Many older condominium complexes in St. Louis Metro area are not FHA approved meaning the buyer will have to buy it with a conventional loan.  Typically the non-FHA-approved condos are not in new complexes but tend to have more amenities like clubhouse, pool and tennis courts. Their landscaping is more desireable because it's mature and the complexes are very well maintained.  The loan pricing is a little different as well.  For any borrower that does not put down at least 25%, your rate will be slightly higher at 5.125% rather than 4.875% as of today.  If you put down at least 25% or more, your rate will be the typical conforming 30-year fixed rate.  For more financing options, contact Mark Widdicombe at Heartland Mortgage at 314-512-8915.  Tell him Sandie sent you!

Connect with families across the nation for a truly radical message: HOPE.

Tired of hearing the fear, doom and gloom that’s filling the airwaves? Join Dave Ramsey for a nationwide town hall meeting and discover what’s happening with the economy, how we got here, and where we’re going. Plus, Dave will answer your questions live throughout the event! 

This free event is being held at numerous locations throughout St. Louis.  Just find one closest to you by clicking here   Learn more.  I'll be at Gateway to Grace Fellowship in 63109 and look forward to seeing you there.   

http://www.townhallforhope.com!

• IMPROVE YOUR CREDIT SCORE
• Pay your bills on time.  Delinquent payments and collections can really hurt your score.
  
• Keep balances low on credit cards.  High debt levels can hurt your score.
  
• Pay off debt rather than moving it between credit cards.  The most effective way to improve your score in this area is to pay down your revolving credit.
  
• Apply for and open new credit accounts only when you need them.
  
• Check your credit report regularly for accuracy and contact the creditor and credit reporting agent to correct any errors.
  
• If you have missed payments, get current and stay current.  The longer you pay your bills on time, the better your score. 

It is very important to make a great first impression to the potential buyers of your home. Every seller wants their home to sell fast and bring top dollar. Does that sound good to you? Well, it’s not luck that makes that happen. It’s careful planning and knowing how to efficiently unclutter your home that will excite buyers. Here is how to prep a house and turn it into an appealing and marketable home.

Get rid of those items that have been sitting around for years without being used or even handled. This is the hardest thing for most people to do because they are emotionally attached to everything in the house. After years of living in the same home, clutter collects in such a way that may not be evident to the homeowner. However, it does affect the way buyers see the home, even if you do not realize it. Buyers and real estate agents should see your house in its best condition from the very first day it’s on the market.

Here are a few approaches to take to unclutter your home and get it ready to sell. Almost every home shows better with less furniture. Remove pieces of furniture that block or hamper paths and walkways and put them in storage. Remove extra leaves from your dining room table to make the room appear larger. Leave just enough furniture in each room to showcase the room’s purpose and plenty of room to move around. You don’t want buyers scratching their heads and saying, “What is this room used for?”

Another way to unclutter your home and get it ready to sell is to make those minor repairs and best of all, make the house sparkle! Only do one room, or even one small area, at a time so you don’t feel overwhelmed. Your best friend is the trash bag; when in doubt, throw it out. Many find it easier to use boxes to sort items, so you don’t have to find a home for everything as you unclutter. Most important, be quick and decisive when sorting. Tell yourself:

• If you don’t need it, why not donate it or throw it away?
• Put essential items used daily in a small box that can be stored in a closet when not in use.
• Think of this process as a head-start on the packing you will eventually need to do anyway.

If you are getting your house ready to sell in the St. Louis, Webster Groves, Kirkwood Missouri areas, then take a step back and pretend you are a buyer. Let a friend help point out areas where you can unclutter your home and let myself, Sandie Hea, your agent help you to get your house ready to sell.

         ST. LOUIS HILLS ART IN THE PARK

                      FRANCIS PARK
                SUNDAY, SEPT 28, 2008
                     10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

This will be a great way to spend your Sunday afteroon... wandering from booth to booth perusing great works of art in wood, cloth, metal, beads, pen and ink, paper...the handiwork of some of the top talent in St. Louis, all in affordable price ranges! 

Lister to live music all day, the smell of LeGrand's bratwurst wafting from the grill, or The Pitted Olive's gourmet to go...grab a glass of wine from Bartolino's Osteria...or a bag of popcorn from us...The Sandie Hea Team!  We will be there meeting and greeting those who want to discuss real estate, enter our drawing for gift certificates from local vendors, talk to Mark Widdicombe of Heartland Bank about new lending requirements or simply wait for fresh popped corn from our old fashioned popper!

Francis Park is bordered by Tamm, Nottingham, Donovan and Eichelberger Avenues, St. Louis, Missouri 63109. 


Please come by and introduce yourself, we'd love to meet you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT7x3VnrqbA

"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,"

Callier Thompson Shea and Consolidated Construction Will Provide Safer Home for Twins with Genetic Disorders

By JANE J. KIM
December 19, 2007; Page D1

Read the full article at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119802346920538029.html

Fair Isaac Corp., maker of the popular FICO credit score used by most lenders, says its new scoring model will do a better job predicting the likelihood of a borrower defaulting on a loan. For one thing, the new model, dubbed FICO 08, will be more forgiving of occasional slips by consumers, but will take a harder line on repeat offenders. Fair Isaac predicts its new system will help lenders reduce default rates on their consumer credit by between 5% and 15%.

Consumers could start seeing the new FICO scores by the spring, though some lenders may take additional time to test the system to see how it works with their business and loan portfolios. Fair Isaac, which last revamped its scoring model earlier this decade, says it is accelerating its FICO 08 rollout, partly in response to lenders' demand for better risk-management tools.

The latest version of the FICO score will largely look and feel the same to consumers and lenders. Scores will still range from 300 to 850 -- the higher the better -- and the model will continue to look at the same factors, including consumers' level of credit indebtedness and payment histories, length of credit histories, number of recent credit openings and inquiries, and the type of credit used, to determine scores.

But the new model will more finely slice and dice the information in consumers' credit files to do a better job of separating the "good risks" from the "bad risks," particularly for subprime borrowers; those with "thin," or young, credit files; or consumers who are actively seeking new credit. "Those are the communities that lenders are most interested in" to determine credit risk, says Craig Watts, spokesman for Fair Isaac.

FICO 08 also aims to curtail the growing business of allowing people to polish their credit by "piggybacking" on someone else's good credit history. In recent years, credit-repair Web sites have sprung up that arrange for subprime consumers to boost their scores by becoming authorized users on accounts held by strangers with better credit. When scoring a consumer, FICO 08 won't take into consideration credit-card accounts for which that person is an authorized user. But the move also will hurt legitimate users: People who give a credit card to a child or a spouse as an authorized user to help boost their credit score.

Write to Jane J. Kim at jane.kim@wsj.com

Thanksgiving Table Settings

• Traditional: The traditional table setting combines crystal and china pieces. Select pieces with different patterns and styles to bring a warm, familiar feel to the Thanksgiving table.

• Victorian: Combine real and silk roses to create a stunning centerpiece that will bring a Victorian look to the dinner table. The fresh roses can be purchased three to four days in advance, but be sure to keep water in the display vase.

• Modern: Metallic colors and styles combined with traditional Thanksgiving elements create a sophisticated urban look on your holiday table. Combine your silver service with real autumn items such as grapes, pumpkins and squash that are painted silver.

• St. Louis. The Gateway to the West has a strong ratio of parks and restaurants to citizens, according to Sperling's, and is the 15th cheapest city in which to live, based on rankings of the top 50 cities by the Council on Community and Economic Research.

Source: Forbes, Matt Woolsey (11/07/2007)

View the entire article