On November 2, Missourians will have a very important issue to vote on.  By voting Yes on Amendment 3, voters are telling our Missouri government that we don't want transfer taxes imposed when selling our homes.  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 21,000-member Missouri Association of Realtors strongly supports Amendment 3.  The wording of Amendment 3 is straightforward and... 09/09/2010

Like most real estate agent, my target group of ideal buyers is married couples.  Given that I work in the western suburbs of St. Louis, site of many large and beautiful suburban homes ideal for growing families, this is not surprising.  According to a recent National Association of Realtors® (NAR) study, 61% of buyers fall in this category nationwide, and the suburbs of St. Louis are no exception. As a recent homebuyer and single mother, I do not fit my own profile.  Ironically, real estate in general is changing, and sales of homes to single women is a growing market segment through the nation.  I fit the new demographic where more than 20% of home sales are made to single women!  Interestingly, only 9% of sales are made to single men. What has caused this shift in real estate demogra... 09/06/2010

Going back to the basics of contract negotiations... what are some of the necessities that have to be in there?  This is a short list that I've complied for those who haven't purchased a house before (or for those who have!) 1.  Financial terms/agreement.  Ensure that whatever terms you are able to afford are written into the contract... If you cannot afford a certain percentage, ensure the agreement doesn't have a percentage point that is over it.  You, the buyer, must pay attention to what it is you are signing.  As they say, you are signing your life away.  It doesn't have to be that way, but you have to pay attention and understand what it is you are signing.  Its YOUR mortgage, not your agent's. 2.  Who pays the closing costs?  The agreement should say who is going to pay what.  Th... 08/22/2010

I think this is good information for everyone to think about. We all need to stay eminently employable. You never know when life will throw you a curve and you have to adapt. How to Become Unemployed in 7 Easy Steps from Robert Pagliarini on Vimeo. I think we can all take this information to heart! 08/08/2010

We found a great article by Paige Tepping (RIS Media) about tips for moving day.  On such a crazy day, these tips should help keep everyone more organized. With the summer selling season in full swing, millions of Americans are finalizing real estate deals and preparing for moving day. If moving day has you feeling stressed, the following tips from the experts at GoMovers.com will help you prepare for a seamless transition. -Complete as much packing of the items you're packing yourself by the day before your moving day. Take care of any last minute items early in the morning on moving day. Doing so serves a dual purpose: Only the items the packers are handling will be left, which will help them concentrate only on what they're going to pack, and your mover won't need to wait around whi... 07/31/2010

The following article from U.S. News really puts the reasons for the continuing housing market instability in a nutshell.  This was a topic of extended discussion at our office meeting on Tuesday.  My main take away was jobs, jobs, and jobs.  THAT, in my opinion is what will jumpstart our industry again.    6 Reasons the Housing Market Hasn't Recovered Luke Mullins , U.S.News Jul 28, 2010 The real estate market has yet to rebound from its historic crash-here's why. Four years after the housing bubble popped, the American real estate market has yet to launch a sustainable recovery. Although U.S. home prices have improved modestly since the spring of 2009-and certain regional markets have performed even better-sales and values will face renewed downward pressure later this year in the wak... 07/29/2010

The Butterfly House in Chesterfield Missouri.... Have you ever lived in an area for a long time and still don't know anything about some of the things available?  That's me; I have lived in O Fallon Missouri since 1993 and have heard wonderful things about the Butterfly House when it opened in 1998 but have never paid it a visit.  After visiting it last week I am sure that I will be going back more often. The Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House opened to the public in late 1998 and in 2001 it merged with the Missouri Botanical Garden, another place for me to visit.  The Butterfly House strives to teach students, with on-site education, of ALL ages about butterflies, conservation, ecology, gardening and scientific exploration. The Butterfly House offers outreach programs that bring the wonde... 07/27/2010

Back in April I wrote a blog regarding one of our local school districts winning a prestigious award for their recycling efforts.  It was presented from American Forest & Paper Association for the 2010 American Forest & Paper Association School Recycling Award for Parkway School District of Chesterfield's outstanding recycling program.  To refresh your memory, Parkway began their recycling more than 20 YEARS ago, has served more than 18,000 students in 29 buildings.  Last year alone, over 1,031 TONS of newspapers, magazines, catalogs, direct mail, office paper, envelopes and brochures and more than 138 TONS of paper - based packaging were recycled.  You are probably wondering why I am writing... WELL... on the news this evening, it has been announced Parkway School District has to shut ... 07/12/2010

Your new Chesterfield home has everything you'd ever want .  Four spacious bedrooms. A great room that works as game room and av room for your family.  A large, beautiful lot with a view to die for.  Amenities galore.  What more could you want to increase you enjoyment of your home and keep it fresh for later resale?  If you love to entertain, imagine this: an outdoor kitchen.  This trendy new amenity will offer al fresco dining in a naturally beautiful setting, plus add to your home's value. An outdoor kitchen offers you a convenient outdoor space for eating, serving, and storing food for you and your guests.  You can have a built in grill, burners, an elegant wine bar, a sink, granite countertops, functional flooring, storage cabinets, a fireplace, a beautiful stone fireplace, and num... 07/07/2010

New figures released by the U.S. Treasury indicate that the government’s $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) – used for the financial and auto industry bailouts, and to a much smaller extent, for a national foreclosure prevention program – will wind up costing taxpayers $105.4 billion when all is said and done.That projection is $11.4 billion lower than the administration had previously estimated in the president’s fiscal 2011 budget. The bailout price tag, though, could go even lower. Revised estimates are fully expected, as the Treasury has issued new cost figures regularly over the past year. As recently as last August, the administration estimated the cost of TARP would be $341 billion.Treasury says its cost projections have improved as the value of some major investme... 05/28/2010

                                      A landmark in Chesterfield, MO is the Annie Gunn's/Smoke House Market bronze pig.  We caught him resting in the sun the other day.  Be sure you stop by the Smoke House and get some of the turkey salad.  It is the best we have ever tasted.  Of course, if turkey isn't your thing, the Smoke House has more delicacies than you can count.  Stop by Annie Gunn's and the Smoke House on the Chesterfield Airport Road in Chesterfield soon!  05/14/2010

  The last few weeks have been off the charts for business for us.  Of course, that is all good, but sometimes during a flood, you can drown.  We booked 50% of 2009's business volume in April.  All good, of course, but trying to keep up has been crazy.  Only 2 of the deals that we put together were benefactors of the tax credit but you sure couldn't tell.  People were buying property as if they did.  The only problem with such an increase in volume is the fact that the deals unfold in parallel... contract negotiations, putting together closing packets, building inspections, resolving building inspections, etc.  Just keeping all of the contractual dates straight requires lots of due diligence.  For good or bad, they are all happening within a few days of each other.  In the case of 8 ne... 05/14/2010

In 2003, two sisters (Amber Gipson and Tara Streck) set out to create a salon that was designed and structured so hair stylists could work to their fullest potential in a fun, creative professional environment, and still cater to the clientele of each stylist. Amber and Tara are both licensed cosmetologists with each of them having over 14 years of hair industry experience.  They worked at several salons before opening Adorn.  They took their knowledge and skills to build a salon for stylists as well as clients, with an “independent stylist” in mind.  Seven years later, Adorn has 18 stylists who have the ability to create any style for every hair type.  The professionals at Adorn are committed to providing their clients with quality service above and beyond your expectations.  They are ... 05/10/2010

Parkway School District of Chesterfield, MO was presented with the 2010 American Forest & Paper Association School Recycling Award from the American Forest & Paper Association.  This organization recognizes annual outstanding schools, communities, businesses, and other paper recycling programs all across the country. Parkway began its recycling program 20 years ago, serves more than 18,000 students in 29 school buildings.  In 2009, more than 1,031 TONS of newspapers, magazines, catalogs, direct mail, office paper, envelopes, and brochures and more than 138 TONS of paper-based packaging were recycled.  The Environmental Services Department oversees all the district's sustainability efforts and the paper is collected and recycled through AbitibiBowater’s Paper Retriever Program. Congratu... 04/27/2010

Date and Time: Thursday, April 29, 2010 at 8:00pm Location: TRIBECA LOUNGE 120 Chesterfield Valley Dr. (Located in the strip mall behind the theater) NOCTURNAL EMOTIONS @ Tribeca Lounge, Thur. 29thFeaturing:Jamie Johnson - VocalsAllison Harper - VocalsPhil Gomez - KeyboardPhil Burton - BassDon Drewett - Drums They provide a wonderful date atmosphere and have a tempo later in the evening!  Come and check them out!!!   04/27/2010

                                    Earth Day Celebration! Chesterfield Mall291 Chesterfield Mall Chesterfield, Missouri 63017 Electronics Recycling Drive April 22 - April 25, 2010 Thursday - Saturday: 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. | Sunday: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, Chesterfield Mall, in partnership with Mers Goodwill, is hosting a FREE electronics recycling drive. This is an awesome opportunity to recycle all of your old radios, televisions, computers and peripheral computer equipment. The items you need to dispose of can be dropped off from Thursday, April 22 through Sunday, April 25, 2010. The computer recycling is sponsored by DELL.  All hard drives will be wiped clean before being disassembled. The drop off site is the parking lot across from Dillard's.Fo... 04/20/2010

Chesterfield Police implement seat belt checks at local schools According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately 573 children ages 14 and younger are injured or killed in motor vehicle crashes each day. The Chesterfield Police Department is focused on reducing that number. Chesterfield Police Patrolman Paul Powers, the department's traffic safety officer, is implementing a program aimed at getting elementary and middle school students to buckle up whenever they are in a car. The program is an adaptation of a program that the Chesterfield Police Department started at Parkway Central and Parkway West High Schools to get high schoolers to consider buckling up for prom. "When school is let out, we go up there and stand at the exits of the school and... 04/18/2010

Chesterfield Chamber Office Staff Appreciation Luncheon Wednesday, 4/21/10 11:30am The Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce Office Staff Appreciation Luncheon is at 11:30 a.m. on Wed., April 21 at Doubletree Hotel & Conference Center. Networking, lunch, prizes and a "Chamber's Got Talent" show are featured. Admission is $25 for members and $30 for non-members. To register, call 532-3399 or visit chesterfieldmochamber.com by April 19. 04/17/2010

Faculty and Student Show at Chesterfield Arts   Chesterfield, MO See one of Garry Rose's fascinating "egg drop" photos in the upcomingFaculty and Student Show "The Sorcerer & The Apprentice" at Chesterfield Arts.Garry created a series of "capture" photographs through an elaborate setup to capture the exact second a raw egg was cracked and then dropped onto the tines of a fork, creating various images and patterns in the eggs. See one of them in this exhibit!Opening ReceptionFriday, April 16: 6-9 pmShow continues through June 9Chesterfield Arts444 Chesterfield CenterChesterfield, MO 63017Gallery HoursTues-Fri: 10-5Sat: 10-4www.ChesterfieldArts.org 04/16/2010

The Parkway Central High School - Project Graduation Indoor Rummage Sale - Chesterfield, MO   The Parkway Central High School - Project Graduation Indoor Rummage Sale - Chesterfield, MO will be held on Saturday, April 17th from 7:30 AM to 1 PM.  The sale will be held at the high school (369 N. Woods Mill Road in Chesterfield, MO).  Household items, toys, books, baby items, clothing, furniture, sports equipment, small electronics and prom/party dresses are featured.  Payment is by cash only.  Call Tammy Crawford at 314-542-9882 or visit pchprojectgraduation.org.   04/16/2010