line finishes & attention to detail throughout. Grand 2 sty foyer graced w/marble flooring, millwork accented w/chandelier & Palladian windows allowing an abundance of natural lighting into this incredible home. From the foyer you immediately see the richness added through the casements, millwork & exceptional carpentry. From the bright entryway you are greeted by the sunken 2-story great room, featuring a gas fireplace, wet bar, beamed ceiling & surround sound. The dining room features hardwood floors, tray ceiling w/millwork & wainscoting. From the dining room you will get a glimpse of the new gourmet, Chef’s delight kitchen w/hand painted Italian tile, woodmode custom cabinetry, granite center island, concrete countertops, Dacor convection double ovens, Viking 6 burner cook top w/independent hood, Viking warming drawer, sub-zero refrigerator, Sharp microwave, Bosch dishwasher, & hardwood floor. This home is great for entertaining.  Outside the professionally landscaped gardens and fountain make this home a one-of-a-kind property ready for you to call HOME!  DON’T WAIT, Call The Laura MacDonald Team TODAY and schedule a private showing.  636-394-9300

 

Post Dispatch Features CBG President’s details on Tax Credit Deadline

Tax Credit Deadline – April 30, 2010

Ask the expert: Jim Dohr, president, Coldwell Banker Gundaker

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

04/23/2010

With the federal tax credit for first-time home buyers expiring this month, what should homeowners do quickly to prepare their houses to make them stand out to people taking advantage of the credit?

Selling in today’s market can be intimidating, especially for those who have outgrown their starter home and are ready to sell for the first time. A likely market for such homes is comprised of first-time buyers who hope to have a house under contract before the tax credit expires next Friday.

A crucial step first-time sellers must take is completion of needed repairs. Take the time to make the glaring as well as minor improvements a home needs to make it ready to sell. Having a pre-inspection done could avoid any last-second surprises when a potential buyer has an inspection done.

Price to sell. Gauging a home’s value is different now. A real estate agent will pinpoint a home’s market value based on its features, location and comparable listings in the area. Setting the price too high can leave a home languishing on the market. A too-low price will deprive the seller of well-earned equity.
Be patient. Once a home is listed, the temptation is to hope every looker is the buyer. Even with the tax credit set to expire, the seller’s agent needs time to allow a potential buyer room to make a decision.

Still, with only a week until the $8,000 first-time home buyer and the $6,500 existing homeowner buyer credits expire, time is running out on opportunities that may never be repeated.

For buyers to be in a binding sales contract by April 30, they need to act almost immediately. That means this is also a prime opportunity for sellers.

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