Calling ALL Wildwood, Chesterfield, Ballwin Home Buyers

Calling ALL Wildwood, Ballwin Chesterfield home buyers to the FREE seminar.

FREE Home Buyer's Seminar at Prudential Select Wildwood, Ballwin, Chesterfield Office located at the corner of Manchester Road and Westglen Farms Drive in lovely Wildwood, Missouri.

Wednesday March 11, 2009 from 7:00pm until 9:00pm.


Questions about the tax credit? Come find out the answers.

Want to know more about the loan process? Here you can find out.

Does the home buying process confuse you? Show up and receive free info.

Wondering what steps to take first? Come to the seminar as my guest.

Seminar is free but reservations are required. Email Ann: Ahayden@psphomes.com or log on to; www.SelectAnn.com to reserve your spot.


© Ann Hayden, 2008-2009. All photographs and/or written content produced by Ann Hayden. All rights reserved and may not be reproduced or reprinted without express written permission of Ann Hayden, real estate agent with Prudential Select Properties Chesterfield, Ballwin, Wildwood Office

Real estate needs: www.SelectAnn.com .

Unwanted Electronics Now Recycled in Eureka Missouri

Now that Christmas is over and you managed to get a new T.V. or computer, what are you going to do with the old one? It is illegal to throw it in the trash since there is a good deal of lead in most units. So do you keep the old one? No, now you can recycle your T.V. in Eureka in an eco-friendly way at Earthbound Recycling.

CRTs and T.V. are recycled at a cost of $10 per unit while other items such as keyboards, printers, telephones, VCRs, DVD players, etc, are accepted for a fee of 10 cents per pound.
Earthbound Recycling is located south of Highway 44 off Highway 109 at 25 Truitt Dr. It is 1/4 of a mile south of Highway 44 on Highway 109. They are open Mon-Sat. from 9 until 5. If you have questions, their phone number is: 636-938-1188.

I have a bunch of monitors to recycle due to a couple of techy computer geeks living in my household....

Information compliments of Ann Hayden agent with Prudential Select Properties Wildwood/Chesterfield/Ballwin Office. Ann Hayden is committed to your goals while educating you in the home buying & selling processes. Please call or text Ann Hayden today to get started 636-399-7544.

Search for your real estate at http://www.selectann.com/. 24/7
Real estate needs: http://www.selectann.com/.

© 2008-2009 Ann Hayden, All rights reserved

Happy 2009! Do you know how many houses expired on December 31st, 2008?

Happy 2009 to Everyone!
Do you know how many houses expired in the MLS on December the 31st, 2008? Here in St. Louis it shows 3481. This is a huge opportunity for Realtors(r) and homeowners. For Realtors(r), this is your chance to contact and secure these listings.
But for homeowners, it is your opportunity to ask yourself, what went wrong? Why did my house not sell?
Consider the five top reasons a property sells:
1) Location
2) Price
3) Terms
4) Property Condition and Amenities
5) The Agent and Company You Select
You, as a homeowner, control four of the five reasons a property sells. Are you still in the market to sell your home? If the answer is yes, then please contact me at ahayden@psphomes.com for a no obligation market analysis of your home. Together we can work on the why and the how to get your house SOLD!
Article compliments of Ann Hayden~ Wildwood and surrounding areas~ Agent for Prudential Select Properties. Ann Hayden is committed to your goals while educating you in the home buying & selling processes. Call or text Ann Hayden today to get started 636-399-7544, or email at ahayden@psphomes.com
Search for your real estate at www.SelectAnn.com. 24/7
Real estate needs: www.SelectAnn.com
© 2008-2009 Ann Hayden, All rights reserved

Remembering 9/11

Remembering 9/11....a day that will live on in the history of our nation. I would like to pay tribute to those fallen heroes, those people who thought that fateful day was going to be like any other ordinary day.

We will never know why, why so many had to die.
We will never understand the senseless killing of so many precious people.
Many loved ones were lost on September 11th, 2001.
Friends and family.
Neighbors and co-workers
Moms and Dads.
Brothers and Sisters.
Grandmas and Grandpas.
Many true heroes gave their all to save others.
While the nation watched, the first twin tower burned..........
Everyone held their breath as another plane crashed into the other tower.
There were screams from many.
There was much confusion.
Horrifying images of a nation.
A nation in shock.
A nation in disbelief.

And then, all was silent.
It was as if the world stopped spinning.
Everything was still.
It was as if there was nothing...
But low and behold, survivors emerged.
Survivors from the wreckage.
A little glimmer of hope in a turbulent time.
Our nation pulled together.
We pulled together to help those who lost loved ones.
To search for the ones who thought it was going to be just another day.
Another Tuesday.

A Tuesday we will never forget.
A Tuesday we must never forget.

A tribute to the memory of all those lost and those who lost loved ones.
We will Never Forget!

Sparky the Wonder Dog

One might ask how a dog can be a wonder. Here is my attempt to post about my newest family member, Sparky. Sparky is a Collie/Shepherd/Husky?? mix. He was rescued and adopted from the St. Louis Humane Society. His name at the time of adoption was "Brody". I did not care for the name but thought I would get used to it. Well, after about a week of forgetting the dog's name I decided it had to be changed. I mean who calls a dog "Brody"? The only Brody I could ever remember was the guy in the Jaws movies. I did not want to equate calling my dog with the blood thirsty shark!

So we talked about names. It took nearly 2 days to agree upon a name. (There was another Sparky in my life when I was a young girl. He was my Grandma and Grandpa's dog. He was the best dog. He would let the grand kids crawl all over him and never ever growl. He was the ever vigilant protector. He feared nothing or so the grandchildren thought. Later when we were older we found out he did have one fear- THUNDER! The dog hated storms.) Hands down, I won on the naming of the dog. He caught on very quickly to his new name. Since he was a stray, his Humane Society name did not matter to him anyway.

Sparky is a wonder because of the 8 dogs we brought into the "family" area with us, he was the only one to play ball. I always wanted a dog who was smart enough to play games. So this did it for me. Also, he seemed very much at ease with all of us. We filled out the papers and proceeded to bring him home. This was a stray dog who thought I was his protector, so he wanted to ride on my lap as I drove the 30+ miles home from the pound. It was a messy ride. He was nervous and tried to climb over the seats and children the whole way home. Needless to say, when we arrived home I was quite content to let him run. He did not go far and was more than happy to chase and retrieve the ball I threw for him.

Since Sparky seemed to be an intelligent animal, I decided to teach him some tricks. The first was to sit and heel. He did well with both. Next, I thought, let's try "shake". He caught on immediately. He was still having trouble with "come" when called. So I enlisted the help of a shock collar but I could not bring myself to push the button. I went back to offering treats as a reward for coming when called, then after a few days, just a great deal of praise and lots of attention.

My cousin has dogs that do all sorts of tricks. So inspired by her, I decided he should learn to roll over. It took all of 2 days for Sparky to learn this one. He does it on command now but only if you have a treat for him. He does not even care anymore if it is me commanding him. All the visitors to our "ranch" thoroughly enjoy this trick. Our home is not really a ranch but the neighbors have cows and horses so we call it a ranch.

About a week after we rescued Sparky, I let him out before going to bed. I heard him yipe and proceeded to open the door thinking he was ready to come in. He did charge into the house nearly knocking me down. It took two seconds for me to realize what had happened. He had been SKUNKED! He smelled horrible.

I quickly shut the door and went to the phone to call a couple of experts. The first said to use tomato juice. I check the pantry, NONE! I called another friend. He said he had viewed a show called Myth Busters recently covering this topic. Their solution was to wash the animal with baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. I thanked him and got off the phone.

I looked at Sparky a basically black dog and decided I did not want to bleach his fur so I opted to use the baking soda mixed with soap. I assembled the necessary ingredients and put on a rain suit so I could give an emergency bath. I quickly found out Sparky does not like water. He almost knocked me down twice during the 30 minute bath. Finally we were finished and he smelled pretty good. I brought him in and went to bed.

Needless to say, Sparky now stays away from those cute little black and white animals. He has learned they are DANGEROUS!

This dog is truly a wonder. He is constantly finding a new way to make us laugh or impress us. With those ears perked and the nose twitching, Sparky makes us smile and happy he is a part of our family. Welcome home wonder dog! We hope to have many years with you .

Grape Stomp 2008 Charity Event

Here is an invitation for anyone who ever thought they might enjoy stomping grapes! It is a fun time in a beautiful setting. This will be my third year attending the Stomp. And unless I am under the weather or worse, I will be there. Be sure to bring blankets, chairs and picnic items. And bring your imagination. We have had wedding parties stomp grapes together, Lucille Ball look alikes, Mario Brothers, etc. If you can think of an original costume, come on out and stomp for style or for volume. Either way it is a stompin' good time for all. Audience participation is required!
"On Your Mark, Get Set, STOMPERS STOMP!"
You only have to stomp for 2 minutes which, to most, may seem like a short amount of time. But I can assure you, in the hot sun, 2 minutes is a LONG time. Grapes along with the vines feel very interesting on your bare feet. I cannot imagine doing this for a living or for actual wine consumption. YUK!
The winery tour will give you a fairly in depth history lesson. Stone Hill is Missouri's oldest and most awarded winery. The tour helps you appreciate the heritage of this gorgeous area and the winery itself. The Held Family has done a stellar job restoring the winery and capturing a piece of the past
Please join us in picturesque Hermann, Missouri on the "hill" at Stone Hill Winery for the annual Stone Hill Grape Stomp. Come have a stompin' good time by stomping for fun and charity! Help celebrate the beginning of the grape harvest by stomping your toes into a barrel full of juicy grapes! The Grape Stomp is a charity event for River Bluff Industries, a local Sheltered Workshop for the mentally and physically challenged.
When: The event is August 9th,2008. Time: Registration starts at 11 a.m. but the line forms at about 8 a.m. since only 90 people can stomp due to time constraints and the quantity of grapes. So come early if you want to participate!
Age Categories: 0-12 yrs, 13-19 yrs, 20-39 yrs, 40-55 yrs, over 55 yrs. Special Groups: Stomp already-stomped grapes for style points and fun. Only six special group slots. At end of competition, there will be a Grand Stomp-Off among age-group winners and Grand Style Stomp-Off among age-group style winners for Grand Prize.
Judging: Stompers judged 80% on amount of juice and 20% on stomping style. Stompers get 30 lbs. of grapes and two minutes to stomp to music. Winner from each class with highest overall points goes on to compete in the Grand Stomp-Off for Grand Champion Stomper. Winner from each class with highest style points goes on to compete for Grand Style Stomp-Off for Grand Champion Style Stomper.
Cost: Grounds Fee: Adults = $3.00; Children = $1.50: Preschool = Free (includes tour). Proceeds go to River Bluff Industries. Stomping Fee = $5.00 (½ of entry to River Bluff Industries, ½ to prize money.) Most if not all of the winners donate their prize money back to this worthy cause.
Winery: Tour tickets are available at the tour booth. Maximum tour size is 50 people. Tours are on the hour and half hour. Grounds fee includes tour: Adults = $3. Ages 6-12 = $1.50. Preschool = Free. Friday and Saturday Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 8 p.m. Last tour at 7 p.m.
Chilled wine and grape juice available by the bottle at winery and Pavilion. Limited to one bottle of chilled wine per person. Lunch served 11 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis. Accepting dinner reservations from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Call 573-486-3479 for reservations.
COME, join us and STOMP!

Boston or Styx?

Which do you like better Styx or Boston?? After attending a concert on Friday night at the Family Arena in St. Charles, Missouri, I feel the need to ask this question. I went to this concert thinking I like Boston but was very surprised to find out I had already missed most of the best part of the bands.
Due to circumstances beyond my control, we were late for the concert start time. After arriving and getting our seats, it was apparent Styx plays music for the audience. Everyone in the audience was swaying to the music, dancing and singing. The members of the band were very fan friendly. They put on a great show. As Tom Shaw said goodbye, the stage was torn apart and set for Boston.
At this point, I am happy to be in the arena. AND then it happens, they start to play.... Needless to say, after the first seemingly endless song, I am happy I have the earplug in my ears. The music was way too loud!
All of those familiar songs only sounded familiar until the band started to sing. They did not sound very good. AND when did Boston ever have a girl play guitar in the band?
We eventually left, before the show was over. I spied many empty seats after Styx left the stage and only after enduring about 45 minutes to an hour of "music" did I understand why.
Maybe Boston was having a bad day. But then again maybe Styx is really just that good! I was totally impressed with their performance.

The King of Beers Sold

Does anyone else feel like America is for sale? Today Anheuser-Busch, the King of Beers, is being sold to InBev, a Belgium based company. Why? To keep shareholders happy. InBex is purchasing A-B for a cool $52 Billion.
What does this sale mean to St. Louis? What does it mean to the country? At this point it is difficult to say, but rest assured business will change. New people will be in charge with new ideas. New ideas of how to make more money. Will this mean a change in the time honored brewing process?
I visited the brewery last week with my brother and his family. The tour was interesting and enlightening. Many steps are involved in the brewing of a great beer. The process is timed and very precise. The ingredients used are of the highest quality. Even the water is purified so all of the products taste the same no matter what state they are made in or for.
The company's history is nothing short of amazing...American history. The company survived Prohibition by selling non-alcoholic products. The company sold ice cream, root beer, ginger ale and baker's yeast to name a few.
The Budweiser Clydesdales are magnificent horses and a must see on Super Bowl ads not to mention a symbol of America. And let us not forget to mention the red, white and blue Budweiser logo or the A with the eagle swooping in.
Will this be the end of the "Real Men of Genius" commercials or just the end of "Anheuser Busch St. Louis, Missouri" at the end of the radio commercials?
Anheuser-Busch holds a 48% market share in the US. Will this continue?
What effect will the sale have on the real estate market in St. Louis?
Only time will tell.

Lakefront House

Super Lakefront home on gorgeous Lake Serene. Spacious 3 bed room, 2 bath ranch home. The floor plan is light, bright and open. Skylights give natural light thus saving you money on electric. The living room, master bedroom and one addtional bedroom face the picturesque lake. You can watch the wildlife from the comfort of your home. Come see this beauty so close to town and yet so private. 10 Minutes from Highway 44. Home has vinyl siding with enclosed soffits. Owner is offering home warranty. For more details go to SelectAnn.com.

View of private dock from the lot on the 67 acre lake. Enjoy fishing, boating and watching wildlife on this sparkling, private lake.

SelectAnn.com for all your real estate needs