Heading to the St. Louis Builders Home & Garden Show

I love this show. The displays are great, "how to" shows and ideas for the house. Maybe I'll pick up some Real Estate leads [http://YourHomeStL.com] and print clients. [http://AffordableFullColor.com]

http://www.stlhomeshow.com/homegarden/basicinformation

The St. Louis Builders Home & Garden Show is the largest quality consumer home show in North America. More than 500 exhibitors and 1,800 booths wil fill almost 400,000 square feet of America's Center and Edward Jones Dome in downtown St. Louis!

Mary Kay House Hits The Market For $3.3 Million

[...] a mansion fit for a queen. More specifically, a cosmetics queen.

That’s right, according to Candy’sDirt.com, the 6-bed, 8-bath former home of the late cosmetics empress Mary Kay Ash is back on the market. Listed for $3.3 million (down from its 2007 asking price of $5.7 million), the Dallas, Texas, home is perfectly outfitted for royalty.

Read more: Mary Kay House Hits The Market For $3.3 Million (PHOTOS) | REALTOR.com® Blogs

How-To Guide: Buying Your First Home

Now's the time to ask yourself: Do I know what I want? Do I have the money? Is my financial house in order?

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Is Earnest Money Required In A Short Sale Situation?

Q: My agent informed me that earnest money for a short sale transaction was required to make a contract binding. Is that true? More importantly, is earnest money refundable if a buyer pulls out of a contract prior to bank approval even though our contract provides for bank approval within 60 days?
–Anonymous, Bartlett, IL

A: The promise of the earnest money deposit is needed, but the money does not have to be placed into escrow until the bank approves the sale. This is a common error.

[READ THE FULL STORY HERE]

How to Attract Wildlife - Welcome all species of guests to your garden

Although some homeowners strive to rid their landscapes of insect and animal pests, others try to entice visitors from the animal kingdom to their gardens.

Many outdoor creatures that accent a beautiful landscape are also helpful participants in the community. Bees pollinate fruits and flowers, keeping gardens productive. Toads, frogs and lizards are fascinating to watch and eat pesky insects at a ferocious rate. Dragonflies, ladybugs and spiders also eat great numbers of unwelcome insects, such as aphids and mites. Here are tips for encouraging wildlife to come to your garden.

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Going Once…Going Twice…Sold

What image does the phrase “real estate auction” bring to mind?

Up until recently, it was probably a financial transaction carried out by a seller in dire straits such as foreclosure. Real estate auctions have never achieved the desirable reputations that art and antique auctions enjoy. But that’s changing.

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What Do Today’s Home Buyers Look Like?

There was so much helpful and interesting information presented at Annual. Sometimes it can be a little overwhelming! Only now, a few weeks later, am I catching up on all of the excellent information. One item that is particularly valuable and worth taking a closer look at is the results of our recent survey, The 2011 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. It’s a useful picture of the latest trends in real estate.

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19 Ways to Outshine the Realtor Competition

Everyone knows there’s always room for improvement. Sometimes it’s a little thing and sometimes it’s a change in strategy or philosophy. Here are 19 ways you can outshine the competition.

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10 Things to Do After the Sale

The paperwork is signed and all your hard work is finally coming to an end – but what should you do next? It’s in the days immediately after the sale where REALTORS® can really shine, build on their successes, and work towards the next sale. Here are 10 things you can do after a sale to keep that winning streak going.

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