The Increasing Importance of The Home Office

For St. Louis, St. Charles County and pretty much everywhere, the home office has become a much more important part of home. Not only did the recent COVID-19 quarantines keep many working at home, home based businesses, Internet jobs and other work–from-home jobs are more popular than ever. In real estate that means if you are selling a home, a home office is a great selling point that adds value to the home.

What people want in a home office:

Privacy

People are looking for an area that offers privacy, especially since there are often two people working from the home, children, or guests present in the home. Phone or computer meetings may require you to talk louder than normal, so having a door to shut or an office in the lower level offers maximum privacy.  Since more people are working from home on a regular basis, it may be that the work being done may be more confidential in nature so out-of-sight storage is critical.

Function

Function has become more important than the past when a home office was often about looks. Function includes a workstation or desk and chair but also includes the ability to access the home Wi-Fi connection. You’ll get bonus points for having a nice place to setup a camera to point at oneself for video conferencing. 

Outlets

Computers, phones and printers need to be plugged in, so having sufficient electrical outlets is a necessity. If adding a home office to a room without adequate outlets, be prepared to use an extension cord and surge protector (taped down and/or hidden by a floor runner rug). 

Light

While some home workers prefer natural light, others prefer limited light. Both can be achieved if the home office has or is near a window. Add blinds, shades or curtains to control natural light levels and a lamp for those who prefer limited or added light to accommodate your home office needs when both on and off the computer.

Storage

Hidden storage opportunities add value to a home office. Did you know a tidy workspace is supposed to help keep a clearer mind? Whether that’s true or not, it’s important to have places to put away important papers and other office items.

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If you are currently preparing a home to sell, it’s a good idea to have a home office or workspace setup to fulfill the needs of the many at-home workers. Be sure it includes the items above to make it as desirable as possible. If you are currently looking to buy a home with more office space, contact The Boehmer Team. Our experienced Buyer Specialists may already know of a property that might fulfill your needs or can help you find the perfect home for you.

15 Simple Ways to Boost Your Home’s Curb Appeal

St. Louis and St. Charles County homeowners are spending more time in and around the home than ever before due to the coronavirus. Not wanting to be stuck inside, many are taking advantage of their time at home by going outside to make improvements to the exterior of their home. These exterior improvements can really boost a home’s curb appeal. So if you are thinking of spending some time improving your home’s exterior and landscaping, here are some simple ways to do it.

Maintain Your Lawn

You don’t have to spend a lot of money for a good looking lawn. Make sure it is kept trimmed, attend to any bald spots and keep it watered. For more advanced tips on lawn maintenance, click here. 

Trim Your Shrubs

It’s spring and plants are growing fast, so it is a great time to trim shrubs and pull any weeds around them.

Freshen Your Mulch

Mulch is a natural material that breaks down with time. Freshen it up by adding more mulch around the base of your landscaping to keep weeds at bay and give the landscaping a well-kept look.

Use Colorful Planters

Colorful planters can be found at local hardware stores on online. You could even paint some old planters to transform them and add color to the exterior of your home.

Add Pops of Color 

In additions to colorful planters, colorful accents can be implemented throughout the exterior areas of your home with flowers, a freshly painted front door, or pillows on benches.

Power Wash Your Home, Deck, Patio, and Concrete

It’s amazing the difference power washing can make to blast old dirt and debris from multiple areas of your home’s exterior. If you don’t own one, you can buy one, borrow one, or even hire a contractor to power wash for you.

Replace Old Porch and Coach Lights

Check your home’s exterior lighting. Does it need to be cleaned, fixed or replaced? There are great options for buying lighting at local hardware stores or online.

Add Porch Seating if Possible

Wanting to spend more time outside your home creates the need for outdoor seating. There are many ways to get creative with outdoor seating. Choose something that compliments your home that will withstand the elements.

Make the Entry Welcoming

What is the vibe of the area in front of your front door? Is it welcoming? A thorough cleaning of the area and a few accents like a wreath or welcome sign can make a big difference.

Update Shutters

We rarely seem to think about shutters, but their appearance affects the overall look of your home. Check the condition of your shutters and make any repairs. If the paint is worn, give them a fresh coat. Or, you can even buy and install new shutters.

Freshly Paint or Replace the Front Door

The front door is a focal point for your home. Check it for dents, scratches or anything that can be repaired. Give it a fresh coat of paint or consider replacing.

Freshen up the Mailbox 

The mailbox is often exposed to the elements and thus can age quickly. Check it for any needed maintenance, give it a fresh coat of paint or new numbers or consider a new mailbox.

Wash Your Windows

You’ll be surprised the difference that washing windows can make. Years of dirt and grime build up slowly that it is hardly noticeable. Washing your windows will make the house sparkle outside and a little brighter inside.

Add Style to You Address Numbers

Unique address numbers are a fun way to add style to your home’s exterior. You can find them at local hardware stores or shop for great options online.

Get a Great Doormat

The last step someone takes before they enter your home is on the doormat. Why not make it a good one? There are lots of fun options to be found at local stores and online. Pick one that is both good looking and functional.

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Improving your home’s curb appeal actually adds value to your home. If you are thinking of listing the home for sale in the near future, you are doing yourself a great service by upgrading it’s curb appeal. Or if your time in quarantine has shown you all the reasons you would like to be in a different home, contact The Boehmer Team to help you sell your current one and find a new one.

 

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.

You Don’t Need Luck to Snag a Great Home

With more buyers than sellers in the St. Louis and St. Charles County real estate market, finding a great home for sale can feel like competing in an episode of The Amazing Race. One can scour the national real estate websites and many local sources and find a great home only to learn that it is already under contract or that several other people have already submitted offers. Some folks even write letters to owners selling a home to prove they’re the best buyer, but to no avail. Don’t give up, you're not out of luck – you just haven’t found the right help.

We would like to introduce you to our impressive team of Buyers' Agents. These fastidious Realtors are a combination of Lewis and Clark, Sherlock Holmes and Bill Gates in their abilities to search and discover real estate listings on the internet and in the real world that match their clients wants and needs. These agents are the "luck" you're looking for.

SHANNON KOHNEN

“As Realtors we are not salespeople - we are matchmakers. We introduce people to homes until they fall in love with one. And that is what makes our job so amazing. We find a LOT of homes; new homes, old homes, and coming soon homes to introduce to our clients.“

Shannon is an experienced Realtor and a Buyer Specialist for The Boehmer Team. She brings 17 years of real estate industry knowledge and outstanding customer care to The Boehmer Team's clients. Shannon specializes in finding homes that meet the specific needs of clients in a competitive residential market.  A St. Louis area native, Shannon currently resides in St. Peters with her husband, daughter, two sons and black lab. When she isn't creating great real estate experiences you can find Shannon cheering on her daughter at competitive cheerleading and her oldest son at soccer games and taekwondo.

STEPHANIE PUSZKAR

“Nothing is more satisfying than helping each and every home buyer find and win the right home.  That is what we strive to do every day using our team’s experience, expertise, and relationships with other agents, in addition to applying successful strategies to win in multiple offer situations. Above all else, our clients’ best interests are our top priority.”

Stephanie works as a Buyer Specialist for The Boehmer Team. Her reputation for great customer care and vast industry knowledge has endeared her to many of The Boehmer Team's home buying clients. Stephanie is a St. Louis area native who lives in St. Charles with her fiancé, two kids and her cat, Mr. Kitty. When not serving her real estate clients she enjoys anything outdoors, especially boating and watching football.

KRISTIN TEMPLETON

“In this current market, we are often in multiple offer situations but the collective years of experience our team has enables us to be privy to and share with each other strategies to “win” those homes that other agents just don’t have.”

Kristin is a Buyer Specialist for The Boehmer Team that has over 16 years of real estate experience. She has been the proud recipient of the 5 Star Service Award eleven times for excellence in customer service. Her past experience helping new construction homebuyers has earned her awards from the Home Builders Association of St. Louis and Eastern Missouri. She currently lives in St. Charles County with her husband, Phil, her Big Dog Bell, and her tiny cat, Ninja. She has three grown children: Connor, 26, Anna, 24 and Michael, 22. When not serving real estate clients you can find Kristin reading, hiking, traveling, at yoga, playing tennis or at Bible study.

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Our goal and focus, as Real Estate professionals, is to provide unparalleled service and complete dedication when assisting our clients in achieving their Real Estate goals.  Each member of our team utilizes their specialized skills to provide our clients the personalized service they deserve when making the important decisions involved in buying or selling a home.  We are proud of the steady stream of testimonials, repeat clients and referrals that have allowed our business to grow. Contact The Boehmer Team to see how we can assist you.

5 Things NOT To Do When Selling Your Home

If you are considering selling your St. Louis or St. Charles County, Missouri home, you’ve probably gotten a lot of advice on things that you SHOULD do to sell your home. In fact, we’ve got lots of tried and true tips right here in this blog. Just type the subject you are looking for into the search bar. However, there are some things you should definitely NOT do when listing a home for sale. Here’s our short list.

What NOT To Do When Selling A Home

1. Do NOT Neglect Necessary Repairs

Homebuyers will definitely notice any broken or damaged parts of a home that are in plain view. Even small items like a broken cabinet hinge or doorknob may work against you because it might suggest the current owners haven’t taken good care of the property. Potential buyers may also use needed repairs as a way to negotiate a lower price for the home.

Though it may be costly to take on the minor and major repairs your house needs before listing it, it will increase the chances of the home selling in a timely manner.

And while it may seem expensive to take on these fixes, it’s generally more expensive not to. Homes sitting on the market cost sellers in both time spent on the market and ultimate sale price. Even if nothing is obviously wrong, some basic maintenance and simple home repairs before listing can go a long way.

2. Do NOT Over-Improve

While preparing a home for sale, it’s a good return on investment to update things to be as current as possible. For example, updating old light fixtures or appliances are great ideas. However it’s important not to over-improve a home or over-customize a space to very specific tastes. For example, not everyone needs a trophy room, gun room, or music room nor does everyone likes bright or intense colors in their home.

Instead, neutralize the home for sale as much as possible. If you are repainting before the sale choose light, neutral colors. Packing away as many of your personal items is also recommended. This lets buyers imaging themselves living in the home. So there is no need to go above and beyond with home improvements, as you may actually lose money doing so.

3. Do NOT Overprice a Home For Sale

We understand the idea of wanting to “test the market”, but overpricing a home for sale is not the best way to do it. In fact it can backfire and cause your listing to lose momentum and languish on the market for months while you continue to pay the mortgage. Eventually you may have to lower the price more than what the home would have sold for if you priced it correctly to begin with.

We have some great information about The Dangers of Overpricing Your Home that you should check out.

4. Do NOT Attend Home Showings

It would be nice to be a fly on the wall to see what goes on every time an agent shows your home. But do NOT be a literal wall fly and hang around at home showings! Buyers want to imagine themselves in your space, not be confronted by you in your space. Take the family out or at least go sit in the car during the home showing. Homebuyers want to be able to look around freely without the homeowner looming over their shoulder. Don’t make it awkward for them.

5. Do NOT Go It Alone

Unless you are well versed in title law, real estate contracts and marketing do NOT go it alone! Knowing how to sell a home quickly for a fair price takes years of experience to master. Even then it can be a bit tricky without the right team as there are at least 80 tasks Realtors perform for sellers.

The Boehmer Team offers no obligation meetings to explain the process, the timelines, costs and options that you have when selling your home. Contact The Boehmer Team to answer your questions about listing a home for sale.

Year-End Deals on New Construction

The competitive real estate market in St. Louis and St. Charles County, Missouri has created a more active end-of-year real estate season. Homebuyers wanting the best deal on the perfect home are willing to make offers even in the midst of the holiday season. And these smart homebuyers are finding some of the best deals of the year.

In a blog we wrote last year, we pointed out how December 26th is one of the best days of the year to get a good deal on a home, whether it’s a new or pre-existing home. Since historically winter months are a little slower in real estate, some of the best deals come out during this time. If you are dreaming of a newly constructed home, December is an especially good month for getting the most value for your dollar.

Home builders work year round. Many have homes for sale that are in the process of being built and homes for sale that have recently been completed. So you won’t have to wait long to get into a brand new home. 

Are you ready to move into a brand new home?

If you are ready right now for a brand new home, you’ll want to visit BuyNewAndNow.com.  Here you can find a list of homes around the St. Louis and St. Charles County area that are newly built and available for sale.

Want a new home with your preferred paint and finishes?

If you are willing to wait a few weeks for your newly constructed home, you could get in on the end of the construction process and choose some of the paint colors and finishes. Visit our New And Almost Ready for You page to see an updated list of homes for sale that are currently in the construction process around the St. Louis and St. Charles County area. (Link to page also available on BuyNewAndNow.com)

Quality St. Louis & St. Charles County Home Builders

Some of the esteemed home builders that often have new construction home inventory at the end of the year include: Fischer & Frichtel, Bridgewater Communities, Renaissance Living and GenesisDevelopment Company. These home builders each have unique offers and products.

Fischer & Frichtel: This long-time company designs and builds to the highest standards for superior, enduring value. They offer a wide variety of floor plans and several great communities to build in.

Renaissance Living: 

Renaissance Living offers the efficiencies of high production building with the flexibility and personal touch of custom building to give you a new home that is affordable, customized and personal.

Bridgewater Communities: This great home building company specializes in villas. If you are looking for privacy and spaciousness in a home without the time consuming restraints of exterior maintenance, this builder is a perfect option for you.

Genesis Development Company: Committed to providing premier customer service throughout your new home building experience, this company strives to deliver unparalleled workmanship on every new home.​ 

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The end of year may be busy, but savvy homebuyers will find some of the best deals during this time. Don’t forget to check out and/or bookmark BuyNewAndNow.com to keep tabs on the latest deals on brand new homes. You deserve the best quality new home and our goal is to help you get it. If you have questions about buying a new home, contact The Boehmer Team. We are here to help.