THE LAFAYETTE REPORT: July 2009

Anna Kournikova and the St. Louis Aces

I have always enjoyed professional sporting events.  Often, it is the minor leagues that provide the greatest entertainment for me.  So, when World Team Tennis and the St. Louis Aces are in town, I always try to see a match or two.  It isn't that I am a great fan of professional tennis.  I simply enjoy the great family friendly format offered by World Team Tennis.  It mixes high energy crowds, rising and fading tennis stars, and family friendly pre-game and half-time events ranging from networking events to tennis instruction to t-shirts tossed to the crowd and more.  It is of course exciting competitive tennis - but more importantly it is a fan focused format.  At the Dwight Davis Tennis Center in Forest Park, you will see some of the same stars that regularly make appearances at the French Open, Wimbledon and more.  But, the crowd is younger and fans are encouraged to cheer and enjoy a cocktail party atmosphere during the matches.

The 2009 Advanta WTT Pro League season ran from July 2-26 in 10 U.S. markets.  The lineup of tennis stars playing WTT this season included: Andre Agassi, Venus Williams, Serena Williams, Martina Navratilova, John McEnroe, Kim Clijsters, Maria Sharapova, Michael Chang, and Bob and Mike Bryan.  This year's St. Louis Aces again featured Anna Kournikova as the best known tennis player on the team.  Although Anna Kournikova was sidelined this season due to an injury, she still made the tour and was again a fan favorite for the St. Louis Aces.  Being a fair weather tennis fan, I liked to see an injured athlete honor commitments with children's tennis clinics, media events, and photo opportunities with young fans.  Here are some video clips from her visit to St. Louis from  www.kournikova.com, the official website of Anna Kournikova:

• Introducing Anna Kournikova and the St Louis Aces
• Media Conference with Anna Kournikova in St. Louis
• Kids Clinic held by Anna Kournikova and the St Louis Aces

So, what did Anna Kournikova think about her visit to St. Louis?  Here are her comments about St. Louis from her blog:

My last stop was on to St. Louis. This time I had a chance to spend a little more time in the city... I also had a chance to walk around the city a little and check out some of the area. I really enjoyed being able to get out as I usually don't get the chance to see much of the cities because I am only there for a short period of time. St. Louisis such a great place and has some of the best fans; they really come out to support their teams. There was so much happening around town with the MLB All-Star game but the stands were still packed and full of energy.

It is really a great comment to hear because St. Louis has alot to offer including great walkable neighborhoods such as Lafayette Square, Soulard, Central West End, the Hill, and more as well as a first-class park like Forest Park which includes the Dwight Davis Tennis Center, home to the St. Louis Aces.

For more information on the St. Louis Aces and the Dwight Davis Tennis Center, visit:

• St. Louis Aces
• Dwight Davis Tennis Center

Next year, you could be walking to the Dwight Davis Tennis Center to see Anna Kournikova and the St. Louis Aces' matches. 

Interested in living in the walkable neighborhoods near Forest Park such as the Central West End, Forest Park Southeast, DeBaliviere, Dogtown, The Hill or the other historic neighborhoods just a Metro stop away from Forest Park?  Contact Ryan Shaughnessy at PREA Signature Realty at 314-971-4381 or visit our website at www.PREASignatureRealty.com. 

STEP 1 - MAKE IT EASY TO SHOW

Over the past week, I have had the opportunity to work with a great buyer who has been an absolute pleasure to work with from start to finish.  She has clearly defined housing criteria and will make her final decision this week having narrowed the search to her final three homes.  However, there have been some frustrating moments.  Here are a few examples:

• Keys Don't Open the Front Door.  House No. 1 is on a beautiful street.  I access the Supra box and find two keys labeled top lock and bottom lock.  So, it sounds pretty easy, right?  Well, the key labeled bottom lock actually operates the deadbolt on the top.  The key labeled top lock opens nothing.  To the listing agent's credit, I reach him on the first ring.  He suggests climbing the six foot backyard fence and trying the keys in the back door.  Result:  No Showing.
• Confirmed-Declined-Confirmed Showing.  House No. 2 is on a lesser street in a great neighborhood.  i call the listing agent to schedule a showing and are directed to contact the owner because it is a "limited service" listing.  There is no notation in the MLS indicating that it is a limited service listing and there are no showing instructions.  So, we contact the owner.  The husband calls back fairly promptly and confirms the showing.  Twenty minutes before the start of the tour, the wife calls back and declines the showing.  Forty minutes later, the husband calls again and says they are checking with the people house sitting to confirm the showing.  Forty minutes after that, the wife calls back and says the house can be shown.  Result:  No Showing.
• The 15 Minute Window.  House No. 3 is a good fit to my buyer's specifications.  We are showing six homes in a four hour period.  It is a pretty good pace.  However, we have three homes grouped into each of the two preferred neighborhoods.  I call the listing agent and request a one hour window for the showing.  Listing agent calls back and informs me that there is only a fifteen minute showing window.  Now, I can meet such a demand where it is the first house on a tour.  However, when it is the fourth house, I can't guarantee an arrival and completed showing in a fifteen minute time frame.  Result:  No Showing.

So, the moral of the story is:  If you want to sell your home, you have to make your home easy to show.  The simple truth is that I can't sell it if I can't show it.

If you are interested in selling your home in Lafayette Square or the other historic neighborhoods of the City of St. Louis, contact Ryan Shaughnessy at PREA Signature Realty at 314-971-4381 for a free consultation.

Public art in Lafayette Square ranges from fountains to plazas to sculptures in Lafayette Park and much more.  However, at the entrance to Downtown St. Louis and the Lafayette Square neighborhood near Highways 44/55 and the Truman Parkway, stands a public art installation entitled "Treemonisha."  The art installation is a part of the Gateway Foundation's public art program.  As some may know, the Gateway Foundation is committed to the improvement of the St. Louis through public art projects such as the lighting of the Old Courthouse and Arch or parks such as the new City Garden in Downtown St. Louis.  To locate other public art installations in St Louis sponsored by the Gateway Foundation, click on:  Public Art. 

"Treemonisha" was created by the internationally renowned sculptor John Henry.  John Henry's works, similar in style to the public art installation in Lafayette Square include such exhibits as:

• Sarasota Season of Sculpture 4, Sarasota, FL
• Sculpture a Wyoming Invitational at the University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY
• Drawing in Space: The Peninsula Project, FL
• Sculpture for New Orleans, New Orleans, LA
• Art in the Garden at the San Antonio Botanical Garden, SanAntonio, TX 
• Tatlin, Hall Financial Group, Frisco, TX
• Je Souhaite, Miami Art Museum, Miami, FL

For more information on the works of John Henry, click on Public Art by John Henry.

I don't know whether the St. Louis connection was intentional or not.  However, Treemonisha is also the name of the opera composed by the African-American ragtime jazz composer Scott Joplin who resided in St Louis from 1900 to 1907.  For more information on Scott Joplin, visit:  The Scott Joplin House located at 2658A Delmar in St Louis Mo.

In the background of the photographs depicting public art in Lafayette Square stands The Georgian (former City Hospital No. 1) consisting of 104 residential condominiums just South of Downtown St. Louis.  Ask about our Summer Developer Sale.

For more information, contact Ryan Shaughnessy at PREA Signature Realty at 314-971-4381 or send an e-mail to Ryan@PREASignatureRealty.com.  Or, visit our website at www.PREASignatureRealty.com.

Recently, I viewed a renovated home that had PEX water lines.  I had not seen the use of PEX water lines in the St Louis area. 

• So, after seeing PEX water lines installed in a recently renovated home, I contacted the Building Division of the City of St. Louis and confirmed that the local building code authorized the use of PEX water lines. 
• I then reviewed the Plastic Pipe and Fittings Association's website.  Here is the link for Q&A for PEX water lines. 
• Still unsure of the efficacy of the PEX water lines I called one of the most knowledgeable, experienced and accessible home inspectors that I know - Russel Ray from San Diego.  When I asked about PEX, Mr. Ray provided me with an excellent overview of the benefits of PEX water lines and quickly prepared a post on PEX water lines on the issue (see below).  

The only thing that I can add to the post is, from my conversation with Mr. Ray and installers of the PEX water lines, is that PEX water lines appear to be an ideal product in terms of cost, ease of installation, resistance to freezing, and water pressure fluctuations.  Again, thanks Russel - you are definitely a great resource.  So, if you see a home with PEX water lines, don't panic.  It is a new product and you will likely see greater use of the product in St. Louis.

Looking to purchase a new home in St Louis?  Demand a new home construction specialist.  For more information on the new home construction and sales processes in St Louis, Missouri, contact Ryan Shaughnessy at PREA Signature Realty at 314-971-4381 or send an e-mail to Ryan@PREASignatureRealty.com.

Vespa St Louis hosts All-Star Scooter Sale for the benefit of Local Rider MJ.  As many in the St Louis scooter community already know, local rider, ride organizer and Vespa St Louis employee MJ is currently battling cancer and is unable to work.  The St Louis scooter community is a tight knit community and Vespa St Louis, the local dealership for Vespas, Piaggio and other scooters, has joined forces with Corazzo, Commerce Bank, Scorpion Exowear, OB Clarks, Western Powersports, and Fulmer Helmets to host the Vespa St Louis All-Start Scooter Sale for the benefit of MJ.  For each scooter sold at this event, Vespa St Louis will donate or otherwise contribute $100.00 to a fund to assist MJ.

Here are the details on the Vespa St Louis All-Start Scooter Sale:

• Event:  Vespa St Louis All-Start Scooter Sale
• Location:  5127 Delmar Blvd. (63108)
• Date:  July 18, 2009 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Other:  Food, Raffle, MJ Bracelet Sale and More
• For More Information:  Contact Sean at Vespa St Louis at 314-361-5446

On behalf of PREA Signature Realty, we wish MJ a full recovery and hope that our friends and customers turn-out for the Vespa St Louis All-Start Scooter Sale for the Benefit of Local Rider MJ.