THE LAFAYETTE REPORT: November 2009

Speechless Sunday - Photos from CityGarden - Downtown St. Louis Sculpture Garden Set to Become Holiday Favorite

CityGarden, an urban sculpture garden in Downtown St. Louis, is set to become a holiday favorite.  With Christmas movies playing on the screen, holiday carols, and white lights, CityGarden sets the mood for the Christmas season.  In addition to being a great warm weather venue, it may just become one of those places you have to visit during the holidays to get into the holiday spirit.

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PREA SIGNATURE REALTY

Download Property BrochuresView Our Listing PresentationWatch Our Property Videos on YouTube

PREA Signature Realty is a full service brokerage located at 1709 Park Avenue in the Lafayette Square neighborhood of the City of St. Louis.  PREA Signature proudly serves the following city neighborhoods:  Lafayette Square, Soulard, Benton Park, Benton Park West, Downtown Loft District, Forest Park Southwest, Central West End, Tower Grove East, Tower Grove South, Compton Heights, Shaw, The Hill, Dogtown, Carondelet, Holly Hills, St. Louis Hills, Dutchtown, and the Other Historic Neighborhoods of the City of Saint Louis, Missouri. 

The opinions expressed herein represent the opinions of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of PREA Signature Realty.  All photos and written content were produced by PREA Signature Realty.  All Rights Reserved - PREA Signature Realty (2009).  This content may not be reproduced or reprinted, except for Active Rain re-blogging, without express written permission of PREA Signature Realty.

For more information, visit our website at www.PREASignatureRealty.com or contact Ryan Shaughnessy at 314-971-4381 or send an email to Ryan@PREASignatureRealty.com. 

8 comments • Ryan Shaughnessy, Broker/Attorney - Your Lafayette Square Real Estate Partner • November 29 2009 11:00PM

Federal Legislative Update - New Tax Credit Program Extends 2009 Federal First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit and Creates a Reduced Tax Credit for Existing Homebuyers Purchasing New Homes

Loreena Yeo offers a nice overview regarding the extension of the 2009 Federal First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit as well as the new 2009-2010 Federal Tax Credit for First-Time Homebuyers and Existing Homebuyers.  The recent legislation includes provisions establishing a new tax credit for existing homeowners.  The table created by Ms. Yeo provides an easy to understand overview of the changes between the two tax credit programs.

If you are a purchaser in the St. Louis, Missouri market and need additional information on the provisions of the new federal tax credit, contact Ryan Shaughnessy at PREA Signature Realty at 314-971-4381 or send an e-mail to Ryan@PREASignatureRealty.com.

 

Via Loreena Yeo - Broker|Realtor(R) of www.Frisco-TX-Homes.com (214) 783-2210 (3:16 team REALTY):

 

FEATURE Jan 1 – November 30, 2009
Rules as enacted February 2009		 December 1 – April 30, 2010
Rules as enacted November 2009
First-time Buyer – Amount of Credit $8000 ($4000 married filing separate) $8000 ($4000 married filing separate)
First-time Buyer – Definition for Eligibility May not have had an interest in a principal residence for 3 years prior to purchase  -Same-
Current Homeowner – Amount of Credit No Provision $6500 ($3250 married filing separate)
Effective Date – Current Owner No Provision Date of Enactment
Current Homeowner – Definition for Eligibility No Provision Must have used the home sold or being sold as a principal residence consecutively for 5 of the previous 8 years
Current Homeowner – Home Purchase Price N/A There is no provision that the "repeat" homebuyer must purchase a property more expensive than the one sold. Only that the home purchase must be less than $800K.
Termination of Credit Purchases after November 30, 2009.(Becomes April 30, 2010 on Date of Enactment.) Purchases after April 30, 2010
Binding Contract Rule  None Written binding contract to purchase is in effect on April 30, 2010, the purchaser will have until July 1, 2010 to close
Income Limits $75,000 – single, $150,000 – married, Additional $20,000 phase out $125,000 – single, $225,000 – married,
Additional $20,000 phase out
Limitation on Cost of Purchased Home None $800,000
Purchase by a Dependent No Provision Ineligible
Antifraud Rule None Purchaser must attach documentation of purchase to tax return

 

Purchase by a Dependent

There was no age limitation on the original bill and amended for the November Tax Credit. Taxpayer must be at least 18 years old to qualify for the credit. For married taxpayers, the taxpayer shall be treated as meeting the age requirement if the taxpayer or spouse meets the age requirement.

Repeat Buyers

There is no criteria that home buyers must "move up" in house. Only that they lived in the house for the past 5 out of 8 years as a primary residence. The new purchase price must not exceed $800,000.

Date of Enactment = November 6 2009.

 

 

 

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Contact:


Loreena Yeo
Realtor®/ Broker of 3:16 team REALTY
(214) 783-2210
loreena@loreenayeo.com

Super-serving Frisco, Plano, Dallas, McKinney, Allen, Little Elm, Prosper, Celina, Richardson, Dallas M-Streets, Dallas White Rock Lake area communities and other surrounding areas.

Copyright © 2009 by Loreena Yeo (3:16 team REALTY)
Originally Posted on First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit Extension & Expansion

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PREA SIGNATURE REALTY

Download Property BrochuresView Our Listing PresentationWatch Our Property Videos on YouTube

PREA Signature Realty is a full service brokerage located at 1709 Park Avenue in the Lafayette Square neighborhood of the City of St. Louis.  PREA Signature proudly serves the following city neighborhoods:  Lafayette Square, Soulard, Benton Park, Benton Park West, Downtown Loft District, Forest Park Southwest, Central West End, Tower Grove East, Tower Grove South, Compton Heights, Shaw, The Hill, Dogtown, Carondelet, Holly Hills, St. Louis Hills, Dutchtown, and the Other Historic Neighborhoods of the City of Saint Louis, Missouri. 

The opinions expressed herein represent the opinions of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of PREA Signature Realty.  All photos and written content were produced by PREA Signature Realty.  All Rights Reserved - PREA Signature Realty (2009).  This content may not be reproduced or reprinted, except for Active Rain re-blogging, without express written permission of PREA Signature Realty.

For more information, visit our website at www.PREASignatureRealty.com or contact Ryan Shaughnessy at 314-971-4381 or send an email to Ryan@PREASignatureRealty.com. 

0 comments • Ryan Shaughnessy, Broker/Attorney - Your Lafayette Square Real Estate Partner • November 29 2009 05:32PM

Real Estate Tech Gadget - Using ClipNabber to Download Videos from the Internet

PREA Signature Realty - Tech Toolbox - ClipNabber

On occasion, it may be permissible to download videos from the internet for use under the "fair use" doctrine.  There are several tools available to capture and download videos from the internet.  However, none is easier to use then www.ClipNabber.com.  ClipNabber makes it easy to download videos from the internet in three simple steps.

PREA Signature Realty - Tech Toolbox - ClipNabber

  • Step 1 - Go to the video source.  Copy the URL for the video source.  Note:  For YouTube.com files, videos designated as "private" or "embed disabled" cannot be copied or downloaded using ClipNabber.com.  Also, if the video is embedded, go to the hosting source to obtain the URL.
  • Step 2 - Open www.ClipNabber.com in your web brower.  Paste the URL for the video in the input box.  Click on the box "Nab Clip.'
  • Step 3 -  ClipNabber then downloads of the video.  You will see a "loading" message while the ClipNabber is processing the video.  Save the processed video file either as an MP4 file or Flv file.

Currently, ClipNabber supports the downloading of internet videos from over 100 video hosting websites.  In addition to YouTube.com, here is a list of video hosting sites supported by ClipNabber:

PREA Signature Realty - Tech Toolbox - ClipNabber

Before downloading videos from the internet, it is important to understand your rights and responsibilities regarding the downloading and/or use of the internet videos.  First, review the copyright information and/or creative commons license for the video.  Second, review the terms of service of the site to determine whether downloading or video capture is expressly prohibited.  Third, if permission or a license to use is not expressly granted, the limited use of the video may still be permitted under the "fair use" doctrine.  Before downloading and using internet videos, I strongly suggest that you consult with an attorney to discuss the complicated contours of the fair use doctrine to avoid a claim of copyright infringement by the owner of the video.  As a starting point, you may want to visit American University's Center for Social Media and review the Code of Best Practices of Use of Internet Video.

Interested in learning more about how PREA Signature Realty uses internet video for sales training instruction and for marketing and selling homes?  Contact Ryan Shaughnessy at PREA Signature Realty at 314-971-4381 or send an e-mail to Ryan@PREASignatureRealty.com.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

PREA SIGNATURE REALTY

Download Property BrochuresView Our Listing PresentationWatch Our Property Videos on YouTube

PREA Signature Realty is a full service brokerage located at 1709 Park Avenue in the Lafayette Square neighborhood of the City of St. Louis.  PREA Signature proudly serves the following city neighborhoods:  Lafayette Square, Soulard, Benton Park, Benton Park West, Downtown Loft District, Forest Park Southwest, Central West End, Tower Grove East, Tower Grove South, Compton Heights, Shaw, The Hill, Dogtown, Carondelet, Holly Hills, St. Louis Hills, Dutchtown, and the Other Historic Neighborhoods of the City of Saint Louis, Missouri. 

The opinions expressed herein represent the opinions of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of PREA Signature Realty.  All photos and written content were produced by PREA Signature Realty.  All Rights Reserved - PREA Signature Realty (2009).  This content may not be reproduced or reprinted, except for Active Rain re-blogging, without express written permission of PREA Signature Realty.

For more information, visit our website at www.PREASignatureRealty.com or contact Ryan Shaughnessy at 314-971-4381 or send an email to Ryan@PREASignatureRealty.com. 

47 comments • Ryan Shaughnessy, Broker/Attorney - Your Lafayette Square Real Estate Partner • November 23 2009 11:32PM

Maplewood Chamber of Commerce - Use of Social Media as Marketing Tool for Business

Maplewood Chamber of Commerce

 

 

 

 

Maplewood Chamber of Commerce

The Maplewood Chamber of Commercewill be hosting its quarterly business luncheon on on November 10, 2009, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Schalfly Bottleworks.  I will be speaking at the business resource session on Social Media Marketing.  Learn the basic strategies behind a social media campaign with examples from Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Activerain, YouTube and more. For more information, visit the Maplewood Chamber of Commerce website.

Need a speaker on technology, real estate or construction? Contact Ryan Shaughnessy at PREA Signature Realty at 314-971-4381 or visit our website at www.PREASignatureRealty.com.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

PREA SIGNATURE REALTY

Download Property BrochuresView Our Listing PresentationWatch Our Property Videos on YouTube

PREA Signature Realty is a full service brokerage located at 1709 Park Avenue in the Lafayette Square neighborhood of the City of St. Louis.  PREA Signature proudly serves the following city neighborhoods:  Lafayette Square, Soulard, Benton Park, Benton Park West, Downtown Loft District, Forest Park Southwest, Central West End, Tower Grove East, Tower Grove South, Compton Heights, Shaw, The Hill, Dogtown, Carondelet, Holly Hills, St. Louis Hills, Dutchtown, and the Other Historic Neighborhoods of the City of Saint Louis, Missouri. 

The opinions expressed herein represent the opinions of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of PREA Signature Realty.  All photos and written content were produced by PREA Signature Realty.  All Rights Reserved - PREA Signature Realty (2009).  This content may not be reproduced or reprinted, except for Active Rain re-blogging, without express written permission of PREA Signature Realty.

For more information, visit our website at www.PREASignatureRealty.com or contact Ryan Shaughnessy at 314-971-4381 or send an email to Ryan@PREASignatureRealty.com. 

11 comments • Ryan Shaughnessy, Broker/Attorney - Your Lafayette Square Real Estate Partner • November 10 2009 08:31AM

Gateway Men's Chorus - Grand Performance at the 2009 Women's Council of Realtors Vendor Expo and Fashion Show (St. Louis, Missouri)

THANK YOU TO THE GATEWAY MEN'S CHORUS FOR A GREAT SHOW!!!

On November 5, 2009, the Metropolitan St. Louis Chapter of the Women's Council of Realtors held its 2009 Vendor Expo and Fashion Show at the Sheraton Westport Chalet.  It was a sold out event with over 300 real estate professionals in attendance.  However, this year's event had a new twist and an added benefit.  After dinner and before the fashion show, the Gateway Men's Chorus of St. Louis regaled the sold out crowd with various melodies and numbers from previous and current shows.   Just in case they didn't know it - their after dinner entertainment was a great hit with the crowd.

 

Gateway Men's Chorus

 

Gateway Men's Chorus

If you saw their performance, I suspect you don't need much encouragement to become a subscriber for their 2009-2010 Season.  Season tickets start at $65.00 for three shows.  The current line up for the season is:

  • Winter Concert - Holiday Hit Parade - December 11 & 12, 2009
  • Spring Concert - When We No Longer Touch - March 20, 2010
  • Summer Concert - Mama Knows - June 18, 2010

You can also support the Gateway Men's Chorus by purchasing their CDs and cookbooks. 

With less than 50 days to Christmas, there are several easy gift ideas for your brokerage staff, referral partners and clients.  Trust me - they will love the show.  Plus, it is a great way to support an organization that contributed to the success of the 2009 WCR Expo and Fashion Show.

For more information on their 2009-2010 Season, vist their website:  Gateway Men's Chorus.  Or, follow them on Facebook,  LinkedIn, and Twitter.

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PREA SIGNATURE REALTY

Download Property BrochuresView Our Listing PresentationWatch Our Property Videos on YouTube

PREA Signature Realty is a full service brokerage located at 1709 Park Avenue in the Lafayette Square neighborhood of the City of St. Louis.  PREA Signature proudly serves the following city neighborhoods:  Lafayette Square, Soulard, Benton Park, Benton Park West, Downtown Loft District, Forest Park Southwest, Central West End, Tower Grove East, Tower Grove South, Compton Heights, Shaw, The Hill, Dogtown, Carondelet, Holly Hills, St. Louis Hills, Dutchtown, and the Other Historic Neighborhoods of the City of Saint Louis, Missouri. 

The opinions expressed herein represent the opinions of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of PREA Signature Realty.  All photos and written content were produced by PREA Signature Realty.  All Rights Reserved - PREA Signature Realty (2009).  This content may not be reproduced or reprinted, except for Active Rain re-blogging, without express written permission of PREA Signature Realty.

For more information, visit our website at www.PREASignatureRealty.com or contact Ryan Shaughnessy at 314-971-4381 or send an email to Ryan@PREASignatureRealty.com. 

6 comments • Ryan Shaughnessy, Broker/Attorney - Your Lafayette Square Real Estate Partner • November 09 2009 01:22AM