single-family homes Archives

Crown Pointe Estates

We often get asked about specific communities located in the City of Wildwood, Missouri, so I wanted to go into some specifics about one in particular here, Crown Pointe Estates.

Let’s start with Wildwood, Missouri. It is one of the western suburbs of Saint Louis County, which we love for many reasons. It is absolutely beautiful in this area, with rolling hills and stunning views. Wildwood is safe, and its schools are very highly rated. It is outside of the hustle and bustle of the city, it’s more spread out, but it is still convenient to almost anything you could want. Even if you want to get into the city for a Cardinals game, a Blues game, or to visit the St. Louis Zoo, it’s less than a 30 minute drive.

Crown Pointe Estates is located in the southern part of Wildwood. It’s a few minutes south of Manchester Road, just off of Ridge Road. It is across the street from Ridge Meadows Elementary School, which is part of the highly-rated Rockwood School District. It is a pretty neighborhood with mature trees and beautiful scenery, pretty typical of Wildwood, Missouri.

Given its location near Manchester Road, it is convenient to lots of different amenities. You have coffee shops, lots of restaurants, local shops, and big box stores all within a short drive of your location. There are also lots of fun things for kids to do close by.

Just across the road from the front entrance of the subdivision is Rock Hollow Trail, a 2.3 mile walking and biking trail that is part of the St. Louis Great Rivers Greenway project connecting it to the Al Foster, Bluff View, Sherman Park and Zombie trails. It’s a convenient spot for active families who enjoy spending time outdoors together.

Then there’s the outdoor activities nearby. It is not far from the Dr. Edmund A Babler Memorial State Park, which has amazing hiking trails and gorgeous scenery. Hidden Valley Ski resort is also not far, which has a ton of fun for the whole family in the winter. A little further south and you get to Six Flags, an amusement park with rides, games, and an attached water park that is open all summer and provides loads of fun for the family.

If you’re a golfer like I am, there are two excellent private country clubs nearby as well: Meadowbrook Country Club and Forest Hills, both with great golf courses and wonderful amenities for the entire family.

The Crown Pointe Estates subdivision contains 175 homes, all built between 1996 and 2001. They range in square footage from just under 2,000 square feet to over 4,600 square feet. The median price of the homes in Crown Pointe Estates is $576,000. It is an active and fun neighborhood with residents of all ages. I love what they say on their community website, “the location of Crown Pointe Estates allows it to be close to the city lights but just far enough out to have a clear view of the stars on a calm, cool summer night.”

One of my favorite things about Crown Pointe Estates is the family-friendly activities in the neighborhood like the annual block party and the Halloween hayride. It is a great option for anyone looking to buy a home in the western suburbs of St. Louis County. Watch on YouTube now

Homes for Sale in Westglen South

As we talk about the communities we serve, there are some common themes that may stand out. These themes may be that the neighborhoods are well kept, perfectly located, easily traversed, and so on. But there is a reason behind what makes these subdivisions great. While we don’t have time to discuss them all in this article, we did want to touch on one area that we here at Broker Farr Realty think fits perfectly with the theme. That location is the Westglen South subdivision in Ballwin Missouri.
To start us off, where is it located? Well, it is nestled just North of the intersection of Big Bend road and New Ballwin road. It lies right across from the Castle Pines subdivision, which is another fantastic neighborhood that you can read more about in another article. So what does this mean for the community? It means that the drive to Manchester road is only a short drive away. You are only a hop, skip, and a jump from everything that Manchester has to offer, which includes restaurants, entertainment, shops, other amenities, and good times. It is also not very far away from the Castlewood State Park. This park lies to the southeast, and residents of this neighborhood can access it via Big Bend road and Reis road. Castlewood is a beautiful area, and has wide open spaces for recreation. Not only that, but it also has hiking and biking trails that you can enjoy on those warm summer days. But enough about what there is to do, let’s get into the details of the neighborhood itself.
Westglen South itself has quiet streets and active foot traffic. Dog walking and people walking is a common sight there when the days turn warm. The neighborhood has around 210 homes consisting of a variety of styles, although mostly they are ranch and two story homes. These homes were built during the mid to late 1970s, making these homes a decorating opportunity for those looking. The Westglen South neighborhood is reasonably priced, which makes it a viable option for anyone on a real estate journey. The median home values clock in at about $295,000. The size of the homes justifies the price point. The homes are anywhere from about 1,000 square feet to 2,400 square feet! This means that it doesn’t matter if you are upsizing or downsizing, your dream home could be nestled in this quaint neighborhood.
Ballwin, Missouri proves time and time again that this is one of the best areas in St. Louis to call home. It is the communities like Westglen South that truly make it special. This area feels like you are so close to everything, while still feeling like you are set far enough away that you won’t be claustrophobic. The Broker Farr Team loves seeing such amazing subdivisions like this one thrive in the Western Suburb areas, because in the end those are the people and the communities we love to serve. Watch the YouTube video here

Pine Creek – Luxury Homes

We often are asked about specific communities located in the City of Wildwood, Missouri, so I wanted to go into more detail about one of my favorites here, Pine Creek.

First, let’s talk about Wildwood, Missouri. It is one of the Western Suburbs of Saint Louis County, which we love for many reasons. It is absolutely beautiful in this area with rolling hills and great views. It’s safe in Wildwood, and the schools are highly rated. It’s outside the hustle and bustle of the city and is more spread out than many of the other suburbs, but it is still convenient to everything you could want. Even if you want to get into the city for a Cardinals game, a Blues game, or the world-famous St. Louis Zoo, it’s all less than a 30-minute drive.

Pine Creek is located in the northmost part of Wildwood, just off of Wildhorse Creek Road. It is a beautiful neighborhood with huge lots and large homes that, when you drive through, look more like estates. The well-established trees and manicured lawns give it plenty of curb appeal.

Pine Creek is located just a short distance from the Chesterfield Bottoms, which means you have almost everything you could want really close by. The Bottoms has a movie theater, tons of restaurants, a couple of coffee shops, and lots in the way of family-friendly entertainment. Most big box stores have a store-front in the Bottoms, you have a few outlet malls, grocery stores, and there is even a Top Golf for all you golfers out there. With quick access to Interstate 40, you can also get out of Wildwood quickly, whether it’s for work or fun.

Since you are still in Wildwood, you also have a ton of outdoor activities not too far away. You have the Edmund A Babler Memorial State Park, which has awesome hiking trails and gorgeous scenery. Hidden Valley Ski resort is not too far, which provides lots of winter fun for the whole family. Also, a litte further south and you get to Six Flags, an amusement park with lots of rides and games, and there is a water park attached providing lots of summer fun for the family.

Outside of Top Golf, for any golfers out there that prefer a real golf course, you are very close to a well-kept public course with fast greens, The Landings at Spirit Golf Club and a little further away is the Missouri Bluffs, a beautiful Tom Fazio course that is breath-taking from the tees. You also have a few private clubs not too far away if that’s more your style.

Pine Creek contains 100 homes, all of which are larger 2-story layouts. The homes range from about 2,700 square feet all the way up to nearly 5,000 square feet. The median price of the homes comes in around $980,000. This can be a bit misleading as you can find homes in the $600Ks, so don’t think you’re priced out if you’re not wanting to spend $1 million on a home. If you want the convenience of Wildwood and Chesterfield, easy access to Highway 40, and you want a bigger home for your growing family with plenty of yard to play in, then Pine Creek is a great option for you.

My favorite thing about Pine Creek is that each home is very unique, but they all fit together seamlessly to form a wonderful community. Watch the YouTube video now

Selling Your Home step-by-step

It is a pleasure to run through the details about selling your home. A quick step-by-step fly over to hear what goes on behind the scene. In our office, we have our detailed list of real estate activities for listing your home at about 200. Yes, you heard it right, 200 detailed steps in properly listing and selling your home. This may all sound like a lot, which it is, but we do this every day, so our job is to make it look easy.
I’ll like to break it down into 9 categories and/or subjects to easily follow along in the process.
Category 1 (around 17 steps) – Making the decision to sell your home. There are multiple reasons you are at this point, a job, getting married or divorced, your family is growing or all grown. And the decision will be both financial and emotional. We’re here to walk you through it. We’ll answer your detailed questions for your situation and desired goals. How to get it all done and discuss any special arrangements needed for you or your property.

Category 2 (24 steps) – Researching the current real estate market. We’ll learn about everything you have done to your home and how it will affect the price. The real estate market is a moving target; so, we’ll share every detail of what’s happening in the neighborhood and city. We’ll do all the back-end research and follow up to verify we have everything correct and prepared and ready to compare what is happening in the real estate market.

Category 3 (22 steps) – Pricing your home for sale. Our goal is to get you the most the market will bear. There are many factors to consider ensuring we attract the right buyers for your home. There are times to balance the terms of the sale around the market and your needs. We’ll talk about the benefits and hurdles that may arise during the process.

Category 4 (around 21 steps) – How to prepare your home for sale. Your motives for selling will point us in a direction that works for your timing, budget, and schedule. There may be some repairs, some upgrades, some moving of furniture, but only after we have discussed the benefits of any efforts and money put forward to sell your home for the most.

Category 5 (28 steps) – Marketing your home to buyers. We use a combination of still photography and videos, posted across a variety of platforms, to cast a wide net for buyers and their agents both locally and out of state. Reaching out both online and offline through traditional methods to capture eyeballs. Identifying other homeowners looking to purchase in your area. Presenting your property in the best ways possible.

Category 6 (24 steps) – How to stage and prepare a home for showings. We will discuss the options available to you and your particular home. Not one scenario is the same so we want to be sure that the process works for your schedule and timing. We’ll discuss moving furniture in and/or out of your home so that the potential buyers can imagine their family living in the home. Accentuating the best areas of your home.

Category 7 (around 22) – Negotiating purchase offers and real estate contracts. There are a lot of pages in a real estate transaction. We will review them several times so that you are aware of the benefits and importance of each to obtain the best possible scenario for you and your family. The can be a technical and emotional stage of the process. We’ll share decades of experience and scenarios to help you make the best decisions for your situation.

Category 8 (22 steps) – Performing home inspections. There are some basic inspections, such as the city and home inspection, and there may be others requested by the buyers. We’ll prepare you for the most common scenarios and any unforeseen findings. Some things recognized or called out can be quick repairs while others may need to be negotiated further. The best part is that there is always area for discussion to obtain a win-win scenario.

Category 9 (18 steps) – Preparing for the close. It was one thing getting through the process, but this step depends on where you are going. Whether you are buying across the street, in another county, or out of state… we’ll walk you through until you have keys in your hand for the next chapter in your life. Signing the last few documents, packing those last few boxes, makes the transition a sweet reality. If this is your first sale or your last, we’ll be there to ensure it all gets wrapped up efficiently.

Our goal is to make the transition a memorable part of your real estate journey. It would be our pleasure to assist you. Watch the video on YouTube

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Claymont Community of Homes

We here at Broker Farr Realty love the communities we serve. They are all unique and interesting in their own right, and we would be doing a disservice to those communities if we did not share some information about them. So we have set out to tell others about these great communities and express our appreciation for them, and in this article we will discuss the Claymont subdivision in Ballwin, Missouri.
Claymont is located in the heart of Ballwin, and is nearby to so much while being secluded from the bustle of city life. The neighborhood lies just north of Manchester, South of Clayton, and is in between the Kehr’s Mill an Baxter roads. Being connected to these roads means Claymont is only a short drive to the major arteries leading throughout Ballwin. This means that shopping and restaurants are nearby, but the concerns of living near these roads are not an issue for this subdivision.
This subdivision is nestled in an quiet area of the city, with an almost country feel. The streets are not very busy, which results in dog-walking and outdoor activity being a common sight here. This quaint neighborhood is comprised mostly of ranch style homes. This is fairly consistent throughout the entirety of the neighborhood, with some of the northern portions having two story residences in the mix. Claymont is the largest subdivision in the county, and building was started in the early 1960s. This neighborhood boasts over 650 homes, and those homes range anywhere from 1,250 to 3,300 square feet! Don’t let the age of this community fool you, it is very active. There are neighborhood-wide events held, such as their annual Christmas light competition!
Now when the days turn warm and the sun is shining, what is there to do nearby? There are two great ways to spend the day just minutes from the subdivision. The first is the Ballwin golf course and event center. This course touches the backyards of the community, so entertainment for all ages is available. The second is the North Point Aquatics Center. This complex is great for water lovers. It has pools and slides and is available to the public with a fee for entry. The Aquatics Center also has swimming lessons and diving lessons available for those with children who are looking to learn. Events are no stranger to North Pointe, as they have weekly, and sometimes daily, events for those of all ages to come and enjoy the water.
The Claymont Subdivision is truly one that we here at Broker Farr Realty love, and it is an obtainable real estate goal for anyone regardless of where they are on their home-ownership journey. Claymont is positioned in such a great location, and it’s close enough to anything you could need while still being set far back enough to have some breathing room. This neighborhood is a thriving community with plenty of activities to occupy time and to enhance the lives of those who reside within it. Watch the YouTube video HERE.

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Westglen Farms

We often get asked about specific communities located in the City of Wildwood, Missouri, so I wanted to go into some specifics about one in particular here, Westglen Farms.

First, let’s talk about Wildwood, Missouri. It is located in the Western Suburbs of Saint Louis County, which I love for many reasons. It is absolutely beautiful in this area, with rolling hills and stunning views. It’s safe, and its schools are very highly rated. It is outside the hustle and bustle of city areas of St Louis and is more spread out, but yet it is convenient to everything you could want. Even if you want to get into the city for a Cardinals game, Blues game, or the famous St. Louis Zoo, it’s less than a 30 minute drive.

Westglen Farms is located just North of Manchester Road and sandwiched between Manchester and Clayton Road. Green Pines elementary school is just west of the subdivision and the Ellisville Athletic Association is located just east of the neighborhood. It is a beautiful neighborhood with tall trees and rolling hills, which is pretty typical of Wildwood, Missouri.

Westglen Farms is just a short distance from both the Wildwood Town Center and the Clarkson Valley, which makes it convenient to lots of different amenities. You have coffee shops, lots of restaurants, shops, big box stores all within a few minutes of your location. There’s even a Chick-Fil-A, one of my kids’ favorite lunch spots, right down the road.

For the golfers out there, there are two excellent private country clubs nearby as well: Meadowbrook Country Club and Forest Hills, both with great golf courses and wonderful amenities for the whole family.

The Westglen Farms subdivision contains about 370 homes, most of which are 2-story layouts. The homes were mostly built in the 1980s, and they range from just over 1,000 square feet all the way up over 3,600 square feet. Don’t let the age of the homes fool you; most of them have been updated in recent years, and the homes and yards are very well-kept. Right near the middle of the subdivision are tennis courts and basketball hoops, perfect for the many active families that call this community home.

People will often want to know about the price-point of the neighborhood. The median price of the homes in Westglen Farms is right at $400K, which is below the average for the area of Wildwood.

My favorite thing about Westglen Farms is every time I drive through it, there are tons of people out walking with their families and dogs, going for an afternoon jog, or just doing something active outside in general. It is clearly home to many families with kids of all ages who, just like my family, love to spend time outside together.

For people wanting to buy a home in the Wildwood area, but wanting to buy at a lower price point, Westglen Farms is an excellent option. Watch on YouTube

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5 Things About Wildwood

5 Things to Know About Wildwood, MO

If you are considering moving or relocating to Wildwood Missouri? here are 5 things you might want to know…

1. Whether you are looking for a suburban subdivision feel or prefer to spread out on a larger piece of rural land, Wildwood has it all. It’s a historic community dedicated to preserving its rural areas while providing for residential and commercial growth. The City of Wildwood was incorporated in 1995 and consists of nearly 68 square miles. At last census in 2020, there were a little over 35,000 residents with a median age of 45 years old. A vast majority of the homes in Wildwood have been built since 1980. There are 117 communities in Wildwood and over 12,000 households, a large majority of them families.

2. Wildwood is stunningly beautiful with its largely hilly terrain. Wildwood, Missouri is located in West St. Louis County and is set in a magnificent natural environment featuring dense woodlands, rolling hills, stunning valleys, lush meadows, and clear streams. This does come with some hilly and windy roads, so no distracted driving in Wildwood!

3. No matter where you live in Wildwood, you can still get to pretty much anything you’d need in 15 minutes or less. Historic route 66 thoroughfare, now called Manchester Road, bisects Wildwood’s north from south, and goes directly through the town center. While Manchester can be busy and congested, it does offer a lot in the way of convenience as there is no shortage of restaurants, coffee shops, and big box stores. Pretty much anything you could want or need can be found on Manchester Road close by. And another perk is you are still only about a 30 minute drive from downtown St. Louis if you do want to venture out and have a family day at the St. Louis Zoo or go see a Cardinals game or a Blues game with the family.

4. Wildwood has a lot of parks perfect for hiking with the family or walking the dog in addition to many recreational options. State, county, and city parks cover 11 of the 68 square miles that lie in Wildwood’s municipal boundaries. The city parks are full of amenities such as dog parks, pavilions, playgrounds perfect for kids, hiking trails, picnic tables. Babler State Park is the biggest park offering hiking, picnicking, bicycling, horseback riding, and even camping. The recreational options in Wildwood include an extensive trail and bikeway system, a popular snow ski/tubing and zip line resort, and Wildwood is also home to a prominent equestrian community.

5. The schools in Wildwood are excellent and consistently rank among the best in the state. The City of Wildwood is served by the AAA rated Rockwood School District. Also nearby is the St. Louis Community College at Wildwood.

If you are looking for a place to live in St. Louis County that is family friendly, beautiful, and convenient to everything, make sure to keep Wildwood high on your list. Watch now on YouTube

Is Ballwin a good place to live?

If you’re wondering if Ballwin Missouri in West County is a good place to live, the answer is a resounding YES, especially for families.

The City of Ballwin was incorporated in 1950 and covers 10 square miles. A little over 30,000 residents call Ballwin home. The median age of its residents is 43 years old, and nearly 63% of the population has a college degree. A large percentage of the homes were built before the year 2000, and there are 99 distinct communities containing almost 12,000 households within the city of Ballwin. Houses come in a range of styles and prices to meet every taste and pocketbook.

Ballwin, MO is located in the western part of Saint Louis County and is consistently ranked one of the best places to live in Missouri. Its public schools consistently rank among the best in the state. Ballwin is served by AAA-rated Rockwood and Parkway School Districts. There are also five major universities or colleges within 30 minutes of Ballwin.

The City of Ballwin has 5 parks available for your Family to enjoy. The largest, Vlasis Park, covers 31 acres and features a baseball field, a playground, tennis courts, a sand volleyball court, a walking path, and 2 ponds and pavilions. Vlasis Park also hosts the “Ballwin Days” festival, one of the largest community events in the area. Other parks in Ballwin are New Ballwin Park, Ferris Park, Greenfield Commons, and Holloway Park. All of them offer tons of outdoor adventures for the family to enjoy. The City of Ballwin also is home to a golf course and events center, North Pointe Aquatic Center, and a state of the art community center; The Pointe at Ballwin Commons, with a double gymnasium, leisure pool, fitness center, and other facilities.

Ballwin has a low crime rate and a highly-trained police department. It is also a wonderful place to live if you like having everything you need close by. Full of coffee shops, restaurants, big box stores, and small businesses, you can get anywhere you’d need to in less than 15 minutes.

If you prefer to venture out to the world-famous St. Louis Zoo or a Cardinals or Blues game with the family, it’s all less than a 30 minute drive. The St. Louis Zoo is one of the best in the world and entry remains free to this day. The St Louis Cardinals are the beloved hometown baseball team, and consistently field a competitive team that competes for championships on a regular basis. The St Louis Blues have a rabid fan-base in the area, and coming off of a Stanley Cup a few years ago, continue to draw big crowds and die-hard fans every season. All of these provide a family-friendly environment if you want to see what St Louis has to offer.

If you are looking to buy a house in St. Louis County in a family-friendly environment with lots of things close by to do and see, then Ballwin should be high on your list.

Watch the YouTube video now

Year-end review 2022 | Wildwood Missouri

Wildwood MO: A Year In Review for the real estate activity

As we usher in a new year, we wanted to take a moment and examine the city of Wildwood, Missouri and really take a look of how the city was affected over the course of the year. In this article, we will touch on the home values, sales prices, and the listings and closings within this community over the last 12 months. As we dig into the numbers, we will get a picture of how the city is performing in this market.
The first topic of discussion will be the home values in the city of Wildwood. Now the median home values clock in at $538,000 for both condos and single-family residences. This reflects a 12 ¾ percent positive change over the 12-month period. Now there is some flux in month-to-month numbers, but Wildwood is still positive overall for the last year. This is fairly high appreciation compared to nearby areas, like Ballwin for example which had an 11 ½ percent increase during the same time span.
The second item we wanted to cover is the sales prices of homes in the Wildwood area. The median sales price for homes within the last year comes to $558,000. This number shows represents both single family homes and condos. Now for the breakdown. Single family homes averaged $601,235 for the city of Wildwood. This represents a 22.67 percent positive change for the year. Meanwhile, condos averaged $280,448 during that same time period.
The last topic to be discussed is the Listings and Closings of properties for the year of 2022. Now these numbers will give an idea of how well Wildwood is performing in this market. The city of Wildwood has right around 1 month of inventory, and at the time of writing there are 22 active listings with 359 closings for the year of 2022. These homes that were on the market were snatched up in 27 days on average. What is the significance? While these houses may be sitting on the market slightly longer than other areas nearby, 27 days is considered fast historically.
What is in it for the prospective buyer or motivated seller? Wildwood is a beautiful area, and is generally at a higher price point than some nearby areas. This means it is logical that the time on market would be higher. This is due to the buyer pool being reduced by fiscal requirements. However, the closings show that the market is very active, and competition can be expected. Both buyers and sellers should prepare to move quickly on opportunities that may arise.
Wildwood continues to show why it is such a desirable place to live. From a number’s perspective, this city outperforms other areas nearby and is accessible to most people. The city of Wildwood, Missouri shows high appreciation in home values, and remains a great place to call home for those who want to be far enough from St. Louis to have a country atmosphere, while still being close enough to all the amenities the city has to offer.

Watch the YouTube video now

Seller Resources – Paying Taxes after Selling Your Home

Paying Taxes after Selling Your Home

Have you lived in your home for over 2 years? You may not be liable to pay tax on the sale of your home if the net profit is less than $250,000 if you’re single, or $500,000 if you’re married and file a joint tax return. The IRS provides a home sales exclusion for the sole purpose the sale of your primary residence when you meet the qualifying conditions.

Timeframe: You would need to have owned the home for at least two of the last five years to qualify, and you must have lived in it as your primary residence for at least two of the last five years as well.
Your time of ownership doesn’t have to be concurrent with the time you lived there.

Home Sale Exclusion?

It provides that anyone, regardless of their age, can exclude up to $250,000 in gains on the sale of a home, and a married couple filing jointly can exclude up to $500,000. This means that most people will pay no tax on the sale of their home unless they lived there for less than the amount of time mentioned above.

Tax-Free Gains When They Sell Their Home?

You must meet the following IRS requirements to qualify for the capital gains tax exclusion on your home sale:

The ownership test: You owned the home for at least two of the last five years.
The residency test: You lived in the home as your main residence for at least two of the last five years.
The home must be your primary residence, not a secondary or vacation home.

Your ownership period and residency period don’t have to be concurrent. You could rent the home and live there for two years, then purchase it and own it for the remaining three years while living elsewhere. You can use this capital gain exclusion to avoid tax on a home sale over and over, provided that you meet these rules.

How Are Gains or Losses Calculated?

You can run the numbers on your home sale by taking the original purchase price and subtracting any applicable selling costs, less the cost basis. Your cost basis is what you paid for the home plus the cost of any qualifying home improvements.

For example, you might have paid $480,000 for the property, and you spent $60,000 on allowable improvements and additions. Your cost basis then would be $420,000. Selling the home for $650,000 less commissions and fees of $39,000 would leave you with $611,000. The difference between the net of $611,000 and the $420,000 is your capital gain: $191,000

You won’t pay tax on this amount if you have lived in the home for at least two years, owned it for at least two years, and didn’t exclude the gain from another sale in the last two years. That $191,000 under the exclusion threshold, whether you’re married or single.

Remember to store all your receipts and records of any improvements made to the home to help reduce the total amount of your taxable gains. Certain types of home improvements can be added to your cost basis and will reduce the amount of reported gain.

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