Spring 2023 County Living

Bring nature home with your own Water Garden

The Courtyards at BaratHaven Luxury Living Single Family Detached Villas with Private Courtyards

Enjoy a relaxed lifestyle with attractive views from the entirety of your home. Choose from three distinctive floorplans that offer 9-foot ceilings and ample room dimensions.

Experience the private attached courtyard and outdoor recreation at The Courtyards

at BaratHaven, with the nearby Dardenne Greenway Trail system, a 15+ acre recreational lake and August A. Busch Conservation Area. The HOA takes care of maintaining your lawn, landscaping, irrigation and snow removal.

Experience a sense of community with neighbors and lock & leave convenience. Sit back and relax in your beautiful new home and throw away your “to do” list at the Courtyards at BaratHaven.

Low-Maintenance. Privacy. Community. You can have it all. Just a few of our Quality Standard Features:

n James Hardie® fiber cement siding and trim

n Pella® windows

n Brick per-plan elevation

n High-efficiency heating, cooling and hot water systems

n Architectural shingles roofing

For a private tour or more information, call us anytime or fill out the form on our website.

Let Us Design & Build Your Custom Deck

Since 1991 Aesthetic Design & Build has been building beautiful decks throughout St. Louis and St. Charles counties. We work with each client to create a unique design that fits their home and lifestyle. Wrap-around custom decks and staircases can be built with a variety of low-maintenance decking and railings.

The DryPro under deck ceiling system is a cost-effective way to expand your living space by providing shade and rain protection for outdoor seating areas or bars.

The louvered roof and opening pergola are innovative solutions for residential and commercial outdoor living spaces. These sturdy, fully motorized systems offer protection from the rain, while allowing the flexibility of adjustable amounts of shade and light.

ON THE COVER

Innsbrook has been a favorite local getaway for St. Louis-area families for over 50 years. Located 30 minutes west of Chesterfield, Innsbrook is best known for its recreational A-frame chalets, but also offers year-round residential and vacation homes, contemporary cottages, low-maintenance condos, golf course villas, and now treehouses!

With more than 7,500 wooded acres and 100 lakes, Innsbrook offers families the perfect place for natural relaxation close to St. Louis. There's plenty to do, no matter your taste or pace: sailing, hiking, cycling, fishing, tennis, pickleball, swimming or golf and dining at the Clubhouse Bar & Grille or Par Bar. Innsbrook also offers an extensive activities program that includes outdoor concerts, kids’ camps and workshops and adult learning opportunities. Dogs are welcome, and they even have their own park, the Lachen Hund Dog Park.

See the article about Innsbrook on page 39. You can learn more at www.ibkconnect.com or call 636.928.3366 x9199.

Innsbrook Properties features agents who have worked their whole careers at Innsbrook, and are part of the community family.

COUNTY LIVING

VOLUME 23 / SPRING

PUBLISHER/EDITOR

Todd Abrams

DESIGN + CREATIVE DIRECTION + PRODUCTION

Michael Kilfoy, Studio X

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Carol Kindinger

PRINTING

Walsworth Fulton

DISTRIBUTION DATABASE

Insight Marketing

For information regarding advertising, call:

COUNTY LIVING PUBLICATIONS

314-443-3024 phone 314-569-3380 fax P.O. Box 411036 St. Louis, MO 63141

To see this issue and archived articles online with links to resources, visit COUNT YLIVINGM AG.COM

County Living Magazine is published quarterly by County Living Publications and distributed to select homeowners in the St. Louis area. Articles are selected to provide useful information about home, health, travel and recreation.

Opinions expressed in articles and editorials are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of County Living Publications. While every effort is made to assure accuracy, we are not responsible for how information found in County Living Magazine is used.

We are very interested in reader comments or suggestions. Correspondence should be sent to the address above or to editor@CountyLivingMag.com.

Reproduction of content of this magazine without permission is prohibited. All submitted materials, including images, logos and text for advertising, articles and editorials are assumed to be the property of the contributor, and County Living Publications does not take responsibility for unintentional copyright infringement. County Living Publications has the right to refuse advertising and content not deemed appropriate for this publication.

Circulation is verified by U.S. Postal receipts.

Todd Michael Carol

(mis)Adventures

WITH J. ELINOR LERCH

Travel, parenting, grandparenting, dating, or just life – the gaffes and the goofy are wasted if not shared. Especially if they are self-inflicted. I hope these narratives make you laugh (or at least smile). And I promise – they are all absurdly true.

A Rolls, a Bentley, or Sensible Shoes?

Dateline: Kensington, London. I’m celebrating a milestone birthday, circa 1993. (No, I’m not admitting which one.)

It was my first-ever trip to England, after a lifetime of imaginings. Determined to experience all that is London in six days, I was nothing if not intrepid. No pre-arranged tours for me — I wanted to discover everything on my own. This proved to be — ahem — an interesting choice.

After checking out the usual fare (the Abbey, the Palace, and Harrods, of course) I was meandering the streets of Kensington in late afternoon, ice cream cone in hand. (Because calories don’t count on vacation! Everybody knows that.) Lost in my Anglophile paradise, I was a bit startled when a gorgeous car pulled up alongside me. The tinted window slid down smoothly, and I was greeted by an equally gorgeous, (very) young man asking me if I wanted a ride. Hmmm.

I was in London. It was broad daylight. I was feeling adventurous. So yes — I climbed in. (More concerned with chocolate ice cream on white leather than the wisdom of my decision.) As we drove aimlessly around Kensington, I inquired about the two men in the front seat.

“My driver, and my bodyguard.”

With that, the ENORMOUS bodyguard turned slightly, and growled “Companion!”

Beautiful young man smiled at me and mouthed “Bodyguard!”

At one point — presumably when the bodyguard decided I was too old to be dangerous — we dropped him off at a stately white townhouse with a brass plaque. After

a few more minutes of driving, I was invited to a party, but politely declined. Without any argument and the sweetest of smiles, my would-be date directed the driver to chauffeur me home. It was actually about a 2-minute drive, and I realized we had just been circling the same few blocks.

from the lighthouse, I needed a lift — in every sense of the word. And behold, one actually appeared — shockingly enough — in the form of another gorgeous car. This time a sleek black Bentley Arnage. When the dignified Jamaican driver asked me if I needed a ride, I hesitated — but only for a moment. I was a sticky, cranky mess, and the car was air-conditioned. There was no need to ask twice. He gave me a lovely island tour and a ride to my apartment, stopping for lunch along the way. He was charming, genteel, and quite elegant. The next day, my landlady asked me about my trip, and I told her about my day — handing her the gentleman’s card. Her eyes widened and she said, “Oh my Lord! You spent the day with the former premier of the island!” His name was Sir John Swan. (After glancing at his card at lunch, I remember teasing him about the “Sir,” which he dismissed as not important.)

The next morning I set out to explore Kensington Palace gardens. On the way, I passed the very townhouse where we had stopped the previous afternoon. The engraving on the brass plaque? “Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman.” My first trip to England, and I’d been driven about by a young prince in a Rolls-Royce. That option had not been offered in any of the brochures.

Fast forward about ten years — Bermuda this time. Recovering from a broken heart and on a tight budget, I was walking home in abysmal heat after exploring St. David’s Lighthouse. (I had spent the previous day moping beneath a tree, tossing bits of McVities Chocolate Digestives to the birds gathered at my feet, while I watched the cool people walking into the Bermuda Yacht Club. “Feed the Birds” played on a loop in my brain, with accompanying pictures of a sad old woman.)

So by the time I sweltered my way home

Next stop? Guernsey, Channel Islands — my favorite place on the planet. Walking along St. Peter Port harbor, I paused to admire a sexy silver Jaguar. The owner, chatting on the steps of a storefront, held out the keys and asked me if I wanted to take it for a drive. Um, no thank you. An expensive sports car on the left side of twisty, cobbled streets? I would be safer with a stranger in a London Rolls-Royce.

But for all the car-centered adventures I’ve enjoyed, my best memories are still “on foot.” Nothing compares to boarding the ferry to Sark (where no cars are allowed!) and venturing across the magnificent La Coupée. There’s Caragh Chocolate (handrolled truffles!) at one end, and a fabulous restaurant, La Sablonnerie, at the other. With spirit and the right shoes, something wonderful is always afoot.

J. Elinor is “All the Muse You Need” for writing short copy, long-form storytelling, speeches, or just proofing and editing. You can reach her at STLWriter@sbcglobal.net.

Photo: Michael Kilfoy, Studio X

Pinterest, Ponds and a Wish List Brought to Life

BY J. ELINOR LERCH

When asked how she first began dreaming about a water feature in the backyard of the home she

shares with her now-husband Gil, Denise explains, “It was really kind of funny!

Gil and I had stayed in a luxury cabin in Cinnamon Valley, and there was a pond out in front. We had such a great time, and we wanted to replicate that at our home.”

But where to begin? They just weren’t sure how the water feature would take shape. And then, on another vacation, the couple

Visit our Water Features

St. Louis Water Garden Society’s 23rd Anniversary Tour of Pond-O-Rama

June 24-25, 2023, 9am-5 pm each day

For more info and tickets: slwgs.org

the excavator, and Denise was tasked with driving the skid-steer. But as the project evolved and became too daunting, Gil began researching landscape companies to help, and discovered Nature’s Re-Creations, nationally recognized for their design and installation of transformational water features.

It was then, Denise explains, that everything came together effortlessly, with a visit from owner and principal designer Chris Siewing. They presented him with their wish list for the pond, explaining that they wanted it to look natural, they wanted to be able to admire it from their house, and also be able to see their horses, mules and “critters” in the pasture beyond. After listening to their must-haves, Chris said, “Can you give me 20 or 30 minutes and I’ll draw something up for you?”

Save

— both fly fishermen — saw something close to what they had in mind. (And, as Denise says, “I get on Pinterest a LOT!”) At first, they talked about building their water feature themselves. Because Gil is a retired home builder, he had access to the heavy equipment necessary for such a project. He would manage

the Date:

Nature's Re-Creations' Moonlight Pond Tour and After Party Saturday, Sept 30 5:45-10pm. See website for details.

CHRIS SIEWING is owner and president of Nature’s Re-Creations, nationally recognized as a Master Certified Aquascape Contractor, Missouri’s first Water Garden Excellence Member, firstplace winner of the North American Pond and Waterfall Building Competition and in the elite group of Aquascape Artists of the Year. Nature’s Re-Creations is the area’s leading designer and installer of custom water features. For over 27 years, they have

been committed to high quality design, workmanship and customer satisfaction. Nature’s Re-Creations stays on the cutting edge of technology and installation techniques to continually improve their projects and the environment. To discuss a water feature project, you can contact Chris Siewing at 636-223-2330 or check out their gallery and fill out the contact form at www. Re-createNature.com or view their portfolio at Facebook.com/NaturesReCreations.

So the couple waited in the house, where Denise laughs that they were “pacing back and forth” until Chris returned. “He came back with this amazing drawing — that I still have — and I’ll be darned! When the work was finished, our backyard looked JUST like his drawing!” The entire process was a pleasure, Denise says. “Chris is amazing! He’s professional, dependable, and personable. You can trust him from the get-go.”

The gorgeous water feature includes a koi pond, and a swimming pond that the couple enjoy whenever they have the chance. The two joined ponds are surrounded by large, artfully arranged boulders that seem like they have always been a part of the landscape, just like the koi that swim up to Gil and Denise. “They know we feed them,” she says with a smile. (The number of happy koi is a bit of a backyard mystery. Denise says they began with 10, and then one day there were eleven — all the same size.) When family and friends come over, the pond is a favorite destination. The couple’s 11 grandchildren especially love donning snorkel gear and looking for the koi.

Honored with several prestigious national awards, Nature’s Re-Creations is a family-owned company with many testimonials from customers as delighted and enthusiastic as Denise and Gil. Chris and his team design and install ponds, waterfalls, and just about any water feature a homeowner could imagine. And if you love the idea of a water feature, but you’re not quite ready for a pond and waterfall, consider a fountainscape - a bubbling rock fountain that can be incorporated into a smaller garden, or to greet guests at your front door. It’s not just beautiful to look at — it’s a delight for the ears, too. Denise says that the sounds from their waterfall are just enchanting. “You can hear it from our deck, and in the summer we open the windows so we can hear it from inside!”

Projects from Nature’s Re-Creations are often featured on the annual “Pond-O-Rama” sponsored by the St. Louis Water Garden Society, and Denise said they were asked to participate in 2021. “I was surprised! Our new pond had just been completed the previous fall, and I wasn’t sure if it was ‘ready.’ But they didn’t mind.”

She also did not expect many tour participants to be willing to travel the 40-something miles west to see their project. “Can you believe we had 100 people?!” The spectacular pond was also on the 2022 tour, and Gil and Denise have already agreed to this summer, as well. This past year they added a grain bin that they converted to a fire pit enclosure, complete with the requisite Adirondack chairs. And, of course, a view of the pond.

It’s all sublimely pictureque and perfect for a wedding. Gil and Denise thought so, too — they were married pond-side with family (and koi!) in attendance.

If it wasn’t clear before — it is now. Chris Siewing and his team are experts in creating magical settings and happy endings.

We have been transforming plain and boring concrete to beautiful, durable surfaces for over 40 years. Let us design and install a masterpiece at your home. See

Here’s what our customers say about working with Decorative Concrete

Resurfacing:

“Wow! We came back from vacation yesterday and were so pleased with the work you all did while we were gone. Makes us wish we had done it years ago!”

– Cathy Milton

“Thanks for a job well done. We think it’s beautiful.”

– Joe Stangl

“Your company was easy to work with, did a great application and cleanup. Everything handled professionally, and the patio looks great!”

– Steve and Ann Proscino

LEFT: Blue and red lobelia, great rain garden plants

ABOVE: Entry intake where water is diverted into rain garden

BELOW: Orange cone flower is great to plant in wet areas for absorbing water

Rainscaping Reduces Erosion and Makes Possible a Beautiful Rain Garden

BY STEVE CALLOWAY

Rainscaping is good water management now coming more into practice by ecologyminded homeowners. It is the term for managing storm water runoff from heavy rains. Rather than rainwater streaming through and around property, water can be intercepted using rainscaping methods. As water pours out of downspouts, off roads and onto properties, it causes erosion, pooling of water that prevents grass from growing properly, and can build up against structure foundations, causing wear, weakening foundation walls and leaky basements.

Instead, rainscaping attacks nuisance water flow at its source, directing ground water in strategically placed swales or channels to be diverted away from foundations into a garden area or a rain garden. Rain barrels connected to downspouts are used to collect water that can be used to irrigate a garden area.

A rain garden is specially constructed where ground water is coursing during heavy rainfalls, designed to alleviate water flow from continuing. The project begins with removing non-permeable soil and replacing it with an absorben-

cy soil, a permeable medium of porosity that allows water to sink into rather than coarse over it. Absorbency soil is a mixture of specific composts, mulches, and porous material such as sand or gravel.

A rain garden of absorbency soil is ideal for plants that naturally have good root systems and high water intake. Rain gardens offer the option of using what had been nuisance water to instead create gardens of beautiful perennial flowers, such as turtlehead, cardi-

nal flower, queen of prairie, and royal fern. Another rainscaping strategy for reducing water runoff in areas of your yard is removing invasive plants such as honeysuckle and euonymus, which have low water absorbency, and replacing them with native plant species, perennials, shrubs and trees to increase absorbency.

Rainscaping also helps communities by reducing rainwater intake into sewers, reducing stormwater backup, basement backup, and sewer overflow. It also helps reduce flooding by lessening water flowing into creeks and rivers. Organizations such as MSD vigorously promote rainscaping. By alleviating water pooling areas, rainscaping also reduces mosquito population on properties. Replacing invasive plants with native species attracts predatory insects such as praying mantis and ladybug that feed on nuisance insects such as mosquitoes, whiteflies and scales.

STEVE CALLOWAY is owner of Garden Green Horticulture Service. They revitalize and restore gardens and convert areas of ordinary lawn or problem growth with beautiful native plantings that will make landscapes better year after year. Pictured on this page are a number of rain gardens constructed by Garden Green.

Steve also helps homeowners select the plants, trees and shrubbery that best meet their aesthetic desires and that will thrive in the sunlight, soil and moisture conditions in their yards.

You can call or email Steve for a complimentary consultation in your yard, to identify your plants and advise on how to keep them healthy and looking their best. You can reach Steve at 314-288-5036 or garden_green@live.com.

Going

Michael Kilfoy has a lot to worry about in the course of day. As the head of Studio X, a branding and marketing agency nestled in the heart of downtown Maplewood, Michael juggles photography shoots, graphic design projects, and client meetings. But he can cross off his energy supply as a source of worry, because Michael and Studio X have been powered by solar energy for the last two years.

“This is what the future is,” said Kilfoy, speaking about his rooftop solar array. Eighteen black solar modules cover the roof and generate over 75% of his energy needs throughout the year. He expects the system to pay for itself in 7 years. “After that, it is all free energy,” he explained. With the federal renewable energy tax credit, an Ameren rebate, and accelerated depreciation benefits, Kilfoy reduced the cost of his solar PV energy system by 70%.

The solar photovoltaic system was installed by StraightUp Solar, a local turn-key solar design, installation, and maintenance provider, headquartered in Maryland Heights. Founded in 2006, by Dr. Dane Glueck, StraightUp Solar’s design and installation portfolio of 1,700 projects range from small residential rooftop systems to large municipal and commercial ground-mount installations. Certified as a B Corporation, which documents their commitment to balance profit and purpose, the company’s mission is to inspire a solar tribe to create a more sustainable world.

Kilfoy is happy about his no-maintenance energy source, but it’s not just the $10 energy bills that put a smile on his face. “This is smart. And it’s good to do,” he said. “Technology is going this way and it is just the right thing to do right now. We are helping change things for the better.”

To learn how your home or business can save energy costs and add value, you can contact StraightUp Solar at 314-310-7614 and ask for a free customized solar assessment.

solar helps the bottom line and a more sustainable world

Complete Services to Restore Your Pool Deck

Over the winter months, grit, mold and mildew stains leave your concrete pool deck looking dirty. EnduraCrete® offers a full range of services to get it looking better than ever.

POWER WASHING FOR A FRESH CLEAN DECK

EnduraCrete power washing, using their own customized cleaning solutions, powers through that black build-up and helps maintain an extended clean appearance. It also eliminates the surface slickness that can result in slips and falls. You can keep it looking its best with an EnduraCrete maintenance program and never see ugly concrete again – for

pool deck, sidewalks, and driveway with their auto-visit maintenance programs.

BEAUTIFUL CONCRETE TRANSFORMATIVE SERVICES

EnduraCrete provides a variety of transformative services capable of turning dull gray concrete into a value-added source of pride. Everyone can enjoy the pool deck safely without toasting their toes with EnduraCrete Kool-CreteTM concrete coating. Kool-Crete can reduce your concrete surface temperature by as much as 30 degrees allowing your pool deck to be the

refreshing space you envisioned it being on those hot days.

If you have cracks in your concrete pool deck, you have movement, which means any treatment is going to need to flex with your property. Most coatings systems are designed for a stable surface, and will crack, check and split with underlying movement. EnduraCrete Deck-a-FlexTM is specifically engineered for such applications with enhanced flexibility. EnduraCrete Deck-AFlex can restore that clean quality cared-for appearance free from cracks and have your patio party-ready in no time. Their concrete repair, polishing, staining, epoxy coating, Kool-Crete overlays, sealing and anti-slip treatments deliver a customized concrete surface designed to meet your desired look and feel.

Regardless of what problems you encounter with your concrete surfaces, there is a solution. You can call the professionals at EnduraCrete St. Louis at 877-781-5651 for a free at-home estimate or visit www.marblelife-stlouis.com.

If Your Home is Settling, Don’t Panic.

UNDERSTAND THE CAUSES, AND WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT.

Foundation problems can affect your home’s safety, appearance, and value. If you have wall or floor cracks, bowing walls or doors and windows that don’t close as they should, these are signs that your home may be settling.

WHAT CAUSES SETTLEMENT?

Settlement is the movement your home experiences when changes in the soil below cause it to no longer be able to support the weight of your home, or parts of it. This can be soil that is drying and shrinking, usually after long droughts; soil that remains wet and softens, usually from heavy rain or flooding where there is poor drainage; or compression of poorly compacted fill soil, often where new building lots are developed.

Even if you haven’t seen changes in your home recently, more settlement may occur. Continuing wet and dry cycles can cause soil changes, and settlement is not over unless steps are taken to fix the problem.

SOLUTIONS THAT WORK

The most effective way to fix a settling home is to pier it. Steel push piers are driven deep to bedrock or a stable soil layer. They can be installed inside or outside your home to

lift it back to its original position, closing cracks and improving the operation of doors and windows. The solution is quick, and the problem is solved. On lighter structures such as stoops or decks, a helical pier or screw pile may be more effective because the structure may not be heavy enough to drive push piers to a sufficient depth.

If you see cracks in walls or floors, inside or out, or doors or windows that don’t close as they should, don’t delay doing something about it. These signs of settlement may get worse if you ignore them. You can call Woods Basement Systems, the highest-rated, most reviewed contractor in their industry, for a free inspection. Their experts can restore your home to safe, functional condition. You can call Woods Basement Systems at 866-735-1890, or learn more at betterbasementvalue.com.

Does Your Home Have Uneven Concrete Surfaces?

–WALKS, STEPS, PATIO, POOL DECK OR DRIVEWAY?

These are unsightly and also tripping hazards that could cause injuries. You may have tilting concrete steps or sidewalks, driveways or patios where a seam has turned into a step, or repeated cracking in sections of concrete slabs. These problems are often the result of a shifting or a weak soil base or erosion.

In the past, contractors relied upon mud jacking or slab jacking to level concrete that had settled over time. This involves pumping concrete slurry under the settled slab to raise it, hoping that the settlement won’t continue.

But that requires large holes in the concreteabout the diameter of a soda can. It can take an entire day to cure and the mixture itself is heavy – about 100 pounds per cubic foot, which can lead to further sinking. There is now a great alternative called PolyLEVEL™, which uses a lightweight polyurethane mix that expands to fill the void beneath sunken concrete. This not only results in a solution that lasts longer, but also it looks better because it is less destructive to the applied surface. PolyLEVEL requires a much smaller hole – about the diameter of a penny, cures in 15 minutes and weighs much less – about two pounds per cubic foot. It

lifts concrete slabs to a level position with less weight and disruption than the legacy mud jacking or slab jacking process. The result is a safe, secure and level concrete slab. In the St. Louis area, Woods Basement Systems is the authorized contractor for PolyLEVEL concrete lifting. They will inspect your concrete walk, steps, pool deck, patio or driveway and provide an estimate to have your sunken concrete slab lifted with PolyLEVEL. To meet with one of their concrete repair experts, you can call them at 866-735-1890 or learn more at www.betterbasementvalue.com.

EnduraCrete’s Clean & Seal power washing system, using our own customized cleaning solutions, powers through that black buildup on plain concrete and maintains an extended clean appearance. Our concrete staining, coating and sealing bring back the like-new look of concrete pavers.

The Green Home Coach

BY MARLA ESSER CLOOS

MARLA ESSER CLOOS, NAHB Master Certified Green Professional, Wellness

Within Your Walls Certified Professional and LEED AP, is the principal of Green Home Coach where she uses her "superpowers" to help home professionals and inhabitants discover and create better homes for healthier, more comfortable lives. Making simple swaps to green and sustainable choices helps create better homes – a bit at a time in existing homes or all at once for new and remodeled homes. Find more at GreenHomeCoach.com and @greenhomecoach on FB and IG

Health, Home, and Happiness as We Age

HEALTH, HOME, AND HAPPINESS AS WE AGE

The 50+ cohort – from empty-nesters to retirees to seniors – places a high priority on health and wellbeing. Health has been a key conversation on many fronts – public health, personal health, and how our homes impact our health and wellbeing.

Health and wellbeing are at the heart of sustainability, and we are starting to better understand the connection between our personal health and the larger health impacts in our communities and world – our environment.

Many of us have uncovered things in and around our homes that we would like to change, repair, or upgrade. We have realized we want to live closer to family or friends or live in a place or way we’ve always dreamed about. Many of us want to age-inplace in a home of our choosing or move to a low maintenance home. Whatever the choice, being in a community that is meaningful remains a high priority.

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Homes are being viewed in a new light post-pandemic. We want homes that support a good life, a safe and healthy life for ourselves, our children and grandchildren, and future generations. With a focus on health and wellness and performance of a home, many features have moved to the “need” column for homes. Durability, easy maintainability and less to do to keep our homes running smoothly have become key.

AGING IN PLACE

Sustainability and aging in place go hand in hand. One of the most sustainable things we can do is make a home or building

last with quality building and materials. Homes and buildings with “forethought” – the ability to easily change a feature to accommodate change – are being more and more sought after.

As we age, our homes become increasingly important in our daily lives. Many homes need to be adapted to make them more “aging friendly.” Everything from door lever handles to wider doorways and ramps may be on the list to upgrade a home. Most homes will need such renovations, as only about 2% of our housing stock can meet these needs today.

With thoughtful planning and foresight, home building and remodeling can include universal design for thoughtful accommodations and sustainable, state-of the-art design for aging-in-place and accommodating people of all abilities.

A longer-lasting, more accessible home or building that serves more people is the key to the intersection between sustainability and universal design,

LOW MAINTENANCE HOMES

Low maintenance homes, or “lock it and leave it” homes have seen a growing demand. As we age into our “golden years,” our priorities change. Taking care of a home often falls in its importance, while having a home that performs well and provides for our needs becomes even more important.

Low maintenance homes are often in communities that provide lawn and garden care and outside home maintenance and repairs in addition to the normal street and common areas care.

Low maintenance homes typically include features to make taking care of a home

easier: easy-to-clean surfaces, hard surface flooring or low pile carpet, spot resistant appliances and fixtures, and more. There are many easy-to-use smart home systems that also make controlling the home straightforward and improve the safety and security of the people living there.

COMMUNITY, AND ITS POWER

“Many people move twice in retirement, first to fit their lifestyle and later to receive needed support and care.” Forbes, Post-Pandemic: Where Will Older Retirees Want to Live?

There has been a lot of conversation about the power of community. Community vin the sense of the physical surroundings and amenities which we live, work, and play in. But also, community in the sense of the people we engage with in our day-to-day lives. Both kinds of community may connect with each other in both positive and negative ways.

This sense of community may be provided in a multi-generational household with a sense of increasing interdependence across generations. More and more homes are being built or renovated to accommodate multiple generations under the same roof. Communal living may literally meet the need for community. This option is on the rise as more seniors are aging solo. Communal living can provide a network of friends to help combat isolation or loneliness that can contribute to declining health.

Community may be provided in a small town, a suburb in a larger town, a housing complex, or a number of other ways. Community is important to many of us yet becomes increasingly a part of our health and wellness as we age. Community and sustainability go hand in hand as they work synergistically to provide increased health and wellbeing to the people who live there.

Responsive Readers for Your Business

For over 18 years County Living has presented quality products and services for home, health, recreation and businesses, as well as nearby destinations to upscale homeowners in St. Louis County and nearby St. Charles County. We are delighted with the response from both readers and our long-time advertisers.

If this audience is important to your business, we would like to show how we can help you drive new high-value customer relationships and sales.

Please email or call to set an appointment to discuss this opportunity for 2023.

Todd Abrams Publisher toddabrams1@gmail.com 314-443-3024

Carol Kindinger Account Executive carolkindinger@gmail.com 314-452-3576

Louis Leads the Way in Welcoming Refugees

International Institute of St.

The International Institute of St. Louis provides opportunities for immigrants and refugees to thrive, in order to create a welcoming, prosperous, and healthy region for every individual in our community. These opportunities span all facets of life, family, health, community, career, culture, and much more. We know that when our

neighbors thrive, our region thrives and when our region prospers, we have even more chances to prosper.

We aspire to make St. Louis an inclusive, diverse, welcoming, and prosperous region – a region that provides equitable opportunities for everyone whether they be

from Afghanistan, Ukraine, or anywhere around the world. For more than 100 years, the International Institute of St. Louis has strived to serve, advocate, connect, diversify, and build community for the future of St. Louis and beyond. 2021 was a historic year, welcoming nearly 200 families to the St. Louis region.

Plan to attend the International Institute’s Festival of Nations on August 26 & 27 in Tower Grove Park.

UNHAPPY WITH YOUR WOOD

APPEARANCE?

Wax buildup traps dirt and yellows. We remove it with proper stripping. Light wear within the protective finish is honed, color tinted and re-coated, usually in one day with no dust and minimal odors.

THE SMART CHOICE FOR UPDATING YOUR KITCHEN

Consider Refacing Instead of Replacing

If you’re looking for a fresh new look for your kitchen, you may not need to go to the expense and mess of tearing out and replacing your old cabinets. If they are structurally sound, you can get a completely new look in a much less time and at a fraction of the cost by refacing all visible surfaces of the cabinets instead of building new ones.

HOW IT WORKS

In refacing, doors are replaced and all exposed surface are covered with matching ¼ inch hardwood or panels. Additional cabinets can be added. With all new doors, new soft close hinges and all new handles

or knobs, your kitchen will be completely updated.

PLENTY OF OPTIONS TO CHOOSE FROM

You will have literally hundreds of door styles and colors to choose from, and many options to explore. A few of the most popular options include crown molding, pull out storage in the base cabinets, glass door

fronts, and undercabinet dimmable LED lighting. Ask about the build-up option that allows us to add to the top of your cabinet to make a standard 30” cabinet into a 42” tall wall cabinet.

Custom counter tops and tile backsplash combine to offer a complete package. A totally new and updated kitchen.

ADVANTAGES OF REFACING

Cabinet refacing provides a neat, clean installation, and is usually less than half the cost of a total tear out remodel. In most cases the cabinets can be refaced, counter top replaced, and a new backsplash installed in one week. Many of us have friends that have had total tear out remodels. Ask them how long it took for the remodel. Then ask the cost.

Classic Kitchen Refacing LLC has been the St. Louis area’s leader in cabinet refacing for years. They can help you make all the decisions in design and selection of coordinating countertops and hardware to give your kitchen a completely new look. You can call them for a free in-home estimate at 314-470-5010.

Waterproof Surfaces Transform Your Basement into Finished Living Space You Can Enjoy

If you have been hesitant to remodel your basement to more livable space for your family because of dampness and discomfort, there is a set of solutions that you should know about. The EverLast System from Total Basement Finishing. Their wall panels, flooring, and ceiling tiles are all specially designed for comfort and beauty in the basement. All EverLast products are warrantied to resist water, moisture, and mold. They provide insulating qualities, dampen noise, and can be customized to fit your basement

finishing decor.

EverLast wall panels provide solid, durable and long-lasting surfaces. They come with 2 ½ inch high-density foam insulation, ½ inch of hard cement board, and a decorative vinyl covering that will never need to be painted. EverLast flooring isolates your floor surface from the cold, hard, damp concrete, making basement floors dryer and more comfortable. Total Basement Finishing has a ceiling system uniquely suited for basements. Their drop ceiling tiles are non-sagging and mold resistant and come with a 30-year warranty.

FLOOR, TILE

You can transform your unfinished, or previously finished basement into a comfortable living space with the award-winning Total Basement Finishing basement remodeling system installed by Woods Basement Systems, Inc. They are the highest-rated, most reviewed contractor in their industry and your source for “All Things Basementy.” Their experts will give you a free estimate for improving your basement at your home. You can call Woods Basement Systems at 866-735-1890 to discuss your basement remodeling plan with their specialists or learn more about their services at betterbasementvalue.com.

What Boomers Want in Their Next Home M

ost boomers, now ages 59 to 77, are empty nesters or retired, and look for homes that will meet their current and future needs. Many are ready to move from the larger homes where they raised their families, and now want amenities that meet their new lifestyles. They seek one-story homes with higher efficiency that will be easier to maintain as they age, in walkable neighborhoods.

A new highly sought after neighborhood in Dardenne Prairie designed to meet these needs is The Courtyards at BaratHaven, offered by Reisch Sansone Communities. This low maintenance lifestyle community offers three floor plans of luxury ranch style homes with inviting courtyards. The homes are designed by Epcon Communi-

ties, a national leader whose mission is to provide homes, neighborhoods, and lifestyles that offer remarkable experience. Their homes integrate smart, innovative designs with the most desirable of modern amenities.

The home styles offer bright, open floorplans designed around their unique large courtyard outdoor living areas, which offer privacy and an outdoor living extension of the home for relaxation and entertaining. Carefree living with low maintenance is key. The homeowners’ association takes care of maintaining lawns, landscaping, irrigation and snow removal, relieving residents of the tedious responsibility of exterior maintenance and providing year-round stress-free beauty.

If you are among those who live in the area but are tired of the steps and maintenance of a big house and yard, and are looking for something simpler, but still with the style and quality you are used to, then you may want to check out this private courtyard community.

Within walking distance from the Dardenne Greenway, a beautiful trail system with two parks and a 15+ acre recreational lake, as well as the August A. Busch Conservation Area, The Courtyards at BaratHaven is located at 108 Haven Ridge Ct., Dardenne Prairie, MO. They are open every day 11am – 4pm and private showings are available by calling (636) 888-1046.

EnduraChip Makes Ugly Dull Concrete Floors Beautiful

EnduraChip Coating is applied directly over old ugly concrete to give it a fresh, shiny surface that will beautify your concrete and be much easier to maintain. It is 10x stronger than epoxy and has a Lifetime Warranty.

EnduraChip dries hard and resists stain, abrasion, chips, scratches, chemicals, mold and mildew. Permanent, durable coating that makes spalling and cracks disappear.

$1000 value expires April 1, 2023

Getting Your Floors to Look Their Best

SOLUTIONS OFFERED BY MARBLELIFE® IMPROVE APPEARANCE AND AVOID COSTLY REPLACEMENT.

CONCRETE CAN LOOK SPECTACULAR

Plain, stained, chipped or cracked concrete on porches, pool decks, in garages or basements is subject to further staining and damage. But it can be made to look spectacular.

MARBLELIFE EnduraCrete can densify, seal, polish, grind, color and design concrete to look like premium flooring, much easier to maintain than untreated concrete. They can also be treated to be anti-slip without sacrificing design or appearance.

TILE AND GROUT SHOULD BE CLEAN AND HEALTHY

Stained grout and tile are frustrating to clean and can be unhealthy. If your shower or floor seal or grout fails, it is soaking up dirt and bacteria with each mopping.

More than just looking better, a new, uniform color for tile and grout can be healthier. Marblelife provides a clean gloss appearance that will not harbor mold or mildew, and provides a layer of protection across grout lines.

STONE FLOORS NEED PERIODIC MAINTENANCE

Marble, granite, terrazzo, limestone, travertine and other natural stone are luxurious and durable surfaces, but not indestructible. Foot traffic and inappropriate cleaning products make it susceptible to stains, spills, scratches and damage. They need proper periodic maintenance to keep their natural beauty.

Dull and damaged stone surfaces can regain their natural appearance with professional cleaning, restoration and

protection that also minimize potential for future damage.

WOOD FLOORS CAN LOOK LIKE NEW

Wax buildup on wood floors traps dirt and yellows, but it can be removed with a professional cleaning. Light wear within the protective finish is screened and re-coated, usually in one day. Damaged, heavily worn or deeply scratched floors call for sanding, re-staining and re-sealing, taking a few days.

Regardless of what problems you encounter with concrete, tile, stone or wood floor surfaces, there is a solution. You can call the professionals at MARBLELIFE St. Louis at (314) 501-9080 for a free at-home estimate, or visit their website marblelife-stlouis.com.

FIND YOUR BEST NEW PATIENTS HERE

HEALTH&CARE JOURNAL/St. Louis Metro provides a unique new opportunity for medical centers, practices and other health care providers to reach thousands of prospective patients in their homes. These are adults ages 45+ who are users of specialist medical services.

Each issue features informative articles about preventing, diagnosing, treating and care giving for leading chronic health conditions, quoting local and national experts. It is published just twice a year, providing a long table life in the homes of readers.

Please email or call to set an appointment to discuss this opportunity for 2023.

Exceptional Interior Painting and Refinishing

Kathy Arnold Painting & Refinishing is a professional full-service painting company. We provide extraordinary interior painting, kitchen cabinet refinishing and carpentry. We have over 35 years’ experience and are considered one of the best

residential painters in St. Louis. We can add architectural features like crown molding, fluted columns and picture frame trim, to give ordinary surfaces new dimension and interest. Let us give your home new personality, charm and a truly distinctive

appearance. We are happy to provide excellent references. For a free at-home estimate call 314-324-6255

See more examples of our work Kathy-Arnold.com

fontanapaving@sbcglobal.net

BRET KLIETHERMES is owner of STRONG HUMAN FITNESS LLC, a personal training company that offers Complete Fitness Programs to help his clients reach their personal health and fitness goals. Bret has a Bachelor of Science in Health & Wellness Promotion from Missouri State University, is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and Professional Member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

Bret works with clients at The Fitness Partner, Inc., a boutique gym located at 14528 South Outer 40 Road, Chesterfield 63017. For 25 years, owner/operator Randy Stone has offered a more private alternative to the large box gyms that are often noisy and overcrowded. Now Bret has purchased The Fitness Partner, and Randy continues to train his clients there. Bret offers both private and semi-private training to fit all budgets and schedules. For a no-obligation, no-pressure consultation to discuss your goals and programs, you can call Bret at 314-6919040, email bret@stronghumanfitness.com or visit www.stronghumanfitness.com.

THE FITNESS PARTNER GYM IS NOW OPEN, AND THEY ARE OBSERVING ST. LOUIS COUNTY HEALTH GUIDELINES TO PROTECT CLIENTS AND STAFF.

A Personal Trainer is the Key to Achieving Your Goals

SOLVING THE THREE BARRIERS TO REACHING YOUR DESIRED WEIGHT, STRENGTH AND APPEARANCE

BY BRET KLIETHERMES

There are important reasons why people want to start an exercise and nutrition program. To lose weight, get strong and healthy, look and be their best for an upcoming event, or to simply be a positive role model for their family. These reasons take on personal importance that is unique to each individual.

What is not unique, however, are the three major barriers to success that my clients faced when they tried to reach these goals on their own. These issues are exactly why they turned to me to achieve the success you see in the examples on this page, and why you may consider doing the same if you are having a hard time reaching your health and fitness goals: NOT KNOWING HOW TO PUT A COMPLETE PROGRAM TOGETHER. A comprehensive health and fitness program should consist of all the following with the proper amounts/ratios related to your specific goals: Nutrition, Supplementation, Resistance Training, Cardiovascular Exercise, Flexibility or Mobility Work and Proper Rest. If this seems a little overwhelming, you’re not alone.

NOT HAVING A WORKABLE PLAN OF ACTION. You can try the latest and greatest diet and exercise program known to man, but if it doesn’t fit into your schedule or physical capabilities, as well as integrate all the components listed above, then you’re simply wasting your time. A health and fitness plan must be “doable” for the individual - otherwise it is useless.

NOT HAVING A PROPER SUPPORT SYSTEM IN PLACE. Making changes in your routine necessary for achieving specific health and fitness goals can be extremely challenging. It’s inevitable that you will come up against frustrations, uncertainties and questions along the way. Having someone there to guide, motivate, educate, support and hold you accountable to what you have committed to do for yourself will prove to be one of the best ways to reach your goals.

If you are struggling with one or all of these problems on your path to improved health and fitness, then I would recommend not to waste another single day. I have helped dozens of clients achieve their goals and I can help you as well!

CARRIE SHAUGHNESSY, down 25 pounds so far and still losing!

JOHN BOYLE, down 15 lbs and 3 inches in waist - and not finished yet!

Regardless of your health, you can lower your monthly premium expense and still have protection for your savings with a Medicare Advantage plan. And you probably won’t have to change any doctors. Plus, the plan may include valuable benefits you don’t get with your Medicare Supplement and Part D Prescription plan.

I am licensed and certified to present all major Medicare health plan options available in our area. Let me cut through the clutter of commercial messages to find your best solution.

I can help you:

n Save money on your health plan premium and benefits

n Find a plan that includes your doctors and covers your prescriptions

n Find a plan that protects your retirement assets

n Spouse needs a plan? I offer Affordable Care Act and Short Term Medical options too.

Thor Anderson

I am a career health insurance executive. For over 10 years as an independent broker, I have been helping my clients save on insurance and health care costs. My services to you are completely free*. I am compensated by the insurance carrier based on your plan enrollment. My impartial no obligation consultation will be at a time and place convenient to you. Call me directly at 314-249-4253

Contact me by email at TA@Thor-Anderson.com

Please visit: Thor-Anderson.com

*This agent may be compensated by the insurance carrier based on your enrollment.

Dr. Ayse Kilfoy was chosen by her peers as one of the Top Dentists in the St. Louis area

When St. Louis Magazine surveyed St. Louis region dentists on who they thought were the best dentists in the region, Dr. Ayse Kilfoy of Woodlawn Dental was up there again at the top of the list for the ninth year in a row.

She has been providing healthy, beautiful smiles to the O’Fallon area for over 25 years. “Whether a patient just needs some minor dental work or some long-term cosmetic improvements, we love to be a part of making changes that matter. My greatest pleasure is to see the smile on a patient’s face when we’ve completed their care. For some, it’s like they’re smiling for the first time.”

New patients are now being accepted. Come by and take a tour. Find out how much Woodlawn Dental has to offer you.

Woodlawn Dental

Dr. Ayse Kilfoy, DMD

608 Woodlawn Avenue

O’Fallon, MO 63366

JOAN KRUEGER has a private practice with an office in Kirkwood. Many individuals have achieved their behavior change goals, both personal and professional, through guidance they have received in her hypnosis sessions. You can contact Joan to discuss how hypnosis could help you achieve positive change in your own life by calling her at (314) 962-7558, emailing her at jfkhypnosis@charter.net or visiting her website www.jfkhypnosis.com.

When Pain is “All in Your Mind”, Your Mind Can Also Provide Relief

BY JOAN KRUEGER, CERTIFIED HYPNOTHERAPIST

Irecently saw a 13-year-old girl who had major pain in her knee. Her father contacted me to ask if this was something I could help with. I told him yes, but that I did require written permission from her doctor.

When they came in, they told me she had major pain due to a fall that had occurred two years earlier. She was unable to bend her knee without being in massive pain. She also couldn’t touch the outside of her knee or have anyone else touch it without having a major reaction where her whole body would tense up and she would cringe from the pain. Even though they had been to numerous doctors, had MRIs and x-rays, no one was able to find anything physically wrong with the knee.

The first thing we did in hypnosis was establish that her subconscious mind could, to a very large degree, control her physical body. I gave her a suggestion that her arm was so heavy she wouldn’t be able to

lift it from the chair, and she was unable to. I gave her a suggestion that her eyes would become stuck closed, and she was unable to open them. She was also able to feel her foot beginning to fall asleep as I gave her suggestions that she was stopping the circulation to her foot.

Once her mind knew that it was controlling her physical body, at my suggestion she was able to bend her leg while in hypnosis and experience no pain. Her parents were close to tears at that point. She hadn’t been able to do that in two years. When I brought her out of hypnosis, she was able to bring that ability with her and experience no pain. They were overjoyed. Her father texted me the next day, and said she was giddy from the relief she was experiencing.

It may not be the answer for everyone, but many people can experience relief from pain using hypnosis. If you have questions, please feel free to call me.

RESTORE &

Breathe Easier Using Salt Room Therapy W

hen Clay Juracsik started The St. Louis Salt Room over 10 years ago, it was partially as a therapy for his daughter. She had severe asthma and he saw that it was taking a toll on her health. He was looking for something that could help her and make her less dependent on the drugs she needed to take. Clay had studied halotheraphy and learned of its many benefits, and even traveled to Europe and Russia to visit other salt spas to learn everything he could about them.

Her breathing improved quickly and after several months, she was able to cut the need for her meds by 90%. “Halotherapy has made her lungs much healthier. It made a huge difference. It made me more of a believer than I already was,” Clay said. “She hasn't needed medication in a long time.”

A HISTORY OF BENEFIT

Halotherapy chambers have been popular in Europe and are now seeing popularity in the United States.  Salt has been used

for thousands of years to treat a long list of common ailments.

It was discovered in the mid-1800s that people who worked in the salt mines of Poland and surrounding countries had a remarkably low rate of respiratory illnesses. Soon a clinic was placed within one of these salt mines, which is still in operation today. In order to simulate the therapeutic effects within salt mines, spas emulating salt caves were built on the surface, where people would visit routinely to breathe the air which was saturated with beneficial salt particles and negatively-charged ions.

Recently, engineers created a device called a Halo-generator, which not only simulates the conditions in salt mines, but accelerates the effect.  A salt aerosol fills the air with tiny particles, which have been clinically proven to deliver the most optimal results.

FOR ADULTS & CHILDREN

Halotherapy is beneficial to people of all ages, and actually children often experience the greatest results. Salt Therapy is recommended for those who suffer from respiratory ailments like Asthma, Bronchitis, Sinusitis, and even allergies. Many people use it to lower their stress and relieve fatigue and depression. Athletes use it to optimize their breathing and improve circulation.

ST. LOUIS’ FIRST SALT SPA

The St. Louis Salt Room was the first Salt Spa in the Midwest (fifth the in the U.S.) and has many regular clients, including some doctors, nurses and other medical personnel.

They are located at 2739 Sutton Blvd. in Maplewood, 3 blocks south of Manchester. Learn more about how the St. Louis Salt Room can help you. Visit www.mysaltspa.com. You can call (314) 647-2410 to schedule an appointment.

Spring Activities & Events

Take advantage of these wonderful events. Make this the year you get back out and enjoy the special festivals and entertainment events across the St. Louis metro area. PLEASE NOTE: These events were still scheduled as of press time. Check websites for updates.

CHIHULY IN THE GARDEN 2023

May 2 - October 15

Missouri Botanical Garden missouribotanicalgarden.org

STRINGFEST

Tuesday May 5 5-8pm

Historic Downtown Maplewood cityofmaplewood.com/fun

TWELFTH NIGHT SHAKESPEARE

FESTIVAL

LAFAYETTE SQUARE GARDEN TOUR

June 3 lafayettesquare.org

SOUTH GRAND DINE AROUND RESTAURANT CRAWL

Thursday, June 15 5-10pm

South Grand Business District southgrand.org

Stringfest

TASTE OF MAPLEWOOD

May 19 6-10pm

May 20 noon-8pm Sutton Blvd midcountychamber.com

SOUTH GRAND BREW HOP

Stringfest Stringfest

Sunday, May 13 2-6pm South Grand southgrand.org

FOOD TRUCK EVENT

Select Tuesdays 5-8pm St. Charles stcharlesparks.com

May 31-June 25 8pm nightly ex. Mondays

Shakespeare Glen in Forest Park stlshakes.org

O’FALLON’S FOOD TRUCK FRENZY

June 23

Sports Park O’Fallon, MO ofallon.mo.us

SOUTH GRAND MAKERS POP UP Ritz Park, South Grand

Sunday, June 17 10am-2pm

ST. LOUIS WATER GARDEN SOCIETY POND-O-RAMA TOUR various locations

June 24 and 25 slwgs.org

INDEPENDENCE DAY

WEBSTER ARTS FAIR

June 2-4

Webster Groves webster-arts.org

FOUNDRY ART CENTER BLOCK PARTY

June 24

St. Charles Foundryartcentre.org

July 4

WHITAKER MUSIC FESTIVAL

Wednesdays: June-August mobot.org/whitaker

FATHERS DAY

Sunday, June 18 FIRST DAY OF SUMMER

Wednesday, June 21

LET THEM EAT ART

Friday July 7

6-10pm

Historic Downtown Maplewood cityofmaplewood.com/fun

AUGUSTA WINERY

5601 High St., Augusta 888.667.9463

augustawinery.com

Located in the Augusta AVA, this winery is a vital stop for the wine connoisseur and amateur alike. The winery specializes in estate-bottled wine, meaning the entire process, from growing the grapes to bottling the blends, takes place on the property and within the Augusta AVA. Their knowledgeable, friendly staff members take customers on a tasting tour of their award-winning wine list daily.

Enjoy live music Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at their open-air Wine & Beer Garden April through October. Make a weekend of it! The winery is within walking distance to many popular B&Bs and hiking and biking on the Katy Trail. Take the complimentary trolley to the three other wineries within the Hoffmann Family of Companies.

BALDUCCI VINEYARDS

6601 S Highway 94, Augusta 636.482.8466

balduccivineyards.com

A sprawling vineyard on 76 acres of rolling hills and vistas operating for over 20 years, Balducci Vineyards has been voted favorite winery for the past 14 years by a local readers' poll. The winery also boasts numerous award-winning wines featuring Missouri grown grapes.

Enjoy live entertainment Fridays through Sundays Spring through Fall, life-sized games, a bocce ball court, and plenty of room to enjoy a day outdoors. Plan your special events and weddings and wow your guests in the rustic chic barn. Don't miss the craft beer options aplenty, along with a full menu of sandwiches, salads, appetizers, and handmade pizzas - order the deep dish, it's worth the wait! Visit the website for hours and directions and catch a ride on the Augusta trolley to visit their sister wineries as well.

MONTELLE WINERY

201 Montelle Drive, Augusta 636.228.4464

montelle.com

Situated 500 feet above the Missouri River Valley within the Augusta AVA, Montelle offers a breathtaking view of rolling hills, forests and the river valley just a few minutes down the road from its neighboring historic town, Augusta. The winery café offers daily lunches with items like fresh salads, sandwiches, wraps and pizzas, and bistro specials for the Summer and Fall extended evening hours.

Melodies of live music dance on the Osage mountainous air on weekends through the Fall. With covered and climate-controlled seating, Montelle can be enjoyed yearround. Their banquet room is a perfect setting for micro-weddings and other memorable events. Montelle, also part of the Hoffmann Family of Companies, offers a

complimentary trolley to its sister wineries and activities in downtown Augusta.

MOUNT PLEASANT ESTATES

5634 High Street, Augusta 636.482.9463

mountpleasant.com

Mount Pleasant Estates is rich in history with more than 150 years of winemaking excellence. Experience the serenity of relaxing on the patio with the views of the sweeping vistas and Missouri River Valley. Discover the charm and history of old world winemaking in the richness and variety of Mount Pleasant's award-winning wines. Visitors to the winery in Augusta enjoy tasting wine in the spacious 4,000 square-foot tasting room.

There is entertainment year-round including live music on weekends in the summer and fall, cellar tours, wine dinners, holiday-themed events and more. With the rolling hills of the Augusta Appellation, beautifully landscaped grounds, historic structures, bronze statues, recently renovated ballroom, and impressive cellars, Mount Pleasant is an elevated event venue unlike any other. Visit for the day, the weekend, or book a private event to make memories in America's first wine region.

Flowering and Fruit Set in the Vineyard I

n our last issue we talked about “bud break,” the start of the annual growing cycle for grape vines. It is the first sign of life in the vineyards. About 30 to 40 days after that has occurred, grapevines progress in the cool spring temperatures to arrive at flowering.

Flowering takes just three to five days. Inflorescence, as it’s called, consists of many individual flowers bunched together, resembling a miniature grape cluster. The flowers consist of both male (stamen) and female (ovaries). While these flowers may be visited by insects during flowering, pollination of the flowers is mainly achieved from the wind.

Pollination fertilizes the ovary that produces seeds, and grape berries form around the seeds. Not all flowers will produce a berry. Those that don’t are shed to the ground. Fruit set is typically in 30% to 50% of the total flowers. About two weeks after flowering, growers are able to estimate the

grape yield. Based on the yield estimate and the specific wine style to be made from the grapes, the grower has the option to implement yield management, which can involve removing berry clusters by hand.

The grape yield can be compromised by a number of factors including limited nutrients, grapevine diseases, weather and environmental conditions, which can prevent flower petals from disengaging from the flower, reducing pollination. The few days of flowering are fleeting in the vineyard, but if you are fortunate to view grapes in flower, realize that the flowering you are viewing began about a year ago tucked inside a developing bud.

Spring is a beautiful time to visit Missouri Wine Country, to see for yourself the progress of the different varieties of grapes and sample the wines that result. Enjoy vineyard tours, delicious food, live music and other activities that get in full swing this time of year.

Information and photos courtesy of Dean S. Volenberg, Extension Viticulture Leader, University of Missouri Grape and Wine Institute.

Grape inflorescences consists of several individual flowers which resemble miniature grape clusters.

ST. JAMES WINERY

540 State Route B

St. James

800.280.9463

stjameswinery.com

Founded in 1970 by Jim and Pat Hofherr, St. James Winery has been focused on creating delicious, high-quality wine for over 50 years. This vineyard, positioned in the center of The Meramec Highlands, provides winemaking conditions unlike any other region in the world. The distinctive weather patterns and the unique soil in the vineyards are exactly what are needed to make wines that continue to create fans from around the world.

You and yours are invited to take a trip down Historic Route 66 and experience one of Missouri’s oldest and most treasured wineries. From wine and beer tastings, locally sourced dining, events and traditions, there is a little bit of everything at the St. James location. If travel is not currently in the cards, you are invited to visit online to shop the St. James wines and learn more about what drives Missouri’s most awarded winery.

STONE HILL WINERY

1110 Stone Hill Highway, Hermann 573.486.2221

stonehillwinery.com

Established in 1847, Stone Hill Winery in Hermann is Missouri’s oldest and most awarded winery. The historic winery was once the second largest winery in the United States until Prohibition. Reopening in 1965, it reestablished the Missouri wine industry and continues to produce wines from their own vineyards in and around Hermann.

The property has been restored to showcase its original German American mid-18th-century architecture. Tours of the underground cellar system, the largest series of arched underground cellars in the country, are a must-see. As you walk through the cellars, you will see firsthand how wine is made. The Vintage 1847 Restaurant is a unique culinary destination. Focusing on German and American cuisine, it is situated within the original barn and horse stables. The Sherry House is the event space and often hosts live music on weekends. It is the perfect place to sit and relax with a glass of wine looking over the vineyards and the rolling hills of Hermann.

Invites You to the Second Annual

June 3

Missouri Artisan Cheese Festival featuring:

Missouri Creameries offering samples

Farmer’s Market

Cheese & Spirits Walk

Grazing Table

Live Music

Info and tickets available at www.mocheese.eventbrite.com

June 10

Lunch and Tour

June 17

Sunsets at McKelvey featuring Savannah

www.mckelveyvineyards.com McKelvey

MCKELVEY VINEYARDS

8901 State Highway YY, New Haven

573.459.6123

mckelveyvineyards.com

McKelvey Vineyards is on a 60-acre farm that once produced some of the best wines in the region. During prohibition, the winery closed, and the vineyards were removed. In 2016, owner Patricia McKelvey began the process of restoring the old farmhouse and vineyards to their former grandeur. The property is now open to the public, with an all-season pavilion, event center and guest lodging.

McKelvey Vineyards serves more than unique and enticing wines. Their experiences are just as delicious, offering exclusive dinners, exciting day trips, fascinating tours, and weekend getaway packages that you won’t find anywhere else. They are bringing renewed life to this land that is part of Missouri’s time-honored wine making history. Lush landscapes and sophisticated charm compose the perfect setting for weddings, anniversaries, receptions, celebrations of life, holiday parties and more. From intimate gatherings to extravagant affairs, the service is exceptional and the photo opportunities are endless.

BY BILL ZIERCHER

Bill is is the founder of Select Properties Real Estate. He has been active in building, buying, selling, and managing rural real estate and income property for over 30 years. He is a Charter Member of the American Tree Farm System and his timber property is ATFS certified. His company’s 10-step marketing process offers unmatched exposure for the rural real estate market. For a free consultation or to find out how much your property is really worth, you can contact Bill at 314-412-3966.

Long Term Demand for Rural Properties Remains Strong U

nlike residential properties, the rising interest rates do not seem to be affecting the strong demand for rural properties. I believe the demand for rural properties will continue to remain strong for years to come.

FACTORS DRIVING LONG-TERM DEMAND

First and foremost, there is the emotional attachment families have to their rural properties. They provide “memory dividends” in shared experiences families remember for the rest of their lives. In addition to long-term appreciation and tax benefits, a place in the country provides family memories that stocks and equities cannot compete with. The wide-open spaces and abundance of recreation are “bait” that draws kids and grandkids year after year. While we sometimes overlook those things

that we most value, in Missouri we really are blessed with an abundance of outdoor recreation, the beauty of our topography and streams, all four seasons and plenty of land around us. After a while the appeal of rural life can become addictive, as in “My buddy John bought a family farm five years ago, and now he is up there all the time.” More recent innovations have made it possible to live just about anywhere we like. Remote working options mean we can work from our primary home, wherever we choose that to be, as well as from family getaway places. Technologies such as virtual medicine and remote learning make it possible to be healthy and continue our education away from the brick and mortar locations. At the same time, there are factors that make urban and suburban living less attractive: the rising costs of living, housing, taxes, congestion, crime and divisive politics.

From an investment standpoint, diversification to include rural property has grown in appeal. For example, the war in Ukraine is creating global food shortages and driving up US farmland values. National migration patterns have also increased value of our rural property as a lot of people leaving California have discovered that Missouri offers a lot more land value for the money than Idaho, Utah, or Colorado.

LAND VALUES

According to Missouri Farm Land Values Opinion Survey (MFLVOS), published in October, 2022, Missouri farmland and building values have had an annual average appreciate rate of 6% over the last 50 years. In 2021 average Missouri rural land value was up 12%. What I have observed over the past 4-8 years is that recreational (hunting) property is now on par with pastureland which traditionally traded 25-30% higher. The three maps below illustrate the average price per acre in 2022 according to MFLVOS. This survey information is a good general reference. For a better opinion of value, a professional land specialist can provide comparables which provide richer and more accurate information.

For copies of previous “A Place in the Country” Articles you can email him at ziercher59@gmail.com.

CROPLAND

TIMBER LAND PASTURELAND

Innsbrook: Living in Nature, with the Conveniences of Home

Imagine being able to live in a place where every day is the weekend. A place where you are blissfully disconnected from reality while naturally connected to Mother Nature and the comfort of family and friends in one central location. Welcome to Innsbrook: where your daily dreams of escape from reality actually become a reality. Whether your idea of a perfect weekend is ultimate adventure or peaceful relaxation – you can customize your experience at Innsbrook one timber at a time.

Surrounded by thick forests and over 100 lakes, this resort community offers warm sandy beaches, multiple nature trails, two pool sites, an amenity complex with fitness center, outdoor amphitheater, playground, poolside eatery and bar; a full-service restaurant, coffee shop, boutique, a championship 18-hole golf course, and events and activities year-round for all ages. Innsbrook is the best of both worlds for those who want to be in harmony with nature, but have all the comforts of city living just 30-45 minutes away.

AMENITIES FOR EVERYONE

Innsbrook’s variety of year-round recreational activities encourages digital detox and outdoor explorations. Golf is a favorite for many guests and residents. This 18hole championship course sits amid rolling, wooded hillsides, narrow fertile valleys, and 12 sparkling lakes. New Club Car golf carts featuring a GPS system enhance each player’s experience from the first tee box to the 18th green by monitoring pace of play and providing real time information after each swing.

If unique cuisine and hand-crafted cocktails are your passion, Innsbrook proudly offers multiple places to satisfy your culinary cravings. Whether it be a casual dinner, special occasion or post-golf get-together,

the friendly atmosphere paired with the rustic, refined, and relaxed style of the Clubhouse Bar & Grille provide a savory dining experience for everyone. Situated on the golf course, the Clubhouse features a full bar, lunch and dinner menu, happy hour specials, live music events every Thursday and Friday night, and a secret Speak-easy set to open in late spring. The Market Café & Creamery, Innsbrook’s newest café, serves the Innsbrook community and public as a convenient one-stopshop for groceries, breakfast, Starbucks beverages, hand-dipped ice cream, lunch or your favorite Innsbrook swag. Retractable glass windows at the front of the building create a calming, open-air atmosphere, Innsbrook-style, allowing patrons the option to dine inside, al fresco, or a little bit of both.

For a quick meal on the go, the casual food truck fare at the Par Bar is available to golfers, residents, and guests to pick up a cocktail and lunch on the pro shop patio. Another option for refreshing snacks and cocktails is the poolside Summerhaus at the Charrette Creek Commons, featuring small bite menu items and delicious BBQ from Sugarfire Smokehouse.

LOTS OF LIVING OPTIONS, CLOSE TO HOME

Shimmering, crystal-clear lakes in a variety of shapes and sizes, each with its own mesmerizing view that only nature can produce, have attracted more families to Innsbrook than ever before. As popularity of the community increases, new developments have opened up, including the Treehouses of Talblick, with future expansion plans in

the making. Those seeking a life of leisure can secure their desired lot, immediately enjoy all the amenities of ownership, and build when the time is right at your own pace. As our expert construction and design team help plan and execute your dream chalet, cottage, treehouse, or luxury home, you can enjoy all that Innsbrook has to offer before, during and after your build is complete.

LIVING IN NATURE

Being a nearby sanctuary for over 50 years, families can enjoy the lake lifestyle and other amenities throughout the year. Residents and guests can often be seen relaxing on their private docks or entertaining guests on their wrap-around decks overlooking the forest below. Kids can skip stones, roast marshmallows, track wildlife, or build forts - hearkening back to days when having fun meant having freedom to get dirty while exploring nature’s wonders. Picture your perfect family weekend or couple’s getaway, a retreat to a place where you can enjoy the great outdoors or just cuddle by the fire. Innsbrook would love to welcome you into the next generation of the Innsbrook community and discover its lifestyle and time-honored traditions.

To join the Innsbrook family today, contact one of Innsbrook’s expert agents at 636.928.3366 ext. 9199 or property@ innsbrook-resort.com. Or, explore Innsbrook without an appointment from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week, or virtually at innsbrook-resort.com.

photo: Carol Roedder

On The Road

WITH JOHN DRAKE ROBINSON

Follow John’s travels at johndrakerobinson.com/blog. His latest book, Souls Along the Road, is available on Amazon.

Spring Cleaning

Our old house was an octogenarian perched on the abundant clay in the Central West End, where over the years the onslaught of runoff water had not been kind to its foundation. When we finally decided to have our foundation rejuvenated, the contractor shook his head and said, “You have a lot of things to move.”

Guilty. We had accumulated several lifetimes worth of uncategorized keepsakes. Our parents left us whole households to sort. We gave away or auctioned many of their possessions. But we kept many, too, which joined our own growing piles in the basement. In a way it was a chronicle of our lives, and our parents, and a pair of siblings who passed way before their time. Yearbooks. Diaries. Elvis records. And boxes of photos.

Like a glacier, the piles grew slowly. Eventually the basement became a maze, a labyrinth of pathways between mountains of boxes and stacks of stuff, a dusty museum of neglect. But things were about to change. We signed a contract. And the jackhammers and backhoes would show up in a month.

So I began the move. Charging down the basement steps like the befuddled Teddy Roosevelt character in Arsenic and Old

Lace, I waded into a sea of sealed see-thru bags of colorful comforters, and a hundred wicker baskets of every shape and size. There were racks of clothing that somehow didn't make it to Goodwill, clothing we hadn't worn in thirty years. I thought maybe they would come back into style. Cheryl shook her head.

We had accumulated a dozen functional broilers and pots and pans. And cups, cups,

Cheryl waded into the glacier too, and brought out armfuls, most of which she decided to liquidate. She stood over the rest of us, urging one recurrent theme: “Get rid of that.” But it’s hard to part with old friends. I suggested a yard sale. “Knock yourself out,” Cheryl said. “But I'm not going to help organize it.” Well then.

cups. Boxes of old work papers. Old tools and toys and bikes and sleds and camping gear, just in case.

To haul the old museum up the basement stairs I enlisted two strong backs, my oldest grandsons, who I enticed by promising they could keep anything they liked. As the basement emptied, the main floor of the house swelled with junk piles and heirlooms in transition. Much of the overflow ended up on the back deck. Dusty shelves. Half empty paint cans. Well, from my perspective, half full.

One grandson said I had some valuable things strewn amongst the junk. An old 1980s Apple computer. A beautiful French door. And he took some heirlooms: antique silver trays and serving sets, blackened by oxidation. He will polish them, bring them back to life. Cheryl was ready to get rid of most of the stuff. It was tougher for me. I tossed an old VCR, and an IBM Selectric typewriter. But I secretly rescued a pair of hand-held vacuum cleaners. The foundation workers came and went. I descended into an empty basement, scrubbed it cleaner than it had been since we moved in forty years ago. For reasons of marital harmony, my perspective has evolved to a “cut it loose” mentality. We've shipped a lot of usable household stuff to organizations like Habitat for Humanity. Still, a few piles remain in the purgatory between keepsake and “dump it, for God's sake.”

Meantime our daughters can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that we have purged, and slimmed down our household to prepare for the inevitable transition.

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Left: Before Above: After RainDrop Gutter Guards are installed.

Concertmaster of the Violin Shop

BY JIM WINNERMAN

Amyriad of words are needed to describe the craftsmanship of Geoffrey Seitz, the owner of the 35-year-old business he started based entirely around stringed instruments. He is a violin maker, wood sculptor, tool maker, restorer, and varnish maker. And, he is a violin historian as well as an appraiser and buyer and seller of vintage violins, violas and cellos. He is also an auto body specialist proficient in welding and painting automobiles. What?

“I played the drums, piano and guitar in high school and started the violin when I was 19. I always enjoyed working with my hands, and worked in a body shop before attending college,” Geoffrey explains. “Some of the techniques used in shaping and finishing automobiles have relevance in the world of violin making and repair.”

After college nothing really stuck with Geoffrey, but he discovered his calling when he was traveling through the West with his violin, and it was damaged. He took it to a shop in Spokane to be repaired and was so impressed with the shop owner, Gold Medal winning violin maker Glenn T. Stockton, that he moved to the city on a whim for two years to become an apprentice violin maker and learn the luthier’s craft.

According to Geoffrey, violin shops range from those selling high end violins to those selling new but inexpensive stringed instru-

ments. “I am somewhere in between. It is a difficult business because there are more shops today than ever before, but not more violin players,” he says citing funding cuts for creative arts in schools and an increase in popularity of electric instruments among younger generations.

IN THE SHOP

A visit to Geoffrey’s shop is to step into an unexpected visual treat that could easily last hours. On his workbench situated just inside a front window a visitor might find him repairing the bridge (the part that holds the strings above the body) of a cello. A small violin with clamps holding pieces in place after having been glued back together might be nearby, while another violin in pieces awaiting attention will undoubtedly be close.

There are no display cases, but row after row of black cases holding stringed instruments stacked so tightly together it is difficult to walk past them through the narrow aisles.

Along the perimeter of one shop wall is a row of 50 violin bodies displayed side by side just under the ceiling. Decorating the wall behind them is a stenciled border with a violin motif. In a corner on the opposite side of the room are two rows of violins hanging in front of a table covered by a velvet cloth with several violins resting on it. On top of one cabinet is an eclectic collection of figures playing violins. The porcelain figure of a Victorian lady playing a violin is next to a garden gnome in a floppy hat doing the same. A nearby wall displays crude violins made from boxes, next to a drawing of a “violin makers tree” with branches displaying the names of famous violin makers from the 1500s through the mid-1700s. An open box on the floor reveals the unfinished patterns of violin faces and backs, just below a table with perhaps 50 bows with broken strings awaiting repair, and a stack of boxes with labels marked “rosin.”

A quiet side room contains a music stand where prospective customers can sample the sound of a selection of several violins Seitz has placed on a table.

CRAFTING A VIOLIN AND BOW

Geoffrey says the violins he makes, and which have sold all over the world, are crafted using wood planes, files and wood chisels, some of which he makes. “It is impossible for me to make an excellent violin without perfectly sharpened wood

chisels,” he says, adding that he also uses some antique violin making tools. It takes Geoffrey about 300 hours to make a violin someone has ordered, but because the services his shop offers are so widespread, production time can be spread out over several years. He draws his own unique patterns and adds a decorative edge he designed, so that his finished violins are recognizable and unique, and sell starting at $12,000.

For the best quality sound, violin tops are made from spruce wood which is best for accepting the vibration when it enters the violin body from the bow and strings. Maple wood is preferred for the side and back because it is best to amplify the sound inside the hollow violin body.

Not to be overlooked is the importance of the bow, which is exceptional if made from a Pernambuco tree, found only in Brazil. To reach the prime state for a violin bow the wood must be a minimum of 50 years old before it is dried for another ten years. Some Pernambuco bows have sold for as much as $200,000, according to Geoffrey.

“With the time involved and the demise of the Brazilian jungle due to mismanagement, some bows today are being made of carbon fiber. There are also some people experimenting with the wood from an Osage Orange tree which is common in Missouri,” Geoffrey says. The bow is critical to how a stringed instrument sounds, Geoffrey says. “Pernambuco wood is a hardwood, but flexible and strong. It carries the “vibration to the body in a way that is very difficult to match.”

“When played well, a violin ‘sings’ and creates a sound that reminds us of a human voice,” he says. “That is why the sound of a violin is so captivating and stimulates our emotions. You do not get the same sensation from a guitar or banjo, for example.” When Geoffrey makes, repairs or restores a violin, the final appearance is usually important to the owner. So, he has his own varnish recipe he developed, allowing him to match an original varnish and eliminate any evidence of a repair having been made. Different hues of his varnish are displayed on shelves at the back of his shop, arranged in bottles as though in a well-stocked pharmacy.

BUYING AND SELLING VINTAGE INSTRUMENTS

In addition to hand crafting violins, he repairs any stringed instrument, and buys and sells vintage instruments. “I get them from families where no one is playing any

longer, or the violin player is deceased,” he says. “Sometimes people will sell a private violin collection, or a few instruments from their collection. I also buy them from other dealers.”

Violins for sale in the shop range from $350 for students, up to a few in a safe with a price tag in the low six figures.

Geoffrey believes the violin was perfected in the 1700s by Antonio Stradivarius, widely considered the maker of finest stringed instruments ever made.

“At the time, his instruments were respected and recognized as having an outstanding quality. However, it was not until 100 years after his death when their resonance in a symphony was recognized as being exceptional,” Geoffrey explains. “They are extremely valuable collector's items. In 2022 a Stradivarius violin made in 1715 sold for $15 million.”

With such value, there are many fake Stradivarius instruments, and often someone walks into Geoffrey’s shop with what they believe is a true Stradivarius, usually because they have discovered a fake maker’s mark or label inside the body. “Often they are made to resemble a real Stradivarius down to the scratches on the body,” he remarks.

“One gentleman thought he had one and wanted to meet me in a bank parking lot, probably so he could put it in a safe deposit box if it was real. We met and he brought along a nun, explaining that he thought I would not lie in front of her. He was disappointed when I told him it was not a Stradivarius and there was no need to go into the bank.”

As far as Geoffrey’s own violin playing is concerned, he has studied classical violin with players such as Helen de la Fuente, Alberto Casabona, Darwyn Apple, and Claude Williams. But he is best known for winning two national fiddle championships.

“I am a fiddler at heart,” he says standing in the middle of the violins, violas and cellos that crowd his shop.

IF YOU GO:

The Seitz shop is located inside a 1930 Art Deco building in the historic Carondelet District of South St. Louis. Call ahead for current store hours.

Geoffrey J. Seitz, Violinmaker

4171 Loughborough Avenue

St. Louis, Missouri 63116 Phone: 314-353-1312

JEFF BACH is a leading broker at Fusion Business Brokers, along with other top brokers in this area. Jeff is also an Official Member of Forbes Business Council and is published in the Council.

Can I Sell My Business Fast???

BY JEFF BACH

R

obin E. contacted me about selling her business. She was referred by her brother who had dealt with me in the past. Her business was a specialty retailer that did well. They were moving because her husband was being transferred out of the area. Robin thought she would close her profitable business and maybe open something similar where she was moving, outside the Midwest.

Robin’s staff loved the business and had been working there for quite some time. They urged her to check into selling the business so they could continue working. When Robin talked to her brother about it, he knew just where to turn. Far too many business owners don’t know that business brokers can help them sell their companies. Most businesses have a lot of moving parts and can be complicated to sell. The biggest challenge that this sale presented was that it needed to be done fast. Robin’s husband was being transferred pretty quickly, and she wanted to be able to join him. This allowed only a few months to complete a sale.

I quickly helped Robin valuate her company. Then I suggested that in order to sell in this timeframe she should list it for below that valuation. While some owners have time on their side and can maximize their

asking price, the requirement for a quick sale presented different needs.

Now is where the importance of network came into play. With many years in business brokerage and a group of very experienced brokers, Fusion Business Brokers knew just what buyers to reach out to. To get a deal closed quickly we needed a buyer with a history of action and available cash to avoid the time normally involved with financing a deal.

The first buyer that I thought of when I listed the business did in the end purchase it. While listing, showing, contracting and closing a deal fast is intense for all involved, we got it done. Both seller and buyer are happy, which is the only way that we will handle a sale.

Keep in mind that to successfully sell your business, your broker’s experience is important in many ways:

n Knowing how to list and price your business. Putting together the description that will interest the right buyers, and a price that is justified by a professional valuation.

n Knowing how to get your listing in front of the right people. Our experience to suggest profiles of the types of companies and characteristics of individuals with the interest and means that represent the greatest opportunity.

Fusion Business Brokers combines the highest levels of technology, marketing and professional experience for your needs. With access to their large network of qualified buyers, Jeff offers the best opportunity to help you successfully sell your business. He only gets paid when you sell your business. Valuations are free and are the starting point to knowing when it is the right time to sell your business. Jeff can also help qualified buyers find and buy a business that meets their goals. You can contact Jeff for a free, confidential, no-obligation discussion about selling your business or buying a business at 314-941-8530, or by email at jbach@ fusionadvantage.com.

n Having a great network of buyers. Over the years we have built lists of qualified buyers for many different types of businesses. Many of these are repeat buyers.

n Having the savvy to get a complicated deal to close. It is not usually time that makes this complicated. It is the many moving parts of an acquisition that most often present challenges.

Find out the depth of your broker’s experience or their group’s experience. Ask as many questions as necessary to be comfortable that the right person is representing you! Many business owners are surprised that there are business brokers out there that can really help them get their business sold.

The new Fusion Business Brokers office at 10465 Manchester Rd in Kirkwood.

How to Lower Your Property Taxes

ARE THEY STILL TAX DEDUCTIBLE?

BY STEVEN A. WEBER

St. Louis County properties are to be reassessed in 2023 by the Assessor’s office. This new value estimate will be used to determine your property taxes for 2023 and 2024. In general, we expect assessments to increase substantially as a result of recent real estate market activity, but even if your value doesn’t change substantially, these new values should be reviewed carefully. This appraised value is supposed to represent the market value of your home as of January 1, 2023.

In 2021 and 2022, we contended that the Assessor failed to comply with inspection requirements when increasing values in excess of 15%. PAR Residential often uses innovative strategies such as this to ensure our clients’ property tax bills are kept to a minimum.

In addition, federal income tax rules include a $10,000 cap on the amount taxpayers can deduct in combined property tax and local and state income tax while nearly doubling standard deductions. This means many property owners who have historically itemized to deduct things like property taxes or mortgage interest may get more by claiming the standard deduction. These changes make taking steps to minimize your property tax bill even more important than in the past.

APPEALS MUST BE FILED IN JULY, DON’T WAIT UNTIL YOU GET YOUR TAX BILL IN NOVEMBER.

The simple fact is – assessors make mistakes. They utilize computer-based mass

appraisal techniques, market averages and neighborhood models to determine property values, which may not accurately reflect your property value. These errors and miscalculations end up costing you money year after year.

More often than not, we find that the Assessor’s value does not reflect the actual value based on recent sale prices of homes that are comparable with yours. In fact, since 2009 we have filed over 25,000 appeals in St. Louis County alone resulting in over $20,000,000 in tax savings to homeowners.

A NO-RISK RESOURCE FOR HOMEOWNERS.

You now have the opportunity to have your appraised value professionally reviewed to determine if you are being fairly assessed and taxed. We base our opinion of market value not on mass computer modeling like the Assessor does but on real comparable sales in your neighborhood. PAR Residential does all the work and only earns a fee if we are successful in lowering your taxes. All costs of the appeal are paid by PAR Residential including legal fees and appraisal costs.

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS:

1. DETERMINE IF AN APPEAL IS WARRANTED. PAR Residential determines a fair appraised value for your property based on real comparable sales in your neighborhood. We will also explore other avenues to appeal such as discrimination in the assessment process, and failure of the assessor to comply with inspection laws.

2. NOTIFICATION. We will notify you of the results of our review of your appraised value. If we determine the assessor’s ap-

STEVEN A. WEBER is the Founding Partner of Property Assessment Review and PAR Residential. His team of experts has the experience, market and legal knowledge to achieve the biggest tax reduction possible on residential and commercial properties. He has been reducing property taxes for over 42 years, and before that was a Senior Appraiser for St. Louis County for five years.

Property Assessment Review is the leading

praised value is fair, no appeal will be filed. There will be no cost to you for our time and efforts.

3. FILE YOUR APPEAL BEFORE THE JULY 10TH DEADLINE. If we determine that your property is over-valued by the assessor we will file an appeal on your behalf and provide the required information to the Board of Equalization.

4. BOARD OF EQUALIZATION (BOE) HEARINGS. The PAR Residential Team will attend the hearing and argue your case. We will send the official BOE results to you in September and let you know if we need to continue your appeal to the State Tax Commission of Missouri.

5. FEE. Only if we are successful in achieving a reduction in your property tax bill, we share equally in the tax savings (50/50). All of our work is performance based: NO SAVINGS, NO FEE. There are no additional costs to you for any of our work. Our invoice will be sent to you in the fall, arriving about the same time you receive your reduced tax bill.

You can learn more about saving money on your real estate taxes, the assessment and the appeal process by visiting www.parresidential.com.

INTERESTED IN SIGNING UP?

The enrollment process is quick and easy. Visit our website and sign up online today! Specific questions can be answered by emailing them to info@parresidential.com or by calling PAR Residential at 314-454-0505 from 9am to 5pm Monday through Friday.

property tax consulting firm in St. Louis, saving over $250 million for some of the region’s largest commercial taxpayers – the St. Louis Galleria, Solon Gershman, Duke Realty, Mills Properties and US Bank.

In 2008, PAR created PAR Residential to represent home owners in St. Louis County. PAR’s residential clients have saved over $20,000,000 in real estate taxes since 2009 with over 80% of appeals resulting in tax savings.

As Our Clients Move into Retirement, We Move Their Technology with Them

BY DEDE CATSAVIS

any of our clients have recently transitioned from living in their homes to living in retirement communities such as The Gatesworth, Barclay House, Aberdeen Heights, The Clarendale and others. Moving can be challenging, and ensuring that everything is up and running, including TVs, phones, and computers, is critical. Our team of technicians is accustomed to this and usually visits the new residence the day after the client moves in, to set up all the electronics and ensure that everything is working on the "in house" network. This involves some configuration, but we have

Mthe necessary expertise. If the client needs additional equipment such as routers, we have them on hand and can easily install and configure them on site.

Last month, Jeff assisted a client in moving from her city condo to The Gatesworth. Fortunately, he was aware of the issues she would face with Spectrum and handled them seamlessly for her. He also provided her with a new printer, so she could start fresh and not have to move the old, outdated one with her to her new place. The result was a happy and settled

Finest Custom Table Pads at Factory-Direct Prices

The way to insure perfect table pads is for the provider to visit your home to accurately measure and show you sample colors and textures to match your table and décor.

Custom Table Pads, an independent St. Louis dealer, provides the finest custom American-made table pads at factory-direct prices. They measure at your home or business, and show you a choice of 23 vinyl tops and 5 velvet bottoms. Perfect fit is guaranteed. Pads are heat resistant to 550 o, moisture and warp resistant. Patented hidden magnets minimize separation and slippage on your table.

CUSTOM TABLE PADS OF ST. LOUIS

Phone: 314-752-5577

Email: thetablepadman@gmail.com

client, and now all her friends are calling for similar assistance. Another client called on a Sunday, frantic that she had work to do but her computer had ‘crashed’. I called her back that day and talked her through a temporary fix so she could continue her work. I also told her where to go to get a new computer and what to get.

Within 2 days she had the new computer, which Jeff installed shortly thereafter. He transferred all the data from the old one, set up her printer and made it easy for her to continue her work on the new computer. While he was there, he also helped her ‘cut the cable’ by putting several ROKUs on her TVs and showing her how to use them. The end result was a savings of hundreds of dollars on her cable bill and another very happy client.

COMPUTER TUTORS iis a local, woman-owned small business founded in 1997. DEDE CATSAVIS is the founder and owner. For 25 years they have provided computer services to thousands of satisfied, happy customers. Computer Tutors works on Windows and MAC computers, sets up home networks, eliminates viruses and also will help with any of your other electronic devices. You can reach them at 314-608-7920, and at www.computertutors.net.

It’s possible to do all three—without breaking the bank! Marla Esser Cloos, the Green Home Coach in her book Living Green Effortlessly: Simple Choices for a Better Home provides simple steps that can save you money now, increase your home’s value, and make your home healthier for you, your family—and the environment.

“Marla does a wonderful job simplifying what can often be an overwhelming subject. I found her action steps easy to understand (and more importantly...implement). In addition, she provided a TON of tips, tools and checklists that any homeowner would find invaluable. Overall, I found the content to be well organized and can see myself using this as a resource time and time again!”

Take a fresh road trip.

County Living columnist

JOHN DRAKE ROBINSON

for his unique travelogs based on his books.

John’s Newest Book, Souls Along The Road, Is Hot Off The Press

The stories along these roads reflect life’s uneven rhythms. Fun. Fear. Breakdowns and revelations. The beauty of violent storms. The scents of September sycamores and campfires, forest fires and kitchen fires. His stories serve up tastes and touches and sounds you can’t coax from a tweet. You probably shouldn’t read this during church.

Available at fine bookstores everywhere. Or email John at cjrobin@socket.net

Read more stories at johndrakerobinson.com/blog

by

This Book Should Be in Every Home in St. Louis

Many of us who have lived in the St. Louis area our whole lives don’t know much about our own history. We learn in school about world history, US history and facts about Missouri government, but very little is taught about the history of our own county. And newcomers to St. Louis generally know even less about the area.

To help all of us feel more connected to our own community, County Living Publications has re-published The History of St. Louis County, Missouri by William Lyman Thomas, a 100-year old book that documents our history from the earliest settlers through the Civil War and into the first decade of the 20 th century. It documents what life was like 100 years ago here - the towns, neighborhoods, schools, churches, social societies, government, businesses, transportation and amusements of the period, and thousands of the people who were active in these endeavors.

This is a quality softbound book of over 500 pages, with more than 100 historic photographs. Now available at: Amazon.com

Campbell House in Downtown St. Louis

The Louisiana Purchase Gift Shop at Missouri History Museum

Left Bank Books

Main Street Books in St. Charles Museum of Transportation Gift Shops in Kirkwood

St. Louis Genealogical Society in Maplewood World News in Clayton

For more information, you can visit StLCountyHistory.com

Photos

Cheryl Robinson