Often, we judge the caliber of people by the company they keep – this is why I would like to tell you a little bit about Keller Williams Realty and my office within the Keller Williams system.

Keller Williams® Realty was founded in Austin, Texas in 1983 with the specific premise that buyers and sellers deserve the best service for their real estate needs. For more than 17 years that founding premise has been a major factor in the continued growth of Keller Williams® across North America. Two visionaries lead Keller Williams® Realty – Gary Keller, founder and Chairman of the Board, and Mo Anderson, Chief Executive Officer.

Because each Keller Williams® Market Center has grown within its respective community, Keller Williams® real estate agents have intimate knowledge of each community's character, mood, and growth potential. Due to the fact that the majority of Keller Williams® Associates live in the communities and neighborhoods they serve, they are eager and capable of tackling unique challenges that families encounter when selecting new homes.

At Keller Williams® Realty, we are Real Estate Consultants. We are not agents. We are not salespeople. What this means is that we build fiduciary relationships with our clients. A fiduciary is someone who represents your best interests.

We are a profit sharing company where associates are in partnership relationships with the owners; this means that everyone at Keller Williams® Realty wants your home to sell because everyone benefits.

The Keller Williams culture is based upon a belief system that is summed up by this acronym: WI4C2TS:

Buying a home can be one of the most important investments of your life. Not only are you choosing your dwelling place, and the place in which you will bring up your family, you are most likely investing a large portion of your assets into this venture. The more prepared you are at the outset, the less overwhelming and chaotic the buying process will be.

By taking great care of my clients and through hard work and good fortune, I have been blessed to rise to the top of my profession.

* Top 1% of all St. Louis Realtors

* Listing Days on Market-Only 35!!!

* #1 in Service to you

* 22 Year Track Record of Success

* Over $16 Million in Sales in 2006

* List Price to Sale Price-97.53%

* Over 500 Career Transactions

My strengths and gifts lie in the big picture. I love meeting personally with Buyers and Sellers. I specialize in knowing the market and utilizing that knowledge to help you correctly position your home in the market place. My expertise lies in designing and implementing a marketing strategy to get your home sold. I love helping you achieve a successful contract on the sale of your home !

My philosophy is to provide you with highly personalized, genuinely caring and state-of-the-art service. I strive to exceed your expectations and provide you with a positive, successful Real Estate experience. By taking care of you and your needs first, I hope to make you a "Raving Fan" of me and my services so that you tell your friends and family about "Anne Dunajcik….Your Realtor" when they're ready to make their move!

As a licensed real estate professional I provide much more than the service of helping you find your ideal home. Realtorsâ are expert negotiators with other agents, seasoned financial advisors with clients, and superb navigators around the local neighborhood. They are members of the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and must abide by a Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice enforced by the NAR. A professional Realtorâ is your best resource when buying your home.

As a knowledgeable Realtorâ I can save you endless amounts of time, money, and frustration.

As a knowledgeable Realtorâ I know the housing market inside and out and can help you avoid the "wild goose chase."

As a knowledgeable Realtorâ I can help you with any home, even if it is listed elsewhere or if it is being sold directly by the owner.

As a knowledgeable Realtorâ I know the best lenders in the area and can help you understand the importance of being pre-qualified for a mortgage. I can also discuss down payments, closing costs, and monthly payment options that suit you.

As a knowledgeable Realtorâ , I am an excellent source for both general and specific information about the community such as schools, churches, shopping, and transportation - - plus tips on home inspections and pricing.

A knowledgeable Realtorâ I am experienced at presenting your offer to the homeowner and can help you through the process of negotiating the best price. We bring objectivity to the buying transaction, and we can point out the advantages and the disadvantages of a particular property.

And the best thing about me as your Realtorâ is that all this help normally won’t cost you a cent. Generally, the seller pays the commission to the Realtor®.

Enlisting the services of a professional Buyer’s Agent is similar to using an accountant to help you with your taxes, a doctor to help you with your health care, or a mechanic to help you with your car. If you had the time to devote to learning everything about accounting, medicine, and automotive mechanics, you could do these services yourself. But who has the time? This is why you allow other professionals to help you in their specific areas of expertise.

We will take care of the hassles of everyday real estate transactions for you. We let you concentrate on your full-time job, while we do our job. We will guide you through the home-buying process and exclusively represent your interests as we help you find a home, present your contract offer, negotiate, and close on your home!

Just as your accountant, doctor, and mechanic understand your specific needs, your Buyer’s Agent gets to know your real estate needs and concerns. This type of relationship is built through open communication at all times. Your Buyer’s Agent will save you a lot of time by providing you all the details about any home before you see it. In addition, your Buyer’s Agent will listen to your feedback and concerns about each home.

The advantage to signing a Buyer’s Agency Agreement with me is that you will have a professional agent working to find and secure the ideal home for you. It is nearly impossible to find a home that meets your needs, get a contract negotiated, and close the transaction without an experienced agent. You won’t need to spend endless evenings and weekends driving around looking for homes or trying to search computer networks by yourself. When you tour homes with your professional Buyer’s Agent, you will already know that the homes meet your criteria and are within your price range.

Entering into a Buyer’s Agency Agreement has countless advantages. When you sign the agreement, you are simply agreeing to "hire" a personal representative who, by law, must represent your best interests to the best of his/her ability. All of this personal service is available at absolutely NO COST TO YOU! The Seller’s Agent is responsible for paying your Buyer’s Agent fee. With me, you get a professional agent devoted to protecting your needs and to helping you make one of the most important investment decisions of your life –- and you don’t even have to pay the fee!

Information About Brokerage Services

Quality of Life

Tax Deductibility of Mortgage Interest

Tax Deductibility of Property Taxes

Appreciation Potential

Deferred Gain and Capital Gain Treatment

Once in a Lifetime Exclusion

Principal Accumulation

Pride in Your Home

No Landlord

Property taxes and qualified interest are deductible on an individual’s federal income tax return.

Often, a home is the largest asset an individual has and is considered one of the most valuable investments available.

A portion of each amortized mortgage payment goes to principal which is an investment.

A home is one of the few investments that you can enjoy by living in it.

A REALTORâ can usually show you any home whether it is listed with a company, a builder, or even a For Sale By Owner home.

Working through a REALTORâ to purchase a For Sale By Owner home can be very advantageous because someone is looking out for your best interest.

Your Real Estate professional can provide you with a list of items you’ll need to complete your loan application so you’ll be prepared.

A homeowner can exclude up to $500,000 of capital gain tax if married and filing jointly or up to $250,000 if single or filing separately. The home must have been the taxpayer’s principal residence for the previous two years.

Beginning with May 07, 1997, there is no longer a requirement to purchase another home more expensive than the one sold. Homeowners are free to buy up or down with no tax consequences assuming their gain is less than the allowable amounts.

Ask the Real Estate professional if they are familiar with the neighborhoods where you want to live.

Ask the Real Estate professional whom he/she is representing in the transaction.

Ask the Real Estate professional what he/she will do to keep you informed.

Your Real Estate professional should provide you with the highest level of service and advice.

Many buyers apply for a loan and obtain approval before they find the home they want to buy. Why?

Pre-qualifying will help you in the following ways:

Generally, interest rates are locked in for a set period of time. You will know in advance exactly what your payments will be on offers you choose to make.

You won’t waste time considering homes you cannot afford.

Pre-approval will help you in the following ways:

A seller may choose to make concessions if they know that your financing is secured. You are like a cash buyer, and this may make your offer more competitive.

You can select the best loan package without being under pressure.

There are three key factors to consider:

The down payment

Your ability to qualify for a mortgage

The closing costs associated with your transaction.

Most loans today require a down payment of between 3.5% and 5.0% depending on the type and terms of the loan. If you are able to come up with a 20-25% down payment, you may be eligible to take advantage of special fast-track programs and possibly eliminate mortgage insurance.

You will be required to pay fees for loan processing and other closing costs. These fees must be paid in full at the final settlement, unless you are able to include them in your financing. Typically, total closing costs will range between 2-5% of your mortgage loan.

Most lenders require that your monthly payment range between 25-28% of your gross monthly income. Your mortgage payment to the lender includes the following items:

The principal on the loan (P)

The interest on the loan (I)

Property taxes (T),

The homeowner’s insurance (I).

Your total monthly PITI and all debts (from installments to revolving charge accounts) should range between 33-38% of your gross monthly income. These key factors determine your ability to secure a home loan: Credit Report, Assets, Income, and Property Value.

Use the following to chart to determine your monthly principal and interest payments at various interest rates for either a 15 or 30-year term.

Find the appropriate interest rate from the chart above.

Look across the column to the appropriate term to determine your interest rate factor.

Multiply the interest rate factor by your loan amount in $1,000s.

Add your monthly insurance premium and your property tax to your principal and interest to determine your total monthly payment.

I am providing this information as a guide. I strongly recommend that you contact our mortgage specialist.

Thou shalt not change jobs, become self-employed or quit your job.

Thou shalt not buy a car, truck or van (or you may be living in it)!

Thou shalt not use charge cards excessively or let your accounts fall behind.

Thou shalt not spend money you have set aside for closing.

Thou shalt not omit debts or liabilities from your loan application.

Thou shalt not buy furniture.

Thou shalt not originate any inquiries into your credit.

Thou shalt not make large deposits without first checking with your loan officer.

Thou shalt not change bank accounts.

Thou shalt not co-sign a loan for anyone.

"If you don’t know where you’re going… you’ll probably end up somewhere else." Taken from a book title, this quote conveys a very simple message – To achieve an objective – create a plan!

If you plan to buy a home soon, you will need to know "where you are going". For a most enjoyable home-buying experience, first build a road map to your new home, a list of priorities that will lead you to your objective – a new home!

The first priority is time frame. Write down the date by which you would like to move in to your new home: ________________

Keep in mind that it may take 30-90 days (or more) to locate the right home, secure financing, and complete the home-buying process.

The next priority is to develop a detailed description of the home you hope to find. The following page contains a Home Search Criteria form to help you distinguish between "Need to Have" features and "Nice to have" features. Be Specific. Include architectural style, number of bedrooms and baths, location, lot size, and other special requirements. Number your preferences in order of greatest importance to you.

This form, along with the information you share during our initial consultation, will enable me to narrow the home search. I will take this information and enter your requirements into the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) system. I will use my personal market knowledge to come up with a list of those homes that best meet your needs and wants.

During the home search, I will…

Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of each home in relation to your specific needs.

Keep you informed on a regular basis.

Check the MLS database and with other brokers regularly for new listings.

Prepare a list of all homes that best meet your needs and wants.

Keep you up to date on changing financial conditions that may affect the housing marketing.

Be available to answer your questions or offer assistance regarding your home purchase.

Discuss market trends and values relative to properties that may be of interest to you.

There are many factors to consider when selecting a neighborhood that is right for you. Below are just a few of the many factors -- You may think of others that are important to you. Please write them on your Home Search Criteria form so they do not get forgotten.

Neighborhoods have characteristic personalities designed to best suit single people, growing families, two-career couples, or retirees. Investigate to determine if the neighborhood matches your lifestyle and personality.

Look for things like access to major thoroughfares, highways, and shopping.

Listen for noise created by commerce, roads, railways, public areas, schools, etc.

Smell the air for adjacent commerce or agriculture.

Check with local civic, police, fire, and school officials to find information about the area.

Research things like soil and water.

Look at traffic patterns around the area during different times of the day and drive from the area to work.

Is the neighborhood near parks, churches, recreation centers, shopping, theaters, restaurants, public transportation, schools, etc.?

Does the neighborhood belong to a Homeowner’s Association?

Property Address: __________________________________________________________________

The advantages of having an agent help you purchase a new home are the same as those for purchasing a resale home…

Knowledge of the market

Help in finding the perfect home quickly

Expertise in contract writing/negotiation

Closing assistance.

The builder has a professional representative watching out for his/her needs, and you need the same expert representation.

Buying a new home is a little more difficult and time-consuming than buying a resale. I can professionally guide you through this process.

It is very important that your interests be professionally represented when you are entering into a contract for a semi-custom or build-to-suit home. These transactions are complex and the contract details must be exact in order to protect you and to ensure you get exactly the home you want!

How long have you been in business?

In what areas have you built?

What sets you apart from other builders?

What type of warranty program do you offer?

What are your fees for building a home (fixed price, costs plus management fee)?

How do you charge for extras?

Who supervises your construction?

How long have your trade people been working with you?

How often will we be updated on the progress of the home?

How often, during the week, are you at the job site? The superintendent?

Who will I be dealing with during construction?

Will that person have the authority to make final decisions?

How many hours per week do you and your supervising staff participate in continuing education within the home building industry?

Do you belong to a local trade association? If yes, which one(s)?
In what activities are you involved?

Can you provide a list of references, including homeowners, suppliers, subcontractors, and consultants such as architects and engineers?

Have you ever been sued and won, sued and lost; or are there any suits currently pending?
If yes, please explain.

Do you have any liens against any of the properties that you have built?

Have you ever filed for bankruptcy protection?

Once you have found the home you wish to purchase, you will need to determine what offer you are willing to make for the home. It is important to remember that the more competition there is for the home, the higher the offer should be – sometimes even exceeding the asking price. Remember, Be Realistic. Make offers you want the other party to sign!

To communicate your interest in purchasing a home, we will present the listing agent with a written offer. When the seller accepts an offer it becomes a legal contract. When you write an offer you should be prepared to pay an earnest money deposit. This is to guarantee that your intention is to purchase the property.

After we present your offer to the listing agent it will either be accepted, rejected, or the seller will make a counter offer. This is when we will negotiate terms of the contract if necessary.

The step-by-step contract procedure for most single-family home purchases is standard. The purchase agreement used is a standard document approved by our local Board of Realtors.

The purchase agreement or contract constitutes your offer to buy and, once accepted by the seller, becomes a valid, legal contract. For this reason, it is important to understand what is written on the contract offer.

Now that you have decided to buy your home, what happens between now and the time you legally own the home? A Title Company may handle the following items. NOTE: in different parts of the country attorneys, lenders, escrow companies and other persons who are independent of, title companies perform some or all of these functions.

Earnest Money – An agreement to convey starts the process once it is received at the Title Company. Once you submit the loan application, it is usually subject to a credit check, an appraisal, and sometimes, a survey of the property.

Tax Check – What taxes are owed on the property? The Title Company contacts the various assessor-collectors.

Title Search – Copies of documents are gathered from various public records: deeds, deeds of trust, various assessments and matters of probate, heirship, divorce, and bankruptcy are addressed.

Examination – Verification of the legal owner and debts owed.

Document Preparation – Appropriate forms are prepared for conveyance and settlement.

Settlement – An Escrow Officer oversees the closing of the transaction: seller signs the deed, you sign a new mortgage, the old loan is paid off and the new loan is established. Seller, Realtors, attorneys, surveyors, Title Company, and other service providers for the parties are paid. Title insurance policies will then be issued to you and your lender.

Title Insurance - There are two types of title insurance:

Coverage that protects the lender for the amount of the mortgage,

Coverage that protects the your equity in the property.

Both you and your lender will want the security offered by title insurance. Why?

Title agents search public records to determine who has owned any piece of property, but these records may not reflect irregularities that are almost impossible to find. Here are some examples: an unauthorized seller forges the deed to the property; an unknown, but rightful heir to the property shows up after the sale to claim ownership; conflicts arise over a will from a deceased owner; or a land survey showing the boundaries of your property is incorrect.

For a one-time charge at closing, title insurance will safeguard you against problems including those event an exhaustive search will not reveal.

Following is a list of recommended Service Providers. These are vendors we have worked with in the past and that have been recommended to us by satisfied customers. These are only recommendations. These recommendations are made on an informational basis only and are offered as a convenience to you. We accept no responsibility.

When you purchase a newly built home, the builder usually offers some sort of full or limited warranty on things such as the quality of design, materials, and workmanship. These warranties are usually for a period of one-year from the purchase of the home.

At closing, the builder will assign to you the manufacturer’s warranties that were provided to the builder for materials, appliances, fixtures, etc. For example, if your dishwasher were to become faulty within one year from the purchase of your newly built home, you would call the manufacturer of the dishwasher – not the builder.

If the homebuilder does not offer a warranty, BE SURE TO ASK WHY!

When you purchase a resale home, you can purchase warranties that will protect you against most ordinary flaws and breakdowns for at least the first year of occupancy. The warranty may be offered by either the Seller, as part of the overall package, or by the Realtor. Even with a warranty, you should have the home carefully inspected before you purchase it.

A home warranty program will give you peace of mind, knowing that the major covered components in your home will be repaired if necessary. Ask me for more details about home warrant packages.

If you are purchasing a resale property, we highly recommend that you have a professional home inspector conduct a thorough inspection. The inspection will include the following:

Appliances

Plumbing

Electrical

Air conditioning and heating

Ventilation

Roof and Attic

Foundation

General Structure

The inspection is not designed to criticize every minor problem or defect in the home. It is intended to report on major damage or serious problems that require repair. Should serious problems be indicated, the inspector will recommend that a structural engineer or some other professional inspect it as well.

You home cannot "pass or fail" an inspection, and your inspector will not tell you whether he/she thinks the home is worth the money you are offering. The inspector’s job is to make you aware of repairs that are recommended or necessary.

The seller may be willing to negotiate completion of repairs or a credit for completion of repairs, or you may decide that the home will take too much work and money. A professional inspection will help you make a clear-headed decision. In addition to the overall inspection, you may wish to have separate tests conducted for termites or the presence of radon gas.

In choosing a home inspector, consider one that has been certified as a qualified and experienced member by a trade association.

I recommend being present at the inspection. This is to your advantage. You will be able to clearly understand the inspection report, and know exactly which areas need attention. Plus, you can get answers to many questions, tips for maintenance, and a lot of general information that will help you once you move into your new home. Most important, you will see the home through the eyes of an objective third party.

A "closing" is where you and I meet with some or all of the following individuals: the Seller, the Seller’s agent, a representative from the lending institution and a representative from the title company, in order to transfer the property title to you. The purchase agreement or contract you signed describes the property, states the purchase price and terms, sets forth the method of payment, and usually names the date and place where the closing or actual transfer of the property title and keys will occur.

If financing the property, your lender will require you to sign a document, usually a promissory note, as evidence that you are personally responsible for repaying the loan. You will also sign a mortgage or deed of trust on the property as security to the lender for the loan. The mortgage or deed of trust gives the lender the right to sell the property if you fail to make the payments. Before you exchange these papers, the property may be surveyed, appraised, or inspected, and the ownership of title will be checked in county and court records.

At closing, you will be required to pay all fees and closing costs in the form of "guaranteed funds" such as a Cashier’s Check. Your agent or escrow officer will notify you of the exact amount at closing.

An escrow account is a neutral depository held by your lender for funds that will be used to pay expenses incurred by the property, such as taxes, assessments, property insurance, or mortgage insurance premiums which fall due in the future. You will pay one-twelfth of the annual amount of these bills each month with your regular mortgage payment. When the bills fall due the lender pays them from the special account. At closing, it may be necessary to pay enough into the account to cover these amounts for several months so that funds will be available to pay the bills as they fall due.

Keep detailed records of all moving expenses if your move is job related. Many expenses, including house-hunting trips, are tax deductible. If your move is 35 miles or more from your home, you can deduct your family’s travel expenses, including meals and lodging; the cost of transporting furniture, other household goods and personal belongings; food and hotel bills for up to 30 days in the new city if you have to wait to move into your new home; and the costs associated with selling your old home or leasing your new home.

Note: There is a ceiling on deductions which is outlined in detail in the IRS’s Publication 521, "Tax Information on Moving Expenses," available free form the IRS offices.