Using  a St. Louis Home Buying Checklist to Help You Find Your Best Home

Zeroing in on your next home can be fun and exciting.  But it can also be tiring and confusing.

So before you start looking at properties, write down what you want in your new home.  Start with the size of the home, number of rooms, most convenient layout, and desirable features.  Prioritize the list, noting beside each item whether it is “nice to have” or a “must.”

Plan for the Foreseeable Future

As you make your list, consider how long you will likely be in that home and how your family and lifestyle may change over time.

Keep Your Goals in Mind

Bring you list with you when we plan the first home-shopping tour, or just email them to us.

Be a Comparison Shopper

As you preview each property,  jot down how it compares with your list.  Fill in the blanks as you see fit – Yes/No, Good/Fair/Poor, etc.  Keep your notes on each property to compare homes until you find the the right one.  Also note the features you would like to change with each home.

Finding Homes for You Simple Home Buying Checklist

Simply click the image on the left to get a copy of our handy St. Louis  home buying checklist.

Feel free to print off as many copies as you want before you visit homes, bring it along with you, and make your job a little easier!  After you start seeing a lot of homes, they start to blend together.  Hopefully, this little tool will help you compare homes and guide you to your next home!

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• Remodeling Cost Vs Value Report for St. Louis 2011-2012

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• 5 Tips for a Successful Home Purchase

Remodeling – Cost Vs the Value Report for the St.Louis Area

If you want to know the cost of remodeling in St. Louis vs the value for resale read on.
Remodeling Magazine just published their annual report with information that’s valuable to both Sellers and Buyers.  What remodeling projects return the biggest percentage for resale?  What is the average cost for replacing a deck, a minor kitchen renovation, etc?

The Value to Sellers

How much should you invest in your home to get it ready to sell?  What project will bring you the biggest bang for your money?

Example: Did you know that the average cost for a Sun room Addition is $74,119 yet you will probably only recoup 38.9% of your investment?  Maybe it’s better to redo your deck where the report says you’ll recoup an average of 59.5% of your investment.

The Value to Buyers

You’ve found a home you are considering for purchasing but it seems to be priced more than the comps are showing for the neighborhood.  You get a very specific list of the improvements that the Seller has made … but are there selling expectations really in line with reality?  The Remodeling Cost Vs Value Report is a helpful tool to have in your buyer’s arsenal of info weapons!

Data Samples from the Remodeling Cost Vs Value Report for the St. Louis Area

According to the Remodeling 2011–12 Cost vs. Value Report

You can now download the Remodeling App on iTunes.  Quick Demo

Finding Homes for You is dedicated to you the home buyer.  Our goal is to inform and provide you with tools to make the best home buying decision.  We only work for the buyer and never for the seller.  Your interests are safe, secured and protected through our Exclusive Buyer Services.  Click Here to Learn More About Exclusive Buyer Agents

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St. Louis Neighborhoods with a Pool

Looking for a St. Louis Home for sale in a subdivision with a pool?

View real-time search results for St. Louis Homes for sale in neighborhoods and subdivisions with access to a pool.

If you are not sure about handling the cost (anywhere from $500-$1000 annually) and upkeep of a pool then a St. Louis subdivision with a community pool might be a better option for you.  You might end up spending more time relaxing and less time working!

St. Louis County Homes for Sale with a Community Pool

To make it easy we have broken down the listing information by price for your review:

St Louis Homes for Sale with Subdivision Pool 100-200K

St Louis Homes for Sale with Subdivision Pool 200-300K

St Louis Homes for Sale with Subdivision Pool 300-500K

St Louis Homes for Sale with Subdivision Pool 500K Plus

St. Charles Homes for Sale with a Community Pool

St Charles Homes for Sale with Subdivision Pool 150-200K

St Charles Homes for Sale with Subdivision Pool 200-250K

St Charles Homes for Sale with Subdivision Pool 250-300K

St Charles Homes for Sale with Subdivision Pool 300-500K

St Charles Homes for Sale with Subdivision Pool 500K Plus

St. Louis Exclusive Buyer Agents Service Working for Buyers Only

We’d like to encourage you to take advantage of our services now, even if you’re not ready to buy just yet. Purchasing a home isn’t something you should rush into — or be pressured into. It’s a major transaction that requires forethought, patience and knowledge.

Finding Homes for You only works for you the Buyer.  We never represent a Seller or take listings makeing us your advocate and conflict-of-interest free agent working always … and only for you.  Click here to find out more about our services  You can always reach us at 636-532-4200.

If you are really busy right now and cannot call us directly just click here to leave us a voice mail with the best time to contact you.

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5 Things You Should Do to Prepare for St. Louis Home Buying

It’s almost spring and the peak home buying season is almost upon us. What you can do to be prepared:

1. Get Your Financing In OrderWhen Buying a St. Louis Home

   
   Know what you can afford and what you are comfortable with for your mortgage payment. Speak with a lender and get pre-approved … not pre-qualified.  Finding out what you qualify for makes shopping for a home easier and will help you manage your expectations.  (Remember more expensive homes always look nicer)

2. Determine the Most Important Factors You Want in Your St. Louis Home

   Do you need more space, a certain school district, a bigger yard, a shorter commute to work, a certain number of bedrooms, etc.  Trying to determine these things upfront will help you eliminate the homes that don’t fit your needs.

3. Know Whether or Not You Want to Purchase a St. Louis Foreclosure or Short Sale Home

   Foreclosures and Short Sales can take a lot of time and usually require minor to extensive repairs completed before moving in.  Make sure that when you see the verbiage “Needs some TLC” that TLC doesn’t mean Tons of Loving Care!

   

4. Have a Heart-to-Heart Talk with Your Spouse or Significant Other

   If you are buying a home with your spouse or significant other, sit down and find out what each others wants and expectations are before you jump in to the hunt. Communication is key to relieving stress and minimizing conflict during the home buying process.

5. Get Professional Help

   No, we’re not talking about marital counselors or psychiatrists! Seriously, even though the Internet provides easy access to MLS data and listing information most buyers are better off using a professional agent. What kind of agent? Someone in my family, from my church, on a for sale sign, etc.? (Keep Reading)

Get a St. Louis Exclusive Buyer Agent Working for You

Articles keep appearing in the media about the wisdom of using an Exclusive Buyers Agent in your home search.
Kiplinger, Smart Money Magazine, CNNMoney, along with the department of Housing and Urban Development are suggesting this approach.  Why?  Because an Exclusive Buyer Agent only works for Buyers and never for the Seller.  This is one of the best ways to insure that your home buying experience will receive the highest level of protection and representation.  Your Exclusive Buyer Agent only works for you at all times and can help you avoid many common pitfalls experienced by home buyers.

If You Are Planning to Buy a Home in the Next 60-120 Days 

Call Finding Homes for You before you call a traditional real estate agent or the agent on the for sale sign. (636-532-4200)  We can help you find a lender, building inspector, discounts on title insurance and save you time and money. We will position you to win this spring and summer.  Call Now for Details! 636-532-4200  We are Exclusive Buyer Agents who only work for you!

Call 636-532-4200 today or email us at mark@findinghomesforyou.com

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Where to Find Homes with 4 Car Garages or More in St. Louis

Direct links to St. Louis Homes for Sale with 4 car garages or more … to good to be true?(Links are at the bottom of this page) 

Did you know that According to the Department of Energy, a quarter of Americans with two-car garages can’t park in theirs, and another third can only squeeze in one vehicle?   Sad.

Understanding the Life and Death Cycle of Things Cluttering Your Garage

I heard Jerry Seinfeld once say that the garage is the last place things go to die … before going to the garbage.

You know how it is. Around the beginning of the year you are not quite sure what to do with some of the stuff you’ve accumulated.  You don’t have the courage to pitch it so you compromise … and it goes to the basement!

Then the basement starts filling up, you start freaking out and take action by moving stuff to your garage (which has also been called the Intensive Care Unit for junk that is about to get pitched.  So now you (talking to the males here) are working in your garage (a man’s haven) and find it harder to navigate a path to your car (if you are fortunate enough to be able to have a car IN your garage) you continue this journey  tripping over more stuff that you don’t really need, but have not yet decided to make it a talking point in your relationship with your significant other.

You need an intervention. What are your options?

A.  Send in your application to appear on A&E’s “Hoarders”.

B.  Actually de-clutter the garage and join a support group to help you stick to your goal.

1. C.  Take advantage of Finding Homes for You’s “I’m Going Crazy and I Just Need a Home with More Garages” therapeutic program.

Finding Homes in St. Louis With 4 or More Garages

Call Now!

Operators are Standing By to Assist You!

Don’t Delay Call 636-532-4200!

Here are the links to garage heaven:

St Louis County Homes for Sale With 4 Garages or More

St. Charles County Homes for Sale with 4 Garages or More 

Note: The Finding Homes for You thereapeutic program “I’m Going Crazy and I Just Need a Home with More Garages” is not affiliated with any bona fide health-care facility and/or reimbursable health-care service covered by any insurance company.

However … our clients have expressed a feeling of stress relief by using our services to help them find a home. Click Here for Patient Client Reviews

Find Out How Businessweek and Bloomberg News Selected Crestwood as the Best Place to Raise Kids in Missouri

What was the winning recipe that landed Crestwood the “Best Place to Raise Kids” in Missouri Award?

Have you ever sat in one of your favorite restaurants enjoying your favorite dish and wishing you had the recipe? Behind every sumptuous meal is a great recipe.  Crestwood has the recipe that’s attracting home buyers and the national media.

What Is The Recipe for a Best Place to Raise Kids?

When individuals move either for occupational reasons or just a lifestyle change, they move for overall living standards and opportunities for their children. Quality of schools, cost of living, available amenities, and personal safety are a few of the factors to consider. The problem is how do you find all of that out? Businessweek and Bloomberg has done some of the heavy lifting for you and here’s how they did it.

The researchers evaluated 4,169 cities in the U.S. that had the following requirements:

• The crime index had to be less than 10 percent of the national average
• Population between 1,000 to 50,00 people
• Median family income had to be within 20 percent of the state median income

How the Cities Were Scored to Qualify for a Best Place to Raise Kids

Click Here to See All Crestwood Homes for Sale

Each area was then assigned a score based on the following:

• Education (school scores, number of private and public schools, and colleges)
• Economy (median family incomes, cost of living, job growth, and unemployment)
• Amenities (accessibility of day-care centers, zoos, aquariums, museums, theaters and recreation centers along with air quality.

School performance, expenditures, and income were given the most weight.

Crestwood’s Performance and Score

Ranked #1 Place to Raise Kids in Missouri

Population: 11,194

Median Family Income: $70,668

Average School Math Score: 83.79 (State average is 54.13)

Average School Reading Score: 83.79 (State average is 51.68)

Award-Winning Schools in Crestwood Missouri

Crestwood is nestled in the Lindbergh School District.  The Lindbergh School District has been ranked No.1 among Missouri K-12 districts by Schooldigger.com based on Missouri Assessment Program test scores. Crestwood and Long schools have both been named National Schools of Character and have been listed in the top 10 elementary schools in the state.

Congratulations to Crestwood for Having the Winning Recipe for the Best Place to Raise Kids!

Click Here to See All Crestwood Homes for Sale  If you would like to be notified whenever a Crestwood homes comes on the market just sign up for our notification program available throgh the above link.  Remember that good homes in good areas still sell quickly.

Click Here to See All Lindbergh School District Homes for Sale

Call Finding Homes for You at 636-532-4200 for more information on current market conditions and available homes in the St. Louis area.

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Comparing the St. Charles County Real Estate Market Statistics to 2010-4th Quarter Results

*Data above is from MARIS

Key Numbers from St.Charles County Real Estate Market Statistics

Median Sales Price: As you can see in the graph above the median sales price was down 9% compared to 2010. Is that good news or bad news? It all depends if you are a buyer or a seller.

Average Sales Price: The average sales price was down by 8.8% compared to 2010.

% of Original Asking Price Received by Sellers: Sellers were able to sell their homes at 90.8% of what they originally listed it for. An improvement of only 0.7% compared to 2010.

Homes for Sale: The number of actual homes for sale dropped 29.9% compared to 2010. Potential sellers on the sidelines waiting to see what the market will do, will prices stabilize?

Closed Sales: It’s interesting to note that while the actual number of homes for sale was down almost 30% the number of closed sales were up 16%.

Months Supply of Inventory:  The report shows 6.2 month supply of homes down 34.8% from 2010.

This number shows how many months it would take for all the current homes for sale on the market to sell, given a monthly sales volume. Four to five months of supply is average: if the number is smaller, this means that buyers are dominating the market and there are relatively few sellers. The greater the number, this means there are more sellers than buyers. Looks like a continued Buyer’s market.

Days on Market: How long it took the home to sell. The average days on market was 97.  This was up +5.7% from last year.  In other words it took 5.7% longer to sell your home in St. Charles County compared to the same time in 2010.

Location, Location, Location. Real Estate is Local and Needs to be Compared

The abover report covers the entire St. Charles County.  If you are a potential buyer you will want to focus in on specific areas to see what’s really happening.

For an example: Why did median prices go up by almost 20% in one zip code area while another zip code had prices plummeting downwards 20%?  There can be many factors involved and it’s hard to interpret unless you have more data.

We here at Finding Homes for You are sometimes called “Data Geeks” a label we wear proudly.  We would be happy to answer any questions you might have about current market conditions and buying opportunities.  Our company only represents buyers, and we do not have listings to sell or promote.  We’ve been called the Homebuyer’s Best Friend. (See Reviews) Call us today at 636-532-4200.

O’Fallon Homes for Sale

Weldon Spring Homes for Sale

Just Listed St Charles County Homes for Sale

St Charles County Foreclosures

“I have been waiting for more than five years to offer this advice. It is now time in most cities across the country to buy a new home or refinance your existing home with thirty-year fixed rate mortgage debt.” So says the author John R. Talbott of The Coming Crash in the Housing Market which was published in 2003 predicting the crash. In 1996 he called the absolute peak of home prices when he released his book, “Sell Now! The End of the Housing Bubble.”  He’s known in some circles as “The Real Estate Prophet.”

Here’s his reasoning:

Home Prices Relative to Peak Prices During the Bubble

Home prices are off anywhere from 10-60% in cities across the country.  He believes there’s no reason to believe that prices were “fair” during the bubble since prices were driven upwards by loose and aggressive lending by banks and non-banks. Real prices, adjusted for inflation, are almost in line with prices in 1997 before questionable lending was rampant.

Home Prices Relative to Construction Costs or Replacement Costs

Homes in many cities across the country are now selling for as little as $60-$70 per square foot.  Depending on the quality of construction and land value, this represents a 50%-65% discount to the costs you would incur if you tried to build a similar home today in these cities.  It gets down to simple mathematics: if you can buy an asset at half of the cost of building them … buy!

Home Prices Relative to Incomes and Rents

In the peak of the real estate bubble some cities had home prices at 11 times the median income of a family in that area. In St. Louis, with a median income of $53,894, that would make a typical house cost $592,834!  As of today, according to local statistics ,the St. Louis median asking price is $139,900 which is under 3 times the median income of St. Louisans.

Mr. Talbott goes on to say, “Now, with homes trading at more reasonable multiples or rents, houses can be purchased that are immediately cash flow positive in year one and enjoy all the upside of any appreciation that will incur as inflation returns.”

Home Prices in Real Terms, Not US Dollar Terms

A concept you won’t hear on the evening news: He believes it’s “silly” to talk about home prices in dollar terms since the dollar has lost almost 98% of its purchasing power in comparison to a more stable asset like gold over the last 50 years. The chart below shows that average homes, measured in number of gold ounces it would take to purchase are now trading at 40 year historical lows.

One could argue this philosophy because the price of gold is so high today.  Mr. Talbot, however, argues that the purchasing power of gold has changed very little over time and that it is the dollar that is depreciating giving the appearance that the price of gold is rising. It is the dollar that has the volatility and declining due to the US funding our deficits by printing more dollars!

Where is the Real Bubble?

The real bubble on the horizon is US Treasuries and 30-year fixed rate mortgages for homebuyers. With our national debt equaling 4 times the amount of money taking in, when will we have to pay the piper in higher interest rates and inflation?  Maybe homes will not appreciate a lot over the next 20 years, but they don’t have to if inflation comes back.  You as a buyer could do really well on your investment as your 30 year debt becomes worht less and less in real terms.

Many economists believe that when inflation comes back the only perfect hedge is to be a borrower, not a lender or investor.

So the man who many say is a Real Estate Prophet, ends his article with the following statement: “So, run, do not walk to your neighborhood banker and either finance a new home purchase or take out the maximum amount of money he or she will lend you on a home equity loan and buy hard assets, not financial securities, with the money. Shakespeare said “Neither a borrower nor a lender be, ” but they didn’t have huge government deficits and the risk of future inflation back in the Bard’s time.”
Click here to read the entire article

If you would like to take a peak at some current St. Louis real estate market trends or target foreclosures continue your visit or call Finding Homes for You at 636-532-4200.
Finding Homes for You is an Exclusive Buyer Agent company which only represents Buyers and never the seller. See Video

Related articles

• Hope for the St. Louis Real Estate Market (media.findinghomesforyou.com)
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Recovery for the St. Louis Housing Market in 2012?

New Years Day is a reflective time for many people.  We spend time looking at the recent past and try to conjure up a vision for the year ahead.  In real estate it’s been a year that many would like to forget.  But what about 2012? Is there some evidence of hope? Should you buy a home?

Two Recent Positive Indicators for the Real Estate Market

1. The National Association of Realtors reported that November’s  statistics showed a 7.4 percent increase in contracts to buy existing homes.
These numbers represent the total number of buyers who signed contracts to buy homes.  This is the highest level in a year and a half.

2. The Wall Street Journal reported that some large hedge funds have been buying housing-related investments betting on a rebound.
The article stated that “Shares of home builders are up 30% since the end of the third quarter.” I’m not a hedge fund expert but they typically move their money out ahead of what they believe to be the upcoming curve.

Check out the video below:

Predictions for the St. Louis Housing Market in 2012

I decided not to make any predictions at this point. (Cowardice or wisdom?)  However, we have seen enough charts to know that prices are almost always at their lowest point this time of the year … and begin to rise in the spring.

There will be a lot of statistics coming out in the next week or two which we will be reporting … so stay tuned. If you find yourself leaning towards buying a home we can predict you will not be the Lone Ranger.  Give us a call at 636-532-4200 and learn how you can position yourself to win in the next couple of months.

If you have never heard of an Exclusive Buyers Agent Click Here for the Concept

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City of Clayton MO Real Estate Market Rebounds

It’s almost hard to believe that there are actually some bidding contests between buyers in the St. Louis Real Estate Market.  The St. Louis Post Dispatch recently reported that it’s starting to happen in the Clayton Real Estate Market.  One home buyer wrote a passionate letter to a seller offering a $15,000 premium on a home on Aberdeen Place.

Good News for Clayton MO Real Estate Market

Is this a sign of a turn-around in the market?  Some people think so. St. Louis County single family home sales are down about 2.6 percent this year, while Clayton Real Estate sales are up 37 percent through the month of September compared with the first 9 months of 2010.  The average sale price for a home in Clayton($689,833) rose 7 percent while nationally prices fell 1.8 percent to $195,256.

Statistics show a total of 97 homes sold so far this year in the Clayton School District which is nearly double the number in 2009.  The Clayton area could break the 117  sold homes mark experienced in 2006 which was a peak year.

Is the Clayton Real Estate Market Bucking the Trend?

When people drive through Clayton and see the beautiful brick homes and are aware of their top-rated schools, they assume that prices will be higher than other areas.  The article quoted William Rogers, an associate professor of economics at the University of Missouri in St. Louis who studies the housing market: “If a lot of people believe the Clayton market is the most stable, it means prices will be higher, making it a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

Bill Emmons, an economist and vice president at the Federal Reserve here in St. Louis, said the presence of multiple bidders on some Clayton homes could show that “the turning point is here and the bottom has been reached” in the market.  The Post Dispatch went on to quote him as saying, “Cocktail chatter” and news may overly affect peoples’ decisions to buy or sell homes.  Near-record low interest rates are also allowing some buyers to get mortgages large enough to afford Clayton.  People with good credit and  “a significant amount of equity” are still readily able to get financed.

Clayton MO Homes for Sale

The links below will take you directly to the current inventory of Clayton Homes for Sale

Clayton Homes for Sale 150-300K

Clayton Homes for Sale 300-600K

Clayton Homes for Sale 600K-1,000,000

Clayton Homes for Sale 1 Million Plus

90-day stats for Single Family properties in CLAYTON, MO as of May 18, 2012
Median List Price:	$700,192	Average List Price:	$869,883
Total Inventory:	33	Price per Square Foot:	$244
Average Home Size:	3,308	Median Lot Size:	16,100
Average # Beds:	3.92	Average # Baths:	3.61
Homes Absorbed:	4	Newly Listed:	4
Days on Market:	155	Average Age:	65

Like to know more about the Clayton area? Call Finding Homes for You at 636-532-4200.

Finding Homes for You only represents buyers and never the seller.  The Seller has their agent, shouldn’t you, the Buyer have your own agent?   It just makes sense.  Click Here to Find Out More About Exclusive Buyer Agents the savvy way to buy your next home.

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