As an architectural enthusiast myself, I feel that attention must be paid to the architects who transformed the St. Louis Museum into the masterpiece it is today. In its present form, the St. Louis Museum looks completely stunning these days.

Let’s start with the David Chipperfield architects. Famous British architect David Chipperfield was unanimously appointed by the St. Louis Art Museum board of commissioners in 2005 to expand the old Cass Gilbert design in Forest Park, and he certainly rose to the occasion.

David Chipperfield’s architectural firm has been the proud recipient of many of Europe’s best commissions, including the huge task of restoring the Neues Museum and creating the master plan for Museum Island in Berlin. David is a rising star in the architectural world, and St. Louis has been overjoyed to have his stamp on their city.

In 2006, Michel Desvigne was the celebrated landscape artist brought onto the project. Desvigne is based in Paris and was the credited beneficiary of the Medal of the French Academy of Architecture. Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design has been a forum for his teachings. Michel has renovated many settings in the United States, including the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis and the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts.

The chosen Architect of Record was the distinguished St. Louis firm Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum. HOK will not only has the charge of carrying out the design, but also to oversee the everyday work on the project. A couple of their other projects include the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

The combined power and artistry of these individuals and groups are the reason for the great expanded beauty of the St. Louis Museum of Art. Adding to the great beauty of St. Louis, the museum is sure to go down in St. Louis’ history as being another of its many architectural achievements.

There are a multitude of astounding sites to see and there are plenty of things to do in St. Louis. Of the most exciting things to do is to see the eye-catching architecture of St. Louis by way of the many diverse and fun architecture tours. One favorite tour among visitors is The Historic House Museums of St. Louis. You can see all the historical buildings that St. Louis has to offer. You can view as many as you would like in a day.

Although not a museum, another great architectural landmark was by George I. Barnett’s son Thomas P. Barnett, located at 3207 Washington Ave. This stunning 1920′s Spanish Mission Style Art Deco building sits on the increasingly popular Washington Avenue, and makes a tremendous sight for the architectural enthusiast.

Boomer’s Bank Developed How to eBook.

The answer is simple; use, use and use. Use is possibly the most important factor in terms of the property’s value. For your investment to be a success, you need to think of the building’s use for you as well as for your tenants. Hence, you need to also put yourself in the shoes of your customers, i.e. your tenants. To kick start things, first attain information on the demographics of the area in which you want to invest in. This should give you a basic idea of who your target audience is and will also allow you to build a general profile of your typical tenant.

With that profile in mind, think then of what the average tenant would need if he/she lives in your building. For starters, regardless of who you rent out to, people will always need basic amenities near by. Thus, you have to ensure that the apartment building you buy is located near a grocery store, entertainment facilities, medical facilities and the like. You should note that although people might have cars, they won’t like driving for more than 10 minutes to get the basic necessities. For example, in an emergency situation, no person would like to drive more than 10 minutes to get to a hospital.

Following the universal needs, you need to look a little more closely into the profile you have outlined. The more you breakdown this profile, the greater will be chances for success. For instance, if currently you feel that your building will primarily be occupied by families, then you should study the demographic data carefully to figure out what kind of families are we talking about. Will the families be newly married couples or families with school-going children? If it’s the former of the two cases, then your building should ideally be located near a good quality daycare center. Meanwhile, if it’s the latter of the two cases, then you will be best positioned if the building is a near a good quality school.

Use is possibly the most important factor when one is to make a purchase. Combine that with customer profiling, and you have the recipe for success. However, always remember that you shouldn’t venture outside your comfort zone unless you absolutely have to. Comfort zone here refers to areas with which you are familiar and have possibly had experience in previously. This point is important always but even more when you are initially starting out as a real estate investor. When starting out, stick to what you know and try out new things only when you feel you have a handle on the situation. And always, always, keep your eyes and ears open to absorb whatever information you can about your location so that you are never left in the dark.

The recession has had a negative impact on the majority of businesses here in the United States. It has unquestionably changed the way some businesses do things. But there is at least one vital aspect of business that we business owners cannot allow the economy to change.

One of the most important trends I noticed consistently in my real estate business was the number of homes sold as a percentage of the number of new leads I generated.

This one finding completely transformed my business because it allowed me to narrow my focus. Bill Gates and Warren Buffett have both said that “intense focus” was the key to their success.

Before my numbers breakthrough, I ran around every day like a chicken with its head cut off. I chased every single shiny object I saw. I would hear a new idea and I would be off to work on it. I didn’t focus on any ONE thing and therefore I didn’t make any real progress.

Based on my coaching and consulting to hundreds of real estate agents, I’ve noticed that the majority have the same problem. Especially now in these economic times, people tend to chase whatever opportunitythey think they can get their hands on.

There are a lot of shiny objects out there for us to chase. You know what I’m talking about, don’t you? Tracking numbers allowed me to break out of this cycle. I finally realized that the most important thing I could do each and every day within my business was to:

Generate New Leads

If 100 leads turned into four home sales, then 200 leads would be 8 sales. I finally had instant focus. I realized that I didn’t need fancy business cards or the latest “smart” phone to check the listings on the road.

I simply had to generate leads every single day.

This lesson has stayed with me every since. Lead generation is my number one business focus, no matter what. I do something every day to generate new leads. Generating leads for your business is exactly like feeding your body.

Don’t feed your body, and it starves. Don’t feed your business new leads, and it dies.

I realize the real estate market is slow. Do not use this as an excuse to stop marketing. This is a big mistake.

In fact, I would suggest that you market more now than you have in the past. I’m marketing my business more today than I’ve ever marketed it before. In fact, I’ve actually increased my monthly lead generation goals from 2008.

To sell more houses, you must generate more leads.

Unknown to most home buyers, the agent showing you homes can offer you two forms of representation. Your real estate agent could be working directly for you as in a buyer brokerage arrangement or they could be working in the vendor’s best interest if it is a sub agency arrangement.

In the buyer brokerage arrangement the real estate agent’s sole allegiance is to the buyer, not the seller. In a sub agency arrangement the real estate agent’s legal and fiduciary responsibility is to the seller, not the buyer. The reality is that hardly any buyer agrees to a sub agency arrangement now a days, it is almost exclusively a buyer brokerage arrangement.

A buyer’s real estate agent is usually compensated by the vendor through the listing broker. The buyer brokerage agreement that you sign will clearly outline the payment of commissions. As the purchaser it is your responsibility to discuss these different arrangements with you real estate agent.

In the vast majority of cases the selling agent also gets paid by the vendor through the listing broker. Commission is normally discussed and agreed upon when the vendor lists the property and it covers the purchaser’s and vendor’s agents. When this is the arrangement (as it is in the majority of situations) than as the purchaser it does not cost you anything to use a real estate agent.

Dual agency is another possible arrangement you may find yourself in as a buyer or seller. This is when an agent brings both sides of the deal together. One of his/her clients wants to buy the property of another one of his/her clients.

As the buyer what you should do to avoid any conflict of interest is keep the highest price that you will pay confidential from your real estate agent. As your agent has a legal obligation to disclose to the vendor any know price information. This works both ways though, as the vendor you would have to keep your lowest price confidential as your agent would have the responsibility to disclose that information to the purchaser.

In a dual agency situation most of the vendor’s information will remain confidential. The agent does not need to disclose the vendor’s motivation to sell, number of offers, value of other offers, or negotiation strategy. On the purchaser’s end some of the information will remain confidential. The agent does not need to disclose the buyer’s your urgency to buy, details about other offers they have made and their negotiation strategy.

The single greatest impact of a dual agency situation is that you as the purchaser or vendor should not disclose your final price to your agent. It may sound like a sticky situation but in the end it is pretty straight forward and should not impair your ability to buy the property that you want.

If you have not already heard the term reverse mortgage, it sounds like a strange thing. Reverse mortgages are becoming more and more popular these days, but are they scams or are they legitimate?Is it really possible to sell your house back to the bank and still retain the deed to it? Will the bank really pay YOU the mortgage payments? Let’s review what a reverse mortgage is so these questions can be answered.

The name is somewhat misleading. A reverse mortgage is a loan that is structured like a mortgage, with YOU as the lender and the BANK as the buyer. In the U.S., homeowners wanting to initiate a reverse mortgage must be at least 62 years old, and own all or most of their home. The qualifications may differ in other countries. These backwards mortgages are usually performed through a bank or broker. The senior citizen homeowner essentially sells his or her house to the bank, in return for receiving periodic mortgage payments. Sometimes the payments can be structured as a lump sum, line of credit, or a combination of the three methods.

So what are the benefits to a reverse mortgage? It provides a constant and dependable stream of retirement income. Most retirement plans such as 401(K) or Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA) generally increase in value, but are still tied to stock market. The amount of money they provide during retirement can vary. A reverse mortgage can supplement a senior citizen’s income. The amount depends on the homeowner’s age, equity of the house, interest rate on the loan, closing fees, and a few other factors.

One very common myth about the reverse mortgage is that the bank eventually takes ownership of your house. This is not true! The deed remains in your name throughout the entire term of the process. However, interest is added to the pricipal of the loan for the life of the loan.

The homeowner can remain living in the house during the entire term of the reverse mortgage. The loan becomes due only when the homeowner moves out, such as moving into a nursing home, or becomes deceased. At those times, the survivors can repay the loan themselves if they want to keep the house. They can also sell the home and repay the loan plus the interest in full. The money paid to the homeowner as mortgage payments must be repaid to the lender when the loan becomes due.

These mortgages can provide much needed financial support during retirement. It is a time when medical costs are likely to increase, as well as unexpected costs can creep up. Use a reverse mortgage to help yourself to gain the financial security in retirement that you worked so hard to achieve.

‘Tenancy In Common’,

Okay so you’ve been hearing a lot people talk about TICs of late, but you can’t seem to get a handle on the whole concept. Maybe you’re stuck deciding whether this new form of arrangement is for you or not. We’ll fret not; I’m here to rid you off all your worries by showing you whether Tenancy In Common is your cup of tea.

So what does the arrangement, ‘Tenancy In Common’, basically do? Well it’s quite simple; TICs allow an investor to own a property and maintain the rights of a sole owner even though the property has multiple owners. Such an arrangement has numerous advantages and some drawbacks as well, the extent of each varying with each particular situation.

However, before we jump the gun and dive into the unknown, ask yourself what you want and analyze your own personality. If you are a highly-driven person who must have complete management control then TICs might not suit you as real estate investment in this arrangement is managed by a professional management company. This company, known henceforth as the Sponsor, negotiates on the behalf of owners and manages the investment on a day-to-day basis. Therefore if you are adamant about taking each and every decision pertaining to the investment, or you feel you must negotiate everything, then its better you walk away from TIC arrangements.

On the contrary, if you know the ins and outs of real estate but have grown weary of managing investments on a daily basis, then TICs are the ideal option for you. Unlike LLCs where if you become the general partner you might have to leave the daily running to an under-qualified individual, TIC management is looked after by highly-competent professionals (the Sponsors) who know all the ropes there are to know.

Additionally, these Sponsors have other added-benefits. For one, since they deal with many properties, they boast considerable leverage with financial institutions. Thus, the Sponsors are able to attain very favorable lending terms for your investment. Moreover, since they are professionals, they bring in reliable tenants who in turn, offer a reliable monthly cash flow.

The issue of management aside, before you go for a TIC arrangement, you need to ask yourself whether you have it in you to stay in it for the long run. Unlike other forms of real estate arrangements, TICs require you to invest for at least 2 to 10 years. On the positive side though, you get to enjoy various tax breaks during this time which other investments arrangements may not offer.

Similarly, while TIC arrangements usually have minimum equity requirements of $100,000, they offer you the chance to diversify your portfolio and hence reduce your risks considerably. Additionally, TICs also give you the chance to deal in better quality real estate and act as an easy stepping stone for on-the-move investors. However, before you invest through a TIC, you will first need to see how comfortable you are with dealing with strangers. While LLCs are usually formed with people you know or are acquainted with, TICs are arrangements in which the group of owners will generally be unknown to you. So if you are one of those people who afraid of the unknown, then TICs might not be for.

Remember though, that most people who achieve great level of success in this business tend to venture into the unknown sooner rather than later. To conclude our discussion; the decision to take up a TIC arrangement will rely on the kind of person you are as well as on the kind of person you aspire to be. Analyze yourself and analyze your goals, see where you are right now and decide where you want to be in the next five or ten years; based on that, take your decision. Always remember that fortune only favors the brave!

Spanish revival architecture is hugely popular in California, and increasingly across the nation. The mission revival style and colonial revival styles grew in popularity at the beginning of the 20th century, but people today still chose to emulate the Spanish style when building their homes and public establishments.

Why do people continue to use this Spanish style? I argue that the Spanish colonial style represents the very beginnings of the United States on the west coast, and this time in the US history continues to spark people’s imaginations. The aesthetic elements are iconic, and people still commission architects to create the homes of their dreams in this style.

The Spanish Colonial Revival style was created in the United States in the 20th century, and it was sparked after the opening of the Panama Canal. The novel Ramona also had a great influence on the popularity of this architectural style. The early Spanish colonies of North and South America had their particular style of architecture brought from the homeland, and this style was then updated to accommodate the new century in the US.

Between 1915 and 1931 this style was all the rage, and movie stars in Hollywood clamored to get their Hollywood hills homes built in this style. Mostly the single-level detached home saw this style. On a personal note, my own grandmother has one of these homes in California, and it’s pink!

The Spanish Colonial Revival style is very similar to the Spanish Mission Revival style, but with a few key differences. It’s also similar to the pueblo styles of the west and southwest, and influenced as well by the arts and crafts movement that was the foundation of these architectural styles. The iconic use of smooth plaster, stucco walls, and chimney finishes, clay tile roofs, terra cotta and concrete ornaments is still a highly noticeable, recognizable style. Other elements include porches and balconies, and Roman arcades and fountains. You’ll also see canvas awnings.

George Washington Smith was the most significant Spanish Revival architect in California. He applied his techniques during the 1920′s and 1930′s. The Steedman House in Montecito, CA is possibly his most celebrated house and isnow a museum called the Casa del Herrero.

Other architects also transferred the Spanish style across the entire world. For instance, the lovely Spanish Revival building in St. Louis. Its architect T.P. Barnett, was the son of George I. Barnett who was another renowned architect in St. Louis.

The T.P. Barnett building is very interesting because it also contains Art Deco influences, which makes it one of the most astonishing buildings in the Grand Center region of St. Louis. The next time you’re in St. Louis, you will certainly need to visit this Spanish Revival building on Washington Avenue.

If you are a homeowner and undertaking renovating your house, you must have become aware of the rubble, paint stains and other things spread around the house along with the heavy machinery being used which adds to destruction of the furniture, paint work, and other valuables in the house.

As the owner if you happen to be living in the house during the reconstruction phase, you need to make certain that there is no or minimal harm done to your house or to your possessions which are in the house that may necessitate spending needless money and time to get fixed later on. You can adopt a few safety measures to protect yourself from confronting such circumstances by following the suggestions given below:

1. Select a room or an area of the house as a starting point for the reconstruction work. Don’t start renovation of the entire house at the same time, if you do this you will not have a place to stay and the entire house will become inaccessible. Besides, getting work done a step at a time is simpler, especially if you are residing in the house while the reconstruction work is being done. The work area should be sealed off from the rest of the house to prevent grime from spreading throughout the house. Close all doors and windows of the room or area where work is being done, and cover them with plastic sheets. Ensure all vents, grates, and heating ducts are also sealed off.

2. Transfer all those items that can be easily moved from the renovation area. These may consist of domestic devices, kitchen utensils, personal stuff and toys as well as small pieces of furniture etc. Cover everything left in the area with covering material by investing in temporary protective materials that will protect them during the renovation process. You can foam to cover the door frames and railings, as well as adhesive sheets to cover floors, windows, worktops, and other surfaces. This will help to prevent any damage from occurring which may result due to any heavy item colliding with them while being moved, or from paint staining them during a paint job.

3. Place a damp mat outside the door opening into the building area to remove the dust from the dirty shoes that would otherwise be carried into the house. You can also request the builders to lightly mist the areas before they start work to reduce the quantity of dust that will be released in the air.

4. If there is a garden, cover it with a drop cloth to save it from wreckage and harm. Furthermore, this will stop lead from entering into the soil. Set up limits that you want the builders to avoid trespassing by marking them with tape. Make sure you tell them to keep any materials they are using away from this area. This will go a long way in helping to protect your garden.

5. Make sure, the workers clean the work site at the end of the day so you can use it in the evening. Collect all the debris and throw it away every day to prevent it from piling up.

Caring for your home during a renovation venture is not very complex if you plan ahead of time, and make sure that the builders follow your directives. By following this advice you can keep your home habitable even whilst it is being renovated.

When you are in the market for a new home or are placing your home on the market for sale, a real estate agent can be a valuable resource to help you sort through the maze of negotiations and processes of buying or selling a home. A real estate agent is a licensed professional who is especially trained and is usually an expert on the market in which they cover.

Engaging the services of a real estate agent is an important decision and one that should not be taken lightly. Whether you are buying or selling a home, they will be an important part of the process. If you are selling a home, they will aggressively market your home and make sure that it is properly listed and that it will attract qualified buyers. If you are buying a home, they will provide you with their expertise on the local market and represent you once the negotiations come around for the home.

If you are selling a home, a real estate agent will make sure your home is listed prominently and handle all the marketing aspects to selling your home. They will find qualified buyers and handle all the negotiations and try their utmost to get the best price for you. When selecting a real estate agent to represent you, it’s a good idea to see what their track record is for selling homes in your area. You can do this by doing a little research and asking around about a particular agent. You may also want to interview several agents and ask them questions about their knowledge of the market and how they plan to market your home. It’s important to get a good feel for how the agent will work for you to aggressively sell your home, especially in a tight and competitive market that there is right now.

If you are buying a home, you may want to enlist the services of a buyer’s real estate agent. These agents represent buyers and will search for homes that are in your price range and that you can get financing for. They will also represent your interests at the negotiating table when it comes time to close the deal. It’s a good idea to enlist the services of a buyer’s agent if you are new to the market or moving to an unfamiliar territory and need some extra expertise as you go about the process of buying your home.

A real estate agent is a valuable resource no matter whether you are buying or selling. They are tapped into the marketplace and know about property values, community resources, schools and taxes which are all important considerations when you are purchasing a home. They can also be of great value when marketing your home by presenting its features and benefits as well as expounding on the benefits of the community and answering buyer’s inquiries.

Once you have found the licensed real estate agent for you, interview them a little bit and ask important questions such as how long they have been practicing in their area and what their overall take on the market is. The more you know about the agent, the better the service you are likely to get. A good real estate agent that will represent the buyer’s interest will truly have your best interest at heart when you are shopping around for a new home and will show you properties in your price range and in communities and neighborhoods that meet your needs.

Living in an apartment brings a whole new meaning to the old saying that necessity is the mother of invention. Space is limited at best and if youre living with others, it can be downright scarce. Heres a few space saving tips for apartment living.

Use only as much appliance as you need. If youre single, a small refrigerator and freezer combination will be all the cold space you need. The same holds true for a washer and dryer. Get a stackable unit in a small size that will accommodate your clothing. Taking up much-needed apartment space with an oversized washer and dryer set that is seldom filled is only a waste of both money and space.

Have the space under your bed do double duty. It can keep you off the ground but also serve as a great storage space for shoes, sweats, or anything small enough to fit. Large, flat plastic storage boxes are ideal for under-the-bed storage.

Install floor-to-ceiling shelving. This will get a lot of your loose stuff up off the floor where youll always be tripping over it. Utilizing the vertical space in your apartment as well as the horizontal space is a great way to get rid of the cluttered appearance.

If your phone wont fit on a shelf, hang it on the wall. Its the same principle. Go up the wall instead of out into the room. Substitute climbing plants like philodendrons that require only a small pot and a place to tie them up along the shelving and avoid plants that need big pots and a lot of floor space.

Store as much of your personal property off site as possible. A storage unit under lock and key can be a real answer to the need for more space. Put items that you dont need on a daily basis or that you wont need during the current weather conditions into one of these usually dry, secure compartments.

Allow for a small closet to be the junk collector. A tidy closet is just the out-of-sight place to store anything and everything that is otherwise out in the open where you dont want it. Make sure the door stays shut to keep what is out of sight, out of mind.

Expand where you can. If your apartment has a patio, use it, weather permitting. Some furniture does fine outside during summer weather and may even be okay if its covered with a large plastic tarp or fitted furniture cover when the weather isnt so nice.

If you can afford to buy food in smaller containers, do it. A small box of Cheerios takes up a lot less cupboard room than the family size box.