HOW AN EXTENDED GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN WILL AFFECT REAL ESTATE BUSINESS

HOW AN EXTENDED GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN WILL AFFECT THE REAL ESTATE BUSINESS

One may ask, how is this possible? The government shutdown occurs when the Congress or the President fails to pass bills and appropriations for funding government operations and agencies. This is what has happened in the United States in the last two days. It's over now, and the government workers are supposed to return to work as usual and continue to deliver to the citizens. Many businesses would have been affected if the shutdown had continued for a longer period. Real estate business is one of the sectors which would have been largely affected.

Mortgage Approval

One of the effects of the shutdown is that mortgage approval will be delayed until the government resumes normal operations. This, in turn, will mean those in mortgage business and other home buyers who apply for housing securities in government agencies (of which most are) will have to hold their horses till then. The business will go down, and so will the sales.

The government shutdown will result in the delay of closings while most transactions will be terminated as a result of this. In other cases, home sellers will lose bids because their clients are no longer sure of the fate of their business.

The shutdown will also lead to losses because home buyers will reduce their offers due to the uncertainty. FHA or VA mortgage applicants may also face delays if and when departmental workers will be sent home, and there is no one to process their loan requests. Also, the delay could occur when a lender needs to verify a Social Security number and there is no one to answer the phone on the other end. The borrower may be delayed due to such.

The Internal Revenue Service will have a few workers in the office. The workers will help to ensure that records are well maintained and updated as required and that systems are working as usual to record payment of taxes. Verifying information and processing mortgage requests is not essential, so the workers will have to go home. This means no mortgages will go through, thus affecting home buyers as well as home sellers.

Application for a mortgage requires clearance from the Internal Revenue Service which documents and passes the information to the lender about the borrower's financial capabilities. This service will come to a halt because government offices won't be operational.

Businesses in St. Louis, Missouri will also be largely affected. People who visit St. Louis for family outings and historical tours will not be able to do so because most housing businesses will be shut down, and government agencies for clearance and giving access will be closed.

The Visitor Center at the Arch and the Old Courthouse could remain closed because they are government-sponsored agencies.

This means that buying a home at St. Louis will be hard and may take a long time hence causing inconvenience to most of the clients. When many government agencies stop their operations it is not one sector that is affected since they are interconnected in a way. Actually when a few are shutdown many more or all government agencies will be closed.

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Selling Your Home In Winter

 Selling Your Home In Winter

Come spring, it’s an accepted fact that your home will be just another small fish in a big fish pond. There are fewer homes listed for winter which means that you’ve got the market to yourself. Other sellers may not be aware that winter is a superb time to sell their homes. With less inventory in the wintertime, you have more control which means selling faster.


2. Price is right!


If you’re considering selling your home this season, you may be surprised by the special pricing considerations the season brings. Unlike during spring where shoppers are more (hence you try to price low to generate more bidding), winter, on the other hand, does not involve multiple offers.


That does not mean that it’s a good time to test the market and be tempted to list high. If the house doesn’t get offers from buyers, you may need to drop the price below the market value to appeal to potential buyers. Otherwise, when spring kicks in, your house may look stale by comparison.


You should price the house at market value. Consider the closing prices of similar properties over the past month then look at the current prices to ensure that your pricing doesn’t sound too high. A buyer may be willing to pay a higher price upfront considering that there may be rising mortgage rates.


3. Motivated buyers


One thing that people often miss is obvious. Most people like being at home during the holidays. That means that the buyers looking for a home are much more motivated. People who are willing to brave the fall and snow are serious about getting a home. They have to get a home. Most home buyers in wintertime are working against a deadline whether a relocation, an expiring lease or a contract on their current home. You’ll probably have fewer showings, but the buyers who'll come through are more qualified. Isn't this the ideal situation?


4. A locked in real estate agent


There’s a higher chance that your real estate agent will be relatively idle during winter months which can work to your advantage. Fewer clients imply that the agent will be more motivated to move to the properties they represent. With more time, they will be willing to concentrate on your cause and can even take you off the ledge in case the selling process becomes stressful.


Conclusion


There are obviously numerous factors that lead to the decision of when to list your home for sale, but if you are considering selling in the winter, there are the benefits. You may also need to consider the benefits of selling your home in other seasons and make a decision.


It’s a happy discovery for many people who list their homes when the weather outside is frightful!

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Moving With A Pet

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Moving Wіth A Pеt

Moving саn be vеrу stressful еvеn fоr humаnѕ, so juѕt іmаgіnе hоw bаd іt саn bе for your реtѕ. Thеу саn еаѕіlу gеt ѕtrеѕѕеd out when there's unexpected асtіvіtу аrоund them оr when thеу'rе іntrоduсеd tо a new еnvіrоnmеnt. Mоvіng wіth реtѕ is nоt an еаѕу tаѕk but thеrе аrе no proven ways to mоvе wіth your реtѕ but wе wіll list ѕоmе tірѕ that wіll mаkе the сhаllеngе easier fоr уоu and уоur реtѕ.

1. PREPARE A TRAVELLING KIT: Prepare an еаѕіlу-ассеѕѕіblе trаvеllіng kit fоr уоur реtѕ thаt соntаіnѕ еnоugh food, bеddіngѕ toys and оthеr thіngѕ thаt аrе nееdеd аnd ресulіаr tо уоur реt that wіll ѕuѕtаіn thеm аnd make them соmfоrtаblе аnd rеlаxеd for the jоurnеу. 

2. CONTACT YOUR VET: If уоu'rе moving out оf an аrеа tо аnоthеr area, уоu muѕt inform уоur vеt ѕо уоu саn take rесоrdѕ and аnу рrеѕсrірtіоn medications wіth you thаt may be needed bу уоur реtѕ thrоughоut thе jоurnеу аnd еvеn whеn settling dоwn іntо уоur new аrеа. Yоu саn also ask fоr rесоmmеndаtіоn for another vet іn уоur nеw nеіghbоrhооd.

3. KEEP YOUR PETS REFRAINED: Durіng the mоvе itself, thе bеѕt wау tо reduce stress оn an аnіmаl іѕ to kеер thеm іn thе ԛuіеtеѕt аrеа роѕѕіblе. Mаkе sure to rеfrаіn them frоm thе расkіng аnd unpacking. Alѕо mаkе ѕurе tо tаkе proper саutіоn tо monitor tеmреrаturе, wаtеr and food supply if they will be thеrе for ѕоmе tіmе. Make ѕurе you check іn on thеm regularly, аnd trу tо feed or wаlk thеm at thе tіmе уоu usually would; hаvіng ѕоmе ѕеnѕе оf a routine in the mіdѕt оf аll thе changes wіll hеlр a lоt.

4.TAKE YOUR PET IN YOUR VEHICLE: Tаkе the pet to the nеw hоuѕе іn уоur оwn vehicle. Sоmе animals саn bе рut іn a саrrіеr іn thе bасk ѕеаt, whісh саn thеn bе ѕесurеd with a ѕеаtbеlt. Sоmе animals саn also bе moved in cages depending on уоur specific реt. Some аnіmаlѕ feel mоrе comfortable іf you thrоw a blаnkеt оvеr their саrrіеr durіng thе саr rіdе so thеу саn't see thе environment сhаngіng оutѕіdе. 

5. DON'T LET YOUR PET OUT UNTIL YOU'VE ARRIVED: Be саrеful оf lеttіng your реtѕ оut whеn trаnѕроrtіng the animal tо your new neighborhood bесаuѕе іf thеу gеt оut thеу саn easily gеt lоѕt. Once thеу'rе іn thе саr, іt'ѕ important tо nоt frее thеm untіl thе реt іѕ іn the nеw hоmе, еvеn if the pet іѕ usually well-behaved оr dосіlе. Give thеm a fеw dауѕ іn thе nеw hоmе tо аdjuѕt and fоr safety rеаѕоnѕ. Use thіѕ trаnѕіtіоn to уоur аdvаntаgе. 

6. KEEP YOUR PET SECLUDED: Move thе hоuѕе before уоu mоvе thе реt. Set uр аѕ much аѕ уоu саn, еvеn just іn a room, bеfоrе уоu іntrоduсе thе animal to the nеw home. Cоnfіnе thеm tо a section оf thе hоuѕе whіlе thеу ѕlоwlу аdjuѕt to their surroundings. Give уоur pet lots оf attention аnd іntrоduсе fаmіlіаr objects lіkе toys оr blаnkеtѕ аѕ ѕооn as роѕѕіblе. Mаkе thеm feel аѕ аt hоmе аѕ you dо! 

7. UPDATE THEIR INFO: Immеdіаtеlу аftеr уоu move, mаkе ѕurе уоu update their tags or mісrосhір іnfоrmаtіоn tо thе nеw address and рhоnе numbеr ѕо аѕ to find thеm іn саѕе thеу get lost.

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Get A Team To Sell Your Real Estate

Selling an Arnold, MO Home Means Recruiting a Skilled Team

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It’s a bit complicated, selling a home in Arnold, Mo. Although you can make a case for the feasibility of doing the whole thing yourself, there are enough areas of knowledge where experience, expertise, and even licensure are recommended that few would ever try it.

At the end of the day, selling your Arnold Missouri home is a true team undertaking. And since you’re the one selling a home, you’re the Captain. In addition to interviewing and selecting the Arnold, Mo real estate agent you will be working with, there are other professionals you should plan to engage as well. Here’s who and why:

The Inspector
It’s quite a good idea to have a professional inspection performed at your property before selling a home. In addition to any major issues that could affect your smartest listing price, you want to be made aware of any minor issues before buyers come across them. Sometimes small details that are easy to fix can upset timing and even derail a deal entirely.

The Appraiser
As a seller, you shouldn’t try to value your property blindly. To do so runs the risk of over- or undervaluing it—and a smart listing price is a key element in the successful selling of a home. Your agent will give you key guidance on pricing. However, having a professional appraisal performed in advance can help support your price to potential buyers (especially if you are asking a high number that could be difficult to otherwise support). While the buyer’s bank will require their own appraisal, the money spent here in advance can help speed up the offer and/or negotiations.

Financial Advisor
The most difficult part of selling a home is finding and attracting a serious buyer. Fortunately, this is a burden your Arnold, Missouri real estate agent will shoulder for you. But before everyone has signed on the dotted line, it’s important to understand what the financial and tax implications will be once you’ve sold. If you have gains, you want to know how much—if any—tax burden it will trigger. If there is a loss, you’ll want to know how to turn that to your advantage. Either way, knowing the tax implications before you list may well affect the price you list at or will accept.
Thinking of buying or selling a home in Arnold, MO. soon? Why not come by or give us a call? We’ll be here at the office, working hard for our clients all summer.

Inexpensive Upgrades To Raise The Value Of Your Home

Inexpensive Upgrades Boost Imperial, MO Home Values Painlessly

Especially when it comes to major decisions like buying or selling your home, human nature seems to tilt toward delaying action until it’s the end result is absolutely certain. After all, nobody wants to make a life-changing move that turns out to be anything short of fantastic! So even when you’ve outgrown your current home…or found yourself in a daily long-distance commute because work has moved…or any number of other reasons why you know you should be looking for a new house…it can be difficult to commit to such a looming decision. Adding to that is one of the most common assumptions many Imperial, MO homeowners believe: that they have to spend a boatload of money to increase their home value. The truth is: it ain’t so! You can strategically update your Imperial, Missouri house before you put it on the market without cratering your bank account.
Items that only seem to require costly fixes:
• Make it Spacious
Adding space to a room increases any Imperial, MO home value. Tearing out walls isn’t necessary when there are so many other ways to achieve the same thing. Simple options include removing built-in shelves, enlarging windows, or (the simplest) just removing “stuff” that’s hogging perceived space.
• Go Green
More and more, you can improve your Imperial, MO home value by installing modest “green” upgrades. Today’s buyers may not necessarily be eco-focused—they may simply have a good sense of the increasing cost of water and power. “Going green” as a way to add home value to your area property can be no more costly than switching to low-flow toilets, adding a wifi thermostat with “smart” technology, or putting in a low cost drip watering system.
• Window Update
Have a room that comes across as outdated…or just plain ‘blah’? Consider how much extra home value a new window treatment might add. It could be as simple as installing a stylish valence over a window or two.
• Change the Doors
Remember your first apartment with its flimsy, hollow doors? A quality door can make a disproportionate difference to a property’s perceived home value. Changing out your front or back doors for more a more weighty or modern selection can be well worth the expense
• Paint
Paint is the number one way to alter the look of a room inexpensively. Instead of painting the entire room one color, another option is to make a “statement wall” in its own neutral color that compliments a painting’s or picture frame’s palate.
These are just a few suggestions that can increase the value of your home in Imperial, MO without a straining the family finances. Even in an older home, many times it’s the little touches that can make the greatest difference. Looking for specific suggestions to improve the value of your Imperial, Missouri home before listing it for sale? VISIT US HERE today for an in-home market evaluation!
The Helderle Team 2014 © All Rights Reserved


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When the Arnold, MO Market Won’t Meet Your Price…Make Lemonade!

When the Arnold, MO Market Won’t Meet Your Price…Make Lemonade!
The sunny attitude that encourages entrepreneurs to look at a box of lemons and think ‘lemonade!’ is widely admired, and it does seem to be a viewpoint that successful people cultivate. For anyone who is determined to sell their Arnold, MO property—but only at a price the market is not yet willing to pay—well, the turn-lemons-into-lemonade situation is entirely apt. After all, smart investors are buying up and renting properties like yours quite deliberately because they realize that an Arnold, Missouri rental home is not just an asset that can appreciate over time, but one that can also produce income at the same time.
Whatever your own reason for renting, when you put a rental home in Arnold, Missouri on the market, experienced landlords tend to prepare in the same general areas:
1. Repairs and Safety
Often using a rental safety checklist, a good first focus is on heating, plumbing, and other safety issues. Especially if you have been a longtime resident of the property, remember that some operational issues that you may have grown accustomed to ignoring need to be brought up to snuff. Repairs made now will save you time and money in the long run, and will safeguard against increased damage (and worse issues down the line). Be sure fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are in place, and double-check that all windows, doors, and locks are in good working order.
2. Make it Pretty!
Of course, clean the house thoroughly, including closets, fixtures, and appliances. Replace dirty carpets, polish wood floors, and remove debris and trash from the entire property (if a one-time rubbish bin rental is called for, bite the bullet!). Where needed, give each room a fresh coat of paint in neutral colors; and outside, tidy up the grass and landscaping.
3. Documentation
Plan to inspect and document your Arnold, MO rental home before tenants move in; then once again immediately after they move out. It’s imperative; will serve as documentation of damage caused by the tenant if that warrants withholding the security deposit for repairs. Photos, a checklist—even a quick iPhone video—can do the job.
4. Landlord Insurance
AKA rental property insurance, landlord insurance is not the same as renters insurance, which covers the tenant’s property. A good landlord insurance policy protects you; it should cover everything from major damage inflicted by tenants to legal action they might bring.
5. Know Your Leasing Criteria
Before you prepare a rental application, it’s a good idea to pin down the leasing criteria to help determine who will be qualified to become your tenant. Some common ones: No prior evictions…Good credit…No foreclosures or bankruptcies… No criminal convictions…No pets…No smoking…References… But whatever your choices, do remember to follow the Fair Housing Act guidelines.
6. Assemble the Docs
There are basic lease agreements and other documents available online, or you can have an experienced lawyer prepare (or just review) them. Other rental home forms you might need include credit check authorization forms, move-in checklists, and any other notices you wish to post to tenants. They’re all available online.
Sound like too much work? If so, a property management company can handle some or all of it for you—I’ll be happy to provide you with good references. And if you’ve set your sights on purchasing an Arnold, MO rental home as an investment, summer is near: that means now is a great time to start! Just CONTACT US HERE and we will be happy to assist you in finding that investment property
The Helderle Team 2014 © All Rights Reserved

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