




As a native St. Louisan and Broker-Owner of Clay Realty Group LC, I bring more than 35 years of experience in real estate and property management to the industry. Over the years, I have helped thousands of buyers and sellers successfully purchase and sell their homes, guiding them through the complexities of the real estate market while emphasizing the financial foundations necessary for sustainable homeownership. In addition to real estate, I am a Licensed Insurance Broker (Life, Health, Property & Casualty) and the author of Get A Hold Of Your Darn Finances, a financial literacy book designed to help adults and youth better understand money, credit, and financial decision-making.
Throughout my career, I discovered that many people who wanted to purchase homes were not held back by income, but by credit challenges, poor money management habits, and a lack of financial education. Seeing this pattern firsthand inspired me to combine my real estate expertise with financial literacy education so I could better equip individuals and families with the knowledge and tools needed to achieve long-term financial stability and successful homeownership.
In addition to helping traditional buyers and sellers, I have also served as a HUD Listing Agent for more than 10 years, gaining specialized knowledge in marketing and selling HUD homes and navigating government-related real estate transactions. Today, my mission is to help people not only buy and sell homes but also build stronger financial futures by understanding how money, credit, and homeownership work together.

"Loved everything so far"
I attended the budget webinar and learned so much about managing my money; it brought clarity to my finances and put me on track.
— Mary R.
"My life changed forever"
Her insights helped me navigate the housing market, and her mortgage pre-approval guidance was invaluable. Highly recommend!
— Brandon K.
"Highly recommend this"
Rubbie’s webinar made the homebuying process simple to follow. I followed her steps—and now I’m officially a homeowner!
- Kimberly S.
The first step in the homebuying process is getting pre-approved for a mortgage. This allows you to clearly understand your buying power and lets sellers know that you are a serious and qualified buyer.
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Down payments typically range from 3% to 20% of the home’s purchase price. Saving more upfront can strengthen your loan application and may help you qualify for better loan terms and lower monthly payments.
Pre-qualification is simply an estimate based on the financial information you provide. Pre-approval, however, is a more detailed process in which the lender verifies your credit, income, and financial history to determine how much you can truly borrow.
On average, the homebuying process takes about 30 to 45 days from contract to closing. However, the timeline can vary depending on factors such as loan approval, inspections, appraisals, and the overall closing process.