Mar. 31, 2009 - Insurance_Institute_for_Highway_Safety

Shop for a safer car here! Click on "Vehicle Ratings". Learn which cars cost more to insure and other pertinent information.

Mar. 31, 2009 - SpringtimeInStLouisMO

Ahh, SPRING! Here's what it means in the St. Louis Metro area. Warm, breezy days and then a quick return to Winter! We've had some beautiful days here, the forsythia is blooming, as well as the glorious Bradford Pear trees (no fruit!).

Now come the red bud trees, along with the tulip trees. It's a sight to behold! You need to see it to believe it! Come visit us, you just may want to call me to help you buy a home!

We have four seasons here and I'm here to tell you, you never know when those seasons will do a quick switcheroo on you! Better keep the sweaters, coats and shorts out! AND be prepared for quick storms and an occasional chance of a tornado, when the cold and warm air choose to mix it up.
After the wind storms, you may need to check the trees to see how they fared. This huge one split as you can see and that's the only bad thing I can say about these lovely trees.

Mar. 19, 2009 - DiversitySeminar2009

It was an interesting day today. I attended the St. Louis Association of REALTORS Diversity Committees seminar for buying and selling in 2009. The panelists included Wandy Simmons of Beyond Housing; Don Brinker, Homeownership Manager of the Missouri Housing Development Commission;State Representative Tim Jones with the Missouri Housing Task Force (and representative of District 89 which includes Wildwood, Eureka and parts of West St. Louis County); and Lisa Brewer & Dan McLaughlin, of the Missouri Association of Mortgage Brokers (MAMB)

Judy Sepac and Representative Tim Jones (89th District)

Each panelist shared their expertise on educating buyers, tax credits, legislation & mortages.
All attendees were served box lunches from Heavenly Ham which were sponsored by: Scott Beeman, 314-329-9810 Neighbors Credit Union and Harry Hilburg, 314-569-3000 of Countrywide Home Loans. There was a large attendance and many questions asked and answered. More answers can be found on the SLAR web site under Legislation. Following the lunch break, Dr. Jed Smith, National Association of REALTORS, provided insight into his view of the 2009 Forecast & $789 Billion Economic Recovery Plan. Yes, there will be a recovery! Look for the silver lining and keep your eyes on the prize (recovery)!

Mar. 8, 2009 - Foreclosures_and_Crime

As homes in your neighborhood are foreclosed on strange things begin to happen. You find the people that lived there have left the premises in a hurry and may have left behind a lot of their belongings and a big mess too. The grass and weeds continue to grow and the bushes aren't getting trimmed. You might notice a foul smell emanating from the home. Pools can be left unattended, making it unsightly and a hazard to all. Windows get broken. Trash is left in the yard. Signs go up, showing it's a vacant home that's been foreclosed on. At times, the copper pipes are ripped out by thieves for resale and water is left to run ruining carpet, flooring, and mold begins to grow.

The community has a black cloud hanging over it. Neighbors wonder if they'll be next, thinking how easy it would be for them to be in that same situation too. If you feel you are at risk check out: www.hopenow.com or call 888-995-HOPE. At times the local government is not quick to take action either. Houses can be illegally entered by teens or homeless.

So, what can YOU do about it? Start a community effort with your neighbors to walk the neighborhood to look for problem properties.
When your block watch program (See: www.usaonwatch.org) is in place, notify the local police and city services so they can board up the windows. Take it in on your selves to serve and clean up what you can. Take turns cutting the grass. Pick up the trash. Form a homeowners association if you don't have one to get reimbursed for your work and put a lien on the property or get a court order for larger repairs. Check out www.vacantproperties.org on maintaining empty homes.

Do what you must to keep your neighborhood up to standards. The sun will come out and those clouds will soon part. Your neighborhood will be the stronger for your efforts!