Ann Hayden's Real Estate Blog

It's Official Missouri Home Buyers:  President Obama Signed Home Buyer Tax Credit Expansion and Extension TODAY!

Here is a summary of the new modifications in the extension and expansion of the tax credit:

1)  The $8,000 tax credit will be extended and available for first-time purchases before May 1, 2010.

 2)  Prospective purchasers with binding contracts in place as of April 30, 2010, will be allowed an additional 60 days to complete the transaction.   A home buyer must have a sale agreement in hand by April 30 and close escrow by June 30, 2010.

 3)  A new $6,500 tax credit will be available for repeat buyers who purchase between December 1, 2009, and May 1, 2010. To qualify for this provision, buyers must have used the home sold or being sold as a principal residence consecutively for 5 of the previous 8 years.

 4)  Income limits are expanded to $125,000 on a single return and $225,000 on a joint return.

 5)   The maximum allowed home purchase price is $800,000.

6)  Military personnel, deployed overseas for a minimum of 90 days in 2008 or 2009, would have until        April 30, 2011 to claim the tax credit.

If you know anyone looking to buy their first home or take advantage of the new credit in the St. Louis area, please contact Ann Hayden today.   Interest rates are still very low and prices are good.

 Real estate needs:  www.SelectAnn.com .   For all your real estate needs in the St. Louis area.  Updated daily.  Sign on for FREE!  Whether you are buying or selling, let me help you!

 All rights reserved and may not be reproduced or reprinted without express written permission of Ann Hayden, real estate agent with Prudential Select Properties Chesterfield, Ballwin, Wildwood Office.  Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

St. Louis Missouri Breaking News...House and Senate Pass Bill to Extend and Expand Home Buying Tax Credit

The House passed the extension and expansion of the home buyer tax credit 403 to 12.  The bill has now made it passed both the House and the Senate and is on its way to the President's desk and could be signed as early as tomorrow.

Here is a summary of the new modifications in the extension and expansion of the tax credit:

 1)  The $8,000 tax credit will be extended and available for first-time purchases before May 1, 2010.

 2)  Prospective purchasers with binding contracts in place as of April 30, 2010, will be allowed an additional 60 days to complete the transaction. 

3)  A new $6,500 tax credit will be available for repeat buyers who purchase between December 1, 2009, and May 1, 2010. To qualify for this provision, buyers must have used the home sold or being sold as a principal residence consecutively for 5 of the previous 8 years.

 4)  Income limits are expanded to $125,000 on a single return and $225,000 on a joint return.

If you know anyone looking to buy their first home or take advantage of the new credit in the St. Louis area, please contact me today.   Interest rates are still very low and prices are good.

Real estate needs:  www.SelectAnn.com .   For all your real estate needs in the St. Louis area.  Updated daily.  Sign on for FREE!  Whether you are buying or selling, let me help you!

 All rights reserved and may not be reproduced or reprinted without express written permission of Ann Hayden, real estate agent with Prudential Select Properties Chesterfield, Ballwin, Wildwood Office.  Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Moonlit Wildwood, Missouri... A Great Place to Call Home

Real estate needs:  www.SelectAnn.com .   For all your real estate needs in the St. Louis area.  Updated daily.  Sign on for FREE!  Whether you are buying or selling, let me help you!

 All rights reserved and may not be reproduced or reprinted without express written permission of Ann Hayden, real estate agent with Prudential Select Properties Chesterfield, Ballwin, Wildwood Office.  Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Home Buyer Tax Credit to be Extended and Expanded!.....Maybe

It looks like we could know today if the tax credit will be extended and expanded.  This seems to be a move in the right direction for the home buyers that did not find a home within the allotted time to close by November 30th, 2009. 

The new bill expands the tax credit to include home buyers who have owned a home for 5 years but they are eligible for $6500. 

The Senate passed a cloture motion to end debate by a vote of 85-2.  The bill will extend and expand the tax credit until April 30, 2010. This bill is likely to find it's way to floor votes in both Senate and the House by the end of today.

So buyers, you better get hopping and get looking again.  You do not want to miss the party this time!

Stay tuned, I will update the situation as it unfolds.

Contact Ann Hayden to get started today!

Real estate needs:  www.SelectAnn.com .   For all your real estate needs in the St. Louis area.  Updated daily.  Sign on for FREE!  Whether you are buying or selling, let me help you!

 All rights reserved and may not be reproduced or reprinted without express written permission of Ann Hayden, real estate agent with Prudential Select Properties Chesterfield, Ballwin, Wildwood Office.  Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Speechless Sunday...Welcome Back..We Missed YOU!

Real estate needs:  www.SelectAnn.com .   For all your real estate needs in the St. Louis area.  Updated daily.  Sign on for FREE!  Whether you are buying or selling, let me help you!

 All rights reserved and may not be reproduced or reprinted without express written permission of Ann Hayden, real estate agent with Prudential Select Properties Chesterfield, Ballwin, Wildwood Office.  Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Six Flags St. Louis Fright Fest...World's Largest Halloween Party

If you want a scare this Halloween visit Six Flags St. Louis, MO Fright Fest.   There will be kid friendly rides as well as scary ones with trick or treating too.

Park will be open from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m.

Map of the park link.

Real estate needs:  www.SelectAnn.com .   For all your real estate needs in the St. Louis area.  Updated daily.  Sign on for FREE!  Whether you are buying or selling, let me help you!

 All rights reserved and may not be reproduced or reprinted without express written permission of Ann Hayden, real estate agent with Prudential Select Properties Chesterfield, Ballwin, Wildwood Office.  Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Foto Friday....  Flash Flooding in Missouri

Real estate needs:  www.SelectAnn.com .   For all your real estate needs in the St. Louis area.  Updated daily.  Sign on for FREE!  Whether you are buying or selling, let me help you!

 All rights reserved and may not be reproduced or reprinted without express written permission of Ann Hayden, real estate agent with Prudential Select Properties Chesterfield, Ballwin, Wildwood Office.  Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Missouri Drivers... New State Law See Attached PHOTO

State Law:  Headlights on when windshield wipers are required. 

Since we have been inundated with rain for the past month, wake up Missouri.  This law is a good one.  It may save your life because other drivers are having a difficult time seeing you in the rain.

Real estate needs:  www.SelectAnn.com .   For all your real estate needs in the St. Louis area.  Updated daily.  Sign on for FREE!  Whether you are buying or selling, let me help you!

 All rights reserved and may not be reproduced or reprinted without express written permission of Ann Hayden, real estate agent with Prudential Select Properties Chesterfield, Ballwin, Wildwood Office.  Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

For me sending posts to clients and prospects makes perfect sense.  I post lots of photos and information about the areas in and around St. Louis, MO.  Hopefully, others find what I post informative, creative or at least entertaining. 

I have printed and emailed my posts to my sellers.  These particular posts detail how to get your home ready for sale, how to make your house look the best for a buyer, what to do in the event your home is not selling, market reports or hyper link posts about businesses in the area.  Sometimes these recipients are current clients and at other times they are potential clients. 

I believe posting my listings here gives my sellers an edge in the process of selling their home.  So far, everyone is very happy to have their home posted in many places on the Internet especially Active Rain because 160,000+ professionals are here in the Rain.  The more exposure a listing gets, the more likely it will sell.  I have emailed links or posts to my clients and friends and/or my SOI concerning new listings, open houses, price adjustments, sales, events, etc.

Working with many buyers, I give them a packet of information to start the home buying process.  At the first meeting with a new client/buyer, they receive a complete packet of what to expect in the process.  I have posted articles about the home buying process and what to expect.  I will email links to potential Internet clients as well.  My buyer's questions, issues, satisfaction and problems are fair game for posts. 

All of my posts are sent to Facebook unless they are a Members Only post.   I post my articles to other blog areas as well as on my personal website.  My posts can let you know what to do this weekend.  I post information about area events and fun.

I have sent my posts to the agents in my office as a way to get the word out about a particular event happening in real estate or to bring attention to current laws as they apply to our business.   When posting issues, I have received invaluable help from others in the Active Rain Community.

To all those who do not see a benefit here, take a chance and jump in the puddle made by the Rain.  Here in the Rain we do not care if you get muddy just join the community and participate! 

I am going to stay tuned to the posts in this challenge.  I am always searching for ways to enhance my client's experience and make my blogging efforts pay off.  

I prefer to experience the "droplets of knowledge" here in the Rain..... And you never can tell what you will find at the end of the rain...a rainbow?

Real estate needs:  www.SelectAnn.com .   For all your real estate needs in the St. Louis area.  Updated daily.  Sign on for FREE!  Whether you are buying or selling, let me help you!

All rights reserved and may not be reproduced or reprinted without express written permission of Ann Hayden, real estate agent with Prudential Select Properties Chesterfield, Ballwin, Wildwood Office.  Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Wordless Wednesday.....Scary Halloween Decoration

All rights reserved and may not be reproduced or reprinted without express written permission of Ann Hayden, real estate agent with Prudential Select Properties Chesterfield, Ballwin, Wildwood Office.  Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Real estate needs:  www.SelectAnn.com .   For all your real estate needs in the St. Louis area.  Updated daily.  Sign on for FREE!  Whether you are buying or selling, let me help you!