Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Four Reasons to Buy a Home at the Lake of the Ozarks

We love our Lake community, now more than ever. It is a wonderful place to enjoy a Summer vacation and an even better place to settle down and start a life. If you have been considering buying a home at Lake of the Ozarks, we would love to be the first to say “DO IT!” If you are still on the fence, as your local mortgage lenders at Lake of the Ozarks, we feel qualified to share a few reasons why you will love having a home here - because we do!


1. Location, Location, Location!

One thing that makes the Lake so unique is that it is so centrally located. The Lake is close enough to easily make the trip in a morning or afternoon for many people that live in or around Missouri, but still far enough away to feel like a true getaway. Lake of the Ozarks is located in the center of the big city triangle where it is easy to get to and even easier to enjoy.

2. A Variety of Activities

You can find just about anything at the Lake, from concerts and live music to quiet picnic locations and relaxing lakefront sunrises. Whether you are a fun-loving extrovert who wants vacation to be the life of the party or a quiet introvert who uses this time to get close to nature, it is here! Owning a lakefront home at Lake of the Ozarks provides you with an easy vacation destination in Missouri, and you will look forward to coming back on weekends or for extended vacations. Hiking, biking, golfing, fishing, hunting, bar hopping, boating, dancing, shopping, dining, or reclining - it is all happening at Lake of the Ozarks.

3. Every Season Has Something to Offer

While the highlight of the Lake is the Summer season, there are aspects to appreciate about every season at Lake of the Ozarks. When you own a home at Lake of the Ozarks, it makes it so much easier to come down regularly, and then you really get to appreciate what the other seasons have to offer. Summer is obviously high energy, exciting, busy, and filled with life and laughter. However, Fall has a different sort of appeal as the changing leaves are breathtaking, and fishermen and golfers tend to take advantage of the gorgeous weather. Winter is definitely a quieter season, but there are so many fun events and ways to get involved with the community that you may find you enjoy this slow-paced and enjoyable season more than you may have expected. Obviously, Spring is the preface to Summer, but it also has its own appeal. Leaves are popping, flowers are blooming, and local activities are kicking off. The weather is mild, and there are many Springtime events to be enjoyed.

4. A Relaxing Retreat

While the activities, dining options, and events can be a huge draw, there is still one other - the quiet getaway in your very own vacation home at Lake of the Ozarks. With so many different home styles and locations on the market, you are sure to find the home of your dreams at the Lake. One of the most refreshing and enjoyable moments can be waking up on a bright and breezy morning, fixing a delicious breakfast, and enjoying it from the comfort and privacy of your very own lakefront home.



If you are considering purchasing a second home at Lake of the Ozarks, this is a wonderful time to do it. If you are not sure whether it is the right financial step for you right now or are curious about what types of rates you can get, we invite you to fill out at application on our website (www.YourLakeLoan.com). We can run some quick numbers and give you pre-approval to get you moving in the right direction. Make 2020 memorable because you have purchased a dream vacation home at Lake of the Ozarks!

For Lake area news, resources and tips on financial services, please 



Michael Lasson
Senior Loan Officer
NMLS #: 493712

4655 B Osage Beach Parkway
Osage Beach, MO 65065

Direct: (573) 746-7211





**The postings on this site are my own and do not necessarily represent First State Bank of St Charles’s positions, strategies, or opinions.

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Location: Osage Beach, MO, USA

Wednesday, April 22, 2020

A Look at the Home Buying Process Part 2

If you will be buying a new property soon, it can be helpful to refresh yourself on the buying process. As your mortgage lenders at Lake of the Ozarks, we look forward to being here with you from beginning to end as you buy a new home. Here are a few things you can expect through the process, as well as a few things you can do to get prepared. If you missed part 1, you can visit our previous blog to see A Look at the Home Buying Process Part 1


Make An Offer

After you have found the right home you will work with your real estate agent to negotiate an offer that is based on the value of the home and comparable to the value of the homes in the same neighborhood and home type. When you have reached an agreement on the price, the home with go into escrow. Escrow is the period of time it takes to complete all of the final steps in the home buying process.

Get a Home Inspection

In many cases, the purchase offers are contingent on the home inspection. A home inspection will check for signs of structural damage as well as things that may need to be fixed. Your real estate agent at Lake of the Ozarks can assist with arranging the inspection, and it is generally conducted within a few days of your offer being accepted by the seller. The contingency is there to help protect you as a buyer by giving you the chance to renegotiate your offer, or even withdraw it without a penalty if the inspection reveals significant material damage.

Work with Your Mortgage Lender to Select Your Loan Program

This is the step where Team Lasson really gets to shine in the home buying process! We will provide a range of competitively priced loan programs for you to look over. As you have questions about the loan options, we can provide exceptional customer service and experience to assist you in making the process easier. Every home buyer is going to have their own priorities when choosing a mortgage. While some are interested in keeping monthly payments low, others are going to be interested in making sure that their monthly payments never increase, still others will want to pick a loan based on the knowledge that they will be potentially selling the home again in a few years.

Have the Home Appraised

Our team will arrange for an appraiser to provide an independent estimate of the value of the house that you are buying. The appraiser is a member of a third party company and will not be directly associated with anyone involved in the transaction. After the appraisal is completed, they will provide a report regarding the value of the property so you know that you are paying a fair price for the home.

Time for Paperwork

It is no surprise that there is a lot of paperwork involved when buying a house. During the contract negotiations, a title company will be selected to handle all of the paperwork and they will make sure that the seller is the rightful owner of the house that you are purchasing and will provide a title commitment showing all documents and/or liens that are filed of record against the property.

Closing Time!

When it comes time to close on your home, you will sign all of the paperwork required to complete the purchase, including the loan documents. Once the check has been delivered to the seller, you are ready to move into your new home!


Purchasing a Home at Lake of the Ozarks

We love Lake of the Ozarks, and we love to welcome new home buyers to the area. If you are considering purchasing a second home at Lake of the Ozarks, we would be honored to assist you. Now is a great time to purchase a new property! Visit our website to learn more about us (www.YourLakeLoan.com) or to fill out an application!

For Lake area news, resources and tips on financial services, please 



Michael Lasson
Senior Loan Officer
NMLS #: 493712

4655 B Osage Beach Parkway
Osage Beach, MO 65065

Direct: (573) 746-7211





**The postings on this site are my own and do not necessarily represent First State Bank of St Charles’s positions, strategies, or opinions.

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Location: Osage Beach, MO, USA

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

A Look at the Home Buying Process Part 1

Buying a new property at the Lake of the Ozarks can be an exciting time, but there are inevitably going to be questions through the process. As your mortgage lenders at the Lake of the Ozarks, we look forward to being here with you through the home buying process. Here are a few things you can expect through the process, as well as a few things you can do to get prepared.


Start Early

When you realize that you want to own a new home at the Lake of the Ozarks or anywhere, one thing you can do is start researching the real estate market in your target area early. We suggest that you contact a local real estate agent to help you with your research. You can also look through different websites to see real estate listings, and then make notes of the particular homes that you are interested in.

Learn About Your Target Budget

This is where your favorite mortgage team at the Lake of the Ozarks comes into play! The best way to determine your ideal budget is by filling out an application on our website (www.YourLakeLoan.com) and we will help you with the pre-qualification process.

This step can often get missed by homebuyers, but it will save you time and even heartache by doing it now. If you can get your prequalification for a mortgage completed before hunting for a home, you will be in a much better position when you make an offer on a new property because the seller will know you are a serious buyer!

Find Your Real Estate Agent

A real estate agent is going to be another important partner when purchasing your home. They will be able to provide you with helpful information about the homes in the area, and their knowledge, negotiating skills, and familiarity with the area are going to be invaluable. If you haven’t found a real estate agent yet, Team Lasson knows some amazing agents in the area we could refer.

Start The Hunt for the Home of Your Dreams!

After you have the above steps completed, it is time to start looking for homes. It can be helpful to take a notebook so that you can remember details about the homes that you visit. You will see a lot of houses as you search, and it will be amazing how they can start to run together. You may even want to take pictures or video to help you remember details.


Ready to Buy a Home?

The Lake community is such a wonderful place to be. If you are considering purchasing a second home at the Lake of the Ozarks, we would be honored to assist you through the process. Now is a great time to make an investment on a property, and the Lake area is a booming place to get involved. Visit our website to learn more about our mortgage company at the Lake of the Ozarks or fill out an application. We look forward to working with you!

For Lake area news, resources and tips on financial services, please 



Michael Lasson
Senior Loan Officer
NMLS #: 493712

4655 B Osage Beach Parkway
Osage Beach, MO 65065

Direct: (573) 746-7211





**The postings on this site are my own and do not necessarily represent First State Bank of St Charles’s positions, strategies, or opinions.

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Location: Osage Beach, MO, USA

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Quick Tips For Understanding Your FICO Score

When the time comes to apply for a mortgage at the Lake of the Ozarks, your lender will need to determine the likelihood of you making your payments. Lenders use the FICO Score (credit score) to determine your credit risk. Today we are going to talk about how your Lake of the Ozarks mortgage lender can help you understand what this number means, and how it affects your home buying capabilities.


What is a FICO Score?

FICO Scores are the most widely used credit scores. This type of credit score was created by the Fair Isaac Corporation, which specializes in “predictive analytics.” Predictive Analytics means that they take information and analyze it to predict what is likely to happen. They also create credit scores, but FICO itself is not a credit reporting agency. They will use the information provided by Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion. In the end, the FICO Score, along with other details, will be used to assess credit risk and help your lenders determine whether or not to extend credit.

How is a FICO Score Determined

FICO Scores range from 300 to 850. In general, scores above 660 indicate good credit, while those below 620 indicate not so good credit. The score takes into account information from 5 different areas, each carrying a different weight in the equation:
Payment History - 35%
Current Level of Indebtedness - 30%
Types of Credit Used - 10%
Length of Credit History - 15%
New Credit Accounts - 10%

The importance of any one of these factors is also determined by the overall information on your credit report. For example, if you have not been using credit very long, your score will be factored differently than those with a longer credit history.

Understanding a FICO Score

One of the first things that a mortgage lender will want to know is whether or not you have paid past credit accounts on time. The next important point is how much you currently owe (your debt to income ratio). One good thing to remember is that having credit accounts and owing money on them does not necessarily mean that you are a high-risk borrower. Another aspect that plays into your FICO Score is the length of your credit history. In general, a longer credit history will increase your FICO Score. Your credit history takes into account how long your credit accounts have been established, including the age of your oldest account, the age of your newest account and an average of all your accounts. Credit history also looks at how long specific accounts have been established and how long it has been since you used certain accounts. The next step is to look at what types of credit you have, including credit cards, retail accounts, installment loans, finance company accounts, and mortgage loans. New credit accounts will also come into play. Research shows that opening several credit card accounts in a short period represents a greater risk. Collections, past-due accounts, late payments and charged off accounts have a negative impact on your score and can significantly decrease it.


Buying a Home at the Lake of the Ozarks

Your FICO Score is not only used to determine whether or not you will be approved for a home loan at the Lake of the Ozarks but will also determine what interest rate will be offered to you. If you have questions about your credit score and how it affects your plans to purchase a home at the Lake of the Ozarks, let us know! You can fill out an application on our website at www.yourlakeloan.com as well as contact us directly to learn more. We look forward to helping you with this next step in your life!

For Lake area news, resources and tips on financial services, please 



Michael Lasson
Senior Loan Officer
NMLS #: 493712

4655 B Osage Beach Parkway
Osage Beach, MO 65065

Direct: (573) 746-7211





**The postings on this site are my own and do not necessarily represent First State Bank of St Charles’s positions, strategies, or opinions.

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Location: Osage Beach, MO, USA

Thursday, April 2, 2020

Decorating Tips for Your Vacation Home

As Summer gets closer, now is a great time to think about your vacation home’s design and maybe update it. Your vacation home at the Lake of the Ozarks is a respite, a place to escape, and where worries do not exist, and the design should reflect that. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you start dreaming about those Summer days in your Lake of the Ozarks property and thinking about the way you decorate it!


Choose a Vibe Over a Theme

Instead of choosing a theme for your vacation home, like shells or boats, aim for a vibe. Trying to find the items that create a theme is going to not only take a lot of time and money, but you can also lose the unique style you bring to the table in search of the pieces to make this style. Instead, try to think a bit more outside the box and tap into your own style and the way you want to feel when you enter the home. Instead of filling your walls with matching style decor, choose one or two pieces for the home, and then look for something that is a bit outside of the box. Find a vintage map of the lake and frame it, or locate a cool piece of driftwood to turn into wall art.

The Vacation Vibe with Wall Color

It is amazing what kind of tone a wall color can set for a home, and your vacation home is no different. A great rule of thumb is to bring the colors of the outside to the inside, and then add complementary colors against them to create a beautiful and subtle combination of colors, shades, and textures.

There are many different ways you can choose the paint color, whether going for something bold and dramatic or neutral and natural - but the walls of your home can easily tie everything together and really make the space feel vibrant and fresh.

Invest in Outdoor Spaces

Outdoor spaces are becoming more and more popular, and the lake area is not exempt! There are so many reasons to focus on your outdoor living spaces, and one of the best ways to invest in them is to add a little light. Adding some cafe lights can take your home to a whole new level and can help create a space that everyone will want to enjoy all Summer long. The Bohemian look is also in for beach homes, so it can work for lake homes as well. You can easily build furniture from scrap wood and embody the whole rustic and weathered look!

Scale Back on the Furniture

You will want to include plenty of furniture outside of your vacation home, but it is okay to keep things light and airy indoors. This means that you do not have to dedicate your entire budget to the indoor furniture and can feel free to mix and match things until you find the right look. Simple, eclectic, spacious, and clean can all be words you use to think about your space. Think about the items you really do need, like comfortable beds and couches, and steer clear of other items like big bulky dressers that you will not fill for short-term vacations.


Creating a New Space

Now is a great time to really hone in on what you want to achieve in the look of your vacation home! Summer will be here before you know it, and you will want to have a home that is functional, clean, and stylish. If you are still looking for the perfect lake home at the Lake of the Ozarks, there is still time to make your purchase. Team Lasson is here to assist you with financing your new vacation home at the Lake of the Ozarks. We look forward to welcoming you down here and enjoying this wonderful area together!

For Lake area news, resources and tips on financial services, please 



Michael Lasson
Senior Loan Officer
NMLS #: 493712

4655 B Osage Beach Parkway
Osage Beach, MO 65065

Direct: (573) 746-7211





**The postings on this site are my own and do not necessarily represent First State Bank of St Charles’s positions, strategies, or opinions.

Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , ,
Location: Osage Beach, MO, USA
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