Tiny house living in a great location just south of Forest Park - St. Louis, Missouri

 

Tiny house living in a great location just south of Forest Park. Updated clean and cozy would make a perfect rental or air bnb. All systems have been updated in recent years. New kitchen and bathroom. The yard is fenced and very private with nice patio. All appliances and furniture included. The Real estate taxes, insurance and utilities are very affordable making this a low cost and low maintenance property. All electric. Possible rental or air bnb approx. $1400 monthly income (per rentometer)

6529 Mitchell Ave, St Louis, Missouri 63139

$145,000

To View call    (314) 223-6418 

Lauralei Properties, llc
314-503-1186
http://www.lauralei.net

List your home for One Flat Fee of $199 

Beautiful, well maintained, 4-bedroom, 3.5 bath home on a quiet cul de sac

Beautiful, well maintained, 4-bedroom, 3.5 bath home on a quiet cul de sac in the heart of Fenton. Close to shopping, restaurants, AAA Rockwood schools, and easy access to Hwy 44. *New Carpet on main floor *Wood burning fireplace *Granite Island *Dishwasher 2014 *Microwave 2017 *Lots of cabinets and pantries *Updated bathrooms *New Oak Staircase *2nd floor Hardwood 2017 *2nd floor Laundry Room *His and Hers closets *Vaulted Ceiling in Master *Skylight in Master Bath *Double sinks *Garden tub *Separate shower *Walk-out basement *Heated Garage *Work Bench *Newer HVAC 2015 *Two-level Deck *Built in Firepit *Large concrete patio *Whole House Fan *Fenced Yard *Backs to Wooded Common *Wood Blinds *April-Air Humidifier *Six Panel Doors *Enclosed Sofit & Facia *Front Patio Call for an appointment today!

1712 Coronita Dr, Fenton, MO 63026

to view call 314-482-8255

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

Former Display home. This beautiful 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath home (Real Estate For Rent)

Former Display home. This beautiful 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath home has a brick and stone front with a 3 car garage. The home features a large, open split bedroom floor plan. There is a fabulous great room with a gas fireplace, vaulted ceilings, custom kitchen with breakfast room and a coffered formal dining room with pillars. The home also features a coffered master bedroom with an awesome master bath and huge walk in closet. Excellent schools.

Monthly Rent $2,700



2364 The Courts Dr, Chesterfield, MO 63017




to view call 618-530-7659




 Laura Ludwig

http://www.lauralei.net


314-503-1186





Ask about our$195 Flat Fee MLS Listings



Lauralei Properties, LLC

What Makes a Home Smart?

What does a house have to have to be considered a smart home

"Smart Home" is the term commonly used to define a residence that has appliances, lighting, heating, air conditioning, TVs, computers, entertainment audio & video systems, security, and camera systems that are capable of communicating with one another and can be controlled remotely by a time schedule, from any room in the home, as well as remotely from any location in the world by phone or internet.

Some sources say a home must have an Internet connection and at least three different kinds of smart technology to be considered a smart home.


Most products are available in one of four protocols : X10, Z-Wave, UPB and EnOcean.  They are all compatible with the internet, phone, and cell phones.

Today's smart home is still learning with some of these products:

• smartwatch
• Wi-Fi enabled bulbs
• Smart thermostats
• connected coffee
• washing machines
• smart security systems
• horticulture to even water your plants

Remember these products can be finicky from time to time, but don't let that stop you from exploring the possibilities and make your home smarter!

housing market - feds leave rates unchanged this week

Please enjoy this quick update on what happened this week in the housing and financial markets.

	The Fed concluded the most recent FOMC meeting and announced there would be no policy rate increases. The next FOMC meeting is scheduled for March 14/15.
	Economic activity in manufacturing expanded in January, surpassing economists' expectations. Manufacturers grew at the fastest pace in more than 2 years.
	The Consumer Confidence Index dropped in January after reaching a 15-year high in December. Despite the slight drop, consumers remain confident overall.

	Construction spending was down slightly overall in December. However, spending on residential structures was up 0.5%.
	Despite an increase in mortgage rates, pending home sales rose 1.6% in December compared to November. Sales were up 0.3% year-over-year.
	Home prices continue to rise, up 5.6% in November according to Case-Shiller. Increases are supported by rising personal income & decreasing unemployment.

When an employment application asks who is to be notified in case of emergency, I always write, “A very good doctor."

Rate movements and volatility are based on published, aggregate national averages and measured from the previous to the most recent midweek daily reporting period. These rate trends can differ from our own and are subject to change at any time.

Sincerely,

Christopher Gianino
Pinnacle Real Estate Advisor by Gershman Mortgage
Vice President
NMLS 252641
(314) 280-5662
cgianino@gershman.com
www.PinnacleRealEstateAdvisor.com

House trends - Home Sales

According to the National Association of Realtors

Housing Indicators

Existing-Home (June)
Sales	5.57 million units*
Median Price	$247,700*
Housing Starts (June)	1,189,000*
New Home Sales (May)	551,000*
*seasonally adjusted annual rate July 2016 Foot Traffic AUGUST 12, 2016

Is the Tiny House Movement: Fad or For Real

Is the Tiny House Movement: Fad or Solution

You don’t have to be house shopping to know that “tiny” is very now. “Tiny” as in “tiny homes,” that is. TV shows, magazines, and the lifestyle sections of newspapers have been promoting the “small is beautiful” philosophy for months now. What’s it all about?

A tiny house or apartment is generally described as less than 400 square feet (37.16 square meters), and, according to Betsy Shiffman in Forbes, “While tiny apartments are hardly a new phenomenon…a new wave of tiny houses and micro apartments is targeted to people who can afford more.”

In the past, families in urban areas lived in tiny apartments because they couldn’t afford bigger. Today’s tiny home buyers go tiny because they want to.

As Shiffman points out, “In Manhattan, a 100-square-foot broom closet on the Upper West side goes for a cool $1,100… and in Tokyo, so-called “coffin” apartments go for anywhere between $500 and $1000 per month for 50 to 75 square feet (4.6 to 6.9 square meters) of space.”

In the U.S., according to Collin Binkley of Associated Press, “Backers of tiny living say the movement is growing, and certain areas have become hotspots. Villages of little homes have popped up in cities like Portland and Seattle.”

However, a recent article in the Globe & Mail takes on the myth of happy tiny-home owners. “Are tiny homes really sustainable?”

The writer, Erin Anderssen, points to at least one poster family for the tiny housing movement: “They lasted 18 months before they decided it was ‘too small’ and moved into an apartment.”

That said, the movement remains popular across North America, especially with the millennial contingent.

And, interestingly, several urban areas are currently exploring the feasibility of tiny homes in the battle against homelessness.

Are tiny houses just another craze or might they represent a solution to an intractable urban problem? It remains to be seen.

blog from http://readytogonewsletters.com/real_estate_articles/

Prolong the life of your window

The Fed and Rate Changes - What does it all mean?

The Federal Reserve Board (the Fed) controls the Fed Funds Rate and the Discount Rate. These are overnight loans from bank to bank or from the Fed to member banks. The Fed adjusts the rate to influence the economy. For example, if things are going well, a rate increase may slow inflation. If the economy is struggling, a rate drop could be the boost it needs.

Two important things to remember:

- The Fed can influence, but does not directly set, consumer rates.

- The Fed's rates are short term and often do not impact longer term rates, such as mortgage loans.

Why all the fuss?

Increases in the Fed Funds rate can cause banks to raise their “prime” rates, which are often used to calculate costs of revolving credit or home equity lines of credit (HELOCs).

What about mortgages?

Mortgage loans are a different animal, so to speak. The "agencies" (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) pool them together and sell them as mortgage bonds. The amount investors pay for these bonds directly influences mortgage rates.

Bottom Line:

When the Fed moves, it generally provides lots of warning, and markets have already had a chance to react. Markets are constantly responding to other factors as well, from the stock market to global events to consumer spending. In the end, no one can say for certain what the reaction to Fed moves will be.

David Sharp
MiMutual Mortgage
Loan Officer
NMLS# 280482
(314) 260-4360
dsharp@mimutual.com
www.mimutual.info/dsharp
Click Here to Review Comments from Past Clients on Zillow

 

Getting your home ready for photos

According to the National Association of Realtors, well over 90% of home buyers look on the

internet for homes. So, setting the stage in photos and making sure they are of good quality is

an important point in selling your home.
Think of the photos you see in magazines like Better Homes and Gardens. The displays of

photos in these magazines have simple style with clear horizontal surfaces with just a few

decorative items placed sparsely. As you see that image in your mind, now look around your

home to find what needs to be done. Less “stuff” in the photos will make the rooms look bigger.

Clear all unnecessary objects from the kitchen countertops, especially bright colored items.

Don’t forget the paper towels, soap dispenser, hand towels. Clear family photos, children’s

drawings and magnets from the refrigerator, and stacks of “out of reach” items from the top.

In the bathrooms, clear objects such as cosmetics and soap dispensers. Tip: group daily

toiletries in Rubbermaid containers for each family member so you can move them to a closet.

This will also help with showings.

Remove personal photos, flowers and statues from walls, mantles and tabletops. Remove

small mirrors to minimize flash reflections. Keep rooms neat and organize toys, magazines, and

books. Remove any blankets off furniture.

Check all bulbs and replace any that are burned out because a burned out bulb will likely be

noticed in the photo. Also, with the new types of bulbs it is sometimes hard to gauge light output

so do not use mismatched bulbs and make sure they are not too bright. Research shows that

buyers feel that lighting adds “warmth” to the photographs.

If you are not able to be present at the photo session, turn on all lights or at least those that

have switches that might be hard to find and turn off all ceiling fans because they might be

blurred in the photos but leave the ceiling fan lights on.

Make sure that pet bedding, bowels and cages are out of the open areas. MLS rules prohibit

showing pets in the photos, so please cage or remove them from the premises on the day of the

photo session.

That first photo of the front exterior shot is perhaps the most important shot out of the whole

series of photos. It’s the primary photo that a buyer looking at their search results online may

use to decide whether to click or not to click to open and see the details of your home. So, take

a walk around the perimeter, remove any trash containers and other items like hoses. Also, tell

your agent when the sun hits the front of your home (morning or afternoon) so the pictures can

be taken with minimal shadows.

The photographer cannot take the responsibility for moving your personal items. It is up to you

to get your home ready. Remember that the photos will be displayed on the Internet on multiple

websites, so remove everything that you do not want the public to see.

Does street name make a difference when it comes to selling your house?

Main Street a Minus

By Zillow's estimate a home on Main Street loses 44 percent of its value just by dint of the mailing address. As Rascoff noted, common names in general suffer this fate, and Main Street is one of the most common a town can have.

Occupiers everywhere will be pleased to know that Wall Street, while fairly common, tends to have homes worth about 60 percent of the norm. (In fact, after several random searches, it's surprisingly hard not to have property values worth less than normal. One wonders if there's a cluster of gloriously titled neighborhoods out there with their thumbs on the scale.)

So where's all this property value going? Well, it turns out that every developer who named his sun-blasted subdivision "Shady Acres" was actually on to something. Descriptive names like "Lake Front" and "Sunset" often are indicators of high value, as are unusual names and "Ways," "Drives" and "Boulevards."

Homes located on Sunset Way, for example, tend to be about 76 percent more expensive than average while Lake Forest Drive gets an 11 percent bump. Idiosyncratic history buffs can also take heart: homes on Verdun Avenue cost 123 percent more than the national average.

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

Email: everyonebigbend@mimutual.com

List FREE on the MLS

Investors and Rehabbers list FREE in the MLS. 

We offer free mls listings to all investors or rehabbers - when you buy your home through us, we turn around and put your home on the MLS and over 30 other websites at no charge.

You are still able to sell your house for sale by owner if there is no other agent involved. If the bu yer has an agent - you pick the commission you want to pay.

We will help you from list to close, providing you with all the paperwork you need. We even draw up contracts for the buyer

www.lauralei.net

Call or email today
314-503-1186

Laura
Lauralei Properties, llc

Common Documents Required For A Mortgage Pre-Approval for Home Buyers

Even though many lenders are still quoting quick 10 minute pre-qualifications over the phone or online, a true mortgage approval that holds any weight is one that has been issued by an underwriter who has had an opportunity to review all of the necessary documents.

With a constant stream of new lending guidelines, volatile mortgage rates and tightening regulation from Washington, very few real estate agents will show new homes to a First-Time Home Buyer without at least a pre-qualification letter.

A Pre-Approval Letter will help you in three ways:

• It lets you know how much mortgage you can qualify for
• It gives you an estimate of what your total housing payment would be
• Submitting a strong “Pre-Approval” letter with a purchase offer will give the seller more confidence about your ability to complete your end of the agreement

It’s obviously a good idea to get your paperwork prepared ahead of time so that the pre-approval process is as thorough as possible.

In order to get a pre-approval letter, you’ll start by filling out a loan application and submitting a few documents for the loan officer and / or underwriter to review.

Common Loan Pre-Approval Documents:

Income / Assets for Wage Earner:

• Last 2 year W2s and Tax Returns
• 2 most recent Pay Stubs
• 2 most recent Bank Statements, 401(K), Liquid Assets, Investment Accounts

Income / Assets for Self-Employed:

• Last 2 year Tax Returns – Business and Personal
• Last Quarter P&L Statement

Letter of Explanation For:

• Employment Gap or New Line of Work
• Late Payments / Judgments / Bankruptcy on Credit Report

Other:

• Bankruptcy Discharge
• Child Support Documentation
• Lease Agreements (If own other Rental Properties)
• Mortgage Payment Coupons (If own other Real Estate)

…..

Most borrowers also want an opportunity to learn more about the loan officer before digging up all of these personal documents. Spend 15 minutes on the phone asking the loan officer to explain how mortgage rates work, quizzing them on some basic industry vocab or just to see if they know what to prepare your agent for ahead of time. The Q&A session can be more than just a lender qualifying you, as long as you’re prepared to ask the right questions.

Either way, you’ll definitely want to have the above list of approval documents ready once you’ve decided on the right loan officer that you trust will meet your expectations.

David Sharp

NMLS#280482

123 Mortgage Team

314-260-4360

Get Smart And Follow These Tips On Selling Real Estate

 When you decide to sell your property, you get what you put into the process. The sellers who is most informed and educated will often reap the best in real estate arm themselves with information.This article has many tips and methods to ensure you become smarter about real-estate selling.

Make sure all the rooms in your home are well-lit before inviting potential buyers for a viewing. A well-lit home will not only appear larger, and will put buyers at ease about potential problems in a home that is darkly lit.You may see more interested buyers if you turned on the lights.

If you are going to resell your home, you should look at it as a valuable commodity and take better care of it than you would your own home. This allows you break your expectations and negotiations once you the ability to market it to its fullest extent.

Use as many different channels as necessary to find or market your real estate. You will want to exercise every option available in order to achieve the avenues that are open to help you find the success you are seeking.

Try to sell your old house before moving to your new one if possible. It can be extremely difficult to keep up payments on two residences while waiting to obtain a buyer for your previous home.

A newer investor will likely to learn the hard way that there are serious downsides to being new to the game.

Clean up your yard to boost your home for sale. Things like busted fences, like broken fences, overgrown plants, giant compost heaps and dingy garden furniture can quickly turn off potential buyers and lower the overall value of the property.

Select a real estate agent with care before selling your home.You should know that your agent you are working with knows what they are doing. An experienced real estate agent with good credentials will make your transactions run more smoothly and at the best price.

Price your home fairly to save yourself time and trouble.

Get rid of the clutter if you show your home.

Just by making some small updates to your kitchen you can have a big impact on the value of your home. You may want to switch out one appliance to update the look and provide a focal point. It's quite expensive to install new kitchen cabinets, so try repainting them for a new look.

The little efforts involved in keeping up with painting, painting, and other small repairs can be a bother for many homeowners. However, if you don't keep these items up to date, the home will require a great deal of work and expense before it is ready to sell.

New flooring could be an expensive investment in which you won't be able to enjoy it.Instead, just do a thorough cleaning of the existing flooring, so that they do not reflect negatively on the house.

Once the interior is ready, try going outside and walking around to check the exterior of the house. Focus on your home's "curb appeal." The exterior of your house must create a good impression on the home will make or she approaches your house for the buyer's first time. If you see problems that would put potential buyers off, then you want it taken care of as soon as possible.

written b
y: Clark Kasun