St Charles County Fall Events 2018

As the weather cools and harvest begins, St. Charles County comes to life with fall festivals, exhibitions, historical events and haunted fun. Made up of Augusta, Cottleville, Dardenne Prairie, Flint Hill, Foristell, Lake St. Louis, New Melle, O'Fallon, Portage Des Sioux, St. Charles, St. Paul, St. Peters, Weldon Spring, Wentzville, and West Alton, there are plenty of communities, establishments and businesses with events to choose from. The Boehmer Team members live, work, and play in St. Charles County and really enjoy the area, especially in the fall. So we’ve put together a list of fall events specific to St Charles County, Mo for 2018.

SEPTEMBER EVENTS IN ST. CHARLES COUNTY

Centennial Farms Apple and Pumpkin Picking
Weekends Now through October
199 Jackson Street, Augusta, MO 63332
http://centennialfarms.biz
This is the 49th year of selling fruit and veggies on this farm that has been in operation for 197 years.  Pick your own apples or pumpkins and enjoy a “taste of history” along with seasonal fruit and good things made in the farm kitchen. Visit the market in the 160-year old timber framed barn, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

MOSAICS Fine Art Festival
September 14, 2018 - September 16, 2018
100 N. Main St., St. Charles, Mo
www.StCharlesMosaics.org
Several blocks of North Main Street in Historic St. Charles will play host at the 24th Annual MOSAICS Missouri Festival for the Arts on September 14-16, 2018. This free Arts Festival is a much anticipated fall event in historic St. Charles.

20th Anniversary St. Louis Renaissance Festival
Open Weekends September 15 – October 14, 2018
10am-6pm Rain or Shine
2577 W Meyer Rd, Foristell, MO 63348
www.stlrenfest.com
The 20th anniversary St. Louis Renaissance Festival will bring you the adventure, excitement, and spirit of the Renaissance. Watch Jousting Knights on thundering steeds. Roam the village shoppes for unique crafts as our artisans demonstrate period skills like blacksmithing and woodworking. Delight in comedy, music, magic, and more on our nine stages of non-stop entertainment! Feast on delicious food and drink from the far reaches of the globe, and interact with the colorful villagers, nobles, peasants and characters of ages past. Children will love the petting zoo, games, and daily free activities. Adults will enjoy beer, wine, and mead at our three thematic pubs.

Augusta Harvest Festival
September 21, 2018 - September 23, 2018
5577 Walnut St., Augusta, Mo
https://augusta-chamber.org/event/annual-harvest-festival/
Augusta: A Great Heritage – Explore a day in the life of a German Immigrant The Augusta Harvest Festival is held the third week in September and captures the rich heritage of past festivals held...

St. Charles Oktoberfest
September 28-30, 2018
Frontier Park, Saint Charles, MO
http://saintcharlesoktoberfest.com
Saint Charles Oktoberfest takes place in beautiful Frontier Park located off Riverside Drive in downtown Saint Charles between the Missouri River and the Historic Downtown District.
 

MICRO MACRO Art Exhibit
Through September 28, 2018
Foundry Centre Art, St. Charles, MO
http://www.foundryartcentre.org/micro-macro/
At this free exhibition, size matters.  This show will display two opposites: one half focusing on small works (micro) and the other half focusing on works larger than 48 inches (macro). 

Celebrate St. Peters Annual Community Festival
September 14 - September 15, 2018
370 Lakeside Park, Lakeside Park Drive off MO-370, St. Peters
https://www.stpetersmo.net/celebrate-st-peters-.aspx
A free two-day festival featuring live music and entertainment on three different stages, a carnival, vendors, kids’ activities, fireworks and more! Friday is Pam Tillis and Lorrie Morgan. Saturday is Night Ranger plus fireworks at 9pm.

OCTOBER EVENTS IN ST. CHARLES COUNTY

Daniels Farm and Greenhouse October Harvest
October 1 – 31
352 Jungermann Rd., Saint Peters, MO 63376
https://www.danielsfarmandgreenhouse.com/calenders/fall-october-harvest/
$6 will grant admission to Daniels Farm October Harvest going on throughout October. Admission includes: giant straw maze, petting zoo, unique fort maze, tube slides, pony swings, giant tire swings, corn boxes, picnic area, antique farm equipment and more.

Valley Farms Fall Festival
Weekends in October - Saturdays 9am – 2pm, Sundays 10am – 5pm
1125 Dietrich Rd, Foristell, MO. 63348
http://valleyfarms.us
Valley Farms fall events in October include live music, Valley Farms Wet Hop Octoberfest on Tap, food trucks, free minibarn hay maze and of course lots of pumpkins, gourds, mums, straw, concessions, and crafts. Come enjoy the hawk ridge hay ride, barrel train ride, Farm Land bounce house, pumpkin bowling, panning for gold and more. See the website for event-by-date details.

DUCKFEST - Annual Special Event
Saturday, October 6, 2018
Lakeside 370 Park, St. Peters, MO
https://duckfestmo.org
Duckfest is a free event that celebrates all things outdoors, with an emphasis on waterfowl hunting. The event includes live music, vendors, raffles, great food,  and drinks. There is an officially sanctioned Calling Contest that will host callers from across the region as they compete for spots in Stuttgart. Proceeds raised from Duckfest are donated to a local nonprofit that serves nearly 300 adults with developmental disabilities in the St. Louis area.

Pelican Days Festival
Saturday, October 13, 2018
The Audubon Center at Riverlands, 301 Riverlands Way, West Alton, MO
http://riverlands.audubon.org
This free event is one of the most anticipated events for local birders. The American White Pelican is one of our largest and most charismatic birds we see in the sanctuary. Their large wingspans and graceful flight paired with their strange beaks make them a very striking bird. This time of year these birds migrate through the Mississippi valley. Pelican Days will be a day of fun family-friendly activities all about Pelicans! 

Cottleville Firefighter's Haunted Trail presented by Mercy Kids
October 13th and 20th from 7:30-11:30pm
Behind Legacy Park in Cottleville MO
http://www.scarytrail.com
Cottleville Firefighters Outreach is a nonprofit with a mission to raise our community's educational and awareness levels of safety and health issues in hopes of preventing misfortune. They setup a haunted trail that ends near the former residence of Mollie Crenshaw, a well-known witch that lived in Cottleville over 100 years ago. CWS Rotary Club will have beer and other adult beverages for purchase for those 21 and over and there will be a movie and bonfires. Where shoes good for a gravel path and bring your lawn chairs and friends to enjoy a good time.

Food Trucks In The Park
Tuesday, October 16, 2018, 5-8pm
Frontier Park, 500 South Riverside Drive, Saint Charles, MO
http://www.stcharlesparks.com/programs/parks-holidayspecial-events/food-trucks/
Rev up your taste buds and enjoy tasting delectable foods from multiple food trucks. Enjoy live entertainment as you indulge in a variety of delicious food options.  The event is free other than the cost of food. It is recommended that you bring your own lawn chair or blanket.

Halloween Spirits From The Past – Annual Historical
Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018, 6–10:30 p.m. Daniel Boone Home, 1868 Highway F, Defiance, MO
https://www.facebook.com/events/668356836864625/
Walk the lantern-lit paths and explore an early 1800’s pioneer village. Listen to murder ballads and tales of the 1800s and if you dare, hear the eerie Legend of Sleepy Hollow by renowned story teller Anne Williams. Limited tickets are available. Reservations are highly recommended. Pre-Registered Admission: $6; Children 4 and under are free and do not need to register; At-the-Door Admission: $10

Legends & Lanterns Annual Special Event
Saturday, October 20: 11 am - 6 pm; Sunday, October 21: Noon - 5 pm; Friday, October 26: 5 pm - 8 pm; Saturday, October 27: 11 am - 8 pm; Sunday, October 28: Noon - 5 pm
230 South Main Street, Saint Charles, MO
https://www.facebook.com/legendsandlanterns/
On the last two weekends in October the Historic Main Street in St. Charles will be invaded by a plethora of playful paranormal poltergeists from parts unknown. Finding its inspiration from the past, Legends & Lanterns offers the vintage charm of Halloween in the 1910s-1930s, to the historical rituals and customs brought to the holiday by the Druids and Victorians, to the ethereal atmosphere depicted in American ghost stories and Brothers Grimm fairy tales. As you explore every mysterious nook and cranny of Main Street, you’ll unearth various activities that will bring to “life” the back stories and origins of All Hallow’s Eve. It’s a little bit silly. It’s a little bit macabre. But it’s all fun. Free event.

Fort Zumwalt East High School Grad Night Craft Fair
Saturday, October 27, 2018
Fort Zumwalt East High School, 600 First Executive Avenue, St. Peters, MO
https://www.facebook.com/FortZumwaltEastCraftFair/
Get a jump on your holiday shopping with over 50 vendor and crafters. Awesome gift and craft items include: candles, quilts, jewelry, music boxes, pet items, purses, beauty & bath items, fashions, custom bears, holiday craft items and more. There will also be concession stands, vendor demonstrations, a bake sale, and raffles. This event benefits the Fort Zumwalt East High School Grad Night event for seniors.


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Don’t forget to share with your St. Charles County neighbors!
From all of us at The Boehmer Team, we hope you have a wonderful fall. If you have a St. Charles County event you would like to add, please email details to Kelly@TheBoehmerTeam.com. If moving is on your mind, please contact The Boehmer Team.

Options For Buying New Construction

If you are considering buying a newly constructed home in the St. Louis or St. Charles County area, you have several options. St. Louis area homebuilders offer home plans that you can tweak and build from scratch, homes that are currently being built that don’t yet have a buyer, and homes that are completed and waiting for a buyer. This means you can have a beautiful brand new home now, or you can participate in the process to build the perfect home for your family.

Building a New Home From Scratch

Building a new home that is created specifically for you can be the experience of a lifetime. Picking out the design plans, lot, exterior and interior finishes enable you to create a home that will perfectly fit your life. We’ll admit there can be a lot of steps in creating the perfect home from scratch, but that is why we are here. With the right help, the steps in the home building process make for a great experience. And the results are second to none when you get a home that is created uniquely for you.

Buying a New Home During Construction

Another way to buy a brand new home is to purchase the home while it is being built. Homebuilders are building homes all the time, regardless if a buyer is procured. Purchasing a home that is currently under construction will cut out some of the steps a buyer must do in the regular new home building process while still allowing buyers to choose some of the interior and exterior finishes for the home (depending on the stage of the build).  The Boehmer Team has dedicated a page to such homes called New & Almost Ready For You. This page features homes throughout the St. Louis area that are currently under construction and waiting for a buyer.

Buying a Newly Completed Home

Homebuyers that want to purchase a new home now, without the wait of the building process, can look to builder inventory homes. An inventory home may have been part of a neighborhood development project, had a buyer that could not complete the sale (at no fault of the builder), or was simply built for inventory purposes. Many fine brand new homes are available throughout the St. Louis area and are just waiting for a buyer. You can find new homes that are completed and available for sale at our New & Now page BuyNewAndNow.com. We update this page weekly with new home inventory that is currently for sale in the St. Louis area.

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Whether buying a home you build from scratch, customizing an upcoming build or purchasing a newly completed home, The Boehmer Team can help. We can recommend great local builders like Bridgewater Communities, Wool Custom Homes, Genesis Development Company, Renaissance Living, and Fischer and Frichtel. We represent buyers purchasing new homes to help with the purchasing and building process and to protect the interests of new home buyers throughout the transaction. Thinking of buying new? Contact The Boehmer Team for expert assistance.

Selling a Home That Needs Repairs

When homeowners meet with The Boehmer Team about listing a St. Louis or St. Charles County, Missouri home for sale, they want to know what needs to be done to best prepare their home for market. Homeowners particularly want to know what they must fix, repair or update to sell a home for the most value versus the effect of holding off on any repairs. The answer depends on how fast the homeowners need to sell, how much budget they have for repairs, and how much they are hoping to net from the sale. Here we’ll explain three ways that homeowners handle selling a home that needs some repairs. 

Selling A Home Without Repairs At A Discount

Homeowners needing to sell a home quickly without investing any time or money into the home may decide to skip repairs and sell their home at a discounted price. Why the discount? In order for a home listed for sale that is in need of repairs to compete with other similar homes for sale in the area, the home must be priced at a discount compared to the price of the other homes. Otherwise buyers will simply buy the other homes and the home in need of repairs will linger on the market.

In addition to a lower sale price, homes in need of repair are often referred to as “as is” listings. When a home is listed “as is” it alerts potential buyers that there will be no negotiating for home repairs during the sale process and that what they see is what they get for the price the home is listed. This eliminates confusion and even entices investors and handy homebuyers who are looking for a good deal on a home. But it also could mean that the home takes longer to sell while waiting for the perfect handyman buyer unless it is deeply discounted compared to the competition.

Selling With Some Repairs Negotiated During The Home Sale Process

Homeowners that want to net more money from their home sale that have a little time and money to make some repairs to their home have the option to make some repairs and negotiate additional fixes during the home sale negotiation process. In this case we recommend making any fixes that would affect a homebuyer’s ability to gain an occupancy permit for the home.  Items needed for occupancy include working plumbing, heating, electrical and sound structure among others.

For example, does the home need a new roof but there isn’t enough money to replace it? The price of a new roof could be negotiated in the sale process by offering to lower the final sale price to accommodate for the price of a new roof. This type of negotiating could be done for almost any major repair. But homeowners need to keep in mind that homebuyers will usually choose to purchase a home that needs less of their time and effort to move into. 

Also, some loans, like VA loans for veterans, will not cover the purchase of a home where the roof doesn’t meet certain requirements. Loan requirements, time commitments for repairs, and the amount of savings a homebuyer has to make immediate repairs on a home purchase could diminish the pool of potential homebuyers for a home that needs a major repair.

Selling For Most Value With All Repairs Completed

Homeowners wanting to net the most value from their home sale will want to make their home for sale the best option for any buyer looking in their area by completing all repairs to their home before listing the home for sale. Homebuyers love move-in ready homes that don’t need any additional repairs and are willing to pay premium prices for the quality and convenience. 

Really want to make your home for sale stand out? In addition to making sure all repairs are made to the home, implement home staging to make the home’s best features stand out and to make it most appealing to buyers when compared to other homes. Home staging could include landscaping maintenance, deep cleaning, new paint, removing clutter, removing or changing window treatments, removing extra furniture, or updating fixtures. For more information on staging a home for sale check out our article Advice From Award Winning Home Stagers.

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If you are considering selling a home in the St. Louis or St. Charles County area of Missouri, contact The Boehmer Team to setup an interview. We can give expert advice as to what you can do to make the most from your home sale. We have a list of trusted contractors and repairmen that we can recommend to help with any home repairs. Are you also buying a new home in addition to selling your current one? Our experienced buyers’ agents are truly effective at helping homebuyers navigate the current market conditions. Learn more about us at www.TheBoehmerTeam.com.

St Charles County Real Estate Market Report - First Half 2018

To be a well-informed homebuyer, seller or investor, it is important to understand the current real estate market conditions. Part of our job is making sure our clients have the information necessary to make the best real estate decisions possible. To help, we’ve put together a report on the real estate market conditions in St. Charles County, Missouri for the first half of 2018.

Number of Homes for Sale

This first chart depicts the number of active real estate listings by month over the past 3 years. As you can see, late spring and early summer have the most homes listed for sale. In 2018, the number of homes listed for sale in January was 1047, while currently there are about 1375 homes listed for sale in the St. Charles County area of Missouri.

Also notice that while summer is a busy selling season, there are still a LOT of homes for sale in the middle of winter. So you can buy or sell a home any time of year.

But when you compare the number of homes for sale in the first half of the year to the two previous years, you can see that 2018 has fewer homes on the market. These conditions point to a sellers market, where there are a similar number of homebuyers looking for homes and a smaller number of homes listed for sale.

Average Sales Price

With a similar number of homebuyers and fewer homes listed, the average sales price of residential property in St. Charles County, Missouri has increased. However unlike 2016 and 2017, where prices increased every month, 2018 has had fluctuations. This may be a sign that prices are leveling or at least not climbing as quickly. If you’ve been thinking about listing a residential property for sale, now is a great time.

- Learn how to Prepare Your Home to Sell -

Percentage of Original Price Received for a Residential Property

While sellers like to get the most money they can for their property, buyers want to pay the least they can for a home. Through the negotiation process the price received for residential real estate is often a little less than the original price the property was listed. The first half of 2018 shows that with more competition for residential properties, sellers are netting more money for their homes. Look closer at this chart and you’ll notice that homebuyers who purchase in the first quarter of the year (during the winter months) are more likely to get a better deal on their home purchase.

Days On Market

A decreasing number of days on market are another indicator of a sellers market. This points to competition among homebuyers - as there is often more than one buyer looking at and bidding on each home. Homebuyers are sometimes learning this the hard way, when they try to see a home for sale and find out that it already has an accepted contract.

- See how our Buyers' Agents Help Homebuyers -

For St. Charles County, Missouri, the first half of 2018 is keeping a similar fast pace of home sales as 2017. Homebuyers should be prepared when looking at homes to act quickly when they find a home they like and prepare for possible bidding wars with other buyers. Working with a great buyers agent, like the buyers agents on The Boehmer Team, will increase a homebuyer’s chances of finding a great property for sale before it is sold.

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Contact The Boehmer Team for expert home buying or investing assistance. We know the St. Charles County, Missouri real estate market and have information on homes that are not yet listed for sale. Or if you are ready to get the most from a residential home sale in the current market, contact us to help with a smooth home selling experience. 

5 Reasons to Consider a Villa or Carefree Home

Homebuyers often forget a superb option when looking for St. Louis or St. Charles County real estate – villas (sometimes referred to as carefree homes or low maintenance living). Villas are sometimes attached homes, but could also be freestanding homes, situated within a villa community. While some might think that villas are just for retirees, many of today’s villas are created for everyone. Here are five reasons to consider a villa for your next home purchase.

1. Low Maintenance

Villa communities are created with low-maintenance living in mind. Like many single-family home communities, villa communities have a homeowners association or HOA that oversees daily community operations. However villa community HOA’s usually offer a lot more with regards to maintaining your property including the exterior maintenance, lawn care, landscaping maintenance, and snow removal.  Some association fees even cover structural home insurance.

2. Amenities

Many of the amenities you get in a single-family home and community are offered at villa home communities. Villa homes are usually created to offer privacy by providing buffer zones between entrances to homes, have private decks and/or secluded patio areas. Shared walls are built with sound and fire proofing materials for additional privacy and security. Also, planned villa communities sometimes include community green spaces, a clubhouse, a pool and tennis courts. 

A lovely deck in Lake St. Louis at a villa community built by Bridgewater Communities.

3. Affordability

Villa owners often see money savings when comparing villa community HOA fees and what they include to the cost of hiring individual services for exterior maintenance, lawn care, landscaping and snow removal. Also, villas have proven to hold their value at resale as more and more homebuyers discover the advantages that a villa home provides. In fact, increased interest in villa homes has lead to the creation of many luxury villa communities for the villa buyer who craves more space and designer details. 

Spacious and open villa home kitchen in St. Peters.

4. Security

If you travel frequently or only occasionally but for an extended period of time, a villa home is an excellent option. With exterior maintenance done for you, the exterior of your villa home will be kept in tip-top shape while you are gone. This thwarts potential thieves looking to break into homes that appear unoccupied. A leaky roof or gas leak is less likely to go unnoticed in an attached villa home where neighbors share a wall or roof. 

An open floor plan at a villa/carefree home built by Bridgewater Communities.

5. Location

While single-family homes may be built in a secluded neighborhood removed from town, villas are often in areas near shopping, banks, hospitals, vibrant entertainment and dining options. You may find a perfect villa that is closer to your office, shortening your daily commute or making your commute doable by bike or by walking. The right villa could even negate the need to own a car. 

A beautiful villa/carefree home in St. Charles, MO, built by Fischer & Frichtel.

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The Boehmer Team helps homebuyers buy or build the perfect villa/carefree home and helps home sellers list and sell their villa when they are ready to move on. We are villa experts that are well versed in all types of homeowner association agreements and can assist in making sure you understand everything that is included with a particular villa community. If you are considering buying or selling a villa/carefree home in the St. Louis or St. Charles County are of Missouri, contact The Boehmer Team. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have about villas and would love the opportunity to serve you.

Effects of Rising Interest Rates on Real Estate

An improved economy, strong job growth, wage growth and rising home values have contributed to a rising interest rate environment. This means home loans, car loans, credit cards and anything else in the U.S. that is has an interest rate attached to it will be affected. As an experienced real estate team with over 70+ years of combined experience, we’d like to discuss what impact rising interest rates have on St. Louis and St. Charles County, Missouri real estate.

Rising Interest Rate Effects on Homebuyers

For most homebuyers rising interest rates won’t change their decision to purchase a home. However it may cause a sense of urgency to find a home before rates rise again. It can also affect the amount of home homebuyers can purchase within a set budget.

Realtor.com® offers this example:
On a $300,000 house with a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage and 20 percent down payment, the difference between a 4 percent and 5 percent mortgage rate is $142 a month.   

Homebuyers concerned with rising rates may want to lock in a rate with a lender. This will guarantee the current rate for a set period of time. Also, homebuyers can help keep their personal rates lower by attending to their credit score. Be sure to pay bills on time and not overburden yourself with additional debt when considering buying a home.

Buyers can also try different mortgage products like new 40-year loans instead of traditional 30-year loans. While it allows you to buy more home, the longer term means you will be paying more for the home over the length of the mortgage. So it would be wise to refinance with a shorter-term mortgage when able to do so.

Rising Interest Rate Effects on Home Sellers

For home sellers, rising interest rates means the pool of buyers for your home could shrink. For example, if all other economic factors remain the same, an interest rate rise of 1 percent could decrease the purchasing power of homebuyers by up to 11 percent. However the current demand for homes by homebuyers in a real estate environment that is low on inventory means that buyers are finding creative ways to procure the home they want to buy despite interest rates.

Rising Interest Rate Effects on Homeowners

If you’re a homeowner who has been thinking of refinancing, you still have time. Interest rates are expected to climb gradually, so refinance or borrow sooner to avoid higher rates later on down the road. Also, borrowing costs are still relatively low. So it is a good time to get out of variable-rate debt and lock in fixed rates to insulate from further rate increases.

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Ultimately, consumers don’t appear to be flinching much at rising interest rates. The U.S. economy has so much going for it that higher incomes and job availability could cover rising rates. Regardless of your current situation, if you are considering buying or selling a home in the current rising rate environment, speak with a member of The Boehmer Team. We have helped many homebuyers and sellers in all types of situations. Also, we can recommend mortgage loan experts in the St. Louis area that will help you get the best rate available for your needs.