1031 Exchanges for Investors: How to Play the Long Game With inflation a continued concern, and the market heading into bear territory, investors are looking at property as a way to safely diversify their portfolios. And reasonably so. Real estate allows for the steady accumulation of wealth in several ways. Real estate tends to be […]
Knowing Your St Louis Flood Disclosure Responsibilities
Flooding and Real Estate St. Louis and nearby counties were hit by three rounds of flooding in July and August 2022, including a record-setting 9.07 inches of rainfall, breaking the previous record that had stood since 1915. Flash flooding submerged roads, swept away vehicles, and destroyed or damaged enough businesses and homes to meet the […]
The Economy is Doing What?
What to know about the current St. Louis Housing Market Anyone keeping tabs on the news recently knows that housing prices, inflation, and interest rates are all on the rise. Whether you’re a real estate professional or someone looking to buy or sell, these are all important variables to pay attention to. This is especially […]
Adverse Possession 101
Did you know that someone can claim ownership of a property (in part or whole) without having purchased it? This is known as “adverse possession,” and is a holdover from the frontier days when staking your claim on a piece of land made it yours. How does adverse possession work? Under adverse possession laws, a […]
What Successful Real Estate Agents Need to Know About Earnest Money in Missouri
“Earnest money” functions as the up-front “deposit” made by a buyer in conjunction with the signing of a real estate purchase agreement. It serves as buyer’s good faith gesture to give the seller more confidence that the buyer is serious about purchasing the property in question. The amount of earnest money is negotiable between the […]
The Residential Real Estate Guide to Contracts and Contingencies
Few things can make a realtor more nervous than the words, “I want out of my contract.” When you’ve worked to find the right property for your client, gotten everyone on the same page, and drawn up what you believed was the optimal deal, you and your buyer both stand to lose time, revenue, earnest […]
Make the Right Choice! 6 Reasons Your Title Insurance Company Matters
Having spent my career in real estate law, I’ve seen many different title insurance companies operate in the St. Louis area—some successfully, some less so. To an outsider, title insurance may feel like a straightforward commodity industry, making the differences between companies seem unimportant. But there are several areas in which your title insurance company […]
Your 10-point Real Estate Closing Checklist
…for a Smoother and More Efficient Closing Day Closing day is one of the biggest—and most stressful—days in any client’s life. Though we all want the best real estate closing possible, realtors have a lot on their plates! Sometimes little details slip through the cracks, and they find themselves scrambling at the last minute. […]
Don’t Fail Your Buyer! Ask These Questions Now
“But one of the reasons we bought the home was….” Imagine getting a call from a client that bought their dream home thanks to your efforts as buyer’s agent. You remember how excited they were to move in, how happy they were with your service, and how smoothly everything seemed to go through the closing […]
Should it Stay or Should it Go? Real Property and Personal Property
Differentiating clearly between real property and personal property can be a challenge to navigate in your contract. Check out our handy-dandy little guide, and share it with your clients when writing your next contract.
