Arch City Homes » Everything Else

Fun in St. Louis

Karen Goodman — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:40:32 +0000

If you are one of those people who likes getting out around town…attending annual festivals and unique events…then I’ve got a solution to make sure you don’t miss out on the special events happening in St. Louis.

Fun in St. Louis Newsletter:

Each month we will scour the event and attraction websites to find those events that we think you should know about. We won’t be sending you a list of everything you could do in town, but instead you’ll get a hand picked selection of upcoming events that might not have made it onto your radar.

Click to see full size

Here’s a sample of what you will get if you sign up for our new Fun in St. Louis Newsletter.

Your Email is Safe with Us:

If you decide it isn’t for you, you can unsubscribe at any time.

We never sell or give away email addresses. No one will try to sell you anything and your mailbox won’t be spammed with stuff you didn’t ask to receive.

Here’s what we currently send out…to people who have signed up to get these items. We follow a strict opt-in policy.

Arch City Homes News:

This is a monthly newsletter with highlights from the blog, new listings, tips for homeowners, restaurant and event recommendations
See a sample
Sign up for Arch City Homes News

Fun in St. Louis:

This is our monthly event newsletter that we are starting next month (March 2012) described above.
Sign up for Fun in St. Louis

U.S. Mail Newsletter:

If you like getting your newsletters delivered to your home, we can add you to our mailing list for our U.S. mail newsletter. This newsletter is not just a rehash of the email newsletters. This one page newsletter focuses on the housing market and interest rates.

To sign up for the U.S. Mail Newsletter, contact us here.

Special Events:

A few times a year, we send out special event invitations or coupons to our special friends and clients. Most of them can go out by email or mail, but occasionally we have something that will be just one or the other.

To sign up for our St. Louis based special events and coupons, contact us here.

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Choosing a St. Louis Community Based on Commute Time to Work

Karen Goodman — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:33:43 +0000

Where is the best part of St. Louis to live?

It’s a question that gets asked often when we work with people moving to St. Louis or who are buying their first home.

The truth is that there isn’t just one answer.

There are a lot of great parts of town. The area which is best for you depends on a number of factors.

After working with relocating and local buyers for years, we have a pretty good idea of where most buyers will choose to live once we know the answers to these 6 key questions.

6 Questions to Answer When Deciding Where to Live:

Where is your office located?
How long is an acceptable commute time to work?
What is your price range?
Do you strongly prefer newer homes or historic homes, or are you open to the age of a home?
Do you prefer urban, suburban or rural communities?
Do you have children who will be attending the public schools?

Did you notice that the 1st two questions have to do with your commute time to work?

It doesn’t matter if you are moving to St. Louis and are unfamiliar with the traffic patterns or you are a long-time resident who is willing to consider homes in a number of neighborhoods.

The first step in narrowing down the options of where to live is to decide how long you are willing to spend in the car to get to work every day.

Of course, there are other factors that may be important to you such as:

If you plan to commute via train, where are the MetroLink stations and which ones have a parking lot?
Where are local dog parks?
Which communities are walkable?
Where can you get a large yard?
Where does a particular racial, religious or ethnic group live?
Which areas are up & coming, and offer the best investment potential?
Where can you buy a 2 or 4 family building so you can live in one of the units and have rental income?

The list can go on and on.

Clearly, there isn’t a single answer to the question “Where is the best place in St. Louis to live?”

While there will always be exceptions, we’ve found that commute time is the best place to start when buyers haven’t selected a community where they want to live.

Popular Places to Live If you Work…

To help you get started, we have identified some of the most popular areas to live in St. Louis based on where you work.

Downtown:

Major employers include: Ameren, Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield, AT&T, Bank of America, CPI Corp., Fleishman Hillard, HOK, Ralcorp, NestlePurina, Peabody Energy, U.S. Bank and Wells Fargo Advisors

Urban: Downtown Loft District, Central West End, Soulard, Lafayette Square, South City
Historic Suburbs: Clayton, University City, Webster Groves, Kirkwood
Suburban: Creve Coeur, Town & Country, South County, Florissant
Affordable: South City, South County, Florissant
Luxury: Central West End, Clayton, Ladue, Frontenac, Town & Country

Clayton:

Major employers include: Centene Corporation, Armstrong Teasdale, Brown Shoe Company, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Washington University, Rubin Brown, Graybar Electric Company, Barry-Wehmiller Companies and Husch Blackwell Sanders

Urban: Central West End, Tower Grove Park area
Historic Suburbs: Clayton, Ladue, University City, Richmond Heights, Brentwood
Suburban: Town & Country, Des Peres, Frontenac, Chesterfield, Creve Coeur, Ballwin
Affordable: South City, Tower Grove Park area, Maplewood, Rock Hill
Luxury: Clayton, Ladue, Frontenac, Town & Country, Huntleigh, Des Peres

Chesterfield:

Major employers include: Pfizer, St. Luke’s Hospital, Parkway School District

Urban: South City
Historic Suburbs: Kirkwood, Webster Groves, Richmond Heights, Brentwood
Suburban: Chesterfield, Wildwood, Ballwin, Ellisville, O’Fallon
Affordable: Ellisville, Ballwin, Valley Park, O’Fallon
Luxury: Chesterfield, Wildwood, Clayton, Ladue, Town & Country

Creve Coeur:

Major employers include: Monsanto, Microsoft, Reuters, Mercy Hospital (formerly St. John’s Mercy Hospital)

Urban: Central West End
Historic Suburbs: University City
Suburban: Creve Coeur, Chesterfield, Ballwin, Maryland Heights, Olivette
Affordable: Maryland Heights, Olivette, Florissant
Luxury: Chesterfield, Wildwood, Clayton, Ladue, Town & Country, Frontenac, Huntleigh

Airport Area:

Major employers include: Lambert International Airport, Boeing, Covidien, GKN

Urban: Central West End
Historic Suburbs: University City, Florissant, Bel-Nor, Pasadena Hills
Suburban: Creve Coeur, Maryland Heights, St. Charles, O’Fallon, St. Peters, Wentzville
Affordable: Florissant, Hazelwood, Bridgeton, St. Charles
Luxury: Chesterfield, Clayton, Ladue

O’Fallon:

Major employers include: MasterCard, CitiMortgage and True Manufacturing

Historic Suburbs: St. Charles
Suburban: O’Fallon, St. Peters, Cottleville, Dardenne Prairie, Defiance, Weldon Spring
Affordable: O’Fallon, St. Charles, Wentzville
Luxury: Chesterfield, Wildwood

For each of the areas above, there are more options that fit into each category. I also left out some areas with big employers including Anheuser-Busch InBev, Maritz, Emerson Electric, Charter Communications, and many more.

If the area you work is not listed, or you would like assistance in identifying the best places to live, contact us for a personal consultation.

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2 Best Tax Credit Opportunities for Missouri Homeowners

Karen Goodman — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:10:49 +0000

December is a crazy busy month for most people. In the first few weeks of December, many people find themselves scrambling to buy gifts, send out Christmas cards and put up holiday decorations.

As the middle of the month approaches the holiday parties move into full swing. The last week of December brings family gatherings and holiday travels for many.

It’s a whirlwind month.

But December is also your last chance to take the steps that will save you money on your income taxes that you will be paying in just a few months. Take a few minutes from your holiday activities to consider if you should spend some money now on things that will lower your taxes later.

2 Best Tax Credit Opportunities for MO Homeowners:

Energy Efficient Home Upgrades

By upgrading your home’s energy efficiency this month, you will reduce the cost of the home improvements by taking advantage of a tax credit that expires this year AND you will continue to save for as long as you live in the home.

If you are thinking of selling your home in the next few years and you roof, hot water heater, furnace or air conditioner is more than 15 years old, you should consider upgrading them now.

Buyers get very nervous about buying homes that will likely result in expensive repairs in the first few years.

Some buyers simply walk away when they learn a house has older systems. Others demand a lower price to get them to move forward with a purchase. But waiting until you are ready to put your home up for sale or you are in contract negotiations means you are unlikely to recoup the cost of the improvements.

If you replace inefficient systems now, you can take advantage of the tax credits and have lower utility bills until you are ready to sell. When you are ready to move, a home with new energy efficient systems will typically sell faster (which almost always results in a higher sale price).

The bottom line is that you have a much better chance of recouping your full cost of installing energy efficient improvements if you do them now rather than waiting until you are ready to put a “For Sale” sign in the yard.

Energy efficient upgrades that are eligible for federal tax credits that expire on December 31, 2011 are:

HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment)
insulation
roofing
water heaters
windows, doors & skylights
biomass stoves

Tax credits go as high as $500 on many of these items.

See more details…

Missouri State Youth Opportunity Tax Credit

If you will be paying income taxes to the State of Missouri, you have an opportunity to make a large donation to a charity with most of the donation refunded back to you by the state.

MO’s Youth Opportunity Tax Credit program offers an amazing opportunity to have your charitable dollars make a big impact.

I recently made a Youth Opportunity Tax Credit donation to Sherwood Forest Camp. By making a $1000 donation through this program, the camp got a full $1000 donation but it will only cost me about 25% of that after I file my taxes for 2011.

Here’s an excerpt from the SFC website to explain how the YOP tax credit works.

Missouri Tax Credits enable you to give twice as much with less out-of-pocket cost!

For a donation of $1,000 or more, you can receive a 50% Missouri State Tax credit against any Missouri taxes you owe. Combined with normal federal and state charitable deductions*, you could receive up to 75% back on your donation.

Without tax credits, a donation of $5,000 can send five children to camp for a life-changing experience. But with no additional cost to you, you can double that gift to $10,000, take advantage of the tax credit, and transform the lives of ten disadvantaged children in the St. Louis Region.

Too good to be true?

$500 Gift, No YOP State Tax Credit

Cash/stock gift to SFC $500

Missouri YOP tax credit $0

Federal income tax deduction (35%) -$175

State income tax deduction (6%) -$30

Federal tax (following year) on state savings/refund $0

Net cost to you $295

$1,000 Gift WITH YOP State Tax Credit

Cash/stock gift to SFC $1000

Missouri YOP tax credit -$500

Federal income tax deduction (35%) -$350

State income tax deduction (6%) -$60

Federal tax (following year) on state savings/refund 196

Net cost to you $286

NOTE: Example is for someone in a 35% federal tax bracket. Benefits vary depending on your tax bracket. Check with your tax advisor to learn how the deductions will work for you.

Why Sherwood Forest Camp?

There are certainly plenty of deserving charities that could use your financial contribution. But if you are looking for a way to break the cycle of poverty for a child, you can’t do better than Sherwood Forest Camp.

Sherwood Forest serves up to 450 children and adolescents ages 7 to 16 each summer, predominantly from families living in poverty. Children have the opportunity participate in the 4 year Leadership Program after they complete 6th grade. Of the 68% of leadership program graduates who have stayed in touch with camp, 94% have risen out of poverty as adults.

When I make a donation, I want it to have a long-term impact. What better long-term effect than helping kids to understand the need to stay in school, further their post-secondary education and have healthy relationships as adults.

For some moving testimonials from former campers, read the comments on my last article about Sherwood Forest Camp.

If you were thinking of making a donation to charity this month so you could deduct it on your taxes, please consider making a donation of $1000 or more to Sherwood Forest Camp. Take advantage of the Youth Opportunity Tax Credit and have your dollars go much farther.

But don’t delay. The website says they have only $24,000 left in tax credits available to donors for 2011 donations.

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Shaw Neighborhood Restaurant ~ Mama Josephine’s

Karen Goodman — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 02:25:01 +0000

Deciding where you want to live is more than just picking a new house.

When we were hired to sell the home at 3861 Botanical in the Shaw Neighborhood, I really got to know the neighborhood. While I had spent a lot of time in the neighborhood before, I didn’t know about Mama Josephine’s until I was out taking pictures for our marketing.

Knowing that I had to give it a try, I talked my friend Todd Jordan into scheduling one of his summer weekly tweetup lunches at Mama Josephine’s so a bunch of us could try it out.

To our surprise, the owner Mary took time out of her busy day to visit with us, returning to our table over and over again. She explained that she didn’t like to serve “leftovers”, even though they were still quite tasty the next day, and offered to bring out a few things that she had in the kitchen but she wasn’t willing to sell to her customers. She kept going back to the kitchen and bringing us extras items to taste. It’s been a few months now, and I don’t remember everything we ate, but I do remember she brought us her popular banana pudding and some cheese ravioli on the house.

We talked about her mother’s recipes, why she started the restaurant and how it has become a part of the Shaw Neighborhood.

Mary really made us feel welcome. I can only imagine how it would feel if you lived in the neighborhood and popped in regularly. My guess is that she would know all of your favorite foods and what is happening in your lives.

Mary was a good sport and agreed to do a quick video interview on the spot when I asked. What a great lady!

If you are looking for more than just a house, and instead want to live someplace where your neighbors become your friends and business owners know your name, you really should consider Shaw for your next home.

Our client’s house is still available. With 3 stories, 4 bedrooms and tons of history, it’s ready for a new family to make their own memories.

To learn more about the Shaw Neighborhood in St. Louis, check out this video I put together.

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What are the Best St. Louis Urban Neighborhoods?

Karen Goodman — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:53:54 +0000

St. Louis offers many options for people who want an urban lifestyle that allows them to walk to restaurants and coffee shops, hop on a train to get around town or walk the dog in the city park just outside their door.

There really isn’t one BEST neighborhood.

The best urban neighborhood is the one that gives YOU everything YOU want.

If you want to live in a walkable community in St. Louis, the areas below offer the best possibilities. Each community offers it’s own unique personality and perks.

Want to walk to the grocery store? Consider the Downtown Loft District or Maplewood.

Want a neighborhood that is anchored by a park? Consider Shaw or Lafayette Square.

Want a community where you can walk home after seeing a band? Consider University City or Soulard.

Want a walkable community that feels like a quaint small town? Consider Kirkwood or Webster Groves.

We specialize in helping buyers sort through the options to find the community that is right for them.

Urban Homes for Sale – St. Louis City:

The City of St. Louis offers many popular communities for singles, couples, families and empty nesters looking for an urban lifestyle.

Search by Neighborhood:

Keep in mind that searching by neighborhood only gives you the homes that listed the neighborhood name correctly. Since the neighborhood name is entered manually by the listing agent, many properties for sales in these areas are not included in the above searches.

In addition, there are many other popular city neighborhoods such as Tower Grove South, The Grove, The Hill and Dogtown. The homes in these areas list the neighborhood name in multiple ways in the MLS so searching by neighborhood is not effective for these areas.

To be sure to see everything for sale in your favorite neighborhood, check the zip code search below or contact us for help in setting up a personal search.

Search by Zip Code:

Urban Homes for Sale – St. Louis County:

St. Louis County has many historic suburbs that offer urban living without actually living in the city limits. These communities are a great option for families looking for good schools, along with singles and couples who want walkable communities.

Search by City:

Urban Homes for Sale – St. Charles County:

While most people don’t think of St. Charles when they think of urban living, downtown St. Charles is a walkable community with historic homes plus tons of dining and nightlife options. Historic St. Charles offers all of the convenience of living in the suburbs with the charm of historic homes and a cobblestone Main Street.

Historic St. Charles

The search above offers a sample of homes in this historic neighborhood since the listings are entered using multiple neighborhood names. Searching by zip code (63301) will give you homes that are both in the historic district and in the surrounding suburbs.

To see all of the historic homes in St. Charles, please contact us to assist you with your search.

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SOLD ~ 5 Monarch Trace Ct #204 (Chesterfield)

Karen Goodman — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 01:10:32 +0000

The Basics:

Listing Price: $189,900 SOLD!!!

Sale Price: $178,000

Address: 5 Monarch Trace Ct #205, Chesterfield, MO 63017 (see map)

Bedrooms: 2

Bathrooms: 2

Property Type: Condo

Floor plan style: Garden

Age: 8 years old

Subdivision: Monarch Trace Condo

School District: Rockwood School District (more school info)

Parking: 1 car assigned covered parking

Extras: Move-in ready, elevator building & adjacent to Chesterfield’s Central Park

Featured Pictures:

The Full Scoop:

Upscale West County living in the best location in town!

Live next door to Chesterfield’s newest park with trails, bridges over the lake, aquatic center, playground, park pavilion, outdoor amphitheater & future ball fields. Less than 1/2 mile to Chesterfield Mall, YMCA, library & restaurants. PLUS Monarch Trace Condos has its own gazebo & picnic area with a wooded view that can’t be beat.

Quality newer construction – this END UNIT condo is flooded with sunshine.

The seller has done everything for you, just move in & decorate!

You even get the BRAND NEW 50″ LG flat screen TV that was just mounted in the living room!

Easy care wood style flooring in every room. Columns, upgraded cabinetry, popular open floor plan with laundry & entrance foyer in unit. Perfect for roommates with divided bedroom floor plan.

Extras include: large master walk-in closet, covered balcony, over-sized storage closet, elevator, security entrance, assigned covered parking space.

Great investment opportunity in top-ranked Rockwood Schools!! Values expected to shoot up when park is 100% finished!

Like what you see? Email this listing to a friend by clicking the SHARE button below.

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Make Dinner Reservations in St. Louis via Open Table

Karen Goodman — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:37:32 +0000

Open Table makes dining out in St. Louis easy.

Open Table allows you to go online or use the app on your phone to see the dates and times when reservations are available at specific restaurants and then reserve your table without every picking up the phone.

Currently there are 109 St. Louis area restaurants in their system, but I expect that number to grow as the service becomes more popular in our area.

Whether you are trying to decide where to eat on a specific night, or you are trying to see when you can get into that restaurant that always seems to be booked up in advance, Open Table makes it easy.

To encourage you to make your reservations through the system, you earn points for every reservation that you make through the website and then show up at the restaurant. Points get converted into gift certificates that can be used at the restaurants, and restaurants can boost their exposure by offering bonus points for dining with them.

The site also includes a profile of each restaurant, links to the restaurant’s website and Open Table user reviews.

I first discovered Open Table when vacationing in New York City. It was a perfect solution for eating out while on vacation and can definitely see myself using this website at home too.

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St. Louis in Pictures ~ Old Chain of Rocks Bridge

Karen Goodman — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:15:41 +0000

Explore St. Louis:

With cold weather just around the corner, a friend and I took a drive out the the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge a week ago to take some pictures and explore the area.

On the way, we stopped and snapped a few pictures of Bob Cassilly’s Cementland through this very cool fence made from cement truck mixers and old railroad tracks.

We also stopped at Confluence Park, where the Mississippi and the Missouri River’s merge.

Old Chain of Rocks Bridge:

We crossed the Mississippi River via the New Chain of Rocks Bridge and parked near the Illinois entrance to the historic bridge.

The 1 mile bridge across the Mississippi is the perfect length for a nice walk. I was surprised at how much the scenery changed from one side to the other. On the Missouri side, the bridge entrance quickly has a clear view of the river. In comparison, you walk through trees and lush landscaping for a bit on the Illinois side of the bridge.

I took a ton of pictures. Here are my favorites. Click on the images to get a bigger image.

You can see more of the pictures on my Flickr page.

To reach the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge from St. Louis, take Highway 270 north toward Chicago and exit at the last Missouri exit, Riverview Drive. Or stay on the highway and take the New Chain of Rocks bridge to the Illinois parking area.

See map…

You can seem more St. Louis pictures on my Flickr page.

Subscribe by email or RSS to make sure you don’t miss our future St. Louis in Pictures photos.

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St. Louis in Pictures ~ Lindell Blvd

Karen Goodman — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 15:15:15 +0000

Living on Lindell:

The north side of Forest Park is lined with grand mansions mostly built around the time of the of the 1094 World’s Fair. Yes there is traffic on Lindell Blvd, but you just can’t beat the view and access to the park directly across the street.

A few weeks ago I took a walk and snapped some pictures.

Click on the images to get larger pictures.

While most of the homes are turn of the century mansions, there are some modern structures too.

Home prices range from $750,000 – $1,750,000. There is also an opportunity for one future owner to design their own home on the lot for sale.

The Lindell Blvd stretch is in a great location. It’s wedged between the Central West End, Washington University and is just blocks from Clayton and University City. But the big draw is Forest Park. I would surely get more exercise if this trail was across the street from my home.

And here’s a quick 360 degree view standing in front of the History Museum at Lindell and DeBaliviere.

You can see more pictures of Forest Park on my Flickr page.

Forest Park is just a short walk from many homes and condos that surround the park. From the 1904 World’s Fair mansions on Lindell Blvd to the condos by the DeBaliviere Metro station, there are homes in every budget.

See current homes for sale near Forest Park in the adjacent zip codes:

Subscribe by email or RSS to make sure you don’t miss our future St. Louis in Pictures photos.

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SOLD ~ 1010 Thoreau Ct #305 (Creve Coeur)

Karen Goodman — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 18:32:10 +0000

The Basics:

Listing Price: $155,000 SOLD!!!

Sale Price: $145,000

Address: 1010 Thoreau Ct #305, Creve Coeur, MO 63146 (see map)

Bedrooms: 2

Bathrooms: 2.5

Property Type: Condo

Floor plan style: 1.5 Story townhouse

Age: 27 years old

Subdivision: Briarcliff Condos

School District: Ladue School District (more school info)

Parking: Assigned space in underground garage

Extras: 2 story vaulted ceilings, 2 master suites, community swimming pool & tennis

Featured Pictures:

The Full Scoop:

Ready to downsize?

Or maybe you are moving to St. Louis and want the best schools in the area and no yard work.

Move into upscale Briarcliff Condos for maintenance-free living in top-ranked Ladue School District.

One of the biggest condos in the community with over 200 square feet. Ride the elevator to the top floor, get soaring ceilings & avoid noisy upstairs neighbors.

The 1.5 story townhouse floor plan has 2 master suites. Choose the main floor or upstairs bedroom as your own.

Upgrades in every room include custom built-in bookcases, plantation blinds, separate tub/showers & 2 sinks in both full bathrooms.

Popular open floor plan has kitchen pass-thru window with breakfast bar. Covered deck has door from the 1st floor master suite and the living room.

Bonus features: main floor laundry, powder room, woodburning fireplace, walk-in closets in both bedrooms, built-in double desk in loft.

Community amenities: swimming pool, lighted tennis court, basketball, exercise facility, clubhouse, lake, building lobby, secure parking (1st spot by the elevator) & garage storage closet.

This condo could easily work for someone needing handicap access too since the main floor 1/2 bath is huge and the 1st floor master bathroom has a tub that would be easy for anyone to get in and out of along with a separate shower. Even the closet would work with the double hanging built-in closet system. While no grab bars are installed yet, it’s nice to have the option in the future!

Washer, dryer, refrigerator included.

Home protection warranty too!

Like what you see? Email this listing to a friend by clicking the Share/Save button below.

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$500 Gift, No YOP State Tax Credit
Cash/stock gift to SFC	$500
Missouri YOP tax credit	$0
Federal income tax deduction (35%)	-$175
State income tax deduction (6%)	-$30
Federal tax (following year) on state savings/refund	$0
Net cost to you	$295

$1,000 Gift WITH YOP State Tax Credit
Cash/stock gift to SFC	$1000
Missouri YOP tax credit	-$500
Federal income tax deduction (35%)	-$350
State income tax deduction (6%)	-$60
Federal tax (following year) on state savings/refund	196
Net cost to you	$286