This weeks market report for St Louis City homes (Areas 1, 2, 3).  Statistics gathered from the local multiple listing service.There have been 159 new listings; prices range from $39,900 - $549,000.There have been 26 that have gone under contract (contingent/option); prices range from $83,250 - $498,000.There have been 68 homes that have gone pending; prices range from $4,452 - $339,900.There have been 44 homes that have sold; sold prices range from $21,000 - $1,300,000 (wow!).56 homes have expired; prices range from $44,900 - $1,320,000.28 homes have been withdrawn from the market; prices range from $54,900 - $439,900.Wanted to wish everyone a Happy St. Patrick's Day, and have a memorable weekend.   03/16/2007

Looking forward to this Saturday - St. Patrick's Day!  I've missed the parades the past couple of years, but if the weather is willing, I will be out wearing my Green to the parade.St Louis has two St. Patrick's day parades.  Usually, they are on different days, but this year they both fall on the same Saturday.  The big one is the Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Downtown St. Louis.  It starts at Noon at 18th and Market Streets & travels east on Market Street to Broadway.  An estimated 200,000 spectators will watch as 5,000 or so participants and 120 entries march by.  The post parade party continues until 4;00 pm at Kiener Plaza.  For more information, visit:  www.irishparade.com.The other parade, the one I'm going to, is the St. Patrick's Day Parade, put on by the Ancient Order of ... 03/15/2007

My partner listed his rehabbed apartment on Craigslist.org this evening, and I wanted to share the info.  This is a really nice one.  I should know; I've done alot of the finish work on it....Newly rehabbed one bedroom apartment for lease in Tower Grove South - first floor of a two family flat. Kitchen featuures new cabinets, countertop, sink, fixtures, ceramic tile floor, dishwasher, refrigerator & stove. Bathroom has new ceramic tile tub surround, vanity, fixtures, and also has a ceramic tile floor. Hardwood floors have been refinished throughout and everything has been freshly painted. French doors lead from livingroom to diningroom. New central air and forced air furnace, and new hot water heater. Updated electric. New windows. New ceiling fans in livingroom and bedroom. All other r... 03/14/2007

I responded to a post yesterday about the need for unmarried couples to plan ahead when it comes to powers of attorneys, medical directives, wills.  I wanted to share our story.  This is a very important issue.  Don't put it off!   "I cannot stress enough the need for this kind of planning.  My partner and I had been together eleven years and we had not taken care of any of this - no wills, power of attorneys, etc.  Then, in 2002, Dennis was involved in a severe automobile accident.  On the afternoon it happened, I was working in the garden when someone from his office called and told me to get to the hospital.  I didn't even change clothes.  Got to Barnes Jewish Hospital and told them that I was Dennis' partner, and I wanted to see him.  They told me they were working on him and for me... 03/13/2007

I wanted to follow up on what I wrote on Friday evening.  It was regarding Laclede Gas, and how I was not happy with the inspection on the ranch in Webster Groves.  I had called and let the listing agent know about the gas leak, but that was how I left it.  I would let him have it checked out.  I got a call this morning from a Laclede Gas Customer Service Manager.  He said they had gotten word through StlToday (?) that I was unhappy with them.  Someone must have read about it on this blog and passed it on to them.  I was pretty surprised.  They asked for the house address and the listing agent's name, so they could get into contact with him.  I received a message later in the day from the same customer service manageer that the Laclede Gas inspector and a supervisor had gone to the hous... 03/12/2007

Market Report for the week of March 9 in the city of St Louis (Areas 1, 2, 3) - Figures from the St Louis Multiple Listing Service: Active listings - 171 - Range in price from 12,900 - 625,000. Contingents listings - 39 - Range in price from 48,000 - 1,275,000. Pending listings - 69 - Range in price from 17,900 - 274,900. Sold listings - 49 - Range in price from 20,000-342,500. Expired listings - 47 - Range in price from 8,500-499,900. Things are beginning to move again. Had building inspecion this morning on the ranch in Webster Groves.  It did not go as well as I had hoped.  It passed Laclede Gas Inspection yesterday.  The listing agent faxed the paperwork yesterday.  I think the Laclede Gas inspection was a joke.  A fitting on the gas line to the furnace has an active gas leak.  I sm... 03/09/2007

Had two building inspections yesterday.  The first one took almost three hours, and the second one lasted for four hours.  The second one was on the two-family, and the seller was there to let us into the rented side.  He was there the entire time, which made for an interesting afternoon.  He was a nice guy, but he was already upset from the Laclede Gas inspections and occupancy inspections from earlier in the day.  Then our termite inspector found evidence of termites (old, but the building has never been treated).  In addition, DrainCo, my sewer scope company, found a major dip in the sewer pipe under the floor in the rented side.  It appears the line is rusting/rotting out from the bottom.  The rest of the inspection was pretty routine, but I thought the seller was going to blow a ga... 03/08/2007

Wow!  What a great past couple of days.  I wrote a contract on a two-family on Thursday and got it accepted on the same day.  Then on Friday, I showed a new buyer two houses, and she wrote on the second one.  That contract was accepted yesterday ( a ranch in Webster Groves).  Then, on Sunday, a friend called.  He had just been informed by his landlord that they were planning to sell the house he was renting.  He could either purchase it or move.  The house was not worth what they were wanting, so he decided it was time to buy for himself.  I showed him four houses that afternoon, and he wrote on the first one I had originally showed him.  That one was accepted yesterday, too.  So, the last two pretty well fell into my lap.  I'm definitely used to showing twenty+ homes before the buyer d... 03/06/2007

Woke up to thundershowers.  Partly cloudy the rest of the day.  By afternoon, the wind had picked up, and it's been really gusty since then - colder, too.  Tornados in Alabama and Southeast Missouri with deaths, injuries, and much damage.  What a terrible morning for some.  My heart goes out to them.Negotiating two building inspections.  This is the part of the process that I like the least.  I feel it's the most emotional part of the entire deal.  You have sellers who do not want to do anything and buyers that want everything.  How do you get them to come together?  Sometimes they don't.  On the one deal, that is what I fear will happen.  I represent the sellers, who ultimately accepted the buyer's lower offer.  I feel he's getting a real bargain.  Now he wants the sellers to make thou... 03/01/2007

Had a beautiful day today in St Louis, sunny and close to 60 degrees.  Maybe Spring is finally on the way.  I can't wait to get out and work in the yard.  I am a big gardener, and I love working in the dirt.  I guess I come by it naturally.  My grandfather was a farmer.  He and Grandma owned a small farm outside Uniontown, MO.  They raised pigs, cows, and crops.  They never did become rich; they barely made a living some years.  They never had indoor plumbing, and water was pumped from the cistern in the front yard.  A wood stove in the kitchen and one in the living/bedroom provided heat.  For air conditioning, they opened windows or turned on the box or window fans.  Some may think this was a hard way to live, but the happiest times of my childhood were spent at Grandma and Grandpa's. ... 02/28/2007

I scheduled a sewer scope inspection for the Chippewa property, and met Eric, with Drainco at the property today around noon.  The seller had provided a tape of a sewer scope inspection they had done last fall.  I picked it up Saturday from the listing agent's office.  I thought maybe I could save the buyers $150, and use the seller's tape.  When I viewed it on Saturday afternoon, I couldn't make heads or tails out of it.  First, the camera jumped around so bad, you couldn't see anything.  There was also no narration as to what I was seeing.  It was very poor quality, and I was not happy with the tape at all; so I called DrainCo to have them come out.  I've used them for several years, and I think Eric does a great job.  Most of all, I trust him.  I've stood over his shoulder as he ran ... 02/27/2007

02/26/2007

Our team leader shared this information with us, so I wanted to pass it along...The Seven Deadly Sins of Real Estate Prospecting Real estate prospecting is essential to success in real estate.  It's a key ingredient that will help you earn and get paid the amounts of money you want to make each year.  Yet, so many agents disregard, forget, ignore or flat out neglect prospecting.  These are simple mistakes that could take you away from success.  These mistakes are what I refer to as the 7 Deadly Sins of Real Estate Prospecting: 1.    Not Prospecting Enough:  Prospecting is THE PATH to finding the leads that will become your successfully closed transactions in the weeks and months ahead. If you don't search for and cultivate the best people to work with in your territory, your competitors... 02/26/2007

Wonderful all brick home. Located in St. Louis, Mo near Shaw's Garden and Tower Grove Park at 4337 Ellenwood near the world famous Bevo Mill. Square footage is 1,169 per seller. Original features are hardwood floors in living-room and dining-room, as well as the woodwork (all in excellent condition). Updated bath. Kitchen offers newer oak cabinets, counters, vinyl flooring. Nice appliances: Dishwasher, disposal, stove, refrigerator, washer and dryer (all stay). New carpet, ceiling fans and light fixtures, entry doors and storm doors. Windows are thermal tilt-in. Lots of closets and storage. New front porch and concrete walk in rear of home. Home has been freshly painted with neutral colors. Enclosed soffit and facia. New gutters and downspouts. Water line has been recently replaced unde... 02/26/2007

Rained off and on all day yesterday, sometimes heavy.  Today just dreary, windy, cold and a few snow flurries.Took a new buyer out for the first time yesterday evening.  Started at 4:00 pm and were finished a little after 7;00 pm.  Viewed eight properties.  We did great on time.  Just about got drenched, though.  We are going out again tonight, starting at 4:00pm (he works until 3:00).  Tonight it's two-family flats.  He's pretty motivated, and I think he will write pretty fast. Today's Quote:  "It is by acts and not by ideas that people live."    Anatole France 02/25/2007

Applied second coat of poly on the floors on the Miami property. They took longer to dry than expected. I did not have the heat on because I thought it would be too dangerous (fumes/explosion), but the directions said that as long as there was no open flames it should be alright. The fumes aren't that bad on this new poly. I left the heat on and cracked windows. Hopefully it will be dry tomorrow, and I may put a third coat on.Going to the annual Home and Garden Show tonight at the America's Center and Edward Jones Dome. Kim & Gary are going with us. I always come away from the show with some great ideas. Figures for this weeks closed/sold single properties in area two (South City) of St. Louis from the MLS listings:3950 Schiller - 659767 - 47,000 4324 Connecticut - 681138 - 70,000  4707... 02/23/2007

  Saint Louis AttractionsReasons to live in this area of the Midwest:Friendly FolksEmployment OpportunitiesGreat Weather (always changing!)Nearby rivers and lakes for boating,sailing and recreation activitiesSt. Louis Blues Music, Sports, & kid friendly city/county 01/01/2007

Hi Everyone! A new year is fast approaching. Are you ready? We've managed to get by the holidays with out too much fuss. Everyone is doing well here, no sickness around. My husband of course, is still getting radiation treatments for his prostate cancer, but he's really been doing wonderfully well with it. Our THANKS to the folks at St. Luke's Hospital and the Radiation Dept. too, for their patience, kindness and general support. We've fast become fond of Dr's Butler and DeGuerre and would highly recommend their services to anyone going through this. They are so knowledgeable and just all around decent men. Hat's off to them and their team in their offices. Great people, all!Business here had slowed down for the holidays, but we're beginning to see some movement now. We still have great... 12/29/2006

the Market for single family and condo property in St. Louis city has slowed down as we enter into the winter months...here is how the market compares to this time last year in the 3rd quarter... SINGLE FAMILY STATS1. Number of active listings...17642. Number of sold listings...9573. Average days on market...834. Average sale price...$131,475Same time last year...1. Number of active listings...11322. Number of sold listings...11033. Average days on market...674. Average sale price...$137,793CONDO STATS1. Number of active listings...5722. Number of sold listings...2843. Average days on market...964. Average sale price...$211,504Same time last year1. Number of active listings...2752. Number of sold listings...1883. Average days on market...2054. Average sale price...$219,228 To take a loo... 11/29/2006

We had an incredible opportunity the other day to inspect the most interesting house I have ever seen. The previous owner of this 6 bedroom, 3 bathroom house was nuns. The owner before that, who had put on two additions, was a bricklayer. He could apparently get brick and steel cheap, because the additions were made of solid brick walls on steel joists! This was essentially a commercial building. The house had a courtyard in the center of it with sliding glass doors on three sides. Very cool layout. The main problem with a courtyard in the middle of the home is getting rid of the water. There was a gutter-like system in place that ran to the storm drain, but those are only effective if they are kept clean. These looked like they were not cleaned out very often. As a result, the steel jo... 11/07/2006