When it comes time to purchase a home, most homebuyers fail to consider the path of purchasing a multi-family. Whether this is due to the belief  that they can’t afford it, that they can’t compete with seasoned investors, or something else altogether, most people don’t give the matter much thought. By doing so, they are missing out on a unique and profitable opportunity.  With current FHA 203k lending standards and recent changes in rules for Fannie Mae foreclosure sales, the time for owner-occupants to get into real estate investment has never been better. Read more

Nothing hurts a landlord’s pocketbook or pride like being the victim of theft or vandalism. Prior to PEX plumbing the main security issue facing landlords and homeowners in St. Louis and around the country is copper theft, but there are many other temping targets at any property. One particularly expensive and “easy to steal” component are AC condensers. Read more

Whether you are talking about your own home or a rental property, nothing is quite so fun as replacing light bulbs. No matter how quickly and easily the change can be done, it’s amazing how long we all tend to put off such menial tasks. One of the best ways to cut down on this hassle is by using compact fluorescent (CFL) light bulbs instead of the traditional incandescent. Read more

If you’ve ever been curious about where and when crimes have been taking place in the City of St. Louis, there is a great tool courtesy of CrimeReports.com and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. This free service allows you to map crimes by type, date and area. Read more

Wired Magazine had an interesting article last month about the bureaucratic nightmare of getting waterless urinals into buildings around the country. Seems like the debate comes down more to plumbers losing business and janitors not wanting to clean them than if they work properly. Its an interesting read for both the technology and the familiar issues of special interests getting in the way of common sense.

Pissing Match: Is the World Ready for the Waterless Urinal?

I don’t normally post a lot of news on restaurants, but when word got out that Pappy’s Smokehouse would be spinning off a second location in Soulard, I was just so happy I had to share. If you are unfamiliar, Pappy’s original location is 3106 Olive Street in Midtown St. Louis. It is some of the best barbecue in town, and by the long lines seen daily at the restaurant, I am not alone in that feeling. Read more

The Chouteau Crossing project at the NE corner of Chouteau and South Jefferson is getting pretty far along in the demo process.  The long-neglected warehouse, located on the southern border of Downtown, just north of Lafayette Square, broke ground in April and should be seeing new construction soon. Clayton-based Green Street Properties LLC is handling the project, which will see reuse of the former warehouse on the site as a $22 million green facility. Read more

The long planned streetscape project on Cherokee Street, between Jefferson and Nebraska, is finally underway in South St. Louis. It  began in  jarring fashion to those unprepared. All the trees were cut down. There was a hodgepodge of species, and many of the trees had not been well maintained, but it sure makes the street look different. At the very least, it helps to highlight the quality of the remaining building stock. Read more

One of the biggest maintenance issues landlords and homeowners face at their properties is with their heating and cooling systems. With the extreme heat of St. Louis summers and extreme cold of St. Louis winters, our environment can certainly put a strain on these systems. Annual maintenance by your HVAC technician is always a good idea, but there is one simple thing you can, and should, be doing ever month: cleaning the filter in your furnace. Read more

For those that thought new infill construction in the City of St. Louis was currently dead, Blue Brick Construction has an answer for you: 4268 Hartford. They are currently in the middle of construction at this LEED Platinum (certification level goal) 4 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom house in the Tower Grove South neighborhood. For reference, it is just a few houses to the east of Morganford. The project is now under roof and upon my visit yesterday, they were at the point of putting in windows. The property is being built for a private owner who will be occupying the home themselves upon completion in the coming months.

For more information, pictures, and plans check out Blue Brick’s project website.

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