Dumb Buyer Mistakes:                                                                         

• This is not a set-in-stone mistake, but more a lack of planning that could haunt you later--not buying now when prices and interest rates are so low.

• Don't shop without a firm financing commitment from your lender.  Before you start your house hunting, go to your lender and get pre-approved so you'll know how much you will be able to borrow; therefore, you’ll know how much house you can afford.

• Be careful of low-ball offers.  Offers that are very low may be considered an insult by the seller, who then refuses to work with you.

• Don't bad-mouth a St. Clair house in front of the owner.  You'll want to have a home inspection for sure, so let the inspector tell the homeowner/seller what is wrong with their house.  This can make them more ready to negotiate the price or fix the problems.

Buyers, don't think you're the only one making mistakes.  Here are some mistakes that sellers also need to avoid:

Dumb Seller Mistakes:

• Be careful when selecting your real estate agent.  Be sure your agent has experience and a broad knowledge of the area.  They should be able to give you sage advice on the right price to ask for your home as well as a knowledgeable estimate on when you can expect your home will sell if priced properly.

• Stage your home.  This doesn't mean you have to spend thousands of dollars updating your home.  There are simple and inexpensive ways to stage your home to help it sell faster.  For example, painting (a gallon of paint can be purchased for as low as $18), de-cluttering (free!), and fixing small issues such as leaks, doors that squeak, window screens with holes, mold on vinyl siding, and untrimmed bushes, won't take long to do and won't cost much either.

• Don't price yourself out of the ballpark.  Setting a selling price for your home is definitely where your Realtor® will be a valuable asset to you.  A price too high may scare off potential buyers and a price too low will make people wonder if something is wrong with the home.  Listen to your agent and set the price right to begin with.

• Watch who you commit to.  Don't take your home off the market for any Tom, Dick, or Harry that makes an offer, because an offer doesn't always mean that they have the means to actually purchase your home.  You don't want to lose other potential buyers while waiting for someone to find financing.  Just as I mentioned to buyers that getting pre-approved is the way to go, dealing with pre-approved buyers is the way for a seller to go as well.

To help you avoid these and other potential buyer and seller mistakes, find a good Realtor® and let them help you sell your home quickly and for the best price.  Give me a call today at 636-629-3419 or contact me online.  I'm ready and able to help you buy or sell your St. Clair area home while avoiding all those "dumb" mistakes

isn't quite ready for you to move into yet. What to do? You might consider getting a POD or two!      

A POD is a movable storage unit that will be brought to your front door by truck, where it will be unloaded onto your driveway or any nearby area where you and your friends and family can load it with all your household items -- furniture, boxes of "stuff", lawn equipment, bikes, etc. Friends and family don't care to participate? No problem, the POD company will help you find local movers to load your POD for you.

Once the POD is loaded -- and you can take your time -- you lock it with your own lock and keep the key. Movers will never enter your POD! What they will do is come to your home when you let them know that it's all packed and ready to go and pick up your POD – carefully -- and haul it either to your new home, or if that isn't quite ready for you yet, they can store it in their warehouse.

Then, when your new home is ready, the POD will be moved to your location where it can be unloaded by your family, friends or local professional movers. POD companies not only offer the ability to move yourself, with almost no work, and store your belongings until you're ready to put them into your new home, but they can also store your belongings while you're remodeling your home or if disaster should strike your home and you need a place to put your possessions until the damage is repaired.

Most companies offer three sizes of PODS to fit different-sized loads. To keep your property from moving around inside the POD, grommets in the walls allow you to secure everything with bungee cords. The PODs are weather and water resistant to keep things dry, and to make it easier to load and unload, the POD is only a small step above the ground. 

So when you're ready to move to St. Clair, call the POD people to bring you a POD to load. Still need to find a new home? Give me, Scott Hickinbotham, a call at 636-629-3419 or contact me online today! We're ready to help you buy or sell in the St. Clair area.

Here are 10 great tips for today's home sellers:    
                                                                                                                                               

1. Hire a Realtor® - Especially in today's market, you need someone who can help you set the best price for your home. You also need someone who will be able to bring in potential buyers, handle contracts, and market to a large audience. A Realtor® can do all these things for you.

2. Tell it Like it Is - Don't try to hide the facts. If your home needs a lot more work than you're willing or able to give it and you'd rather sell, let your agent know. If there's a pest problem, again you have to disclose such things or you could find yourself in trouble when a buyer finds out he's been duped.

3. Price Your Home Realistically - Of course you want to sell for the best price possible, but it doesn't help to price the home too high and have it languish on the market for months. To sell, you'll eventually have to reduce the price anyway, but by then, the rush of lookers that show up when a house is first listed will have died down, so it's better to price right from the start and cash in on that early higher traffic.

4. Put Your Emotions Away - Don't attach a large emotional value to the home you're selling. Yes, you've spent a lot of time getting it to where it is today, but potential buyers aren't really interested in your emotional attachment, so don't try to add it to the price.

5. Stay Involved in the Sale - Even though you've hired a Realtor® to sell your home, that doesn't mean you shouldn't speak with him or her on a regular basis. You need to understand where you and your home stand at all times during the sales process.

6. Stage Your Home - Take the time to clean, declutter, paint, and fix up your home so buyers can see the potential in your home. Arrange furniture to create great living spaces, add splashes of color to neutral rooms, and create some instant curb appeal with blooming plants.

7. Get Out of the Way - Whether your agent is showing the home to a couple or throwing an open house, leave the area so the agent can do his or her work. Hovering when your home is being shown makes buyers feel like they're intruding and can't look at the home thoroughly.

8. Where Will You Go - Sometimes you can sell your house and have ample time to move, but if it should happen that a great sale depends on your being able to vacate the premises in a hurry, be sure you have planned where you will go when the house sells. If you have to find a new home, get an idea of the neighborhood where you'll eventually want to buy. Consider renting or living with relatives for a short time after the sale if this is what it takes to close the deal.

9. Be Flexible - Decide on your bottom line selling price, but be willing to negotiate. Oftentimes there are other ways besides just lowering the price to make a sale happen. Your Realtor® should be able to help with such negotiations.

10. Keep a Positive Attitude - Listen to all the feedback you can get, whether from your agent or prospective buyers, to help you fix any problems that may be keeping your house from selling. Don't get discouraged--your house will eventually sell and you can move on to your new life.

A Realtor® is the best person you can have to help you sell your St. Clair home quickly and for the best price. Contact me, Scott Hickinbotham, online today or give me a call at 636-629-3419.  We're ready, willing, and able to help you sell your home or buy a new one in the St. Clair area.

This year's book was Eight Keys to a Better Me, by Dr. William J. Briggs, former President of Limestone College.  Dr. Briggs has spent over 30 years of his life in education and child development.

The colorfully illustrated book is meant to enhance a childs personal development by helping them learn appropriate responses to situations they may find themselves in at any time.

According to the publisher, Family Traditions of Gastonia, NC, the purpose of Eight Keys to a Better Me is as follows:

"Today, more than ever before, the young people of our nation are under attack from highly destructive forces which can disrupt, if not ruin, their lives.  As teachers and parents, you are aware of the devastating effect that drugs, child pornography and juvenile crime can have in creating a sense of diminished self-worth and low self-esteem.”

“It has been said, 'It is better to build children than to repair adults.'  Therefore, we know you welcome the action of concerned business and professional people who are acting to curb these excesses.  This gift book is their way of saying, 'We care and we want to help.' “

Eight Keys to a Better Me lists and illustrates eight key traits which could influence children in their character development that will lead to a better self-image, better relationships with others, and a better life.

Family Traditions publishes specialty books that are designed and edited for young children.  As part of their marketing program, they find local businesses and professional people such as Hickinbotham Real Estate, who want to encourage our young people and help them become better adults by supporting this free book give-away.

The eight key traits are Honesty, Respect, Patriotism, Kindness, Courage, Responsibility, Feelings and Self-Worth.  As you can see, they are traits that all young people need to develop to help them live happily in today’s world.

Hickinbotham Real Estate loves to help the children and families of the St. Clair area, not only by doing such things as participating in donating these books, but by helping families find the perfect home.  Contact me, Scott Hickinbotham, today, online or by phone at 636-629-3419.  We love to help our neighbors!

The $500 endowed scholarship was established through the East Central College Foundation to honor Letha's parents and my grandparents, Gladine (Helling) and Clarence Laubinger, Sr. It can be applied to tuition, fees or books, and will be awarded to a full-time ECC student who was active in FFA during their high school years.

"I am pleased to be able to help deserving students achieve a college education while honoring my parents' lifelong commitment to agriculture," stated Mrs. Hickinbotham. "This is an investment in capable students who will go on to build successful careers--whatever their major might be."

My grandparents were both born in 1914, and my grandmother Gladine passed away in 1998. My grandfather still lives on the Birch Creek Century Farm, where they raised 10 children. Over the years, the family was involved in raising hogs, cattle and 2,000 chickens, which supplied eggs to St. Louis' Steak 'n Shake restaurants.

Gladine and Clarence retired from farming in 1974 and traveled in their camper to every state in the Union and every Canadian province, and took the camper on numerous trips to Branson. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a tour of Europe and a trip to Hawaii.

All 10 of the Laubinger children still live in Missouri, and now our family also includes 24 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren, and 16 great-great-grandchildren.

Letha established another scholarship in 1994 in memory of her son, Floyd. It is open to engineering majors, with a preference given to St. Clair High School Graduates. She has been involved with the ECC Foundation since 1981, and served as its President from 1994-95. She is also the founder of Hickinbotham Real Estate, which is still going strong in the St. Clair area.

Says her father, Clarence, "I'm very proud of my daughter. I'm pleased that she would do something like this."

I, too, am proud of my mother, Letha, and my grandparents, Gladine and Clarence. It's been a joy to live in the St. Clair area, and I love helping others find the perfect home so they too can make a happy life in our town. Call me, Scott Hickinbotham, today, at 636-629-3419 or contact me online to help you with your real estate needs.

1. Title Search and Insurance Fees: The title search is generally done by an escrow company, an attorney or a title company, and it ensures that the seller is the legal owner and able to sell the property, as well as verifying that there are no outstanding liens against the property. Title insurance is protection for the lender only (not the buyer or the seller) against any errors made in the title search.

2. Appraisal Fee: Per the lender's requirement, an appraiser will be hired to complete an appraisal of the property to determine its value. This ensures that in the appraiser's educated opinion, the house is worth at least as much as the loan amount.

3. Credit Check: This is to verify the buyer's credit history and credit score.

4. Flood Certification Fee: This is paid to a third party to determine if the property is in a flood zone. If it is, you will need to purchase flood insurance in order for the lender to give you a loan on the property.

5.  Homeowner's Insurance: This is insurance to protect both the new owner and the lender from financial damage due to fire, vandalism, etc. While you probably won't pay it as a "closing cost", you will need to prove to the lender that you have it in effect.

6.  Inspection Fees: These are not required but highly recommended to protect the buyer from buying a property that has unseen problems. The inspection should include a check of the home's plumbing and electrical systems, heating and cooling systems and structural components.

7.  Points:  Points are a one-time optional charge paid to the lender to reduce the interest rate of your mortgage.

8.  Loan Origination Fee:  Also called a processing or administrative fee, this is a fee charged by the lender to process your loan.

9.  Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI):  If you don't have a down payment of at least 20 percent of the purchase price, the lender will put this coverage on the loan to protect themselves in case you don't make your mortgage payments.

10. Prepaid Interest:  Although your first mortgage payment will probably not be due for at least a month after closing, interest charges start the day of closing and will be prorated through the end of the month you close and added to the closing paperwork.

It's good to know about these fees and charges before you get to closing, so you have the necessary funds available to pay for them. Rest assured, as your Realtor®, we know about all the necessary paperwork and will help make it as painless as possible. Call me, Scott Hickinbotham, today at 636-629-3419 or contact me online to help you buy, sell and close on a St. Clair area home.

Here are a few tips to get you started:                                                              

1.  First, you'll want to take your own personality out of the home so prospective buyers can visualize how the house will look with their personal items in it.  Take down some of the pictures of your relatives and the good times you've had in the past, remove trophies from the mantle, and put away those cute little notes the kids made for you in second grade.  Pack them carefully for when you find your new home and want to have them on display again.

2.  Now that you have the personal stuff packed up, it's time to get rid of what you probably think of as beloved and cherished mementos, but what may look like "clutter" to those visitors thinking about purchasing your home.  This will include such things as magazines, newspapers, books, and even things we may think of as organizational, such as file cabinets or bookcases filled with paperwork and 3-ring binders.  Any desks, tables, night stands, or other cabinets or dressers, need to have their tops pared down to the bare minimum of "stuff" so they look neat and tidy.

3.   At last we're ready to move some furniture! It's time to define the purpose of each room in the house.  For example, is it a dining room or a craft room?  Probably a dining room, so move out the sewing machine and boxes of yarn and empty the dining table of any ongoing projects, so that you could eat off it.  A nice centerpiece of flowers might be a way to add a bit of color and freshness to the room as well.  If one of the bedrooms is a catch-all for your skiing equipment, move the sports items out, get a blow-up mattress and dress it up as a bed.  Not very expensive and you can take it with you to the new house.

4.   If you find that there is a lot of unnecessary furniture taking up a lot of space in your home, go ahead and move it out.  With what's left, create some inviting conversation areas, quiet sleeping rooms, and maybe a real office.

5.  Don't forget the outside of your house needs to be staged as well.  In the winter, be sure the sidewalks are clean and dry.  Come spring, add some potted annuals to make a bold statement of color.  Keep the trees and bushes trimmed, the grass mowed and all the kids' bikes and wagons out of sight.

6.  You've removed the personal stuff, decluttered, taken out excess furnishings, and need a place for all this stuff plus the extra outdoor toys.  If you don't have a huge storage shed or basement corner where you can put these items without causing another area of clutter, you may need to consider leasing a nearby storage unit until you are ready to move to your new home.  Sometimes such places even offer deals for the first month or two of storage, and some go so far as to lend you a truck to move your things into the storage unit.

Now your St. Clair house is ready for those first prospective homebuyers to come and have a look, and the only money you've had to spend is possibly for a storage unit.  Give me a call today at 636-629-3419 or contact me, Scott Hickinbotham, online.  We'll be happy to give you all sorts of good ideas to get your St. Clair area house sold quickly.

Homeownership, also known as "the great American dream",

Equity:  While homeownership in St. Clair does have certain big initial costs accompanying it–closing costs, the down payment, inspections, etc.–historically, homes do appreciate in value. Four to six percent a year has been the average in years past, and all while you're getting the use and enjoyment of the residence as your safe haven away from the rest of the world.

Relationships:  You may not realize it, but owning your own home makes it more likely that you'll live in it longer and get to know the other people who live around you as well. Other neighborhood features like yards and holiday decorating make it easier to get to know the people around you, often while you're both doing yard work or erecting holiday displays.

Predictability:  If you have a fixed-rate mortgage, and that certainly seems to be the best way to go these days, you'll know exactly what your mortgage payment will be. On Day 1 or Day 5000, it will be the same. You can't say that about rent!

Ownership:  Since you own this Saint Clair area property, unlike when you rent, you have the ability to change the look of your home to your liking. You'll be able to paint the rooms a lovely shade of purple, accented with hot pink, put in a wood-burning fireplace that covers a whole wall, turn one of the bedrooms into a giant walk-in closet, plant whatever kind of bush or tree you want, or even add a pool for those hot Missouri summers. In other words, personalize it to your heart's content.

Great Deals:  Yes, right now, there are still great deals to be had when buying your own home. Home prices themselves are low, and you can also get great mortgage rates, making this the perfect time to become a homeowner if you aren't already, or upgrade or downsize if you are.

When you're ready to look at some great deals in the St. Clair area, including Eureka, Pacific, Robertsville, St. Albans and Washington, give me, Scott Hickinbotham, a call at 636-629-3419 or contact us online. We have the experience to help you enter the rewarding world of homeownership!

a big down payment is a good thing.                                                                

Here are a few ways you can get the money for your down payment:

1.  Open a Savings Account:  Put a little in there every week (or every time you get a paycheck), add things like your Christmas bonus, a big commission check, or the extra $10 you saved this week by making your own lattes, and before you know it, you'll have built up a nest egg to use as a down payment on the St. Clair home of your dreams.

2.  Ask Your Relatives:  Of course, we don't all have a wealthy maiden aunt about to shower us with down-payment funds, but maybe you can talk Mom and Dad into adding a bit to what you've saved up on your own (see number 1 above).

3.  Sell an Asset:  Got a boat, RV or extra car sitting around collecting dust that could be sold to add to your down-payment funding account?  Don't forget, if you sell that antique car no one is allowed to drive, you'd also be saving on insurance and registration fees.

4.  Liquidate Investments:  If you happen to have some investments, now may be the time to liquidate them.  If you have a stash of Savings Bonds, you may want to find out if they're still earning interest or if they've reached maturity and are ready to be cashed in and put to a better use.

5.  Use Your Income Tax Refund:  It is that time of year again when we have to file our income tax returns.  If you're one of the lucky ones getting a tax refund this year, why not earmark it for use as the down payment on your new house?

6.  Get a Second Job:  Maybe you can work a few hours on the weekend at your local fast-food restaurant, collect aluminum and sell it to a recycling firm, babysit, have a giant garage sale, or sell cute little hand-made knitted baby garments online.  Don't forget that every little bit you can save, earn or beg from your friends and relatives all adds up over time.

Once you feel you have enough of a nest egg for your down payment, contact me: Scott Hickinbotham, online or by phone at 636-399-2296, and we'll help you find the perfect home in the St. Clair area.

Now you have to decide what to do with that offer. Do you take the offer, make a counter-offer, or turn it down flat. Here are some things to think about when deciding what to do with an offer:

Turning the offer down flat is almost never an option, unless you know for a fact that the buyer will never move from a low-ball offer. However, if you're hesitant to take the offer, ask yourself this important question:  Is this really a low-ball offer, or am I hesitating because of an emotional attachment to the home? If you're looking at all the memories you have in this house, and the upgrades and investment of time and money to get it to where it is today, you may need to start looking at this house in a more financial and less emotional light.

You'll want to take into consideration how long your St. Clair house has been on the market. If it's just been a few days and this is your first offer, you may want to make a different counter-offer than you would if the house has been on the market for several months or even longer without much interest from homebuyers.

While the price offered may be a good one, are there other terms that are not so agreeable to you? Are they asking for closing cost concessions that are a bit more generous than you want to give? Do they want you to move out sooner than you are comfortable with? Are they asking for a closing date that is simply too close? Be sure to take into account all of the terms, not just the price.

Other questions to consider should include:  Will you lose money if you take this deal? Will it leave you too far in debt to purchase another home? Must you sell within a short period of time or do you have some breathing room? Are there factors such as a job that make it necessary for you to sell and move quickly? Have you already bought another home and are getting tired of making two mortgage payments and covering numerous utility bills? Might you be at risk of going into foreclosure if you don't sell the house soon? In some situations, even low offers may be better than no offers.

A great place to get help with all these questions is your Realtor®. We know the market activity--how long area homes are on the market, how much interest your home is likely to garner from prospective buyers, and what other homes in your area are currently selling for. It's always best to figure out your bottom line now, before you get an offer on the table, so you'll know what to do when the time comes.

Please give me, Scott Hickinbotham, a call today at 636-629-3419 or contact me online. Let us help you sell your house for the best price possible. We have experience in the local market and can give you the best advice available.

1. Call your local agent. We have all the statistics for your area including how long homes in your neighborhood are staying on the market before they sell and how much your house is worth in today's market.

2. Find out the value of your St. Clair home. By comparing your home value with the selling prices of similar homes in your area, you will be able to see if you will be losing money if you decide to sell.

3. Determine if you have the money to move. Closing costs, home inspections for the house you want to purchase, moving expenses, storage fees and a down payment on the new home can all take a big chunk out of your savings. So look closely at your current financial situation to see if you can realistically afford to move.

4. Decide why you want to sell. Would you be moving because of your job? In such a case, you may have no choice if you want to continue working. Or would a move be to avoid foreclosure? Has your expanding family simply outgrown your house, or are you retiring, the kids are all out on their own and you'd like to downsize to save on utility bills and taxes?

5. Consider the social effects of a move on your family. Especially if you have small children in school, a move might have huge effects on them. Do you want to uproot them from familiar surroundings, schools, and close family and friends?

As you can see, deciding to sell your St. Clair home  may not be an easy decision. It is indeed both a financial and emotional choice. So do your research and consider all the options. For help with the research and to see what's available on the market today, contact me, Scott Hickinbotham, online or give me a call at 636-399-2296.

A QR code (QR stands for Quick Response) is a fast way to get information. In our case, information about a listing. All you need to use the code is a web-enabled cell phone with QR code reader software installed on it. By waving your phone at the QR code image on our signs (I know this sounds a little weird but it's really all you have to do), you will be instantly taken to our website, which has already been optimized for viewing via cell phone.

So let's say you're on a house hunting mission in St. Clair, you drive by a home with our lawn sign in the front yard and the house looks like something you would be interested in. Simply wave your phone at the QR code sign, and you'll be taken to our website where you can view detailed information about the house, including such things as how many bedrooms and bathrooms there are, what appliances are included, room sizes, and even color pictures or a video tour. You can even contact an agent to call you back, or add this home to your list of dream houses.

You may also see these coded signs at local home shows or other events. For example, if you're at a home show looking at a booth offering services for pool owners, you might see a QR coded sign that could take you to a sight offering homes for sale in the area with pools. The options are really endless and this technology is improving daily.

If you're looking for a home in the St. Clair area, grab your phone and hit the road. You'll soon see our QR coded signs in front of our listings, allowing you to get quick access to information on any listing that you're interested in. Of course, you can still contact us the "old-fashioned" way by phone at 636-629-3419 or online.

1. Before you pack your lamps, remove the bulbs.                                   

2. So you don't have to spend your first night in your new home in the dark, arrange to have your utilities turned on the day BEFORE you move.

3. Load area rugs last, so they will come out of the truck first. That way they can be placed on the floor, under the furniture that will be moved in after.

4. Pack heavy items in small boxes and light items in large boxes. Try to keep total weight per box under 50 pounds, less if you're doing the moving yourself.

5. Got plates? Pack them on their sides, vertically, with newspaper or tissue between each one.

6. Move a phone book from your old house to the new St. Clair house, just in case you need to contact old neighbors or businesses you've dealt with.

7. Drain gas and oil out of all yard equipment, snow blowers, boats, etc. before you attempt to move them.

8. Try to move during the week if possible so that utility companies, government offices and schools will be open in case you need to go there.

9. Be sure to give your movers written directions and a map to the new home along with your cell phone number, in case there's a problem and they need to contact you. Be sure to have their cell phone numbers in your hand as well.

10. If possible, leave pets with a friend or relative on moving day to avoid as much trauma in their lives as possible.

Now that I've gotten you started, you can probably come up with a lot more ideas of how to make your move easier. The first thing you'll want to do when you decide it's time for a move is to contact me, Scott Hickinbotham, to help you sell your old house or buy the perfect new one in the St. Clair area. Call me today at 636-399-2296 or contact me online.

When you obtain a mortgage to buy your new home, you will probably be required by your lender to open an escrow account. This means that a neutral third-party will take care of the money put into the escrow account and eventually use it to pay off certain pre-determined debts.

As already mentioned, the escrow account will often be used to pay for homeowners' insurance and/or property taxes. How does this work? Once the annual payment for insurance or taxes on your St. Clair home is determined, usually around the time of closing, the total will be divided up into 12 monthly payments, which will usually be paid to the lender along with the monthly mortgage payment. Then when the insurance premium or property tax bill comes due, the escrow agent will pay these bills using the funds you have paid into your escrow account.

The main benefit of an escrow account for the lender is to insure that they aren't stuck for taxes or insurance on a property that has been damaged by fire or is about to be sold because the taxes weren't paid. The homeowner benefits by being able to spread out the total annual amounts, which can be quite large, by breaking them down into more manageable monthly payments.

If you're planning on buying a home, a Realtor® is a great source to help you understand all the ins and outs of closing and home ownership, including escrow accounts. Give me, Scott Hickinbotham, a call at 636-399-2296 or contact me online.  I can help you understand all you need to know to purchase your new home in the St. Clair area.

What is a Tankless Water Heater?                                               

A tankless water heater, also sometimes called an "instantaneous water heater" or "demand water heater", heats water only on demand. It does not store heated water like the older units do, thus avoiding multiple reheats of the same water so that hot water is ready when you are.

How Does a Tankless Water Heater Work?

When the homeowner turns on the hot water tap, cold water travels to the tankless water heater where it is then heated either by electricity or gas, depending on the unit. Depending on the temperature of hot water desired, or the beginning temperature of the cold water, a unit will generally produce from two to five gallons of hot water per minute.

Will One Unit Take Care of a Whole House?

One unit may not be enough for a whole house, especially if there are simultaneous requests for hot water. In these cases, it may be necessary to install a "whole house" hot water system or connect two or more units for simultaneous demands. Installing units for specific appliances or areas may be another way to go. For example, a unit for the dishwasher or one for a specific bathroom.

What Should I Look for When Purchasing a Tankless Water Heater?

Consider the fuel type which will either be gas or electric. Consider location, size and demand, which means determining where you may want the unit to physically be, the size of your house, and how much hot water will be used - for example, per day. Consider the application. Do you want hot water throughout the house, just for certain areas such as bathrooms, or for specific appliances.

The best thing you can do for yourself if you're considering buying a tankless water heater for your St. Clair home is to find a local dealer who can come to your home, analyze your setup and needs, and make recommendations on what would be best for your household. There are several manufacturers who offer different styles and sizes of tankless water heaters, so you need to know what you're trying to do before you'll be able to make the best decision on which one to purchase.

Just like getting a local dealer to evaluate your home for a tankless water heater is the right thing to do, getting a local Realtor® to help is also the best thing to do if you're in the market for a new home or want to put your current home on the market. Give me, Scott Hickinbotham, a call at 636-629-3419 or contact me online. We're ready, willing, and able to help you with all your real estate needs.

.                                                                   

Keep your eyes on these FSBO signs and you'll soon come to realize, however, that as many as 80 percent of them will eventually opt to hire a real estate agent to sell the home for them. That kind of poor success rate may make you wonder what goes wrong.

Here are some of the pitfalls of trying to do an FSBO on your home:

Wrong Listing Price

Finding the perfect listing price isn't an easy task, even for an experienced Realtor®, so don't be surprised that it's an often impossible task for a homeowner. The right price is the most critical element of selling anything, so if you don't get it right there probably won't be a sale even though your home may be perfect in every other aspect.

Not Enough Exposure Online

If you've ever looked into selling your own home, you're probably aware of the FSBO websites that say they will expose your FSBO home to thousands of buyers. While your home may be posted on several FSBO websites, the problem is that these sites don't generate a lot of traffic. Sites that web-savvy realtors use have much higher traffic.

You can check this out yourself by Googling the name of your town and state along with typical keywords that homebuyers would use, such as "homes for sale" or "real estate", and see what shows up. I think you'll find it's predominantly the big real estate sites or even local agent's websites.

Potential Buyers Love to Share

Obviously, buyers will know you're not going to be paying a Realtor® a commission, so they feel that you should share this bit of new-found wealth with them. They may even take a percentage off the top of their offer to compensate for the money you're saving. When this happens, it really nullifies any gain you may have made by selling your St. Clair area home yourself.

Nobody's Home

Especially if you're a working home seller, it may be difficult to find a time available to show your home to prospective buyers. You also may wind up with people stopping at odd hours demanding to see your home, so be prepared!

Pre-Qualifying Buyers

Let's face it. It's really a waste of your time to show your home to buyers who aren't (and may never be) pre-qualified to purchase your home. A real estate agent will be sure that buyers who are looking at your home have the ability to purchase when they decide they want to make an offer on your house.

As you can see, selling a house on your own is not the quick and easy task that it may appear to be on the surface. In the long run, you'll be much better off putting your home in the hands of an experienced Realtor® such as myself. You're more likely to sell your home faster and for a higher price. So please, call me, Scott Hickinbotham, today at 636-629-3419 or contact me online. We'll find the perfect buyer for your home in no time.

homes that put up Christmas lights used the incandescent type. The lights were very pretty, of course, but they put off a lot of heat which can cause a fire, plus they used quite a bit of electricity.

Santa's now a bit older and lighting has grown up too. Nowadays, with the introduction of LED (Light Emitting Diode) Christmas lighting, energy consumption is down about 70% from what the old incandescent used, and the lights themselves are cooler and last about 10 times longer. You can even connect up to 87 strands to reach all the darkest corners of your home.

But there's always something new under the sun, and that's where solar-powered Christmas lights come in. These are still LED but are now powered by solar energy rather than electricity. A small solar panel about the size of a hockey puck holds rechargeable batteries that can run a 100-bulb string for 6 to 8 hours after the sun goes down. Of course, if the weather hits a cloudy spell, as December weather sometimes does in Missouri, your solar lights may have a problem glowing into the night.

So the question is, should you go solar with your Christmas lighting? Figure it out for yourself - here are some statistics to help you:

Purchase Price of a 100-Bulb String:

            Regular LED:  $ 8.00
            Solar LED:      $ 30.00

Operating Cost for a 100-Bulb String:

            Regular LED:  30 cents for 300 hours (that's 10 hours a night for the month of December)
            Solar LED:      0

At this rate, it would take about 45 years to save enough in electricity to pay for the added cost of purchasing the solar-powered lights. Of course, since solar-powered Christmas lights are new on the market, there's currently no track record to go on that they would be able to last 45 years.

On the other hand, your $8 strand of LED Christmas lights are said to be able to burn for up to 100,000 hours over their long lifetime. At 300 hours a year, that's over 333 years. You may even want special provisions in your Will to bequeath these light strings to future generations.

Deciding between electric or solar LED Christmas lighting doesn't seem to be a very hard decision to make. Finding the right home for you and your family in the St. Clair area may be a little harder, so when you want some help why not give me, Scott Hickinbotham, a call at 636-629-3419 or contact me online. Your perfect St. Clair area home is waiting. Merry Christmas, everyone!!

Chamber of Commerce has hired 37-year-old Angela Crawford, who took over her duties as the new Executive Director on January 4. The new Director is from Cuba, MO and has much needed experience in economic development and small business operations.  

Crawford says of her new appointment, "My vision moving forward, once I have a solid feel for the community, is to partner with the existing business and professional network in St. Clair and the surrounding communities to help create an environment for growth."

As project manager for the City of Chesterfield's Community Services and Economic Development Strategic Plan, she has been instrumental in developing and maintaining relationships with community organizations. She also directed Chesterfield's 2010 Census campaign.

Along with her husband, Rick, Angela is co-owner of Rick Crawford Industries in Cuba. She also serves as the company's vice president of operations.

Mrs. Crawford's focus, as Executive Director of the St. Clair Area Chamber of Commerce, will include growing Chamber membership, while working with current members, city officials and other local groups in promoting St. Clair.

The St. Clair Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors includes Board President for 2012, Keith E. Domke, along with three newly elected members: Tim Davis, Stephanie Smith and Robert Triphahn   and current members Mike Murphy, Paula Dace, Debbie Mitchell, Charlie Butler and Bethany Perryman. The Chamber office is located in the St. Clair License Office (which the new Director also oversees) on Plaza Drive.

As a member of the St. Clair Area Chamber of Commerce, I encourage all St. Clair business people to consider joining the Chamber if you're not already a member. Together, we can work to make St. Clair an even better place in which to live and work.

If you're looking for a home in St. Clair, please give me, Scott Hickinbotham, a call today at 636-399-2296 or contact me online. With listings in Franklin County as well as St. Clair, I can help you find the perfect home for your family.

Changing How a Space is Used

If you're thinking of converting a small bedroom to a grand master bath, be aware that buyers may look at it as losing a bedroom rather than gaining a bathroom. The same thing can happen when converting a bedroom into an office. If prospective buyers don't use computers or work from home, they might prefer that the bedroom remain a bedroom. Converting a garage to a family room may seem like a brilliant move when you want to have large parties, but for people who would rather have their cars protected than entertain friends and family on a large-scale, a garage-turned-family-room may turn them off.

Adding Something Not Normally Found in Your Neighbors' Homes

Do all your St. Clair neighbors have decks? Yes? Then adding a deck to your home would probably be a good idea. Do all your neighbors have pools? No? Then a lonely pool is probably not going to attract buyers to the neighborhood. Do the neighbors have huge kitchens with granite counters, stainless steel appliances, and solid oak cabinetry with all sorts of specialty nooks and crannies? If not, chances are good that you won't recoup the cost if you try to sell your home using this upgrade to justify a higher price.

Creating a Space that Doesn't Conform to the Rest of Your House

Are you contemplating adding a new family room complete with wood-burning fireplace, natural hardwood floors, a wet bar, built-in entertainment center and book shelves, beamed ceilings, and a wall made of stone native to the area? Sounds like a great idea unless the rest of your house is a 1960's one-story ranch with small bedrooms and eight-foot ceilings. While your home may be quite nice, remodeling a section of it in a totally different style may not work and may in fact make the home harder to sell rather than easier.

If you still can't decide on whether to spend some remodeling money on your home to get a faster sale or a better price, asking your Realtor® for help in making your decision on this matter may be the most advantageous thing to do. Why not call me, Scott Hickinbotham, at 636-629-3419 or contact me online. I have years of experience in buying and selling homes in the St. Clair area and can help you make an informed decision on what your home needs to sell quickly and at the best price.

According to the U.S. Census, due to the uncertain job market, the number of rental homes in this country is increasing. This combination of increased demand for rentals, low home prices, and good interest rates, is making income-generating rental properties one of the best investments available.

Hickinbotham Real Estate can help investors find and purchase great income-producing properties in the St. Clair area. Once the investmentis made, our service doesn't end, however, as we can also find and thoroughly screen prospective tenants, and prepare the necessary legal documents to complete the rental process. Once tenants are in place, our Property Management Division can manage the property, while keeping the owner completely informed of how things are going with their investment.

Currently, our Property Management Division manages over 200 properties in the Franklin County area. Let us show you how we're helping other real estate investors buy, rent, and professionally manage residential, commercial and farm properties to create an ongoing monthly income.

We also offer a rent-to-own/lease option-to-purchase program. With this, the property's sales price is set and a monthly payment schedule for the tenant is put into place. Now the rent-to-own tenant is able to rebuild their credit while building equity in the property, which will eventually allow them to qualify for a conventional mortgage. And Hickinbotham Real Estate can manage every aspect of these transactions.

Let the Hickinbotham Real Estate Team and our Property Management Division help you become a real estate investor with a monthly income generated by your own rental properties. Call me, Scott Hickinbotham, at 636-629-3419 or contact me online today.