Archive for the ‘Missouri Housing Market’ Category

Housing Production Regains Strength in June

Wednesday, July 27th, 2011

Courtesy of the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB), we thought we’d share some positive news about the housing industry!  Nationally, single family housing starts posted a 9.4% gain to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 453,000 units in June, their best pace since November of 2010.  Starts activity improved across every region in country in June, with the Midwest posting a 25.3 percent gain. Great news!

To read the entire news release from the NAHB, please click here.

Only 8 Opportunities Remain!

Friday, May 27th, 2011

There’s no time to waste for anyone interested in owning a home in The Estates of Uthoff Valley, Payne Family Homes’ newest offering in Fenton.  The upscale development opened for sales on April 16 and by mid-May was already half-sold!

 

So, what’s attracting buyers to Uthoff Valley?  Quite simply, everything!  According to community sales manager Donna Cusumano, the landscape is “gorgeous” and showcases a considerable amount of mature trees and common ground.Entrance to The Estates of Uthoff Valley

 

The cul-de-sac neighborhood has no through-streets and is tucked above and between the city’s RiverChase Recreation Center and picturesque Westside Park.  Walking/biking trails lead from the community entrance to both popular recreational venues.

 

Uthoff Valley’s 14 generous walkout and in-grade homesites vary in size from approximately one-third to two-thirds of an acre, creating dramatic settings for Payne’s exciting Lifestyle II design collection.  “These sites are absolutely stunning!” Cusumano enthused.  “Every one is unique and has its own distinctive qualities.”

 

Due to the phenomenal sales pace, no display is planned for the community, which is being marketed from the builder’s display center at nearby Ashton Woods in Eureka.  But shoppers will soon be able to see the streetscape taking shape.  This month, construction of the first four customer-owned homes and an inventory model will begin at Uthoff Valley.

 

These initial homes will represent four of the six Lifestyle II designs offered, emphasizing the portfolio’s broad-based appeal.  “With so much variety, this neighborhood is going to have fabulous curb appeal,” Cusumano noted.

 

Starting from $319,900, the ranch, story-&-a-half, and 2-story plans provide three or four bedrooms and 2028 to 3388 square feet of living area.  Most include a 3-car tandem garage with the option of a 4-car version, and even owners with fewer vehicles appreciate the additional space, which can be used for any number of purposes, including motorcycle or boat storage or a workshop.  

 

Homes in the Lifestyle collection are distinguished by their stylish elevations, outstanding utilization of space, light-filled interiors, and well-planned, open kitchens.  The for-sale inventory will be a 3090-square-foot “Montego II” story-&-a-half with four bedroom and 2-1/2 baths, scheduled for delivery in early October.

 

“Uthoff Valley’s location is another huge attraction,” Cusumano added.  “Just minutes south of I-44 and less than a half-mile east of Bowles Avenue, everything you could possibly need is virtually at your doorstep.”  The community is served by the award-winning Rockwood School District, and Uthoff Valley Elementary is within walking distance.

 

For more information, click here and Donna welcomes inquiries at 314.565.8465.

Read the Signs: Home Buying in 2011

Wednesday, December 29th, 2010

Buying a home is undoubtedly one of the biggest (if not the biggest) financial decisions you will make in your lifetime. Often associated both with excitement and uncertainty, it’s a decision that certainly requires significant amounts of time, effort and confidence (okay, and money). But as they say, the first step is always the hardest. So with the help of the Home Buying Institute, we compiled a short list of signs that will help you know whether 2011 is your year to buy.

You’re doing your homework. You have taken the time to research the local housing market for your current (or future) city. Was the market in the majority that bottomed out during the housing bust, or was it lucky enough to stay relatively stable? Keeping track of recent trends and current conditions will only help you try to predict how the coming year will play out and to find the home of your dreams.

You’re an expert at mortgage options. Okay, so you don’t have to be an expert—but you’ve assessed your short- and long-term plans and have decided whether a fixed or adjustable rate mortgage is best for you. If this home is to be yours for the long term, consider the fixed rate; if it’s a shorter-term investment, it may be worth the calculated risk of an ARM.

This is the right move. You’ve considered all other options, and the thought and logic behind owning your own new home is the best decision for you at this time. The thrill and excitement of owning your own home matches perfectly with the house you have chosen!

Again, there are many other signs that can help you decide whether 2011 is the right time to buy for you. Are you planning to buy in 2011? If so, what factors helped you make this decision?

Payne Family Homes’ Julie Jones Wins Two Prestigious Awards By Home Builders

Friday, October 22nd, 2010


Julie Jones, community sales manager at Payne Family Homes’ The Pointe at Heritage Crossing and at Bella Vista in St. Charles County, has been named “New Home Salesperson of the Year” in the competition sponsored by the Home Builders Association of St. Louis & Eastern Missouri’s Sales & Marketing Council.

The prestigious annual award selects the top new home salesperson based on sales numbers, as well as challenges, community involvement and personal sales attributes.  From July 2009-June 2010, Jones was responsible for selling 22 homes, with a dollar volume of $5,140,277.
According to Ed Lott, vice president of sales and marketing, “Julie’s personable style and her knowledge of the business puts homebuyers at ease, so it is no surprise that she won this honor. We’re proud to have Julie on our team of professionals.”

 

Jones was also recently honored by the Home Builders Association of St. Louis & Eastern Missouri’s Sales & Marketing Council for having the largest total amount of homes closed and/or highest dollar volume sold from July 2009 to June 2010.

The HBA’s annual Sales & Marketing Merchandising and Advertising and Pacesetters Awards program recognizes professionals and companies who excel in the areas of sales and marketing in the home building industry. The prestigious annual award selects the top new home salesperson based on sales numbers, as well as challenges, community involvement and personal sales attributes. 

Lott also commented, “Julie closed 22 new homes over the past year, which is a company record. Her ability to guide homebuyers through the process of making one of the largest purchases of their lives makes her an outstanding member of the Payne Family Homes sales team.”

 

Jones is a graduate of Oakville High School and Southeast Missouri State University and has been in new-home sales for nearly 10 years. She joined Payne Family Homes in 2009 and was previously the Online Sales Consultant for a major St. Louis home builder. The Pointe at Heritage Crossing, located on Highway 94 in St. Charles, offers single-family homes and luxury villas priced from the 179,000s to $240,000s. Bella Vista is conveniently located just minutes from Highway 94 and the Page Avenue Extension in St. Peters and offers the all-new Lifestyle Series of single-family homes from the $180,000s.

 

To contact Julie Jones, call 314-482-0769 or visit www.paynefamilyhomes.com.

Payne Family Homes’ Lauren Johnson Named Rookie of the Year By Home Builders

Thursday, October 21st, 2010


Lauren Johnson, community sales manager at Payne Family Homes’ Bordeaux Condominiums in St. Peters, has been named Rookie of the Year in the competition sponsored by the Home Builders Association of St. Louis & Eastern Missouri’s Sales & Marketing Council. 


The prestigious annual award selects the top rookie new home salesperson based on sales numbers, as well as challenges, community involvement and personal sales attributes.  From July 2009-June 2010, Johnson was responsible for selling 36 homes, with a dollar volume of $4,067,500.


Johnson also has been honored previously by the HBA, including earning its Sales & Marketing Council’s Seven Figure Award for New Home Sales and its New Home Top Sales Performance Awards of the Month for both units and dollars sold.


Johnson came to Payne Family Homes from McBride & Son, where she was a top salesperson and where she also earned the company’s Strategic Communications and Marketing Excellence Award.  Prior to that, Johnson was a real estate agent at Keller Williams Realty.


A resident of O’Fallon, Johnson is active in the Delta Gamma Alumni Association, where she is vice president Foundation and oversees the Delta Gamma Center for Visually Impaired Children.  She also is a member of the Gateway Interactive Marketing Association and the Public Relations Society of America, and has been involved in the current Amendment 3 campaign.


A graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia with a B.A. degree in communications and history, Johnson received her M.A. degree in communications from Webster University. 


According to Ed Lott, Payne Family  Homes Vice President of Sales & Marketing, “We are tremendously fortunate to have an exceptional talent like Lauren Johnson on our sales team.  Her sales figures are a definite testament to her success.  However, perhaps most important is her ability to relate to our customers and to make their new home buying experience as exciting and streamlined as possible.  We consistently get rave reviews about Lauren’s enthusiasm and helpfulness from our buyers.”


Payne Family Homes has eight well-located communities in St. Charles and St. Louis Counties.  Neighborhoods include Bordeaux Condominiums, Tuscany, The Pointe at Heritage Landing, The Enclave at Heritage, The Meadows at Ohmes Farm, The Townes at Belleau Creek, Bella Vista and Ashton Woods.  All Payne Family Homes neighborhoods are served by an AAA-rated school district and most are located in one of Money Magazine’s “100 Best Places to Live in America.”  For information, call 314-417-1218, or visit the ‘Contact Us’ page at www.paynefamilyhomes.com.

Payne Family’s Bordeaux Condominiums: HOMEBUYING MADE EASY – AND FUN!

Wednesday, October 20th, 2010

Meet Bill
Meet “Busch Stadium Bill,” an ardent Cardinals fan, season ticket holder, and proud new homeowner at Bordeaux Condominiums, Payne Family Homes’ easy-maintenance community in Cottleville.

Bill Sanford has spent his entire 32-year professional career in Military Sales. As a retail sales representative for Nestle Food Company, his territory includes major military bases throughout Missouri and Illinois.

The father of three grown children, Bill had lived in a rental condo for the past decade and was ready for ownership again. When not on the road, he basically works from home, so his “shopping list” was very specific, starting with quick access to major highways.

Bill wanted the privacy of a smaller neighborhood and enough square footage to allow for both living and office space – plus his extensive collection of Cardinal memorabilia!

The carefree condominium lifestyle was essential. “I haven’t had to do any outside maintenance for ten years, so this was definitely a factor,” he stated. (And, of course, it gives him more time to indulge his passion for Cards games, workouts at the nearby St. Peters Rec-Plex, and other leisure activities.)

This past spring, the federal first-time homebuyer credit prompted Bill to make his investment. He’d read an ad for Bordeaux, researched Payne Family Homes, and visited the community in March, when the second of seven planned buildings was still under construction.

Purchasing early, Bill was able to select a first-floor unit (also on his “list”) with a fabulous view overlooking Bordeaux’s lake, fountains, and the adjacent Woodlands Sports Park and Tony Glavin soccer fields (another perk, since Bill’s a former soccer player).

Reflecting on his homebuilding experience, he describes community sales manager Lauren Johnson as “fantastic!” “And [superintendent] Bruce Wilson is a super guy – topnotch!” he adds. “I think very highly of him.”

When governmental red tape threatened to delay Bill’s June 30th closing deadline for the federal credit, Payne Family’s general manager, Scott Kerns, stepped in promptly to resolve the issue. “Everyone was just great!” Bill concludes.

Surrounded by autographed baseballs, framed photos of Cardinal greats, and a vast array of other team souvenirs, Bill has been enjoying his new home for three months – where he’s already greeted by neighbors as “Busch Stadium Bill.”

Bordeaux Condominiums is superbly located off Ohmes Road, 1/3-mile west of Mid Rivers Mall Drive. The award-winning community is distinguished by its Tuscan-inspired architecture, and each three-story building consists of only 12 garden-style condominiums.

Payne’s feature-packed 2-bedroom, 2-bath plans provide 1064 to 1257 square feet of living space, and a current promotion offers $10,000 off the base price of any to-be-built home in the third building, now under construction. Sale pricing starts from just $121,400.

Two move-in-ready inventories are also available and sale-priced in the recently completed second building. Both are top-floor homes and showcase a vaulted living/dining area. Another model has been halted at drywall, enabling its future owner to choose all interior finishes.

Covered parking may be purchased, and a modest monthly assessment provides residents with a host of exterior and common area services, including grounds care, snow and trash removal, and maintenance of the lake, fountains, and walking trail.

Bordeaux Condominiums is served by top-ranked Francis Howell schools, and the St. Charles Community College campus is literally within walking distance. For added convenience, Mid Rivers Mall Drive is lined with shopping centers; golf courses are instantly accessible; and the Mall is a mere five minutes away.

Payne Family Homes wants to thank Bill for sharing his story with us! If you are like Bill, and a Bordeaux Condominium would be a perfect fit for you, visit our ‘Contact Us’ tab for more information.

Giving Back to Those Who Give So Much: Military Can Still Buy and Save with Federal Housing Tax Credit

Friday, October 15th, 2010

Created to give those who serve our country all the help they need when purchasing a new home, after they’ve served our country in such an amazing way, we wanted to remind everyone that the government has extended the Federal Housing Tax Credit to all qualified service members.

“Congress recognized that many service members may have missed out on the home buyer tax credit due to being posted overseas,” said National Association of Home Builders’ Chairman Bob Jones, a builder and developer in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. “It is only fitting that they be given another year to take advantage of this opportunity in appreciation of the sacrifices they have made serving our country.”

You have until April 30, 2011 (an additional year) to buy a home and claim the home buyer tax credit, which expired for most Americans on April 30, 2010.

Qualified service members who served on official extended duty outside of the United States for 90 days or more at any time between Jan. 1, 2009, to April 30, 2010, have until April 30, 2011, to place a contract on a home, and until June 30, 2011, to close! Best of all, both the $8,000 first-time and $6,500 repeat home buyer tax credits are included.

“Qualified service members” are defined as a member of the uniformed services of the United States military, a member of the Foreign Service of the United States, or an employee of the intelligence community.

In addition, some of the rules and regulations that come with the Federal Housing Tax Credit are also exempt for military families. The rule that requires buyers to repay the credit if they move out of their home within three years has also been waived for qualified service members if they have to sell their home due to receiving government orders for extended duty service.

So for many military families who are relocating to the St. Louis area after duty, or coming back to the area to reside, Payne Family Homes can help you find the perfect home for your lifestyle. We offer eight fantastic communities in St. Louis and St. Charles Counties featuring AAA-rated School Districts, convenient locations near major thoroughfares, shopping, dining and entertainment, and a variety of distinctive floor plans that are perfect for a variety of lifestyles.

The reasons behind your purchasing decision and how you will live in your home are important to us! Contact Payne Family Homes today and we’ll help you match your lifestyle and budget needs to a community and plan that will work for you. Click the “Contact Us” button at the top of our website or contact our Online Sales Consultant, Kelli Gould, at 314-477-1218 or via email at http://mailto:kag@paynefamilyhomes.com. We really appreciate all that you do for our communities and country and look forward to providing you with a joyful home buying experience!

Interested in more information? The NAHB provides more information on the home buyer tax credit, including eligibility requirements and links to home buying resources on its consumer website, www.FederalHousingTaxCredit.com.

Owning Your Own Home For Less Than Rent: Bordeaux Condominiums

Tuesday, October 12th, 2010

Did you know that Payne Family Homes’ beautiful and luxurious Bordeaux Condominiums could be purchased for a low monthly investment that comes out to be less than your current rent?

Bordeaux Condominiums is a stunning community located in convenient Cottleville, Missouri off of Mid Rivers Mall Drive and Ohmes Road. Each home features an appealing floor plan with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms ranging from 1,064 to 1,257 square feet, with either a patio or deck so you can enjoy the great outdoors! The community is also located within minutes of shopping, dining, and entertainment in AAA-rated Francis Howell School District.

With plans for only seven buildings in the entire community, Bordeaux offers privacy and convenience in an intimate tree-lined setting. The Tuscan-inspired exterior architecture featuring stone, brick, stucco, and natural cedar elements make these impressive condos stand above and beyond most communities in the area. The lush landscape compliments the stunning architecture, offering a spectacular streetscape to the variety of homeowners that reside at Bordeaux.

Currently offered at Bordeaux are a variety of great buys including 533 Bordeaux Way, a Payne Family “Fast Move” Home, ready for occupancy now! This roomy 1,257 square foot 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo features vaulted ceilings in the living & dining rooms, a coffered ceiling in the Master Suite (both of which are benefits to all of Bordeaux’s 3rd floor units) posh sarsaparilla cabinetry, salt and pepper granite countertops, full size washer & dryer hookups in the spacious laundry room, and a gorgeous view of the community walking trail, lake and surrounding parks.

With these great features and amenities among many others, it’s hard to believe that units like 533 Bordeaux are available for less than your current rent! For as low as $889 per month, which includes all Homeowner’s Association Fees, taxes, insurance, and all utilities except electric, a stunning condo at Bordeaux could be yours! Also, by owning your own home, you can receive a tax deduction each year, which you are not able to do with renting. Concerned about a down payment? Payne Family Homes also accepts MHDC loans, where a homeowner is only required to come up with .5% down payment (subject to loan approval).

The convenient location, gorgeous exterior elevations, ability to choose your interior finishes, climate controlled interior home entrances and secure individual code entry access in each of the seven 3-story buildings make these condos one-of-a-kind in the St. Charles County area. If you’re thinking that owning a brand-new condo at Bordeaux may be within reach, visit us today and see why Payne Family Homes’ Bordeaux Condominiums are the fastest selling condominiums in the area!

Homebuilders Named Edward Lott as New Home Sales Manager of the Year

Tuesday, September 28th, 2010

The Sales & Marketing Council of the Home Builders Association of Greater St. Louis & Eastern Missouri has chosen Edward G. Lott of Payne Family Homes as New Home Sales Manager of the Year.  Lott has served as Payne’s Vice President-Sales & Marketing for the past two years.

Under Lott’s leadership, Payne Family Homes will triple revenues in calendar year 2010. The company grew year over year building permits in 2009 over 2008 more than any other home builder in St Charles County. The homebuilder also projects another increase in building permits of 25 percent for 2011.

According to Payne Family Homes President Ken Kruse, “Ed Lott’s knowledge and expertise in new-home sales and marketing have been key contributors to the rapid growth and success of our company.  He has assembled one of the finest sales teams in our area, and he continues to motivate and guide them to even greater levels of success.  We are proud to have a new-home professional of his outstanding caliber at Payne Family Homes.”

In addition to managing Payne Family Homes’ sales team, Lott also coordinates the company’s marketing activities for its nine communities in prime locations throughout St. Charles County and most recently St. Louis County.

Lott also has been a consistent stand-out and award winner from the HBA’s Sales & Marketing Council.  In addition to chairing the SMC, he twice received its prestigious Hugh L. Pettus Award for the SMC builder member who does the most to further the council’s goals.

A member of the HBA’s Board of Directors, Lott is a lifetime member of the Seven Figure Sales Circle of the National Association of Homebuilders and an NAHB Certified Instructor.  He also earned his Certified Sales Professional (CSP) designation from the NAHB and is a Graduate of the Realtor Institute (GRI) of the National Association of Realtors.

Prior to joining Payne Family Homes, Lott was Vice President-Sales and Marketing for several well-known St. Louis-area homebuilders.

A resident of Eureka, Lott received his B.S. degree in business administration, accounting and finance from St. Louis University.  He earned his M.A. degree in management from Webster University, where he is currently pursuing his Doctorate in Applied Management.

Payne Family Homes crafts distinctive homes that are built to stand the test of time, with eight well-located communities in St. Louis County, St. Charles, St. Peters and Cottleville.  Their communities include Ashton Woods, Bella Vista, Bordeaux Condominiums, The Enclave at Heritage, The Meadows at Ohme Farm, The Pointe at Heritage Crossing, The Townes at Belleau Creek and Tuscany.  All Payne Family Homes neighborhoods are served by an AAA-rated school district, and all of its St. Charles County communities are located in one of Money magazine’s “100 Best Places to Live in America.”

For information, call 314-477-1218, or visit www.paynefamilyhomes.com.

“Payne Family Homes Expands During Slump”

Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010

 

The Post Dispatch posted an article entitled, “Payne Family Homes Expands during Slump,” in their Friday edition. Robert Kelly, reporter from the Post Dispatch, describes how Payne Family Homes continues to flourish, even during these economic hard times.

“As home builders throughout the area hold steady or continue to scale back on construction during the lingering housing slump, a few are bucking that trend.

Some are even venturing into new territory. Payne Family Homes, a successful St. Charles County builder, is developing its first new subdivision outside that county.

Payne has started building its Ashton Woods subdivision, with 65 single-family detached sites at Eureka in southwestern St. Louis County. Simultaneously, it has added another new subdivision in St. Charles County by opening with 50 sites at Bella Vista in St. Peters.

The new properties have a combined completion value of more than $25 million, based on Payne’s intent to price the homes from the high $100,000s to the low $200,000s at both new subdivisions.

The company has gone to eight from six subdivisions in one year, and it also tripled its work force to 27 employees from nine.

Ken Kruse, president of Payne Family Homes, said he had no real magic formula for success in building and selling new homes during a recession.

‘The main thing we focus on it that we make sure we meet market demand,’ Kruse said. ‘Previously, we were overbuilt. But right now there are so few housing starts in our market that it’s unsustainable. Demand is increasing.’

Sean Flower, president of the Home Builders Association of St. Louis & Eastern Missouri, agreed that demand for new housing was slowly increasing.

‘It’s a much more stable environment now,’ Flower said. ‘Demand hasn’t skyrocketed through the clouds. But you can sit down and reasonably plan for the future now.’

But he said few area builders were expanding their business like Payne Family Homes.

Flower’s company, Flower & Fendler Inc., has built higher end houses in the $400,000 and up range in the Fenton and Columbia, Ill., areas. He said demand for those homes plummeted in late 2008 and early 2009 but has been slowly rising this year.

Payne Family Homes primarily builds houses starting in the low $100,000 range up through the $300,000s. Demand for those houses is picking up steadily in much of the St. Louis area, Flower said.

Kruse acknowledged that Payne, like most builders, had lowered prices on several of its new homes over the last two years. And he said that was working to the benefit of the company this year.

‘Only get better’

Payne closed on 35 new homes in all of 2009 and already has closed on 55 new homes this year, he said, adding that the company could increase its business by 25 percent or more next year over this year.

‘There’s no question that we are bouncing along the bottom of the housing market, and it can only get better,’ he predicted.

Payne Family Homes was formed in March 2009 after its owners bought the assets of the former Manlin Homes. David Payne was managing partner of Manlin Homes for three years, and he remains a co-owner of Payne Family Homes. Allan Schroer, a former executive with Manlin, is the other co-owner.

Kruse, a former executive with the Jones Co., has headed the financial end of the business since the formation of Payne Family Homes. He said his training as a certified public accountant helped him maintain a healthy bottom line for the company.

‘Operationally, we need to execute at every level and run our financial model to compete during these difficult times,’ he said. ‘By researching our neighborhoods, offering a product to meet today’s lifestyle needs and providing our customers a great experience, we have been very successful.’

This year, the company began offering two new basic home styles, which Kruse said had helped spur sales.

One comprises 12 floor plans base-priced from the high $100,000s to low $300,000s. Its premise is to provide owners with a choice of space and design elements. The second is base-priced in the low $100,000s and will allow the company to sell to those who can’t afford Payne’s larger houses but still want new homes, Kruse said.

He said large kitchens and dining areas, spacious family rooms and high ceilings were popular features in most of Payne’s house plans.

Without giving specifics, he said that the company was studying potential new subdivision sites in St. Charles and Jefferson counties, and that it also might move into the Metro East area in the near future.

Kruse said he learned through genealogical research only after getting involved in home building that his great-grandfather, Henry Grote, also was a noted homebuilder more than a century ago.

Grote’s Beetz and Grote Co. built houses in south St. Louis in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Kruse said his job destiny might have been in his blood, although he didn’t know it until recently.”

Payne Family Homes incorporates features that bridge the gap between affordability and luxury-new-look exteriors, flexible floor plans and cutting-edge design elements, which can all be personalized to meet the design and budget needs of the buyer. Anyone in this economy can buy a Payne Family Home that they deserve.