Home / Buy
Find it, win it, close it
West St. Louis County moves quickly, and the buyers who win are the ones who are ready before the right house appears. My job is to get you ready and then get you through the door first.
An agent who actually answers the phone
The most common thing my buyers say is that I was easy to reach and straight with them. That sounds like a low bar. In this industry it is not.
I will tell you when a house is overpriced. I will tell you when the foundation crack in the basement is cosmetic and when it is not. And I will tell you when to walk away, even though walking away means I do not get paid.
Fourteen years in this market means I have seen what goes wrong, and most of the work is in preventing it rather than fixing it afterwards.
Early access
Private MLS searches and coming-soon listings, before the portals catch up.
Honest numbers
What it is worth, what it will cost to fix, and what it should rent for.
CREN negotiation
Certified in negotiation, which matters most when there are five offers on the table.
Fast responses
Calls returned, questions answered, and showings booked the same day where possible.
Seven steps, no surprises
You will always know what has just happened and what happens next.
We talk first
What you want, what you can spend, and what your timeline actually looks like. No pressure and no cost.
Get pre-approved
I will introduce you to lenders I trust. A pre-approval letter is what turns an offer into a credible one.
Search properly
A private MLS search tuned to your criteria, with alerts the moment something matching hits the market.
Tour and assess
We see the homes worth seeing. I point out what the photographs hid and what the listing did not mention.
Write a winning offer
Price is only one lever. Terms, timing and contingencies win houses when the money is matched.
Inspections and negotiation
Inspection, appraisal and title. This is where deals fall apart, and where fourteen years earns its keep.
Close and collect the keys
Final walkthrough, signing, and the part where it stops being a transaction and starts being your home.
Ready to start at step one?
The first conversation is free and commits you to nothing.
Nobody is born knowing how this works
I have a soft spot for first-time buyers, and I have never once made someone feel stupid for asking a basic question.
You will hear escrow, earnest money, contingency, points, PMI and title commitment thrown around as if everybody understands them. I will explain each one when it becomes relevant, in plain English, and I will not let you sign anything you do not fully understand.
There are also more programmes available to first-time buyers in Missouri than most people realise — down payment assistance among them.
We found Lisa when my husband called the number on a “For Sale” sign.
The sellers had just accepted another offer, but by the end of that phone call, we knew we had found our agent. She told us she had a soft spot for first-time home buyers and would do everything she could to make the process smooth and stress-free. If a problem popped up, she fixed it. If we had questions, she answered them promptly — and if she didn’t know the answer, she found it.
JT and Kennedy I.
The things a website cannot tell you
School district boundaries that cut through subdivisions. Which roads flood. Where the twenty-minute commute is really forty.
Neighbourhood briefings
An honest read on each community — who lives there, what it costs, and what it is actually like day to day.
Schools, straight
Boundaries, reputations and the differences between districts that the ratings sites flatten out.
Remote touring
Video walkthroughs of anything you cannot get to in person, filmed properly rather than in a rush.
The things people ask me first
Less than most people assume. Conventional loans start around 3% down, FHA around 3.5%, and VA and USDA loans can require nothing down at all. Missouri also runs first-time buyer assistance programmes. The right answer depends on your credit, your savings and how long you plan to stay.
Compensation is negotiable and is agreed in writing before we start touring homes. I will walk you through exactly how it works in your situation, what it costs and who pays it, before you sign anything. No surprises at the closing table.
From accepted offer to closing is typically 30 to 45 days. Finding the right home is the variable — some buyers find it in a weekend, others take months, and both are normal. Getting pre-approved first shortens everything that follows.
Yes. In a competitive market a pre-approval letter is what makes your offer credible — without one, sellers often will not take you seriously. It also stops you falling in love with a home outside your range.
Almost every inspection finds something. The question is whether it is cosmetic, expensive, or a reason to walk. I will help you separate the three, get proper quotes where it matters, and negotiate repairs or credits.
Yes, and it is more common than you would think. Timing the two together takes planning — bridge financing, sale contingencies, or a rent-back agreement can all work depending on your situation.
Let’s find your home
Bring your questions, your budget and your wish list. I will bring fourteen years of knowing this market.