Saint Charles Summer 2013 Market Report

by Chuck Roper 9. August 2013 08:39

 


Saint Charles residential housing was robust for the first two quarters of 2013
. Our research suggests the real estate market continues to grow. The overall trend is encouraging and represents a continuation from the four quarters of growth in 2012. It’s all in our Summer 2013 Market Report for the Saint Charles Community. A link is furnished below.


The report provides a comprehensive analysis of residential housing activity including price levels for the Saint Charles community and is segmented by property type and school district.

The continued improvement in activity levels, modest price level increases and the relatively low inventory levels all contribute to our favorable outlook for St. Charles housing for the balance of 2013.

http://issuu.com/janetmcafee/docs/saint_charles_market_report

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Our Stories: Real Estate Problems and Solutions

by Chuck Roper 6. August 2013 11:17


PROBLEM:
Disputes between buyers and sellers regarding which fixtures the sellers can remove.

SOLUTION:
The sale contract lists the items and fixtures that are automatically included with the sale. Sellers should review this list prior to bringing the house on the market and remove items they would like to move to their new home. While excluding them from contract is an option, a safer decision is to replace the items with similar fixtures before you list your home and photograph the interiors.

Megan Holekamp:
314.703.1415
www.janetmcafee.com/meganholekamp

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733 Middle Polo Drive: A Ladue News Distinctive Home

by Chuck Roper 2. August 2013 06:54

 

When Ladue News Magazine wanted examples of luxury Clayton homes with distinct architectural elements, they turned to Kathy Bussmann and Jody Fancher of Janet McAfee Real Estate. Kathy and Jody’s listing at 733 Middle Polo Drive in Clayton is an impressive example of an aesthetically appealing Tudor style home with updates and finishes for today’s luxury living. In a full page feature article by Staff Writer Katherine Comfort-Mason, the compelling aspects of the home follow:

A 5-bedroom, 6-bath home in Clayton is listed for $1.27 million.

 

BY KATHERINE COMFORT-MASON



A LUSH LAWN AND FOUNTAIN give this 5,000-square-foot Tudor-style home impressive curb appeal. Inside, you’ll find carefully crafted details like oak moldings, built-in bookcases, cathedral ceilings, stained glass windows, hardwood and terrazzo floors and multiple fireplaces. The modern kitchen features custom cabinetry, top-of-the-line appliances, granite countertops and a large breakfast room that opens onto a private front patio.

On the second floor, the master suite includes a large walk-in closet and updated bath that blends seamlessly with the home’s original style. A bedroom, bath and bonus room make the third floor a perfect guest apartment.

 

To see sunning color images and more property detail, go to:

http://www.janetmcafee.com/property/733-Middle-Polo-Drive-Clayton-MO-63105/MARIS/13032865/luxury

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St. Louis Luxury Homes

Our Stories: Real Estate Problems and Solutions

by Chuck Roper 1. August 2013 09:23


PROBLEM:
Our client was a bachelor living in a great house that needed some updating and TLC.

SOLUTION:
The client wished to sell his home "as-is." The home languished on the market for seven months without selling. After getting married, he took the house off the market to do some updating. With our guidance on resources, the client commissioned the painting of the exterior of the home and all the interior rooms. They installed new doors, removed carpeting, refinished hardwood floors and added accent millwork. The kitchen was updated with new granite counters and new stainless appliances. Additionally, the old tile floor was replaced and some of the cabinets were removed to create a dining nook. The remaining cabinets were painted in a fresh neutral color. Bathrooms were also updated with bead board wainscoting, new vanities and granite tops. The final key step in the turnaround was to hire a trusted stager to give the home a young fresh décor.

The home returned to the market and sold the first week.

 

Linda Benoist 314.504.5495
www.janetmcafee.com/lindabenoist

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Our Stories

Christy Thompson: Agent of the Month

by Chuck Roper 25. July 2013 05:38

 


LAW AND ORDER

It's not a secret that Top Agent Christy Thompson artfully combines her legal training with her passion for real estate to successfully advocate for her clients. As a Top Agent at Janet McAfee Real Estate for the past five years, and a six-time winner of the prestigious Five-Star Customer Satisfaction Award sponsored by St. Louis Magazine, Christy offers a verifiable track record of success. She truly represents the next generation of the firm’s real estate professionals.

Christy took time out of her busy schedule to talk with us about the "secrets" of her success both in real estate and her personal life. Her insights and observations reveal a great deal about her professionalism and discipline, the hallmarks of real estate success.

How do you stay on top of your profession?

Market knowledge is the number one most important way to stay at the top. Happily, our market is showing improvement each month, and I do my homework to keep up to date with recent sales, list-to-sale percentages and statistics pertaining to various market segments. Knowledge of national and local housing trends, credit changes as well as legal and tax issues can be very important to clients.

What personally drives your success?

Quite simply, I’m in a business I love. I enjoy meeting clients each day and helping to solve their problems-whether it’s selling the house they loved or finding the perfect new property. I love touring our market and seeing the changes taking place around us. And most importantly, I love the "art of the deal." Negotiating the best possible position for my clients allows me to use my legal background and my market knowledge to bring everyone to the closing table.

How do you manage your priorities?

Our business takes some serious organizational skills. Here again, my legal training helps me focus on the topic at hand while still actively representing my other clients. I am a hands-on agent and it’s important to me that my clients have my undivided effort and attention. They don’t get passed along to a member of "the team." I am also a list person. I am able to identify the key tasks I need to complete daily, weekly and monthly. It also helps that I am one of those people who doesn’t require a lot of sleep!

What do you do when you are not working? Any surprises?

My favorite times are spent with my husband and son. We often spend time in and around St. Louis, playing tennis or biking. My four-legged family members (my horse and two dogs) help me to stop and enjoy the world around me every day. You may be surprised to know that in my spare time I am also a practicing real estate attorney. I have been negotiating contracts daily for the past twenty-one years.

To learn more about Christy and to see her fine listings, click on the following link:

www.janetmcafee.com/christythompson.

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38 Brentmoor Park: A Town & Style Featured Home

by Chuck Roper 19. July 2013 09:33

When Town & Style Magazine went searching for examples of current luxury home opportunities, they turned to Ann Carter and Marcy Byrne of Janet McAfee Real Estate. Ann and Marcy’s listing at 38 Brentmoor Park in Clayton is an impressive example of the romantic charm inherent in a Tudor style home with updates and finishes for today’s luxury living.  In a two page feature article by Staff Writer Stephanie Zeilenga, the compelling highlights of the home follow:|

 

 by stephanie zeilenga


list price | $2,295,000 

listing agents | ann carter and marcy byrne of janet mcafee real estate

When Ryan Bogan received a work transfer from San Diego to St. Louis, he and his wife Jill already knew they liked the Clayton area, but they probably weren’t expecting to see, fall in love with, and buy their home at 38 Brentmoor Park all in one weekend.

It’s no wonder they did. The 7,744 square-foot, five-bedroom English Tudor-style home was built in 1924 and has maintained its architectural and aesthetic integrity. The family hunted down original photos of the house when it was built and to help them in some restoration work. Besides bringing back the terrazzo flooring, they also restored the wood paneling in the living room to match the original photos. "We really tried to do whatever we could to maintain the integrity of the home and restore the old features," says Bogan.

The home has a stunning entryway with a wood-beamed ceiling, marble flooring and a sweeping staircase. To the right of the entry is a living room with original wood paneling, a white ceiling with decorative relief work, and a massive decorative limestone fireplace flanked by large arched windows looking out onto the lush yard.

The cozy-yet-grand basement lounge is Bogan’s favorite space in the house. "We’ve used the area for special occasions, for dinner or just to talk in front of the fireplace," he says. "The room has a community aura and it makes you feel like it’s circa 200 years ago." Decorated with a Tudor aesthetic, this room has high ceilings accented with dark wood beams and a second fireplace.

A house this grand needs the right setting, which is provided by its 1.38-acre grounds. "It has almost every type of flora and fauna, such as azaleas and dogwoods," says Bogan. The grounds feature a koi pond and a pool surrounded by a brick deck. There is also a brick patio and a pagoda nestled in the foliage.

With downtown Clayton less than a mile away, Bogan and his wife enjoyed walking to their favorite area restaurants. But as much as they love the home and surrounding area, Bogan says the family-oriented community is what they will really miss when they return to San Diego. "The community has almost this Leave It to Beaver feel, where the kids can go out to play and it’s very safe, that’s what we’ll miss the most," he says.

For more property details, go to

http://www.janetmcafee.com/property/38-Brentmoor-Park-Clayton-MO-63105/MARIS/13035213/luxury

 

Tags:

St. Louis Luxury Homes

Summer 2013 Market Report

by Chuck Roper 18. July 2013 09:32


Housing was robust for the first two quarters of 2013.
  Our research suggests the residential real estate market in the St. Louis Central Corridor continues to grow.  The overall trend is encouraging and represents a continuation from the four quarters of growth in 2012.  It’s all in our Summer 2013 Market Report on the home page www.janetmcafee.com. 

 The report provides a comprehensive analysis of residential housing activity including price levels for the Saint Louis Central Corridor and is segmented by property type and school district.

The continued improvement in activity levels, modest price level increases and the relatively low inventory levels all contribute to our favorable outlook for housing for the balance of 2013.

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General

Our Stories: Real Estate Problems and Solutions

by Chuck Roper 15. July 2013 09:08

PROBLEM:
I represented a client who wanted to purchase a unit within a condominium building that allowed rentals but the ratio of tenant leased units to owner occupied units was too high.

SOLUTION:
If you know or suspect there might be rental units in the building, have your agent contact the management company or the listing agent of the unit you are interested in and find out how many total units there are in the building and how many units are leased. When I represent a client, I actually send a condominium questionnaire to the management company before we even consider writing a purchase contract.  In the present credit environment, many lenders will not make purchase money mortgages if there are too many tenants leasing units.

Gary Boyson   I   314.374.5764
www.janetmcafee.com/garyboyson

 

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Our Stories: Real Estate Problems and Solutions

by Chuck Roper 8. July 2013 05:12

 



PROBLEM:
I was invited to make a listing proposal on a home that had been on the market for four months with another broker.


 SOLUTION:
I prepared a current market analysis, a comprehensive marketing plan and was awarded the listing. My strategy was to reposition the listing with a new target audience and enhance the value proposition. I also deployed 3 key tactics which included: editing and staging the furniture; professional photography; and writing compelling and accurate copy. My marketing plan was comprehensive and included digital, print, direct and promotional elements to create maximum awareness. Showings dramatically improved and the home sold within 30 days!

Donna Auld
314.518.0071                                     www.janetmcafee.com/donnaauld

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Our Stories

Our Stories: Real Estate Problems and Solutions

by Chuck Roper 1. July 2013 08:47


Problem:
A client’s home in Clayton was in rough shape. Deferred maintenance, over 40 years of saving everything and no way to see the interior.

Solution:
We created a plan for getting the house "sale" ready. First step was to remove everything from the house. Second step was to create a punch list of repairs, followed by painting and replacement of dated items. Third step, we priced the house to sell fast. It took about two months to get it ready. The home sold before the first agent open house.

 

Larry Levy   I   314.520.5668
www.janetmcafee.com/larrylevy

 

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