“He wanted to preserve the beauty of the land” instead of selling to commercial
or residential developers, Stealey’s wife, Janet, said this week. “He’s pretty
happy with it.”

Two years earlier, Stealey, who now is 90, donated half of the tract and a
family trust sold the other half to the county for $1.27 million.

That mix of philanthropy and taxpayer money has continued to fuel the system,
which started almost from scratch in 1997 and now has eight parks in operation
and land set aside for six more.

Most are on the periphery of the county’s population centers. The most recent
acquisitions, announced last month, eventually will become two new parks near
New Melle: a 67-acre donation by David Wolk, a retired manufacturer’s
representative, and his wife, Mary Jane Wolk, and a 175-acre purchase from
other owners.

Most of the county’s parks avoid duplicating more intense activities already
offered in parks run by the county’s larger cities, such as swimming pools and
ball fields, and emphasize hiking, bicycling, fishing and other quieter uses.

DONATED LAND IS WORTH $15 MILLION

“Our goal was to have some wide-open spaces where people could get away from
the hectic pace of everyday life and the urbanized, suburbanized daily
existence,” said former County Executive Joe Ortwerth, who pushed for the
system during his 12-year tenure that ended in 2006.

That was also the goal of a park advisory committee. A key was county voters’
approval in 1997 of a use tax earmarked specifically for park operations,
purchase and construction. The tax, a sales tax on out-of-state purchases, is
paid mainly by businesses.

Since then, use tax revenue has funded about $8 million in parkland purchases
while $11 million for that purpose has come from a general sales tax. More than
$15 million in land has been donated.

Richard Dolesh, chief of public policy for the National Recreation and Park
Association, said such quick park development usually happens in fast-growing
suburban areas like St. Charles County.

He added that the “large tradition for public support” for parks in neighboring
St. Louis County might have carried over to St. Charles County because of a
“public expectation” for certain standards of service.

When the St. Charles County parks department was formed in 1997, the county
already owned two park properties. One was a 49-acre flood buyout area near the
Mississippi River known as Hideaway Harbor and acquired after the 1993 flood.
The other was a steep-hilled, hard-to-access site near Defiance called Matson
Hill Park that was acquired in 1973 but wasn’t used much until new trails were
added in recent years.

FUTURE PROJECTS

Quail Ridge includes rolling prairie land, wooded hills and a creek and
features a lake, fishing pond, a disc golf course, an off-leash dog area and a
lodge used for wedding receptions and other events. Last year, the National
Horseshoe Pitchers Association moved its hall of fame museum to the park.

Quail Ridge was followed by the opening of the Youth Activity Park in Dardenne
Prairie in 2003; Klondike Park near Augusta in 2004; Indian Camp Creek Park in
the county’s northwestern corner in 2006 and Broemmelsiek Park southwest of
O’Fallon in 2007. Last year, the county began managing the state’s long-ignored
Bangert Island wildlife area south of downtown St. Charles.

The youth park is an exception to the emphasis on passive recreation, featuring
a large skateboard area, sand volleyball courts, rock climbing and other
athletic facilities. The county misstepped a bit by originally restricting it
most of the time to its target audience — kids 12 to 18. After attendance
lagged, the county began letting the general public in all but one night a week.

Expected to open next spring or summer are Towne Park in northwest St. Charles
County and the Heritage Center history museum near the Page Avenue extension
and Highway 94 south of St. Charles.

In line for future years are Spring Bend Park, along the Missouri River near
Page; Freymuth Park, northwest of O’Fallon, and the two new tracts near New
Melle. One will be called Sundust Park Preserve and the other has yet to be
named.

County Parks Director Bettie Yahn-Kramer says she’d like to also add parkland
in the Portage des Sioux-West Alton area and around Josephville, north of Lake
Saint Louis.

The county’s goal is to extend its current park acreage of 2,855 to 4,000 — or
nearly a third of the acreage in St. Louis County’s system. That corresponds to
the relative populations of the two counties.

“Once we get to that, we can decide how much further we can go,” said Steve
Ehlmann, who succeeded Ortwerth as county executive and has continued the
acquisition program.

September 28, 2009

“BE WILLING TO MAKE DECISIONS.” General George Patton. And that’s exactly what the Fed did last week at their regularly scheduled Federal Open Market Committee meeting. But just what did they decide…and what do their decisions mean for home loan rates?

The Fed said they are going to ration out the remaining commitment of Mortgage Backed Security purchases through the first quarter of 2010. There will be no additional buying, but instead, a longer weaning off of the program. There was some speculation about the Fed increasing the amount of buying above the $1.25T committed to, and last week’s statement is the Fed’s nice way of saying “no.” They will not be buying more in quantity, but what they will do is attempt to provide a smoother transition to normal market conditions.

It is a given that once the Fed ceases its purchases, that interest rates will climb significantly higher…most likely back above the 6% area. So instead of a hard transition with a large bump in rates, the Fed is attempting to allow rates to gradually rise. This means that waiting to purchase or refinance will very likely mean a higher interest rate.

Their decision also means that the Fed’s remaining purchases will all be lower in quantity, as the remaining allotment for purchases will be spread over a longer period of time – and additionally, will not necessarily be spread out as evenly as their past purchases – which could lead to more volatility for rates in the near term.

In other news, Existing Home Sales and New Home Sales were reported slightly less than expected, but both reports continue to show signs of an improving housing market. The inventory of unsold existing homes fell to its lowest inventory level since April 2007, while the inventory of unsold new homes dropped to its lowest level since January 2007. While some of the decline in new home inventory may be due to builders constructing fewer homes – these reports indicate that the housing market is indeed showing signs of life.

Remember, with home loan rates still low – but slated to increase with the Fed’s recent decision – as well as a juicy tax credit for First Time Home Buyers that is going to expire on November 30th, it makes sense to get off the fence if you’ve been considering a purchase or refinance. 

September 25, 2009

Payne Family Homes announced the addition of Meghan Edwards as Community Sales Manager at The Townes at Belleau Creek, the builder’s popular St. Charles County new-home community.  

A graduate of Missouri State University, Edwards has been in the new home sales industry for more than five years.  She holds the distinction of being awarded both Rookie of the Year and New Homes Sales Person of the Year from the St Louis Association of Home Builders. Meghan is a Certified Sales Professional (CSP), a designation bestowed by the National Sales and Marketing Council of the National Association of Home Builders.  She is a resident of South County.

 The Townes at Belleau Creek is a charming multi-village new home neighborhood featuring two-story and 1 ½-story detached cottage homes priced from the $140,000s. Conveniently located in St. Peters, Belleau Creek is only minutes from I-70 and Highway 40 centered between the dining, shopping, entertainment of both Highway K and Mid Rivers Mall Drive.

 Ed Lott, Payne Family Homes Vice President of Sales and Marketing, president of sales and marketing for Payne Family Homes, notes that “Meghan Edwards will be a tremendous asset to our team.  She has an excellent track record as a top sales professional with two of our area’s largest and best-known home builders. We’re excited to have her expertise in providing our homebuyers with an exceptional new homebuying  experience.�

Payne Family Homes is a St. Charles-based homebuilder with six well-located communities in St. Charles, St. Peters and Cottleville.  Other communities include Bordeaux Condominiums, The Crossing at Heritage Pointe, The Meadows at Ohmes Farm, The Enclave at Heritage and Tuscany.  All Payne Family Homes neighborhoods are served by a AAA-rated school district and are located in one of Money Magazine’s “100 Best Places to Live in America.�  Visit www.paynefamilyhomes.com.

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September 24, 2009

Check out this excellent resource from St Louis Homes and Lifestyles Magazine on where to get anything and everything fixed:

http://www.stlmagathome.com/media/At-Home/September-October-2006/Where-To-Get-Anything-and-Everything-Fixed/

 

 

 

http://www.stpetersmo.net/UploadedMedia/15506_SeniorFair10-09-b.pdf

The $ 8,000 Federal Tax Credit appears to be doing its job in stimulating demand for housing. The last time a credit of this magnitude was offered was in 1975 and it cured a then record supply of housing.

When housing moves it benefits all of us regardless of what industry we represent – so many related businesses and people that work in them prosper.

On December 1, 2009 the current $ 8,000 Federal Tax Credit incentive expires.

RIGHT NOW Congress is receptive to extending the credit.

Please call this toll free number 1-866-924-6242 and urge your congress representative to extend the credit to all homes of all prices, not just first time buyers.

THIS ONLY TAKES 3 MINUTES!!!

3 Minutes from everyone = Critical Mass and Leverage!

Thanks for supporting this endeavor!

 

National Association of Realtors Statistics

 

 

INTERNET – An overwhelming majority (87%) of recent home buyers in the US say they used the internet as an information resource during their home-buying process

 

BUYERS – When asked where they first learned about the home they purchased, 34% of buyers said a real-estate agent; 32% cited the internet; 15% said from yard signs; 7% said from a friend, neighbor or relative; 7% said home builders; 3% said from a print or newspaper ad; 2% learned directly from the seller; and 1% from a home book or magazine.

 

SALES WITHOUT PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE : The actual number of homes sold without professional assistance is 7%.

 

NAR mailed an eight-page questionnaire in August 2008 to a national sample of 133,000 home buyers and sellers who purchased their homes between July 2007 and June 2008. The following statistics are based on the 8 page questionnaire sent out

 

The Olympic Secret of Happiness (2002)

The happiness secret of the bronze medal winners

 I kick off my keynote workshops with the following question:

 

After the gold medal winner, who is happier at the Olympics?
• The silver medal winner
• The bronze medal winner

 

Then I draw out responses from the audience. Some pick the silver medal winner. Some pick the bronze. Occasionally someone chooses the coach or even the audience. One participant recently shouted out, “The sponsors!”

The correct answer is that the bronze medal winner tends to be happier than the silver medal winner, according to research conducted in 1995. When I ask the audience why they think this might be, they always understand the answer. The silver medal winner can taste the gold she missed. She is thinking, “No, no, no. I missed.”

Meanwhile, the bronze medal winner is clinging for dear life to his medal as if it was the edge of a cliff overlooking the abyss of nobodyhood. He is thinking, “Oh thank God I made it. I almost missed out on a medal, but at least I’m an Olympic medalist.” This is the secret of happiness  

 

The secret of happiness on display at the rink

The question takes on a whole new meaning, thanks to the Salt Lake City Olympics. In case you were hibernating when the big scandal hit the news, Jamie Salé and David Pelletier skated the perfect pairs program. The Canadian pair was flawless and they knew it. The crowd cheered: “SIX! SIX! SIX!”. The television commentators gave them the gold medal. But the judges gave the gold to the Russian pair.

Thunk! That is the sound of Salé’s and Pelletier’s expectations hitting the floor. Oh sure, they showed class, rejoicing in the success of their flawless performance and telling the world how proud they were of their silver medal. But if athletes who earn their silver medals with silver medal performances are somewhat disappointed, how much more so were Salé and Pelletier who knew they had earned solid gold?

Meanwhile, Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo skated to a triumphant bronze – triumphant because it was the first time ever that China picked up an Olympic medal of any color in pairs figure skating. So if bronze medal winners normally feel grateful and relieved for their medal, these two heroes felt pure joy sending their country into the medal circle for the first time?

This strange coincidence of events illustrates even more dramatically than usual that bronze medal winners tend to feel more happiness than silver medal winners. But this same turn of events obscures the reason why this is so.

 

Manage your expectations of success for maximum happiness

The point I make with the question up front is that we can measure our daily happiness, and to some degree control it, by the yardsticks we use as measurements. That’s the secret of happiness. The unusual reasons to celebrate bronze and sulk over silver this year should not obscure the lesson for the rest of us.

 

Olympic-style happiness

As in the Olympics, there are gold, silver and bronze medals in daily life. Gold is absolute success, like when you land the big contract that will keep your company afloat for several years to come. Or when you score a prom date with the homecoming queen. Or when your child comes home with straight As on his report card.

The silver medal is nothing to turn up your nose at, though. It is still success: another contract that will keep business humming happily along; a date with another lovely lady (whom the judges mistakenly failed to name homecoming queen, perhaps?); or a full set of fairly good marks on your child’s report card.

Bronze medals come in every situation, as well. It may not be much, but it is a contract. At least you have a date. And your child passed every subject. Each is an example of success, too

In our dog eat dog world, we are taught to be perfectionists, to give 110 percent, to strive to be number one. If you are a perfectionist, second place may not be good enough for you. You may not be satisfied unless you land the big contract, the perfect date, or straight As. However, if you are not a god, you probably will have to be satisfied with less than perfection. Or, you can choose to be dissatisfied. It remains your choice.

I prefer to be satisfied with all my imperfections and call them successes rather than mope around dissatisfied with them. That does not mean giving up, by the way. I do aim for top spot. I do give 110 percent. But I choose to accept my limitations rather than be unhappy about them.

As hard as it was, Salé and Pelletier tried to be satisfied with their silver medal. In the end, they did not have to. The International Olympic Committee stepped in to stem the growing public outcry by suspending a French judge who admitted cheating. The IOC awarded the Canadian pair with a gold medal, sharing it with the Russian pair.

An Olympic event with no silver medal winner? Hmm. Maybe that’s the secret of happiness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE SECRET OF HAPPINESS: Discover the happiness secret shared by all Olympic bronze medal winners

 

PAYNE FAMILY HOMES WINS TWO AWARDS FOR QUALITY CONSTRUCTION

Homebuilder Receives Professional’s Choice Awards from Home Builders Association

 

            Payne Family Homes, one of the area’s fastest growing homebuilders, has been honored with two prestigious awards for excellence in construction.  Payne models at the Bordeaux Condominiums in Cottleville and The Townes at Belleau Creek in St. Peters were chosen by the Home Builders Association of St. Louis & Eastern Missouri to receive Professional’s Choice Awards for construction quality.

            The prestigious annual HBA Professional’s Choice Award competition is judged by a panel of professional inspectors.  Payne Family Homes is the only homebuilder to receive multiple Professional’s Choice Awards in this year’s competition. 

            According to Scott Kerns, General Manager, “At Payne Family Homes, we know that stylish design and exceptional locations are very important to today’s homebuyers.  However, perhaps most important of all is the quality that we build in every home.  Our goal is always to exceed our buyers’ expectations when it comes to outstanding construction.  It is a great honor to be recognized by such a respected organization as the Home Builders Association.�

            At The Townes at Belleau Creek, judges selected the Givry model for a Professional’s Choice Award.  The 1,932-square-foot display is a detached cottage home featuring four bedrooms, 2 ½ baths, and a low-maintenance lifestyle.  The neighborhood is conveniently located off Belleau Creek Road, 1.1 miles south of I-70.  Prices start in the $140,000’s.

            At Bordeaux Condominiums, Payne’s Unit Type B was also selected for a Professional’s Choice Award.  These uniquely designed homes, with two bedrooms and two baths, are known for their rare combination of exceptional value and excellent construction, with prices starting in the $109,000’s.  To reach Bordeaux Condominiums, take I-70 west to left on Mid Rivers Mall Drive, to left on Ohmes Road. 

Payne Family Homes is a St. Charles-based homebuilder with six well-located communities in St. Charles, St. Peters and Cottleville.   In addition to The Townes at Belleau Creek and Bordeaux Condominiums, communities includeThe Pointe at Heritage Crossing, The Meadows at Ohmes Farm, The Enclave at Heritage and Tuscany.  All Payne Family Homes neighborhoods are served by an AAA-rated school district and are located in one of Money Magazine’s “100 Best Places to Live in America.�  For information, call 636-916-1164, or visit www.paynefamilyhomes.com.

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