October Events in St. Charles County 2022

The many parties, events and festivals in October for residents of St. Charles County, Missouri makes for a exciting month. While some of these events are new and improved, others are long-time family favorites for folks in the area. Whenever we aren’t serving our wonderful real estate clients, we’re trying to fit in as many of these fun events as possible. Just check out this list!

 

PUMPKINS GALORE IN ST. CHARLES COUNTY

 

 

Pumpkin Fantasyland and Pick Your Own Pumpkins
Location: 199 Jackson Street. Augusta, Missouri
Dates: Saturdays and Sundays in October
Link: http://centennialfarms.biz
Decorated with full size pumpkin and gourd figures representing farm folks, storybook characters and some of your favorite movie characters. Hundreds of large and small pumpkins.

 

Daniel's Farm & Greenhouse October Harvest
Location: 352 Jungermann Rd., St Peters, Mo
Dates: October 1 – October 31st, 2022
Link: https://fun4stlkids.com/Whats-Happening/Corn-Mazes-and-Farm-Fun/Daniels-Farm-Greenhouse-October-Harvest/View-details
Pumpkins available for purchase without admission to straw maze and much more.

 

Pumpkin Glow in Historic St. Charles
Location: 230 S. Main St.
Dates: October 28, 2022 - October 29, 2022
Link: https://www.discoverstcharles.com/event/pumpkin-glow-in-historic-st-charles/1336/
The street will be illuminated with hundreds of eerily glowing pumpkins. Not a trick-or-treating event.

 

Autumn Harvest at Streets of St. Charles
Location: 1650 Beale Street Saint Charles, MO
Dates October 15, 2022, 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/autumn-harvest-at-streets-of-st-charles-tickets-422920575827
2nd annual Autumn Harvest event at Streets of St. Charles! Celebrate fall with pumpkin carving, drinks, live music & more!

 

SPOOKY EVENTS AND FESTIVALS IN ST. CHARLES COUNTY

Legends & Lanterns
Location: 230 S. Main St. Saint Charles, MO
Dates: 15, 16, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30
Link: https://primary-stcharles.simpleviewcms.com/events/legends-lanterns/
Legends & Lanterns, a "spirited" journey through Halloween History is an annual event that finds its inspiration from the past. From 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; this event will offer treats and tricks for guests of all ages. A little bit silly. A little bit macabre. But all in fun.

Ghoul House and Haunted Trail
Location: 5546 Chestnut St, St Charles, MO 63304
Dates: October 26th-29th
Link: https://www.publicschoolhouse.com/event-details-registration/ghoul-house-and-haunted-trail
Join us for an evening of fun and frights at The Public School House in Cottleville, Missouri! ALL PROCEEDS BENEFIT COTTLEVILLE FIREFIGHTERS OUTREACH!

 

City of Flint Hill Halloween Carnival
Location: 2061 Grothe Rd,Wentzville,MO
Dates: October 30th from Noon to 3 p.m.
Link: https://allevents.in/wentzville/city-of-flint-hill-halloween-carnival/200023288424848
They will have Carnival Games, Prizes, Trick-or-Treating, Music, Vendors, and More!

Halloween Party in the Park
Location: Founders Park (7 Freymuth Road, Lake St. Louis, MO)
Dates: Friday, October 21,2022
Link: https://www.lakesaintlouis.com/2355/Halloween-Party-in-the-Park
FREE family-friendly event. Activities will include inflatables, DJ, balloon sculptures, face painters, pony rides, and many more hauntingly good treats!

OTHER OCTOBER EVENTS IN ST. CHARLES COUNTY

St. Louis Renaissance Festival
Location: 2577 West Meyer Rd. Wentzville, MO
Dates: September 17th – October 23rd
Link: https://www.stlrenfest.com/
The St. Louis Renaissance Festival is a long-standing event that brings you the adventure, excitement, and spirit of the Renaissance! Travel back in time as you step into the beautifully wooded, 16th century French village we call Petit Lyon. Thrill to the exploits of Jousting Knights on thundering steeds. Roam the shops for unique crafts by artisans like blacksmithing and woodworking. Nine stages of entertainment will delight with comedy, music, magic, and more. Enjoy delicious food and drink from the far reaches of the globe, and interact with the colorful villagers, nobles, peasants and characters of ages past. Weekends September 17-October 23, 2022 plus Monday October 10, 2022.  Free Parking.

 

- - -

 

Did you see any events on this list that you absolutely can’t miss? Maybe one of us on The Boehmer Team will see you there. Meanwhile, October can also be a busy month in real estate. It’s still a great time to sell. And someone on The Boehmer Team can always make time for your real estate needs. Contact us if you have any real estate questions or if we missed any events on this article.

 

 

How to Have a Successful Neighborhood Yard Sale

 

Organizing a neighborhood or community yard sales in St. Charles County doesn’t have to be hard. With a few tips to help, a successful community sale is much more likely. In turn, you and your neighbors can have some camaraderie while getting rid of unwanted items and making some extra money. Here’s what to do when organizing this type of event.

 

1. Talk to Your Neighbors & Pick a Date

A neighborhood garage sale will include your neighbors. Reach out to your neighbors about the community sale. You’ll want to find out if they would like to be involved and check if there are any dates that definitely won’t work for them.

 

2. Check City & Neighborhood Rules

Does your city or neighborhood HOA have rules setup for yard sales? Visit your city website or swing by town hall to look for yard sale regulations, find any permits you need to obtain, or learn if any special signage is required to have the sale.

3. Advertise With Signage

Create signage for the upcoming community yard sale is important. Add a number to call if any neighbors would like to participate in the sale. This way if you missed talking to a neighbor they will be alerted and still able to participate. Also, anyone who sees the signage knows to save the date to shop the sale.

Signage can be hand made or printed. Put large signage at the entrance to your neighborhood or in front of your or your neighbors’ homes or in other high traffic areas of your community. Smaller signage like flyers can be handed out, mailed or put up on bulletin boards at your local grocery store, post office, etc.

Some great places online to create yard sale flyers cheap or free include: Canva.com, Adobe Express, PosterMyWall.com and VistaCreate.

 

4. Advertise Online

Some places to advertise a neighborhood yard sale online include: your neighborhood website or Facebook page, community Facebook group, your city website or Facebook page, a Facebook Event, Craigslist.org, your local area newspapers, or via email. Apps like Nextdoor, Garage Sales Everywhere, LetGo and OfferUp are also great for posting your sale.

5. Setup - Make it Easy to Browse

How your yard sale looks can effect how well your items sell. Be sure to have plenty of display space like tables or shelves to showcase your items. Folding tables are a great option but you can also create tables with boards and saw horses or similar items and cover the whole “table” with a tablecloth to hide its makeshift nature and make it look more appealing.

 

6. Price it Right

When pricing, an old rule of thumb is to price an item for a third of what it would cost new. However, condition is a huge factor in pricing as well. A new or hardly used item may get a third of its original cost, but any age, wear or tear will effect how appealing an item will be to a customer. Worn items will bring a lot less. Be ready to haggle too as this is something yard sale buyers love to do.

 

7. Have Cash Ready

Since yard sales are generally a cash sale, you’ll want to be sure you have plenty of cash ready for change. For security, it’s recommended to keep that cash on you at all times for security. An apron with deep pockets, a money belt or fanny pack will help.

 

8. Have Bags Available

Keep bags on hand for buyers that buy a lot of items.  This is a great use for grocery bags that you may have built up over time. Your buyers will appreciate your preparedness!

 

9. Donate Unsold Items

When the sale is over you can donate any unsold items. We recently wrote about Donating Household Items in St. Charles County. Check out the article for a list of area charities, resale and consignment stores that take donations of unwanted household items.

 

PRO TIP: FIND A SPONSOR

Get a sponsor to absorb many of the costs.  A good and organized sponsor will handle signage, marketing, maps, participating yard markers and maybe even provide some breakfast goodies! Realtors that live in the neighborhood are usually happy to sponsor. 

 

The Boehmer Team is currently preparing for a community yard sale at The Villages at Sandfort Farm in St. Charles on Sept. 17 and St. Andrews in St. Charles on October 8. We hope you save the dates and come out and browse the sales and say “Hi”. Also, we’re always available to talk about St. Louis and St. Charles County area real estate. Reach out and contact us anytime. We have years of experience in new construction and residential sales.

 

 

We often find people needing a place to donate used furniture and household items while working in real estate in St. Charles County. The Boehmer Team members always give our clients some options for what to do with these items. What we’ve realized is that to keep our St. Charles County communities and households clean, EVERYONE needs to know of these great options for donating and disposing of household items in the area. Here’s a list of places to donate, sell or recycle your things in St. Charles County, Missouri.

 

DONATE HOUSEHOLD ITEMS IN ST. CHARLES COUNTY

Goodwill Retail Stores

There are six Goodwill locations where you can donate furniture and household items in the St. Charles County area. For more information about Goodwill check out their website at: https://mersgoodwill.org/stores/.  Here’s a list of St. Charles County, Missouri Goodwill locations:

• Goodwill Retail Store of St. Charles
  2420 West Clay Street
  636-724-0804

• Goodwill Retail Store of St. Peters – Harvester Rd.
  3551 Harvester Rd.
  636-685-0712

• Goodwill Retail Store of St. Peters, MO – Mid Rivers Mall Dr.
  620 Midrivers Mall Drive
  636-278-2916

• Goodwill Donation X-Press
  635 Salt Lick Rd.

• Goodwill Retail Store of O’Fallon
  1210 Highway K
  636-294-9526

• Goodwill Retail Store of Lake St. Louis
  913 Robert Raymond Drive
  636-625-4256

 

OASIS Thrift Store

The O.A.S.I.S Food Pantry organization has been serving hungry families in the St. Charles County area for years. But did you know that have a thrift store? They even take donations. Learn more about OASIS, what they do and about items you can donate at: https://oasisfoodpantry.com/thrift-store-2/

1812 Boone’s Lick Rd.
636-233-8924
oasisthriftstorestcharles@gmail.com

 

The Sharing Shed

The Sharing Shed was started in 2001 by Vicki Unser, who first ran The Shed out of her garage. She was inspired to help provide items to families in need. Now they have a great location in O’Fallon to donate and purchase items.  Learn more abut The Sharing Shed and the donation items they accept and don’t accept on their website: https://www.thesharingshed.org/

923 East Terra Lane. O'Fallon, MO 63366
636-439-6889
info@thesharingshed.org

The Salvation Army

After a Christian mission was described as a “volunteer army” in their annual report in 1878, they decide to take the name Salvation Army. Since then the organization has been a force to serve in over 100 countries.  At the Salvation Army one can donate many types of items from clothing to furniture to vehicles.  You can even schedule a free pickup.  Visit https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/ for more information. Here are the two St. Charles County Salvation Army locations.

• Salvation Army O'Fallon Corps (MO) Donation Drop Box
  William Booth Dr, O'Fallon, MO, 63366
  636-240-4969
  satruck_stlouis@usc.salvationarmy.org
  
  
• Saint Peters (MO) Family Store & Donation Drop Off
  30 Harvester Square, Saint Peters, MO, 63303
  1-800-SA-TRUCK
  satruck_stlouis@usc.salvationarmy.org

 

Renewed Treasures

In the city of St. Charles you can find Renewed Treasures. They accept all types of household item donations (no mattresses, TV’s or computers). They also accepted items for recycling, repurposing, or revenue including: used printer ink cartridges, broken jewelry, aluminum can tabs and old keys (partner with Ronald McDonald House), damaged books, shoes, purses, and clothing.  Visit their website at http://www.renewedtreasures.org/ to learn more about them.

2215 Droste Road, St. Charles, MO, United States
314-378-2865

 

FISH of St Charles Food Pantry and Thrift Store

F.I.S.H. or Friends In Serving Him was founded in 1969 and is a volunteer organization to the less fortunate in St Charles County providing food, clothing, linens, housewares and care. Donations are accepted on Saturday only. Be sure to reach out to them to see if they have room for your type of donation. Learn more about FISH at https://fishofstcharles.com/

1150 Cave Springs Estates Drive
St Peters MO 63376
636-447-5482​

 

Mary Martha Thrift Shop

Brought to you by St. Patrick Catholic Church is Mary Martha Thrift Shop.  Here you are allowed to bring your donations freely and place them in either of the drop-off sheds as space allows.  If a shed is full it will be locked. Donations left on the ground will be discarded, so please either place them in one of the drop sheds or bring them back when space allows. Note: they tend to accept smaller household items and clothes. For more information on what can and can’t be donated visit: https://www.stpatrickwentzville.org/marymartha

9 W Koenig St, Wentzville, MO 63385
636-327-7848

 

USA Resale

With three locations in the St. Charles County area, USA Resale is a great option if you want to sell your items via consignment. The furniture or household items to be dropped off must be pre-approved by sending a photo to the individual store you wish to consign with.  The money you make at USA Resale can be in the form of store credit or via a check (if your balance is $25.00 or more). Learn more about USA Resale at their website: https://www.usaresale.com/

• 10 Town & Country Market Place, Warrenton, MO 63383
  Phone: (636) 456-8188
  Email: usaresale01@gmail.com
  
  
• 1251 Wentzville Pkwy, Wentzville, MO 63385
  Phone: (636) 327-7666
  Email: usaresale@outlook.com
  
  
• 4109 Old Highway 94 South, St. Charles, MO 63304
  Phone: (636) 366-6100
  Email: usaresale3@gmail.com

Recycle Works Central

If you need to dispose of something that a thrift or resale store won’t take, check out Recycle Works Central. They accept things like old computers, nonworking appliances, car batteries, cooking oil, scrap metal and more. They are currently only open Monday through Friday. For a full list of things that can be recycled at their location in St. Charles County, visit https://www.sccmo.org/892/Recycle-Works---Central

60 Triad South Drive, St. Charles, MO 63304
Ph: 636-949-7900, ext. 4273

 

- - -

We hope this list helps you clear your home of items that no longer have a good place in it. Please do not dump unwanted furniture and household items in our lovely community.  Contact The Boehmer Team If you’re looking for a bigger home with more space for your items or a smaller home to worry about less stuff in. We strive to help area buyers and sellers get the best deal and have the best real estate experience in our area.

 

Picking the Perfect Lot

To be perfectly honest, the phrase “perfect” rarely applies to a lot. It really comes down to what features make it perfect or most favorable for the buyer. Choosing the lot or home site where a home will be built is an important part of deciding to build a new home and should be one of a buyer's first considerations. 

 

If you’re building new construction real estate in the St. Louis or St. Charles county area, find a lot you can appreciate for years as well as one that will appreciate in value. When considering features that make one lot better than another, there are a variety of things that may be important.

 

Quick Summary: How to pick the perfect lot.

To choose the perfect lot to build a new home, one needs to consider: location, size, direction, elevation, drainage plan, surrounding areas, utility pedestals, lot premiums, and what builder options there are for the lot among other details. A local Realtor experienced in new construction can help you address these considerations and guide you through the process of building a new home.

Location

The home site one buys is likely where you are going to live. If you have children in school you’ll need to pay attention to area school district boundaries. If you work outside the home you’ll need to factor in your preferred commute time. Check if the lot is close to shopping, parks or restaurants that you frequent. If the lot is in a new neighborhood being built, you’ll want to consider the neighborhood amenities and/or HOA fees. It's a good idea to check with the municipality you are considering to see if there are specific rules or guidelines that apply. 

 

The Direction of the Lot

We understand that the direction a home will face is often important to buyers. Whatever the reason, the direction a home faces is often considered to be one of the most important factors that buyers consider. Be sure your Realtor and homebuilder know if the direction of the lot it of upmost importance to you.

 

 

Hilly Versus Level Lots

Do you prefer a level lot or a home built into a hill with a backside of windows to see the view? Think about what you want and what you might be willing to work with.  After all, a truly level lot does not even exist. Due to grading plans and required drainage swails, completely level lots pose a variety of issues and challenges.  While a lot may be mostly level, there are sure to be areas that have slight elevations. 

Lot Premiums

Homebuilders may charge a lot premium or additional charge based on lot features and location within a community. Lots with more space, that offer a good view, or something that sets them apart from other lots may draw a lot premium.

 

Builder Options for a Particular Lot

The choice of homebuilder options may be different based on the lot you choose. If you have a piece of land in mind that you want to build on, you may have a variety of home builders that will help you build develop on the land. If you purchase a lot within a particular neighborhood, you’ll likely only get to use the homebuilder who is developing that neighborhood. So if the homebuilder is important to you, check to see if they can build on your chosen lot or what lots they have available.

 

See our list of Preferred Builders in the St. Louis area.

- - -

If you want a home crafted for you with the latest building technologies, The Boehmer Team can help. We’ve assisted hundreds of new construction buyers in the St Louis and St. Charles area as well as helped many sell their current homes. From budget to builder, to lot and material selections, to final paperwork and closing, we represent and protect the interest of new construction homebuyers to make the process go smoothly. Thinking of building or buying new construction? Contact us or visit BuyNewAndNow.com to see a list of new homes that are currently for sale.

 

 

Unusual Fall 2020 Real Estate Activity

St. Louis and St. Charles County area real estate in fall 2020 has been as unusual as, well most of 2020. Real estate this autumn has been unusually active. In fact some real estate agents are referring to this fall as second spring. Herein we’ll discuss some of the reasons why real estate this fall has been so unusual.

The Pandemic

The Covid-19 virus has kept many people closer to home for longer and more often than previously. Folks are now working from home, going to school at home and moving many in-person events online. This has created more time to look closely at one’s living situation and decide if it is the best fit. Also, some people are moving from more concentrated, populous cities to our area. 

 

Demand Versus Inventory

After a slow spring of quarantines, the busy summer market barely slowed down for fall. With so many buyers wanting to move to better home situations and some sellers unsure about making any changes at all, there has been a higher demand for homes for sale than there have been homeowners listing their homes. This is causing a lower inventory of homes for sale along with rising home values as multiple offers are being made on well-maintained, market-value homes. This doesn’t mean there aren’t homes for sale, it just means that homebuyers may have to look a little longer or at different options to buy a home.  It also means that buyers need to be prepared and ready to move quickly if the perfect home comes on the market.

 

Low Mortgage Rates

At time of writing this, the 30 year conventional mortgage rate sits around 2.5% and the 15 year conventional mortgage rate sits around 2%. These low rates mean that you can get a lot more home for you money than you could a few years ago. And for those who aren’t moving, it’s a great time to refinance.  These rates are historically low and when they are gone it is hard to imagine when they will return.  

 

Increased New Construction Activity is Helping

We help several quality local home builders market their homes and we know the new construction home market very well. We’ve been able to find solutions in the new construction market for many homebuyers. While builders have been doing a great job constructing quality new homes, they are feeling the pressure to keep up with the demand.  New construction should always be considered when searching for a new home.  It affords buyers to be the first owner, select finishes specific to their tastes, select options specific to their needs and to enjoy the benefits of an environmentally friendly and energy efficient home.

- Options for Buying New Construction -

Despite the unusual fall 2020 real estate market we continue to assist homebuyers and sellers to face, understand and prepare for these unusual times every single day.  Despite the challenges, business for The Boehmer Team is up 28% from 2019 and going strong.  If you are thinking of buying a home, building a home, or selling your current home, contact The Boehmer Team. Let us implement decades of combined experience to answer your questions, find solutions for your needs and provide full service as we do to all of our dedicated clients.

 

Supporting St. Charles County Small Businesses During Quarantine

As a real estate team, The Boehmer Team members are very involved with many small businesses in St. Charles County. We work with inspectors, plumbers, electricians, home maintenance technicians, photographers, cleaning companies, title companies and local mortgage lenders. We even have relationships with local bakeries and restaurants that supply our open houses and other events.

The current stay-at-home order for Missouri that runs through the end of the April is aimed to keep us safe and healthy. But meanwhile some of our favorite local small businesses are feeling the deepest effects of a clientele in quarantine. So how can we support our local businesses during this time?

1. Order Delivery or Curbside Pickup

With a few precautions people can still patronage their favorite local businesses via delivery or take out. If one doesn’t want to leave the house there are services like GrubHub, DoorDash, Postmates, Uber Eats, Shipt, Instacart and more that can shop and deliver groceries and carryout to you. This will even help those laid off from other industries who have picked up driving jobs. Curious about the safety of delivered items? Read about grocery and delivery safety here.

2. Buy a Gift Card

A great way to show that you care about a local business and want to help see it through coronavirus quarantines is by buying a gift card or gift certificate from them.  It will help inject cash into their business when they desperately need it. Also, it gives you something to look forward to for when quarantine is over.

3. Shop Local Online

Your favorite local business may have moved more of their product and services online during this time. (Heck, we can perform an entire real estate transaction online these days.) Check your favorite businesses website and social media pages to see if they have any special offers or items online.

4. Tip Well

Some local businesses are using tips to pay staff that has been recently furloughed. So tip your restaurant workers and delivery drivers well. They don’t have the luxury of working from home during the Covid-19 quarantine.

5. Say Thanks

Nothing beats a sincere “thank you for what you do” to essential workers during this time. The Boehmer Team would like to express our deepest gratitude for the small business workers still keeping our communities running.

Excellent St. Charles County Small Businesses to Support

Since we’re here discussing helping local small businesses, we'd like to give a shout out to some we think are extra great. We’re surely going to miss some good ones, so help us by leaving a comment with your favorite St. Charles County small business.

• Cork and Rind
• O'Kanes Kitchen
• Sarah Wagner (Fit Rx with Dudas Fitness)
• Extreme Electric
• Survant Heating and Cooling (It’s a good time for a spring HVAC Check up)
• 6th & Market Online Boutique
• Grandma’s Cookies
• Abby Eich Photography

Have a real estate question? Contact The Boehmer Team to for expert advice.