Home guide 2016

JUNE 9- 15, 2016 HOME GUIDE

Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer, building your dream home, or looking to refinance to a lower rate, the mortgage specialists at Midland States Bank will be with you every step of the way. We’ll work with you one-on-one to make the process simple and fast.

A few of our most popular programs:

• FHA / First-Time Home Buyers • Believable Banking Affordable Home Mortgage

• HARP Streamline Refinances • Believable Banking Home Improvement Loan

• 100% VA Loans • New Construction Loans

Contact a Midland States Bank mortgage specialist today to get started!

Equal Housing Lender. Loans subject to credit approval. Bank NMLS #411141. Member FDIC. midlandsb.com

We’ll have you home in no time.Fast. Easy. Home.

Karlyn BrasselmonNMLS# 1197605

(314) [email protected]

Kris MillsNMLS# 322178

(636) [email protected]

800.721.4322my-mortgagecenter.com

HOME LOANS

We have more ways to say Yes!

PlusLow Down Payment Options Available!

& $450 off your Closing Costs!

my-mortgagecenter.com to get started!

OR,Visit

visit us at any of our Illinois and Missouri locations!

Flexible Terms, Quick Credit Decisions

ApplyOnline!

Use Promo Code SAVE450

Only available on applications submitted by 12/31/16 that are funded. Can only be applied toward payment of closing cost. Any portion of the discount not used toward closing costs will be waived. No cash back. Not available on Home Equity products. Non-transferable and cannot be combined with other offers. Normal credit qualifications and other terms and conditions apply. This is not an offer to enter into a loan agreement. Products, rates and terms subject to change without notice.


By Molly MetzgerFor The St. Louis American

Many St. Louisans are struggling to keep a roof over their heads. Among households earning less than $35,000 annually, one out of five are spending more than 30 percent of their earnings on their housing, making them “housing cost burdened.” We have a need for more quality affordable housing. The City of St. Louis’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF) is intended to help address that need.

For at least the last four years, the City of St. Louis has funded the AHTF at $500,000 below the legally mandated minimum. This year is shaping up to be no different. If the city sticks with its preliminary budget decision, city residents and neighborhoods will miss out on a half million dollars in housing investment. How did we get to the point where the City has underfunded our commitment to affordable housing by around $2 million over the past four years?

In 2001, the City passed a Use Tax of which 50 percent was to be “dedicated to providing for the development and preservation of affordable and accessible housing.” After revenue generated by the Use Tax beat expectations, the city passed a new ordinance in 2002 establishing minimum allocations of $5 million to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, $5 million to the Health Care Trust Fund, and $3 million to the Use Tax Demolition Fund. Under the new ordinance, the only way the City of St. Louis could fund the AHTF below $5 million is if the Use Tax raised less than $10 million. With the Use

Tax raising $30.15 million on average over the past 4 years, there is no legal reason our city should be underfunding affordable housing.

There is a great distance between where we would be under the original 2001 law and where we are today.

If the 2001 ordinance was in place today, roughly $15 million would be invested in affordable housing in the City of St. Louis this year. If the City of St. Louis were to make up for the

lost investment over the past four years, roughly $7 million would be invested this year. Alas, if the City of St. Louis simply followed its own legal requirements, $5 million dollars would be invested in bringing quality affordable housing to our communities, to our neighbors.

Unfortunately, the City of St. Louis is yet again planning to fund the Affordable Housing Trust Fund below its legally mandated minimum despite calls from the Ferguson Commission and

housing advocates to increase investment.If you believe in providing quality

affordable housing for all St. Louisans, if you believe in reinvesting in our buildings, if you have witnessed a child performing better in school because her family’s new affordable home allowed them not to move every month, then call your alderperson, call the mayor’s office, and tell a friend that the city should allocate at least $5 million to affordable housing this year.

Molly Metzger is an assistant professor at the Brown School and a board member at the Metro St. Louis Equal Housing and Opportunity Council.

City must meet requirement to fund affordable housing

n For at least the last four years, the City of St. Louis has funded the Affordable Housing Trust Fund at $500,000 below the legally mandated minimum.

Donald M. Suggs - Publisher & Executive Editor

Kevin Jones - Sr. Vice Pres. & COODina M. Suggs - Sr. Vice Pres.

Nathan B. Young (1894 -1993) - Founder

N.A. Sweets (1901-1988) - Publisher Emeritus

Bennie G. Rodgers - (1914 - 2000) Executive Editor Emeritus

Melba Sweets (1909 - 2006) Editor Emeritus

EditorialChris King - Managing Editor

Wiley Price - Senior PhotojournalistMelvin Moore - Graphic Designer Angelita Jackson - Cover Design

YOUR HOME GUIDE


Join us for a Homebuyer & Credit Builder Workshop and learn how to qualify for our

$2,500 subsidy!*

Saturday, June 18th | 9:30am - 11:30am Registration begins at 9:15am

Central Bank of St. Louis10704 West Florissant Ave.

St. Louis, MO 63136Learn about purchasing your new home, the importance of credit, and

how to improve your credit score. Please RSVP by June 15th to Sharon at 314.835.3746.

Sharon Johnson VP, Community Development Lending [email protected]#603283

*This offer may not be combined with any other lender. Subsidy funds are tied to Central Bank mortgages only until December 31, 2016. Central Bank reserves the right to modify this program at any time. Assessment areas include St. Louis County, St. Louis City, and St. Charles County in Missouri; St. Clair County and Monroe County in Illinois. Owner-occupied, single-family homes, and FHA approved condominiums only. We will provide a Loan Estimate without verification of your information. Other underwriting restrictions may apply. See a loan officer for details. Member FDIC. NMLS#409000

MORTGAGELENDER

(StatePoint) From finding a new home to selling one’s current home, the moving process can be a big source of stress.

Among the top stressors is packing. In fact, in a recent survey, commissioned by Duck brand, conducted on-line by Harris Poll, over half of Americans (56 percent) say packing to move is extreme-ly/very stressful. It doesn’t have to be this way. Here are some tips to reduce packing pain.

• Purge before packing: Diminish the workload by first cleaning out items you no longer need.

• Pack carefully: Forty percent of those who would find it frus-trating to pack when moving worry about items breaking. Eliminate anxiety by wrapping fragile items with cushion-

ing material, like Bubble Wrap. Dish and glass kits provide pouches and dividers to protect delicate goods. Lastly, secure your boxes with quality packing tape, like EZ Start Packaging Tape.

• Buy boxes: Scrambling to find enough boxes can

be nerve wracking. Don’t dig around the grocery store last minute. Instead, purchase boxes in a variety of sizes and levels of durability from an easy to find brand like Duck brand. Then, color code each box with tape, to know where

it goes on moving day.

While moving will always contain some stress, the right moving supplies and strategies can streamline the task of packing.

‘Tis the season to move up or spruce up

Spring and summer are peak seasons for home buying and renovating. The warm, sunny days are a perfect time of year to hunt for that perfect new home, renovate a kitchen or bath, or replace old windows or a roof. And interest rates are still historically very low, so it’s a great time to buy or refinance.

There are a wide variety of mortgage loan options available. While conventional “Fannie Mae” loans remain very popular and are often the best option for those who qualify, FHA, VA and USDA loans can also be very attractive, featuring little to no down payment options and more flexible underwriting guidelines than conventional loans.

But for many, coming up with a down payment or quali-fying for these loans may be a challenge. Traditional lend-ing guidelines are credit score driven. Whether it’s from some credit challenges in the past or simply little to no cred-it history at all, underwriting guidelines that are driven by credit scores can be hurdles that are just too high to jump over.

Thankfully, there are a few loan pro-grams available to assist people on the pathway to successful home ownership that are “outside the box.” At Midland

States Bank, we developed the Believable Banking Home Mortgage and Home Improvement Loan for this very reason. The unique loans feature flexible under-writing guidelines to address some of the challenges faced when qualifying for

traditional mortgage and home equity loans. Available in select communities in the St. Louis region, The Believable Banking Home Mortgage is not credit score driven and is potentially available up to 100% financing for purchases and refinances. The Believable Banking Home Improvement Loan is a short term loan from $1,500 to $10,000 that can be used for most minor or major

home repairs.So get out and enjoy the

beautiful weather while you’re pondering your next move; whether it’s to a shiny new home or making your existing home shine a little brighter.

Equal Housing Lender. Loans subject to credit approval and eligi-bility requirements. Bank NMLS #411141. The views and opinions expressed in the article referenced above are those of the author only and are not to be attributed to Midland States Bank.

David R. Noble Community

Development & CRA Officer

Midland States Bank NMLS # 329214

Tips to combat packing stress when moving


By Pat Matreci For The St. Louis American

Home buying requires that parties in this complex process do their homework before purchasing.

If you’re looking for a study partner, Andreal Hoosman and Haywood Hoosman Realty (www.vhhrealty.com) will help you navigate through the complexities.

“We are committed to promoting education of the home-buying process,” she said. “Subsequently, we work with many lenders and financial institutions providing free home buyers workshops. Additionally, our workshops are certified. Upon completion, attendees are eligible for various first-time home buyers financial assistance for down payment, closing, costs, etc.”

Hoosman, a broker, has been a real

estate professional for more than 29 years. She owned her own company, Haywood Realty Group, based in Kansas City, Missouri, for 10 years. A St. Louis native who graduated from Normandy High School and the University of Missouri-Columbia, Andreal is the “Haywood” in her current realty endeavor. She and husband Hubert Hoosman Jr. combined business forces in 2012 and introduced Haywood Hoosman Realty (residential) and H&H Brokerage Group (commercial) to the St. Louis market in 2012. They are companies of Visions Consulting Realty LLC, a women/minority-owned firm established in 2001.

Located at 15 S. Florissant Road in Ferguson, Haywood Hoosman and H&H Brokerage specialize in residential and commercial real estate and property management. Andreal Hoosman is

Helping home buyers do their homeworkLocated at 15 S. Florissant Road in Ferguson, Haywood Hoosman and H&H Brokerage specializes in residential and commercial real estate and property management. Its principals are Andreal Hoosman and Haywood Hoosman.

Photo by Wiley Price

Haywood Hoosman Realty helps open doors to home ownership

licensed to provide real estate services in Missouri, Illinois and Kansas.

“Home buyers are looking for a great deal. That’s why home-buyers’ workshops and seminars are so important, especially for the first-time home owner,” Andreal Hoosman said. “If you’re getting a deal that is too good to be true, usual conditions of risk exist. A prepared buyer understands the home buying process. They understand the importance of the pre-approval process, conduction inspections, appraisals, both the private and municipal inspections, how to shop and select the mortgage that is right for them, and more.”

According to Hoosman, the greater St. Louis Metropolitan area has experienced appreciation during the recent months at a pace higher than the national average. The average listing price, time on the market, percent of sale to listing price have improved compared to a year ago. Those factors, combined with a reduced supply of quality homes in key areas, Hoosman says, has created a seller’s market.

But there are things sellers must do to take advantage of that market.

“Sellers should always maintain their

home at a level that at a minimum meets and preferably exceeds the conditions that existed when purchased,” Hoosman said. “Kitchens and bathrooms are the key selling features to the buyer, and should be upgraded when appropriate. Modern appliances and fixtures are also high on the buyer’s list.”

The negative portrayal of the area by both local and national media has not impacted the Hoosmans’ ability to “sell” St. Louis.

“The area is doing well attracting interest from residential and commercial parties,” she said. “The social unrest of the community, crime rates combined with the media’s dramatic portrayal has slowed the real estate recovery in numerous areas. However, all key performance indicators of the St. Louis market are performing better year-to-date compared to the previous year. Our company is experiencing an increase in business from clients that reside in other regions of the country relocating to our area as well as the investment community.”

For more information about Haywood Hoosman Realty and H&H Brokerage Group, visit www.vhhrealty.com.


Meet Cheryl Walker.She loves to help her fellow

St. Louisans find the right mortgage to best meet their needs.

Call Cheryl today and hear what she has to say:

HOMES, CONDOS, MULTI-FAMILY & INVESTMENT PROPERTIES

FHA | VA | CONVENTIONAL | JUMBO LOANSFIRST TIME HOME BUYER PROGRAMS

INCLUDING MHDC FIRST PLACE!

HOMES, CONDOS, MULTI-FAMILY & INVESTMENT PROPERTIES

FHA | VA | CONVENTIONAL | JUMBO LOANSFIRST TIME HOME BUYER PROGRAMS

INCLUDING MHDC FIRST PLACE!

(StatePoint) While you may think of smart home technology as a convenience -- something to save you a few steps of walk-ing between the couch and the nearest light switch, smart home offerings also include important preventative measures that can help you protect not only your valuables, but your home itself and everyone in it.

June, which is Home Safety Month, is a great opportunity to learn how to use new technology in order to help protect your family:

• Beyond the Burglar: The first thing that comes to mind when most people think about home security is almost certainly burglary. But intruders aren’t the only thing you have to worry about entering your home. Water damage is the second most common cause of property loss and accounts for a quarter or more of home-owner’s insurance claims. A good early detection device, such as a Z-Wave flood sensor, could be the difference between a damp inconvenience and a soaking wet catastrophe in your home, especially when combined with a smart shutoff valve.

• Avoid dangers: Some sensors, like Go-Control’s Z-Wave Door/Window Sensors, for example, are a great way to keep you alerted to potential dangers -- especially on days when the kids get home earlier than you do. A few placed judiciously around the house -- on liquor or medicine cabinets, for example, or even the knife drawer, are a great way of keeping your mind at ease. And those same sensors placed on entry

points could alert you in the event of an invasion.

• Deter intruders: When it comes down to it, though, the best way to deal with home invasion is to deter intruders al-together. When you’re out of town for a vacation or business trip, it’s important to make sure your home still looks lived in, and rigid pre-programmed lighting timers aren’t fooling anyone. Newer smart light bulb systems, like BeON Home, go one step further by recording and playing back your daily lighting routines, and even in-clude a sophisticated listening system that can respond to a doorbell, by turning inside lights on organically, one at a time, exactly the way you would if you were home.

Smart home technology is becoming more versatile than ever. To learn more about how it can be used for keeping peo-ple, pets and property safe, visit Z-Wave.com and BeONHome.com for DIY videos, how-tos and live customer assistance.

While there’s no replacement for a car-ing neighbor’s watchful eye, these days there are a great number of ways of taking home security into your own hands -- no matter where you are. Smart hubs, com-bined with sensors in and around the home, can take the worry out of being away from home by alerting you when something goes wrong.

With a connected home, you can bet-ter keep tabs on your house and keep the things and people in it safe, even when you’re not home.

Home Safety Month: New ways to protect

your family


Eagle Bank offers a variety of home loan products, including special programs for qualified buyers to help you achieve your dream of home ownership.To learn more, call us today!

636-282-9944 • EagleBankAndTrust.com NMLS#411376

We’re in the business of

making dreams come true.

(StatePoint) Updating your home flooring? From durability to style to color, there are many things to consider -- and you’ll want to be sure these elements match your family’s lifestyle.

Here are five great questions to ask yourself before you begin the remodel process.

• How do you want the space to feel?Do you want the room to feel calming,

fun, classic, dramatic or rustic? When you start to play with adjectives, you may realize you already have a direction in mind.

For a calm look, choose a floor color that is tonal with your wall color. Or if you’re dreaming of a dramatic hotel look, try something deep and rich to contrast with your walls and give an elegant base to your design.

• Do you want to play with pattern?The reason most homeowners have

challenges getting a space to feel like that final image on a home improvement show, is that they often chicken out before pulling the trigger on bold updates. De-signers however jump in head first, layer-ing patterns and textures to give a space depth and a sense of home. Remember, if you love something, it’s never going out

of style.It’s helpful to think of flooring as the

pants to an outfit. Choose something classic, go patterned and fun, or just wear shorts!

• Who uses the room?Who does the flooring have to serve?

Is it a high-traffic area? If so, look for wa-terproof, pet-proof and kid-proof carpet,

such as Tigressa H2O, available at Floor-ing America, which can withstand tough household spills and pet accidents.

If durability doesn’t play as important a role in your choice, consider plush, eco-friendly options like Tigressa’s Cher-ish line, which is 75 percent finer than current soft carpet standards. Their color enhancement system protects each fiber, allowing for deeper colors and textures

that stay beautiful, new and fresh longer than the average carpet.

Keep in mind that thanks to technology innovations in carpeting, you can have the best of both worlds when it comes to strength and softness. Ultimately, choose soft carpeting that doesn’t quickly show matting, crushing and wear. To learn more about innovations in flooring, visit floor-ingamerica.com.

• What’s on trend?Gray is the new beige, and grays and

browns look great together. So if you have an existing brown floor, you can easily partner a room nearby with gray flooring. Most of the time, it’s all in how you accessorize the space.

• Should I be scared of color?If you have always loved a particular

color, have fun in one room with it. There are always ways to accessorize colored flooring in different combinations to change how a space feels, so you’re never stuck with one look.

Flooring choices are sometimes over-whelming. Be sure to check with a trusted flooring retailer who can offer design and performance recommendations that will best suit your home.

What to keep in mind when updating home flooring


There are so many advantages to own-ing a home. But, there are also many things to consider before you buy. Your credit score, how much do you need for a down payment, how much can you bor-row, are there any hidden costs, are there tax benefits, should you prequalify...and so much more. It can seem daunting.

At Providence Bank, we work with people just like you to help them through the home buying process. Our highly skilled team of mortgage bankers help everyone from first time home buyers to people who’ve bought and sold for years. Why do our custom-ers look to us for help with this important purchase? It’s because we know the local market and carefully help you choose the perfect mortgage. Whether you’re buy-ing a new home, building or refinancing, we will guide you through the process, explain your options and make sure you get the best financing available.

We all hear so much about credit scores. What does that mean to you? We’ll help you sort out how to qualify for a loan that makes sense if you have perfect credit, less than perfect credit, or don’t have a huge down payment. Our bankers have more ways to say Yes! We

offer low closing costs, quick credit deci-sions and flexible payment options. We have a variety of loans to fit your specific needs including Conventional Loans, FHA, VA, USDA and Construction Loans.

We know it’s difficult to save a huge down payment. Now, thru Providence Bank’s Affordable Housing Loan

Program, we are helping more families realize their

dream of homeowner-ship by providing down payment and

closing cost assis-tance to first-time home

buyers. Eligible borrowers can receive a $5,000 down payment assistance grant and get $450 off closing costs!

To find out more information on this exclusive program, or any of our home loan options, please call us at 800.721.4322 and talk to one of our mortgage bankers.

Providence Bank has assembled a highly skilled team of mortgage bankers who know the local market and care-fully fit you with the perfect mortgage. Whether you’re buying a new home, building or refinancing, we will guide you through the process, explain your options and make sure you get the best

financing available. Whether you have perfect credit, less

than perfect credit or don’t have a huge down payment, we have more ways to say Yes! We offer low closing costs, quick credit decisions and flexible pay-ment options. We have a variety of loans to fit your specific needs including Conventional Loans, FHA, VA, USDA and Construction Loans. We’re ready to put our years of experience to work for

you. Let’s talk about your plans and the right loan for you. To get started, call 800.721.4322, visit, or apply online at my-mortgagecenter.com!

And now, thru Providence Bank’s Affordable Housing Loan Program, we are helping more families realize their dream of homeownership by providing down payment and closing cost assis-tance to first-time home buyers. Eligible borrowers can receive a $5,000 down payment assistance grant and get $450 off closing costs! To find out more infor-mation on this exclusive program, please call us at 800.721.4322 and talk to one of our mortgage bankers.

Special offer available only on appli-cations submitted to Providence Bank by 12/31/16 that are funded. Any por-tion of the $450 not used toward closing costs will be waived. Applicants cannot receive cash back from this offer. Not available on Home Equity Loans or Lines of Credit. Offer is non-transferrable and cannot be combined with other offers. Normal credit qualifications and other terms, conditions and restrictions apply. This does not represent an offer to enter into a loan agreement. Loans subject to credit approval. Products, rates and terms subject to change without notice. Certain income restrictions may apply. Ask for details.

Things to consider when buying a new home


Is your house in need of a seasonal overhaul? Get your home in shape with these easy tasks and upgrades, and enjoy the warmer months.

• Top-to-bottom cleaning: In each room, start at the top and work your way to the bottom. Crumbs will inevitably fall from kitchen counters and dust will fly from fixtures, so clean your floors last so you don’t have to redo them later.

In the kitchen, circle around the sink, starting at the right side of your stove and then move clockwise around the room. Stoves can be the dirtiest part of the kitchen, so ending there prevents the spread of grease and dirt.

Finally, when it’s time to sweep, hold the broom with one hand on top of the handle and the other in the middle. Hav-ing a proper grip on the broom will make each stroke more effective. Ensure you don’t miss any dirt by sweeping from the outside in. Pulling dirt to the center of the room will make for easier pick-up.

• Creative upgrades: After the garage, the kitchen is tied with the home office as the second most cluttered room in the house, according to a Moen survey. Get rid of clutter by updating features with those that create a “home” for items that

Summer home updates to enhance your spacebars to make organization functional and fashionable.

A new kitchen sink, when chosen care-fully, is another update that can reduce the appearance of clutter. Look for a model with a low-profile center divider that provides the versatility of a double bowl with single-bowl functionality. For instance, those from Moen allow you to fit items like pots and cookie sheets across two bowls easily, limiting the vis-ibility of dirty dishes in the sink -- which is ideal for open concept layouts. To learn more, visit moen.com.

• Color Your World: A fresh coat of paint can do wonders for a room. And lighter hues are both in style and perfect for summer.

For the first time, Pantone, the world-wide standard for color communication, selected two colors of the year: Seren-ity and Rose Quartz. The light pastels complement each other and make for a calm and soothing design aesthetic. Meanwhile, paint maker Sherwin-Wil-liams named Alabaster its 2016 color of the year. Keeping with the trend of light colors, this white hue is a nice blank can-vas to showcase your summer décor.

A few projects around the home can get you set for sunny seasons ahead.

live out in the open.For example, when selecting a faucet,

choose one with style and function, like the Voss faucet from Moen, which has a transitional low-profile design, ideal

for installation in front of windows or on a kitchen island, and features Reflex technology, which allows for easy, secure docking of the spray wand. The collection also offers matching accessories like towel


Advice from Legal Services of Eastern Missouri

Remove everything from your dwelling unit when you vacate. Clean the dwelling. Take photographs to document its condition. Keep your photographs in a safe place in case you need evidence to challenge any damage claims.

Schedule an appointment with your landlord to deliver the keys and possession of the dwelling. During the appointment, conduct a walk-thru inspection with your landlord to review the condition of the dwelling and to discuss any charges or deductions the landlord might add to your final balance.

Your landlord does not have to return your security deposit before you move; your landlord has 30 days from the day you move out to either return your deposit or give you an itemized statement of any amounts withheld by your landlord.

Your landlord can apply your security

deposit to unpaid rent and/or damages.Legal damage charges are only for

damages caused by you that are beyond normal wear and tear.

You should make a written demand for the return of the security deposit, and keep a photocopy of your demand letter as proof that you requested your landlord return the security deposit. In your demand letter, provide your landlord with an address to send you the security deposit. You are not obligated to give your landlord your new home address. Use a P.O. Box address or other address where you do not live or work.

If the landlord refuses to refund your deposit or to give you an itemized statement of amounts withheld, you may file a Small Claims Court lawsuit against your landlord for up to two times the amount of the security deposit withheld.

If your landlord believes you owe any money, your landlord may file a counterclaim against you in your security deposit lawsuit.

What you should know about

security deposits

Under the Missouri law, a landlord cannot legally charge you more than two times the monthly rent for a security deposit.

Make sure you obtain a receipt or any other type of proof of your security deposit payment to your landlord.

Legal Services of Eastern Missouri

(LSEM) has provided high quality legal assistance in civil cases to the low-income community for more than 50 years. In 2015, LSEM helped more than 14,000 people (including clients and their household members) in 21 counties of eastern Missouri. For more information, visit www.lsem.org.

Home guide 2016

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