Edwardsville and Glen Carbon Real Estate Chat: Kristina Pratt, REALTOR® - GoshenRealtyGroup.com (St. Louis' Illinois Suburbs - RE/MAX Preferred Partners)

Great advice for buyers just in time for Halloween. Thanks to fellow RE/MAX Realtor Tracy Lee Parker for the list.

Here at Goshen Realty Group, we love our four-legged mascots.  We've got the bases covered when it comes to pets of both the feline and canine variety.  (Our resident dachshund, Missy, is pictured below.)  In fact, our brokerage RE/MAX Preferred Partners does a lot of work on behalf of ARRF in Southern Illinois.  Check out their website for more info.

There is an old saying in the real estate business that goes "If you can smell it, you can't sell it."  Now this doesn't just mean pet odors - but odors of any kind.  Everything from smoke to air fresheners, mildew, must, scented candles and even food smells (pleeeaase don't cook fish or garlic the day before a showing) can turn off a buyer.  Believe it or not, smells are a reason for a buyer to offer you a lower price for your home.

The problem is, not everyone that is looking to buy a house loves our pets as much as we do.  Many buyers that don't have pets of their own notice the slightest "eau de dog" odor the minute they walk in the door, and for some it's a turn-off.

But don't fret!  Your dog or cat can co-exist with the for sale sign in your front yard.  Just follow a few of these simple tips...

• Don't use too much air freshener.  Please don't use a plug-in scent in every room in your house.  If you feel the need to use a plug-in type air freshener try a scent like clean linen.  Stay away from cinnamon or other scents that are too flowery.  To be perfectly honest, you're not fooling anyone - in fact, most buyers wonder what bad smell you're really hiding.

• Febreze is your friend.  Offensive odors live on soft surfaces, and odds are you can't smell it.  Before your home is shown, take a bottle of Febreze and spray everything down.  Make sure to spray carpets, couches, chairs, bedding, curtains - anything that is fabric. Unlike air fresheners, Febreze has a clean laundry type of smell to it, and it's pleasing.  It makes your home smell fresh and crisp.

• If you take Fido or Frisky with you for showings, take all of their stuff too.  I had a buyer really digging on a house one time only to spot a litter box in the corner of the dining room.  Suddenly the whole house smelled like a cat to her.  Take toys, litter boxes, food dishes, beds and crates with you when you leave.  I know it's a pain, but your house will sell faster because of it.

• Have your carpets, area rugs and window treatments professionally cleaned.  Ask your service provider if they can use a solution specifically designed to eliminate odors.

• Do the doo-doo.  Take some time to go outside and pick up after your pooch.  No one likes to step in a landmine while checking out your backyard.

• Ask your REALTOR.  Don't be afraid to ask your agent if they think there is an odor in your home that might turn off buyers.  Constructive criticism of any type can help you sell your home.

If you follow a few of these tips, you're sure to eliminate any unpleasant odor a buyer might object to.  It's a lot of work for each and every showing, but once you and your best friend are enjoying your new home it will have been worth it.  (Plus, you can take some of that extra money you made and buy your pet a sparkly new collar.)

Here is a quick look at the market stats for Edwardsville from January '09 until today (October 28)

Price by Bedrooms

                                               -2                  3                       4+                  Total

Sell Price Volume            $5,236,951      $22,948,347       $24,104,378    $52,289,676

List Price Volume            $5,497,500      $24,045,337       $25,151,925    $54,694,762

AVG List Price                    $119,511          $180,792            $285,817         $204,849

AVG Sell Price                    $113,847          $172,544            $273,913         $195,841

List/Sell Ratio                            95%                 95%                  96%                96%

Median List/Sell Ratio                 94%                 97%                  96%                97%

Median List Price                 $119,900          $169,900            $264,450        $185,000

Median Sell Price                 $113,250          $165,000            $254,000        $180,000

Thinking of selling and curious to see how your home fits into the equation?  Give me a call or send me an e-mail so we can discuss your specific needs.

Fellow agent Chantal gives buyers a great reminder, while adding a dash of humor.

If you're buying a home in Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Maryville, Collinsville, Troy or the Metro-East area give us a shout.  We'll be happy to help you find your new home.

I really enjoyed my cousin's wedding last Friday night.  The bride was beautiful, the groom couldn't be happier, there was fabulous food and great music.  There was also a lot of new people to meet.

While taking a break from the festivities on the outdoor patio, I overheard the following conversation take place...

New Home Owner turns to his buddy and says, "Yeah, we just got a heck of a deal on our new house.  I looked around with an agent for awhile, but then I got this great idea.  We passed a house with a For Sale By Owner sign in the yard and it dawned on me... they aren't paying a commission!"

New Home Owner's buddy, "That's a great idea.  Dude, I bet you got a good deal."

New Home Owner replies, "Did I ever.  Get this... since I knew they weren't paying an agent I figured that was at least $25,000 of the asking price right there.  When I called, the chick gave me waaay too much information.  Turns out that her husband was in the middle of a job transfer.  He was already all the way out in Oregon and she couldn't wait to get out there to be with him.  She told me they had already bought a house out there and they were making two house payments. She acted like the fact that they were the original owners was a selling point, but that told me they had wiggle room.  They were asking $365,000 and most houses in that neighborhood listed with agents were closer to $385,000."

New Home Owner's Buddy, "No way.  She didn't keep her mouth shut?"

New Home Owner, "Nope.  I bet her husband was ticked.  Now I knew I had a live one on the other end.  We went to look at the house, and even though it was a ranch and we wanted a two-story we bought it anyway.  They had no idea how to negotiate, so I got them down to $318,500.  Can you believe that?  I told them I knew they weren't paying a commission, so they should have lots of wiggle room."

New Home Owner's Buddy, "You got them down like $45,000??"

New Home Owner laughs and says, "Then I asked for the sun moon and stars when the inspection had issues.  They gave me more money off the price of the house instead of making repairs.  All in all I bought it for $315,500!"

I stopped listening at this point.  It was almost too painful.  To hear someone sit there and brag to his friend about ripping someone off made my stomach churn.  The thing that really made me sick was that this whole thing could have been avoided.  I'd like to take a second to point out some things that sellers with a For Sale By Owner sign in their yard need to remember...

1.  NEVER, and I mean NEVER tell ANYONE your motivation for selling.  You are guaranteed to lose your shirt on the deal.

2. NEVER let someone come look at your house if you are there alone.  Don't tell anyone that your husband is thousands of miles away.  These buyers are not working with agents, and it could be a ruse to come in and commit a crime.

3.  Buyers are very savvy in today's market.  Educate yourself on how to become a good negotiator.  You have to emotionally detach, and that's very hard to do with your own home.

The moral of the story is this:

You're going to pay the commission one way or the other, so why not hire a professional?  Between the listing price being too low, revealing their motivation and not being an expert negotiator this buyer just walked off with $69,500 of this owner's money.  That's almost three times more than any agent I've ever known charges in commission.

This weekend is home to one of my favorite Madison County Traditions - The Italian Fest in the heart of downtown Collinsville.

Every year, folks from all over Madison County (and some from St. Louis, too) pack the streets of downtown Collinsville for a taste of Italy.  From traditional favorites like spaghetti and meatballs, to local inventions like toasted ravioli, there is something to please any palette.

The Italian Fest originally started in 1984 as a Columbus Day celebration for downtown business owners.  Since then, the yearly treat has expanded to include entertainment, 5k walk-runs, wine making contests and more.

This year's event takes place Friday September 18th - Saturday September 19th.

For a complete list of vendors and events, please visit http://www.italianfest.info

If you're on the fence about buying a home in Madison County it's time to get off. 

Not only can you cash in on the first time buyer tax credit (up to $8,000) but the Madison County Grant Program has secured more funds.  This means you can receive $3,000 of down payment assistance in the form of a forgive-able loan from Madison County.

Here are the criteria -

• The HomeBuyer program is only for first time buyers.  A first time buyer is defined as someone who has not owned a home before, in the past three years or someone who has owned a home with someone else in the past, but has been displaced due to divorce or death.
  
• Credit score of 620 or above
  
• Other income requirements apply.  The program funds are in the form of a forgive-able loan - call or e-mail for details.

The perfect storm has now arrived for first time buyers in Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Collinsville, Maryville, Troy, Bethalto, Godfrey, Alton and more.  Prices are low, choices are high and now you have upwards of $11,000 in incentives to buy.

Don't delay.  The grant money goes quickly and the time to take advantage of the first time buyer tax credit is running out.  In order to close (safely) before the December 1st deadline you will need to have your new home picked out no later than October 15th.  That's only 45 days away.

Visit us at www.JustDuckyHomes.com, call or text me at 618-917-0775 or e-mail MadisonCountyGrant@JustDuckyHomes.com for personal attention and assistance with your search. Your time is valuable, so I promise to listen carefully to your needs and find properties that offer everything you want.  Together we can turn your home buying dreams into a reality.

It's not everyday an opportunity like this presents itself.  Here in Madison County, farms are usually passed down from generation to generation and they rarely come available for public sale - that's why this is such a rare event.

With 176 +/- acres, this farm offers flexible options for the new owner.  Either work the land yourself or tap into the income potential of leasing the land.  Currently the 140 tillable acres are leased for a monthly rate.  The 30 acre fenced pasture is also rented month-to-month and is suitable for cattle.

Other features of this property include:

• 2,100 sq ft full brick ranch home with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, large kitchen, brick and concrete patio, newer flooring, 2 car garge
• Mature shade trees
• Easy access to I-55
• 2.5 +/- acre pond
• 45x28 machine shed with water and electric
• 30x24 loafing shed
• 2 wells
• City water available
• Small grain bin
• Staunton school district
• Exclusively listed for $1,250,000

Soil survey, aerial maps and floor plan available for serious buyers.  Additional 25 acre parcel available for separate purchase.  Virtual tour available online at JustDuckyHomes.com

Special Saturday and Sunday open house September 12th and 13th from 1 - 3.  All offers submitted during the open house times will be presented to the sellers on the following Monday for review.

For more information, or to schedule your appointment call Kristina or Nancy at 618-917-0775 or 618-791-8007.

I love Pantera's Pizza more than my husband.  Period.  End of story. 

Okay, so maybe this post is going to be full of me over exaggerating my love for the best pizza in Madison County.  But can you blame me? I grew up on the stuff.  My sister worked at the long forgotten (and now closed) Pantera's restaurant in East Alton, Illinois while putting herself through SIUE. 

I loved when she worked nights because all the yumminess from the buffet or people that phoned in fake orders would be coming home.  Yes, I'm old - in my day there was no caller id, so you could prank call pizza joints all you wanted.

I've lived in various parts of the country and I've also traveled to a lot of different places.  Pizza is my favorite food.  Not even the tasty deep dish pizza of Chicago, the funky ingredients of the west coast or the fold-able slices of the east coast can compare to Pantera's.  The secret?  It's totally in the sauce.

The sauce on a Pantera's pizza is applied liberally and is not sweet.  You get all the tang of the tomatoes and your tastebuds will dance with delight when the various spices hit your tongue.  Did I mention that the sausage is beyond compare as well?  As Rachael Ray would say - Yum-o!

My 9th birthday party was at Pantera's in Edwardsville.  The flooring, tables, plates and other restaurant decor had remained untouched since at least 1989.  A lot of local Edwardsville citizens tended to shy away from my favorite pizza place due to the, well, shall I say drabby interior?

While stopping in for lunch a few months ago, my Mom and I overheard the owner making plans with a contractor for a complete interior overhaul.  Little did I realize it was going to be happening so soon.  In July my beloved Pantera's closed their doors for an interior re-design worthy of a show on HGTV.

After 30+ days of quitting Pantera's cold turkey, the date that the doors will re-open is quickly approaching.  I called the restaurant a few days ago to see if they were open yet, but no such luck - the estimated completition date is September 1st.

I will make sure that Nancy and I stop by for lunch after our Tuesday morning sales meeting at the real estate office.  Pictures of the new interior digs to come.

My favorite Pantera's pizza... Make sure to get it HUNK style (Loads of extra sauce, cheese, and toppings).

Thick crust
Pepperoni
Bacon Bits
Sausage
Cheddar Cheese

Calorie count - astronomical.  Eat with caution.  :)