Around St. Charles County

• March 3-8: The American Girl Fashion Show, Academy of the Sacred Heart; Friday, March 6 at 7:30pm - Dessert; Saturday, March 7 at 10am - Breakfast & 2pm - Tea; Sunday, March 8 at 2pm - Tea; Tickets are $40.00
• March 7: Fabulous Baby and Kids Expo, St. Charles Convention Center; 9am-4pm
• March 12-15: Missouri Valley Conference, -St. Charles Family Arena; The tournament weekend begins with a luncheon on March 12, followed by opening-round action starting at 6:05 p.m. The quarterfinals begin at noon on March 13, with the semifinals starting at 5:05 p.m. on March 14. The tourney concludes with a 3:05 p.m. championship game on March 15.
• March 15: Crescendo Concert Series, First United Methodist Church; Concert on Sunday afternoon at 3:00 PM with a pre-concert talk at 2:30
• March 21: Moolah Shrine Parade, Starting Noon at the north end of Riverside
• March 26-29: Moolah Shrine Circus. St. Charles Family Arena; Thursday, March 26 at 7:30pm Friday, March 27at 7:00pm Saturday, March 28 at 10am, 2:30pm, & 7:30pm Sunday, March 29:30pm & 6pm Tickets: General admission $13.50 Reserve $18.50 VIP $28.50 Executive VIP $36.50 (Tickets on sale now)
• March 28- April 4: New Melle Passion Play, New Melle Sports Center; Performances are Saturdays at 7:00 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m, Free

A gift

Ambassadors of Hope

Romans 5:3 "Rejoice in your sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."

WE AT SCHNEIDER Real Estate had our annual Awards Banquet on Wednesday. Our theme for 2009 is "Time to Shine in 2009" as an introduction to the goal signing (we all sign a big poster with the company goals and I hang it in my office) I quoted the following scripture as an introduction to the following:
2008 was a challenge and you proved you were up for it. It may have been to prepare you for what lies ahead. You've been in training, and you are better equipped than ever to take on 2009. I know for many of us our goals were not realized last year and there is that little voice of discouragement that lies to us and would like us to be fearful about the future. We must choose to respond with a resounding NO!
Winston Churchill said, "Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm". Hope is stolen when we misunderstand failure. Failure is natural, normal, and is going to happen. The way to success is to keep failure caged. Failure is caged when we realize it is not permanent. Henry Ford said "Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently".
We need each of you to shine in 2009; Let's continue to encourage each other by lighting up the office with optimism and taking that spirit into our SOI. Hope is an act of the will and moves people to action- lets be ambassadors of Hope. Together as a team, we can make a difference! If we do that, WE WILL have a BRIGHTER 2009.

Time to Shine in 2009

SCHNEIDER Real Estate celebrated their agents achievements Wedesday at their Annual Awards Banquet held at Grappa Grill in St Charles. The theme for 2009 is "Time to Shine in 2009". The glasses they are wearing have flashing lights, FUN!

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Congratulations SCHNEIDER Agents!
SCHNEIDER Real Esate, hosted it's Annual Awards Banquet today at Grappa Grill in St Charles. Dan Borgmeyer, a local entrepreneur, was on hand as a special guest speaker. He motivated the troops with a talk entitled What Makes a Winner. Enthusiasm, Exercise, Examination, Effort, Execution, Empathy, and Effectiveness were his talking points. The awards presentation followed with SCHNEIDER President, Cal Schneider, giving his view of the current market. It was encouraging as he pointed out that the average sales priced home(single family) of between $150,00-$300,00 in St Charles County experienced a 1% decrease in value from last year at this same time. St Charles County continues to be stable with a much better outlook than other parts of the country. Co-owner, Merle Schneider, honored long time associate and Training Coordinator, Jim Geiss. An honorary scholarship in Jim's name will be given to SCHNEIDER "Rookie of the Year" each year to be used toward an agent pursuing a Realtor designation. Awards presented by Sales Manager Jane Nicoletti and Recruiting manager Judy Bateman were: Agent of the Year, Grant Hickman; Rookie of the Year, Mike Everman; Production Growth Awards, Grant Hickman and Robert Clarke; Most Improved Agent, Steve Snarzyk; Best in Quality Service, Steve Snarzyk and Grant Hickman, Quality Service Award of Distinction, Cort Schneider & Robert Clarke; Quality Service Award of Excellence, Sue Brown & Rich Loughridge; Production Awards were awarded to agents for different levels of production; Platinum level: Grant Hickman; Gold level, Merle Schneider and Cort Schneider; Silver level, Rich Loughridge; Bronze level, Sue Brown, Robert Clarke, Roger Schneider and Steve Snarzyk.
Posted by SCHNEIDER Real Estate at 12:39 PM 0 comments

Top 10 Reasons to Buy Real Estate Today… Window of Opportunity

10. The First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit of $8,000 can generate $100,000 Net Equity or Net Worth in 8 years with an average of 5% annual appreciation!

9. 8 out of 10 economists agree homes will appreciate over the next 5 years.

8. St. Charles has been selected by Forbes & Money Magazines as the “Top 100 places to live” and one of the Top 10 areas poised for early Real Estate recovery.

7. Home prices and Interest rates are low and home inventories are plentiful, this is a true Buyers Market.

6. It has been proven that it is Better to “Buy Real Estate and Wait” than to “Wait and Buy Real Estate”.

5. Historically, real estate downturns have lasted from 18 to 24 months. This current market peaked at its highest values in July 2006, suggesting we are at or near the current down trough.

4. 70% of Loans today are FHA Assumable Loans. If a buyer today locks a 30 year rate of 5%, this will make that home more marketable in the future when it is time to sell.

3. Interest rates are the lowest in our lifetime nearing 5%! In the last two Buyer’s Markets, rates were 18% to 20% in the early 1980’s and 11 to 12% in the early 1990’s. The average Mortgage Rate over 44 years was 9%.

2. A 1% increase in Mortgage Rate on a $150,000 home equates to a $100 per month increase in payment or $1,200 per year and $36,000 more over a 30 year loan. It is twice that on a $300,000 home or $72,000. Waiting has its perils.

1. Buy Low / Sell High…Basic Investing Economics at play.

All Indicators suggest the time to buy…is NOW!!!

Just Met with my financial planner

If you're like me your wondering if you should add to your SEP account by April 15th to avoid paying as much in taxes as possible. With the stock market falling daily it's scary and sometimes leads to confusion. I sat down with my financial planner to discuss my options and thought I'd share some excellent points he made. He showed me a chart of the last 10 years and believe it or not there have been three times the stock market has fallen to it's current 7500 level. I was shown two more graphs showing what would have happened with a $100,000 investment in 1987 (8/25) right before the crash if an invester liquidated his assets & placed them in a CD (until June 30,2008) he would have $185,999; If he would have waited until after the crash and waited until assets reached $100,000 then placed it in a CD he would have gained $265,329 BUT if he stayed invested in the market the entire time his gain would have been $541,894!!!! I have read may financial books and listened to many tapes on the subject and they all say the same thing, stay invested, don't panic. With all the negative news, unemployment rising and a stimulus package that seems outrageous one can begin to waiver. I was glad I took the time to sit down with my planner and left reassured and convinced that NOW is the time to invest not only in Real Estate but in our own retirement accounts. Things will get better- always have- always will.

The Right Time to Buy a Home Is Now

Passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is a step in the right direction to help the housing market begin the recovery process. Now, it’s up to potential homebuyers to take that first step too. The $8,000 tax credit couldn’t come at a better time. Late winter and spring are the prime seasons for sellers and buyers who want a change of location, a new school district, to down-size or move on up.

However, time is of the essence. Details of the plan are:

• First-time homebuyers will receive an $8,000 tax credit, or 10 percent of the home’s value, whichever is less. First-time homebuyers are defined as those who have not owned a principle home during the past three years.
• The credit can be applied to either 2008 or 2009 tax returns and does not need to be repaid if the homebuyer lives in the house for a minimum of three years.
• The tax credit applies to first-time buyers who purchase a principle home between January 1, 2009 and December 1, 2009.
• Claiming the tax credit is easy. Once the sale is completed, new first-time buyers can claim the tax credit on their returns. No special forms or documents are required.
• Income restrictions do apply for the tax credit. Single homebuyers must make less than $75,000 and couples less than $150,000.

Mortgage Reduction Component Is Part of the Solution

While the $8,000 tax credit is an incentive to excite new buyers about home ownership and reduce inventory, the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan takes aim at reducing foreclosures and reducing mortgage payments. Between seven and nine million homeowners could see relief under this plan to partially stem the tide of even more housing stock going into foreclosure.

One feature of the plan focuses on responsible homeowners who continue to pay on their mortgages but at rates higher that the current rates. Because of lack of equity, these homeowners have been unable to refinance at a lower rate. Under this plan, qualified homeowners in good standing will be eligible to reduce their monthly rate, and free up the balance of the payment for potential spending.

For those at risk of losing their homes, a second feature of this plan aims to provide incentives for those entities in the housing industry, such as lenders, mortgage holders and borrowers to provide more affordable conditions for responsible homeowners in these circumstances.

This federal assistance is another step in reaffirming a robust society, and to begin the long road back to responsibility and a sense of hopefulness.

Affordable housing price index supports renewed interest in housing market

Affordable housing stock is one of most important components that will stimulate the housing crisis, and in turn, provide a solid foundation for economic recovery as well. The good news is recent indicators reveal that, with the decline in prices, housing is more affordable and that buyers are beginning to sign more sales contracts.

According to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR), two reports show homebuyers just may be taking baby steps back to the market. First, buying a home is becoming more affordable because of reduced prices and mortgage rates predominant in a distressed economy. The NAR’s Housing Affordability Index for December 2008 revealed the affordability index increased 10.9 percent to 158.8, the highest level since 1971. The higher the index number, the more affordable housing is for prospective, qualified buyers.

The second indication is the Pending Home Sales Index, which topped out at a healthy 87.7 in December 2008, an increase of 6.3 percent from November 2008. This index is the NAR standard to judge pending sales of existing homes, and showed the strongest gains here in the Midwest and South.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, says these gains are supported by buyers who are responding to lower home prices and mortgage interest rates. He adds that the “biggest gains were in areas with the biggest improvements in affordability.”

What do these tracking methods mean in real terms for consumers? Increasingly affordable housing brings more traffic into homes for sale, and that results in more sales. That’s good news for buyers, sellers and the economy. Simple as it sounds, reaching that formula during the past two years has been a challenge for the housing industry and families who want to buy property.

However, the housing market is still uncertain, and will continue to be so in the near future. While federal stimulus packages will offer some relief, just as important is the emotional aspect of home buying, when Americans will again feel secure about their purchasing decisions.

How much money do I need for a down payment on a house?

There is plenty of news in the media right now regarding the housing market, especially with the financial and bank bailout looming. Although much of this news is accurate, many facts get misinterpreted and falsely reported, leading to rumors and hearsay.

The biggest rumor right now is that you need a 20% down payment to buy a house, which is the furthest thing from the truth! Even with all of the uncertainty in the financial sector today, mortgage lenders are still lending money and in some cases up to 100%.

However; I will add that these lenders have tightened their guidelines and requirements, but as long as you have a 620 credit score; there most likely is a loan available for you.

So how much money do you need for a down payment? This table will give you a quick glance of the loan options that are available today!

LOAN PROGRAM REQUIRED DOWN PAYMENT %
Veterans Administration (VA) 0%
Federal Housing Administration (FHA) 3.5%
Conventional Financing 5%
FHA with MHDC Financing 0%

Keep in mind that the down payment is not the only money that you need to bring to the closing table. There are also closing costs and escrows, which you will establish with your lender for taxes and insurance. But even then, a good real estate agent like Grant can negotiate for the seller to pay for your closing costs and escrow making it possible to get into a house with no money out of your pocket.

In closing, it is very important to evaluate your financial situation when trying to buy a house, but as you can see there is no requirement for putting 20% down to make that dream happen. Talk to a good lender to figure out your best option!

30 Year Fixed 5.125% with 0 points and only $399 in lender fees
MHDC (CAL) FHA 30 Year Fixed 6.46% with 0 points
FHA 30 Year Fixed 5.00% with 0 points and only $399 in lender fees

Buy now, say St. Charles County Realtors

Now is a good–check that–great time to buy a house.

So say real estate leaders in St. Charles County, among the nation’s fastest-growing areas until the housing slump rolled in last year.

Karen Vennard, president of the St. Charles County Association of Realtors, said today that stable house prices and low low mortgage rates mean now is the time for buyers “to make their move.”

“This is a just a great environment to buy a house,” she added.

Vennard was preaching to the choir at a luncheon attended by about 35 real estate agents, builders and lenders. Merle Schneider, head of the association’s PR committee, told the group “there’s plenty of money” from lenders for people with good credit, a job and the ability to make a down payment.

“The bankers and lenders have simply gone back to sensible lending practices,” he said.

Don’t believe gloom-and-doom housing stories in “the media,” Schneider added. Home values rise and value but the trend, over decades, is a steady rise in prices, he said.

To drive home–so to speak–their point that people are still buying houses, the Realtors’ group introduced to the audience Dave and Jennifer Berkbigler, who closed today on a new four-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath home in Wentzville. Dave, 38, who works for Grey Eagle Distributing, and Jennifer, 36, a speech pathologist, are moving west from north St. Louis County.

They declined to disclose how much they paid for their new house but say they got a good deal.

Click to read article from STLtoday.com.

By Tim Bryant

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

A Great Time To Buy in St. Charles

Around St. Charles County

• February 1- February 28: The Big Read “National Endowment for the Arts” - Foundry Art Centre, 520 N. Main Street, St. Charles, MO 63301
• February 4-8: Cirque du Soleil Saltinbanco - St. Charles Family Arena
• February 7-8: Great Train Expo - Saint Charles Convention Center; $7.00 (adults & over 12 yrs.) / under 12 yrs. Free
• Februrary 11: 200 Years of Candy – First Missouri State Capitol Historic Site; 4:00 – 7:30 p.m. FREE
• February 10-21: Wizard of Oz - Lindenwood Center for Fine and Performing Arts Events, 7:30
• February 13-15: Working Women’s Survival Show - Join us February 13-15, 2009 - Friday 11am-8pm, Saturday 9am-7pm & Sunday 12-6pm; $6.50 – $9.50.
• February 14: Mardi Gras Parade – Family Friendly, Historic Frenchtown on North Second Street, 3:00 pm
• February 21-22: Playhouse Disney Live - St. Charles Family Arena

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