Kevin & Stephanie Cottrell

ASK THE ST. LOUIS REAL ESTATE EXPERT!

In a typical week, we're asked hundreds of questions from buyers and sellers of Saint Louis real estate. We find that we are often asked the same questions again and again. This section of blog lists these questions in an effort to share expert advice to anyone interested in the St. Louis area.

Question:

"We are concerned about our house not selling. We have seen several homes in our neighborhood in Ballwin go on the market and not sell. How do we ensure we pick the right agent when we go on the market this spring?" - Clark O. Ballwin. Louis MO

Answer:

There are ten critical questions you must ask any agent you consider hiring to sell your home or condo in the St. Louis area. We'll cover these 10 questions along with why they are so important in the next few blog postings.

Choosing the right Realtor to represent your interests is the most important step to ensuring your real estate transaction will be successful. Here are the next few questions you should ask all prospective Realtors. If the Realtor you are interviewing falls short and can't substantiate or hedges in any way, you're interviewing the wrong Realtor! Make sure an agent can back up any and all statements. Take a "show me" attitude, you have a great deal riding on their ability to sell your home!

7. Is the agent involved with continuous ongoing training along with regular practicing and updating of their skills? The business of selling is very much like developing the skills of a professional athlete.

To view additional questions click here

ASK THE ST. LOUIS REAL ESTATE EXPERT!

In a typical week, we're asked hundreds of questions from buyers and sellers of Saint Louis real estate. We find that we are often asked the same questions again and again. This section of blog lists these questions in an effort to share expert advice to anyone interested in the St. Louis area.

Question:

"We are concerned about our house not selling. We have seen several homes in our neighborhood in Ballwin go on the market and not sell. How do we ensure we pick the right agent when we go on the market this spring?" - Clark O. Ballwin. Louis MO

Answer:

There are ten critical questions you must ask any agent you consider hiring to sell your home or condo in the St. Louis area. We'll cover these 10 questions along with why they are so important in the next few blog postings.

Choosing the right Realtor to represent your interests is the most important step to ensuring your real estate transaction will be successful. Here are the first 3 of 10 questions you should ask all prospective Realtors. If the Realtor you are interviewing falls short and can't substantiate or hedges in any way, you're interviewing the wrong Realtor! Make sure an agent can back up any and all statements. Take a "show me" attitude, you have a great deal riding on their ability to sell your home!

1. Are you a full-time or part-time Real Estate Agent? You should only be looking for a full-time committed real estate agent who relies completely on the income they earn by selling real estate to support themselves and their family.

To see additional questions click here.

Former Secretary shares his views on CNBC this morning in key areas that all home buyers and sellers in St. Louis should pay attention to:

* Buyers are moving back into markets - including Saint Louis - as rates move up. Fear that they may miss their best opportunities to buy as rates rise

* Foreclosures are in pockets in specific areas - this is definitely true in St. Louis MO as we've outlined in previous blog posts * Foreclosures are concentrated in California, Arizonia, Florida, Nevada - even these areas are seeing increases in sales volumes now

* Majority of loans are government sponsored - we've certainly seen this in St. Louis - 80% of sales are below limit allowed for FHA * Job creation is key to turning markets around - No better time for stimulus plan - today's the day!

See the complete post here

Kevin Cottrell / Cottrell Realty Group / St. Louis MO Real Estate Team

http://cottrellrealty.com

"4.5% interest rates would be an awesome stimulus for home buyers. I believe you'll see 4.5% rates on mortgages." Bill Gross - Co-CEO Pimco

Warren Buffett is known as the Oracle of Omaha, but Pimco's Bill Gross is known as the Sage of the Bond Market. His insight is typically accurate, and today he confirmed what many had been expecting: mortgage rates should be dropping to 4.5%. In an interview on CNBC, Gross noted: "I think at some point we're going to see a 4.5 percent mortgage rate and the 10-year Treasury rate capped at some level...when the Fed comes in to buy Treasuries that will be a big day."

See the complete post with link to the interview by clicking here.

Search the entire MLS in St. Louis MO and review complete market statistics and reports by visiting Cottrell Realty Groups Websites:

http://www.cottrellrealty.com

http://blog.cottrellrealty.com

Kevin Cottrell / Cottrell Realty Group

Cottrell Report – Total Market Overview for Week Ending 2/6/09