Restaurants in Springfield MO ; Zio's Italian Kitchen

An extensive menu of Authentic Italian Dishes and high quality fairly inexpensive wines put Zios ahead of the crowd. The service is normally prompt even when they have a full house.
Located just off James River Fwy and Campbell you'll find plenty of parking and a cordial staff.

The atmosphere is inviting and looks authentic. The kitchen is open to the dining room which adds a European flair.

1249 E Kingsley Springfield 417 889 1919http://www.zios.com/site/

Home Energy Credits are still out there and they are HUGE.

When our furnace started having issues I called a HVAC Technician.  It turned out to be servicable but is suffereing from old age.  I told the technician it's too bad the Fed Tax credit just ended.

That's true he said but our County and your Electric Co have huge rebate programs that still have money.  The key is to have an Energy Audit that shows the house could be 25% more efficient and our County will pay 70% of the upgrade cost and our Electric Co will kick in additional rebates as well. 
I especially like the fact that getting more efficient includes not only furnaces and A/C units but also windows, insulation and more.
For an devoted penny pincher like me this is great new and my Energy Audit will be done tomorrow.

Buying a Foreclosure in Springfield MO area

Choose an agent who has experience with foreclosures and knows the procedure.  It's nothing like selling private party properties.  Have the agent

Banks usually have their own forms and closing procedures.  Bank forecosures generally close faster than short sales.
While short sales can be bargains, they also can take a lot longer. Some banks will negotiate in a timely manner on short sales, but most will prioritize properties they have already takn back. Offering less than asking price rarely works. Most banks drop the price every 30-60days so just wait till they've dropped the price to what you want to pay then make your move.  Stay detached and have other properties in your scope in case someone else buys the property before the price drops to your level.

Ask the bank to pay your closing costs.  Every deal is different.  Banks have a bottom line number in mind.  If the estimated HUD (closing statement) shows they can make their bottom line and pay your closing costs they often will.

Show the bank you have your act together.   I recommend getting at least 2 pre-approval letters from credible lenders and include those with your offer.  Some banks require the buyers to submit pre-approval docs to thier mortgage dept as well.  It doesn't mean you have to use them for the loan; they just want to see what you're working with.