4 bedroom ranch with large fenced lot!

Perfect location! Minutes from highways 40 AND 44, Clayton and Downtown! Last house on a dead end street; privacy, trees, & LARGE fenced lot! Unique characteristics: many spacious closets, HUGE pantry, laundry chute, telephone nook, basement workroom, storage, and much more! Newer windows, AC/furnace, H20 heater.

1011 Kuhlman Lane, St Louis, Missouri 63119

$238,000

LauraLudwig

http://www.lauralei.net
314-503-1186
$199 Flat Fee MLS Listings
Lauralei Properties, LLC

Maintenance free living totally redone in Overland

Experience maintenance free living as this gem has been totally redone. Beautiful 1.5 stories where the beautiful entrance opens into the adjoined living & dining rooms featuring hardwood floors and flows into the kitchen which opens to a new deck and patio. This home boast 4 bedrooms and 2 full baths, and the dry walkout basement is just waiting for your man-cave or moms craft room.  Huge fenced backyard. Walking distance to elementary school and park. What’s new you ask…how about: widened driveway, siding, tilt in easy clean windows, interior and exterior doors, plumbing, electric, furnace, air conditioner,  ductwork to upper floor, drywall, wired smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, ceiling fans, cabinetry, lighting, floors, carpet, fixtures, bath tubs, showers , dishwasher, furnace, patio, and deck.  Seriously…..this house should be worry free for you. I even had the sewer lines professionally serviced out to the main. All the work has passed the city and county inspections.

Open Sunday 3/12 from noon - 4pm

to view call 314-602-1082

Laura Ludwighttp://www.lauralei.net
314-503-1186
$195 Flat Fee MLS Listings
Lauralei Properties, LLC

Federal Funds Rate to remail low

The Federal Reserve met today and decided that the Federal Funds Rate will remain low - holding steady between 0.50% and 0.75%. Since financial market experts predict several rate increases in 2017, now is the time to get your finances in order before mortgage rates rise. When the Fed Funds Rate is low, the Fed is attempting to promote economic growth. This is because the Fed Funds Rate is correlated to Prime Rate, which is the basis of most bank lending including many business loans and consumer credit cards. It's a common belief that the Federal Reserve "makes" consumer mortgage rates. It doesn't. The Fed doesn't make mortgage rates. Mortgage rates are made on Wall Street.

HARP ends december 13 - Home Affordable Refinance Program

Today's Rates Refinance Buy a Home Calculators About Us

If you owe more than your home is worth but are current on your mortgage payments, the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) makes it easy to lower your monthly payments.       Most loans don't require an appraisal       There are fewer income verification requirements       Refinance and take advantage of today's low rates   Call (800) 442-3048, or chat online with a Home Loan Expert to see if you qualify.

Buyers seeking multi family homes

According to several news articles, there is a dramatic spike in the real estate world, and

it’s not for the traditional. More and more potential homeowners and renters are seeking

out multi-family residences rather than single family. In fact, World Property Journal

reports the rise was 29.4% in multi-family properties and single family properties declined

by .9%.

Today’s generation has an affinity to seek living quarters in and around the city rather than

in a suburban neighborhood, and would much rather rent than buy according to the

reports of Christine Jordan Sexton at Realtor.org.

What are the benefits of renting the multi-family verses owning the single family?

Less worry over maintenance: yard work, appliance fixing, structural malfunctions are just

a few of the up sides to renting, that’s the land lords job to maintain and fix. Whereas with

owning your own property, the responsibility to fix things lands with you.

Living inside the city in a multi-family means less of a work commute and easy pedestrian

access to entertainment and take-out for the young who are not ready to settle down. It

also means easy access to hospital or emergency care.

However, there is no investment in renting as there is in owning. The hundreds of dollars

wasted every month in rent go into the pockets of the landlord, so when you decide to

move there’s nothing there for you. Owing your home means equity; a sold investment

even for a fluctuating market like real estate is always a better option.

To more information in this trend check out the full articles here at:

http://www.realtor.org/articles/the-rise-of-multifamily-housing-multiple-family-

residences-are-dominating-new-construction

http://www.worldpropertyjournal.com/real-estate-news/united-states/new-home-

construction-july-2015-housing-starts-us-department-of-housing-and-urban-

development-new-home-construction-nahb-david-crowe-9234.phpB

Do you know your mortgage interest rate?

1/3 Don't Know Their Rate

Ask any American how much money they make for a living, and they'll tell you down to the weekly penny. Ask what interest rate governs their single-largest monthly expense, and more than a third don't know.

"Your mortgage rate is one of the most important numbers in your financial life, and there's a good chance that one of your neighbors has no idea regarding how much he or she is paying," said Holden Lewis, a senior mortgage analyst at Bankrate.com.

Bankrate.com surveyed a national sample of 1,000 adults and found that 35 percent did not know their mortgage interest rate. One in 7 mortgage holders were either "not too confident," "not at all confident" or had no idea about their rate.

Lenders say the finding is not at all surprising. Home buying is stressful, and most borrowers are honed in on what their monthly payment will be, not how they get to that payment. What does this mean for home purchases? It means that setting up the borrower with the right loan and payment and making the process smooth and stress-free is more important than the interest rate to the borrower as part of the experience.

Mark Walker NMLS#: Phone: 314-862-0123

Email: everyonebigbend@mimutual.com

National Homebuyer Grant

The income limits are only based on the borrowers on the loan, NOT the total household income! Take a look at the features of the grant below. 

National Homebuyers Fund (NHF) Platinum Grant:

·         No first time homebuyer requirement

·         Income limits based on borrower and co-borrower only (does not apply to entire household - see attached county income limits)

·         Offers up to 5% down payment and closing cost assistance

·         No forgiveness period or repayment required - a true grant!

·         Must be primary residence only

·         30-year mortgage only

·         Minimum 640 credit score required

Amy Neier Senior Mortgage Banker 16150 Main Circle Dr. Chesterfield, MO. 63017 Work: 314-872-0998 | Mobile: 573-291-2704 | Fax: 314-219-8575 NMLS ID: 58000 | Company NMLS: 224149 aneier@flat-branch.com |flatbranchhomeloans.com

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac back mortgages

Housing finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on Monday detailed plans to once again back mortgages with down payments as low as 3%, saying the move to make home ownership more accessible contains safeguards to protect against abuses that led to the subprime housing market crash.

The loans would be allowed only for fixed-rate mortgages on single-family homes that would be the borrower's primary residence and would require full documentation of the ability to repay the mortgage, said officials from the two firms and their regulator, the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

“Our goal is to help additional qualified borrowers gain access to mortgages,” said Andrew Bon Salle, executive vice president for single family underwriting, pricing and capital markets at Fannie Mae.

U.S. to ease repurchase demands on bad mortgages

E. Scott Reckard, John Glionna, Tim Logan

“We are confident that these loans can be good business for lenders, safe and sound for Fannie Mae and an affordable, responsible option for qualified borrowers," he said.

Officials said the program was designed to help credit-worthy borrowers, particularly those with low or moderate incomes, who can demonstrate the ability to repay a mortgage but lack the money needed for at least a 5% down payment.

The two firms will offer somewhat different programs.

Freddie Mac’s program, called Home Possible Advantage, is open to anyone who meets certain requirements, but first-time home buyers must participate in a home ownership education and counseling program. All participants will have to pay for private mortgage insurance.

reprinted from http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-fannie-mae-freddie-mac-mortgage-downpayment-20141208-story.html

How to Prepare Your Home for winter

As autumn approaches we begin to see the leaves change, feel the air cool, and think about the winter weather. As a homeowner you want to take every precaution to protect your home during those winter months, or fear damage caused by a dreadful winter storm. So what do you need to do to winterize your home.

Check your Furnace – Stock up on Furnace filters, Call your Furnace repair man (also known as HVAC professional) to inspect your furnace is running at top performance, and to clean the heating ducts. If you have a digital thermostat make sure to replace the batteries with brand new ones, and clean the area around your furnace to ensure there is nothing flammable near it.

Check all exterior Windows and Doors – You should inspect your windows to make sure there are no cracks in or around the frame, if so you can use caulking to seal up your windows cracks. Place weather stripping around all doors leading to outside to help prevent cold air from entering your home. And don’t forget to switch out window screens for glass screens for the winter months.

Inspect your roof and gutters – Clean out the gutters using a garden hose to wash away all debris such as leafs, and small tree limbs. Also replace worn out roof shingles or tiles with new ones.
By taking the time to implement these simple steps and a few others you are ensuring your home is ready for winter.

Who do For Sale by Owners (FSBO) want?

For Sale by Owners don't want real estate agents --- in fact no sellers really want real estate agents - so the FSBO and the Represented sellers have that in common.

What they both really want is a BUYER and having a real estate agent and putting the home on the MLS is just a means to an end - and everyone is happy - the sellers sell, the buyers get there home and the real estate agent eats for the next month.

My homes for sale in St. Louis

For the first time since i have be a real estate agent/broker - i have homes of my own to sell .... and it is an eyeopener for me. So my plan is to jot down how things progress from the seller side - more for me than anyone else - but maybe someone else will find it interesing too.

2 of the houses are in south st louis, in the city by Carondelet park - they have been on the market for about 4 weeks and the smaller, cheaper one (around $70k) has had 14 showings and over 200 client hits on the mls (buyers who have opened up the listing on the internet) - the 3 bedroom, 60's ranch ($130k) has had only 2 showings and about 30 client hits on the mls.