Ralph E. Fisher III's (luxuryhomesofstlouis) Blog

The FHA, or Federal Housing Administration, has helped many a homeowner buy a St. Louis  home for sale by providing mortgage insurance through FHA-approved lenders. However, a change in policy, announced in January, may make it harder for those with poor credit.  Before we talk about FHA's change...

Because buying St. Louis real estate is one of the most important and expensive purchases you'll ever make, it's worth the time to consider ways you can save money.  Here are a few ideas on how to save money on your mortgage and closing costs:  Pay Attention You have to pay attention to how much ...

Thousands of potential buyers of homes for sale in Both St Louis City & County  are now homeowners, thanks to the first-time homebuyer tax credit. You could be eligible for a tax credit if you bought a home in 2009 or plan to buy one before April, 2010.  But which one are you eligible for?  If yo...

Even though it may sometimes seem like it, home building and design trends are not conjured up using a crystal ball.  They are the result of surveys, observations, lifestyles, socioeconomic issues, entertainment, technology, and most importantly, the needs and desires of buyers.  Here are some of...

If you've recently applied for credit to finance a St. Louis real estate purchase, and were declined, you might be wondering why a lender would deny you credit.  Most lenders have a checklist of qualifications necessary to get approval for a home loan, and some don't have anything to do with what...

When you first start talking about buying your St Louis or St Charles  home or condo for sale, you'll hear "Oh, you should get pre-qualified first," or "you should get pre-approved first." So who's right? What's the difference between the two?  Is there any difference at all?  Pre-qualified Loans...

Whether for St. Louis or St Charles condos or single-family homes, For Sale by Owner (FSBO) sales aren't near as successful as those sold by real estate agents. In fact, by 2006, the average price for a FSBO home was at least $50,000 less than agent-run sales.  Why is that? Are real estate agents...

Picking a St. Louis real estate agent is a big decision. Buying a home isn't something most people do on a regular basis and rarely do they know agents personally or have one on retainer like they may have a lawyer for regular business purposes. If your job doesn't entail a lot of property transa...

Real estate aficionados who follow the upswings and dips in both the St. Louis and St Charles real estate market were worried that the end of the first-time homebuyer's credit would mean an end to housing sales. Sales were up, prices were down and the market seemed to be stabilizing - thanks, in ...

New Years is just around the corner, and for many with St. Louis  homes or condos for sale, it's the perfect time to make some resolutions. Let's be expansive, though, shall we? Don't say, "I will sell my house by April." We can be more specific than that. Here's a short list of resolutions that ...