CK Realty Team

You've been eyein' that fireplace all spring and summer just waiting for the day you could fire it up again. Get excited, friend. Today is that day—the first day of fall!⁣
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So whether it's 80 degrees or there's a chill in the air, go on and shake off those stares and eye-rolls from the fam and light up that fireplace without shame. While you're at it, throw on a flannel and grab a mug of something warm. ⁣
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Cheers, ya'll! It's the first day of fall!⁣
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FREEDOM! 🎉 The last closing we had was a special one. For this client, home ownership wasn't just an item to check of her list; but it truly represents a new life and a bright future that she is creating for herself and her daughter. Thank you for choosing us to be a part of your story!

🔥New Listing🔥

🏡 6425 Raywood Ave
🛏 3 Bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, 1,509 sft
🚪 Adorable 1.5 story bungalow located just a short drive away from Grant's Farm and 9 Mile Garden in the heart of Affton!
📲 Call or text Christen or Kristen for more details! 636-519-4144
👇 For more pictures, check out the link in the comments!

We had a busy holiday weekend and are now under contract on these beautiful homes for our seller and our buyer! We are just as excited as they are 🥳😁

We never take for granted that we are helping our clients with one of the biggest decisions of their lives. So thankful for their trust with not only their own homes, but their family members' as well! ❤️

Today is the first day of a new month, which also means it’s the first day of a brand new mindset!⁣ 💪
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This month, we're challenging ourselves to always look at the positive in every situation. ⁣
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What's your goal for this month?⁣
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Cheers to September, friends!⁣ 🥳

🔥New Listing🔥

🏡 4433 Tholozan Ave
🛏 3 Bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms, 1,195 sft
🚪 Adorable Tower Grove South home remodeled in 2018 that offers contemporary finishes, neutral colors, and a 2 car garage!
📲 Call or text Christen or Kristen for more details! 636-519-4144
👇 For more pictures or information, check out the link in the comments!

The weekend is finally here! And for a lot of us, it means that we made it through the first week of school too! 🎉 If you had to pick three of the following activities to celebrate, which would you pick?⁣
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A trio of the best wine money can buy⁣
All you can eat chocolate⁣
Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and the like⁣
A page-turning book and ZERO interruptions for as long as you want⁣
A breezy outdoor concert with your favorite local band⁣
A family cookout 'round the pool⁣
Saturday brunch after sleeping in⁣
Kids that sleep until 10 am on BOTH Saturday and Sunday mornings (Didn't say this was real, now did I?)⁣
A balmy 75 with no humidity or chance of showers perfect for cycling, walking, running, gardening, or a trip to the dog park⁣
The freshest of ingredients for a 5-course dinner — delivered to your doorstep just waiting for you to try⁣
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Which 3 do you choose? Share in the comments below!⁣ 👇
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Happy National Dog Day to all the pup lovers out there! This is one of CK Realty Team's mascots, Tess. Or, as we affectionately like to call her "big mama." Do you have a furry friend at home? Let us know!

Being a landlord is awesome, so long as you know what you’re walking into. And trust us—it’s way more than getting a check in the mailbox every month (although that is one of the main perks!). ⁣
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If you’re thinking about adding “landlord” to your resume, go in with your eyes wide open with these three tips:⁣
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While kind and friendly tenants are easy to work with, “kind and friendly” doesn't always pay the rent. Run thorough background checks on potential tenants by calling references, checking credit scores, and reviewing finances. Make this a non-negotiable no matter how friendly they appear.⁣

Build up enough savings so you can comfortably cover your obligations for a month or two without tenants in place. Why? Because tenants won’t pay on time or you’ll have gaps as old tenants move out and new tenants move in.⁣

Talk with a property management company and at least consider using their services to facilitate the lease and collect payments. Most charge a monthly fee of between 8% – 12% of the monthly rent collected. If the rent is $1,200 a month, that’s about $120 for someone else to handle it all. Totally. Worth. It. ⁣
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Wanna talk more about owning rental property? We'd love to connect and even show you a few hot properties that are perfect for today’s rental market. Send us a message today!⁣

☎ 636.519.4144
📧 [email protected]
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You asked! We're answering! Without further ado, here are your mortgage questions answered:⁣
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Q: How long is a pre-approval good for?⁣
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A: You definitely will want to get a pre-approval, but wait until you’re ready to buy since a pre-approval is only valid for about 30-90 days. ⁣⁣
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Q: How much should my down payment be?⁣
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A: Twenty percent is the gold standard, but you can often put down less than depending on the loan type. For example, an FHA loan requires as little as 3.5% down.⁣⁣
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Q: What are the different types of mortgage loans?⁣
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A: All sorts! You have conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, and more! Talk with several lenders to gather their opinions before deciding which is right for you. ⁣
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Q: How much home can I afford?⁣
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A: A good rule of thumb? Two-and-a-half times your annual salary. But it’s best to speak with a lender to find out what you qualify for and to get a pre-approval letter.⁣⁣
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Got more questions? Shoot us a message or drop it in the comments. We’d love to chat and point you in the right direction as you think about buying!

☎ 636.519.4144
📧 [email protected]

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So far this week, we’ve covered the English, math, and science behind real estate. Today it’s time to turn back the pages of history and take a peek at what it used to look like to buy a home in the U.S. ⁣
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We think you’ll find this info from J.D. Roth of the blog, Get Rich Slowly, fascinating—just like we did!⁣
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For a long time, homeownership was the exception rather than the rule. Sure, farmers owned a bit of land and a small home, but most Americans did not.⁣
During the 1800s, many didn't have the piles of cash needed, and banks weren’t any help. They wouldn't lend money for ordinary people to buy.⁣
Mortgages didn't become commonplace until the U.S. banking system stabilized following the National Bank Acts of the 1860s. But a mortgage in the early 1900s looked way different than a mortgage today. It might have had a 5-year term and required a 50% down payment!⁣

These early mortgages worked fine until the Great Depression, when nearly 10% of homes fell into foreclosure.⁣

The G.I. Bill of 1944 ushered in an era of escalated demand for housing and the development of the suburbs.⁣

As the housing market boomed during the 1940s and 1950s, so did the real-estate profession.⁣
Increased home prices and ownership rates brought increased mortgages. Just consider: The median size for a new home built in 1973 was 1525 square feet. By 2016, that number had jumped to 2422 square feet. ⁣
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Homeownership in the U.S. has had a wild and bumpy history. The good news for prospective buyers today is that owning a home is within reach of many more Americans than it used to be. ⁣
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If you’re thinking of buying and curious about what the process looks like in today’s market, we’d love to discuss. Send us a DM, and we’ll be in touch soon!

☎ 636.519.4144
📧 [email protected]