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

If you don't know a Tudor from a Victorian or a raised ranch from a bi-level, you've come to the right place.

Sometimes, it seems like real estate has it's own language.  There are contract terms, financing terms and style terms.  This will be an on-going series of posts helping you - the buyer - focus on the style of home you are most drawn to.  First up is an introduction to my personal favorite, the Craftsman style home.

Craftsman style homes can be found all over Madison County.  There is a large concentration of these homes in the historic Leclaire district.  You can learn more about what makes Leclaire special here.

American Craftsman style was born out of Britain as a way of "rebelling" against the grandeur and over-decoration of the Victorian era.  Many British people felt that the Victorian era brought about poor working conditions during the Industrial Revolution.  The birth of the Craftsman style was the European way of bringing skilled craftsmanship back to the forefront.   The focus of this movement was to place special emphasis on handmade over mass produced.

When you think Craftsman home, think Frank Lloyd Wright.  These homes are distinctly recognizable because of their archictectural details such as gables and deep eaves.  Low, sloping roofs are common on one-story homes.  One and a half to two story homes have unique angles and sometimes dormers.  Large front porches with square pillars are a characteristic of the Craftsman style.  

Bringing in many earth tones and natural building materials was important as well.  Stone, hardwood flooring, built-in cabinets, fireplaces with tile surrounds and simple geometric shapes can also help you spot a Craftsman home.

Want a Craftsman home of your own?  This home pictured here is for sale.  It has four big bedrooms with original woodwork.  This home is also on a 1.5 acre lot in the Edwardsville, Illinois school district.  Priced at $154,000 Click here for more details.

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About the Author:  Kristina Pratt is a Realtor with the Just Ducky Homes team at Coldwell Banker Brown Realtors in Edwardsville, Illinois. She and Nancy Milton help their customers buy and sell homes and investment properties in St. Louis' Illinois suburbs of Madison and St. Clair counties with special emphasis on the communities of Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Maryville, Collinsville and Troy. For more information, visit their web site at http://www.JustDuckyHomes.com or e-mail Kristina@JustDuckyHomes.com.

I spent yesterday hanging out with a lot of my husband's friends from work.  One friend, we'll call him "Walter", decided to inform me that one day buyer's agents will be obsolete.  When I asked him why, he told me that whatever an agent can do he can do thanks to the Internet.

Wow.  I decided to take on a lively debate with Walter.  He's a nice guy and fun to spar with now and then.  I told him to name me five things the Internet allows him to do that negates his need for a buyer's agent.

Here are his reasons - straight from the mouth of a 20-something first time home buyer:

1.  I don't need an agent to search for houses for me.  I can do that on-line.

2.  I want to take my time and look at as many homes as I want without pressure.  I can look at all kinds of pictures and tours on-line and not deal with an agent.

3.  I can find out what the house sold for by looking at the tax records on-line and make my offer based on that.

4.  I can also go to Zillow to find out an estimate of what the house is worth, so I don't need an agent to do comps for me.

5.  I don't need an agent to help me through the process.  There are tons of resources on the Internet I can read to tell me how all of this works.

Walter gave me the chance to challenge his points, and here they are:

1.  You're right.  You don't need an agent to find homes for you to look at.  There are plenty of resources out there.  (Hey, when someone is right, they're right).  The advantage to using an agent to find homes for you is that we know the market and we know when something is over-priced and a waste of your time.  Agents don't just find houses for you to tour - we act as your filter to help you decided what homes to look at - saving you time and effort.

2.  Looking at photos and virtual tours on-line is a great way to start.  However, without actually going to see the home you don't really know the condition.  All houses look better on-line than they do in person.  Besides that - a good agent won't try to sell you a house.  They will simply act in your best interests by being your guide and negotiator through the transaction when you find a house you want to buy.

3.  Although knowing the last sales price does help in formulating an offer, many other things go into determining the offer price.  If you are considering a house that was bought during the housing boom a few years back, the price paid for the home is not a reflection of it's value in the current market.

4.  Zillow gives a wide range in the value it assigns to homes.  It also relies on public information that can take months to receive after a comparable home has closed.  Although the "Zestimates" have gotten better, they are no substitute for the local MLS and an agent running comps.  Once again, agents know the market - we are in and out of these comparable houses all the time with other buyers.

5.  There are tons of resources for first-time buyers on the 'net.  But... no matter how much you read about it yourself, that knowledge will never take the place of someone that has done it dozens of times.  Walter could call the listing agent, find a home he likes and put in an offer thinking that he knows the process.  Although he might now know how the process works, he doesn't know how the contract works.  There are inspection deadlines, contingencies, time frames for the inspection response - the list goes on and on.  Unless that listing agent is acting in a dual agent role, Walter is on his own in terms of knowing that contract front to back and staying within his legal time frames.

My final argument to Walter was that although the Internet is a great place to start looking for a home it's just that - a place to start.  I don't believe that the volume of information available to home buyers  on-line can ever take the place of a professional who has market knowledge, years of experience and who is a savvy negotiator. 

I'm happy to say that in the end, Walter agreed with me.  I'm no longer in danger of losing my job to the Internet.  ;)

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About the Author:  Kristina Pratt is a Realtor with the Just Ducky Homes team at Coldwell Banker Brown Realtors in Edwardsville, Illinois. She and Nancy Milton help their customers buy and sell homes and investment properties in St. Louis' Illinois suburbs of Madison and St. Clair counties with special emphasis on the communities of Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Maryville, Collinsville and Troy. For more information, visit their web site at http://www.JustDuckyHomes.com or e-mail Kristina@JustDuckyHomes.com.

I'm heading across the mighty Mississippi river this weekend to St. Charles, Missouri for Missouri Tartan Day.

This annual event is held by a non-profit organization to promote Scottish-American culture. They also collaborate with Scots For Tots, a community organization dedicated to helping children in the greater St. Louis area.

There is a great variety of events to enjoy at Missouri Tartan Day.  Traditional Scottish cuisine is just one of the samplings of Scottish culture you'll find this weekend.  You'll also enjoy a parade, traditional dance and various bands will round out the entertainment.

If you have Scottish heritage in your family tree, you'll particularly enjoy the displays from the various clans of Scotland.  Clan Henderson is the Honored Clan for 2009, but more than fifteen other clans will be present.  Unfortunately, the clan of my husband's ancestry won't be there this year but it will still be a great time.

If you're a lover of all things historic, be sure to bring your checkbook.  There will be vendors featuring Celtic jewelry, clan badges, photography, medieval weapons and hand-woven tartans.

Starting Friday night at 5:00, you'll be able to hear the sounds of the 'pipes along the banks of the Missouri River at Frontier Park in St Charles.  Missouri Tartan Day runs from Friday through Saturday this weekend.  For a full schedule of events, vendors, hours and directions you can check out their website at http://www.motartanday.com/

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About the Author:  Kristina Pratt is a Realtor with the Just Ducky Homes team at Coldwell Banker Brown Realtors in Edwardsville, Illinois. She and Nancy Milton help their customers buy and sell homes and investment properties in St. Louis' Illinois suburbs of Madison and St. Clair counties with special emphasis on the communities of Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Maryville, Collinsville and Troy. For more information, visit their web site at http://www.JustDuckyHomes.com or e-mail Kristina@JustDuckyHomes.com.

Introducing the Top Ten Deals in Collinsville

Every other week, we'll update this list highlighting the best deals in the area listed by Just Ducky Homes and Coldwell Banker Brown Realtors.  These homes are priced to sell, and with summer just around the corner they will go fast.  Here they are...

Top Ten Deals For 3/26 - 4/9

1.  714 Watt Street 1 bed/1 bath $64,900

2.  1037 Lafayette Court 2 bed/2 bath  $68,000

3.  635 Greenwood Place 2 bed/1 bath $87,000

4.  894 Lester 2 bed/2 bath $92,900

5.  708 Keebler 2 bed/1 bath $99,900

6.  228 S Chestnut 3 bed/1 bath $109,000

7.  602 Hoecker 4 bed/2 bath, $210,00

8.  18 Deer Trail 4 bed/3 bath $219,900

9.  18 Harvest Point 3 bed/2 bath Glenwood Estates $229,900

10.  111 Crestmoor 4 bed/3 bath - SALE PENDING

For more information on any of these homes, please feel free to call us or send us an e-mail.  Don't forget to ask us about an $8,000* first -time buyer tax credit when you call. *Government requirements apply.

More photos are available at www.JustDuckyHomes.com

Kristina Pratt, Realtor
Nancy Milton, Realtor/GRI
618-917-0775 or 618-791-8007
Coldwell Banker Brown Realtors

Search the MLS on-line at JustDuckyHomes.com
Need to sell yours first? It's not impossible in this market.  Learn more.
Platinum Buyer's Program - Exclusively from Just Ducky Homes

All listings are brokered by Coldwell Banker Brown Realtors, Edwardsville Illinois.

Introducing the Top Ten Deals in Edwardsville and Glen Carbon

Every other week, we'll update this list highlighting the best deals in the area listed by Just Ducky Homes and Coldwell Banker Brown Realtors.  These homes are priced to sell, and with summer just around the corner they will go fast.  Here they are...

Top Ten Deals For 3/26 - 4/9

1.  11 Sadlewood Lane, Glen Carbon 4 bed/2 bath 1,722 square feet.  $123,000

2.  820 Holyoake, Edwardsville 2 bed/1 bath  $92,500

3.  1036 West High Street, Edwardsville 2 bed/1 bath $104,900

4.  134 Birger, Glen Carbon 2 bed/1 bath $114,900

5.  5287 St Rt 157, Edwardsville 3 bed/ 2 bath .5 acre $120,000

6.  7227 Renken Road, Edwardsville schools 4 bed/2 full bath, 1.5 acres $154,000

7.  228 Lake Hillcrest, Glen Carbon 3 bed/2 bath, $154,900

8.  412 E Schwarz, Edwardsville 5 bed/2 bath, 3/4 acre perfect for serious rehabbers/investors $89,000

9.  306 Sherwood, Glen Carbon 5 bed/3 bath Glenwood Estates $189,900

10.  1016 Minnesota, Edwardsville 2 bed/1 bath close to St. Louis Street $141,00

For more information on any of these homes, please feel free to call us or send us an e-mail.  Don't forget to ask us about an $8,000* first -time buyer tax credit when you call. *Government requirements apply.

More photos are available at www.JustDuckyHomes.com

Kristina Pratt, Realtor
Nancy Milton, Realtor/GRI
618-917-0775 or 618-791-8007
Coldwell Banker Brown Realtors

Search the MLS on-line at JustDuckyHomes.com
Need to sell yours first? It's not impossible in this market.  Learn more.
Platinum Buyer's Program - Exclusively from Just Ducky Homes

All listings are brokered by Coldwell Banker Brown Realtors, Edwardsville Illinois.

Dad bought this great four bedroom bi-level for the college kids. Now they're graduating and it's time to sell.  It's not often a home of this size at this price is available in the Edwardsville school district. 

Four big bedrooms, one of which would make a perfect family room, plus a spacious eat-in kitchen and big living room are highlights.

Outside a deck overlooks the fenced backyard and cars can park in the carport or on off street pad. Additional storage is available in a shed that is
attached to the carport. The package is complete with washer, dryer and kitchen appliances.

You'll also enjoy the convenience of living close to shopping, dining, entertainment and easy access to I-270 or I-55/70.

Call Nancy or Kristina to treat yourself to a private showing.

Bedroom dimensons are: 12 x 11, 11 x 11, 11 x 23 and 12 x 11.

Kitchen is 12 x 12 and living room is 13 x 13.

Approx. 1722 square feet.  Priced below recent appraisal. Square footage from appraisal, buyer to verify.(Room sizes and measurements are approximate).

Don't forget to ask us about an $8,000* first -time buyer tax credit when you call. *Government requirements apply.

More photos are available at www.JustDuckyHomes.com

Kristina Pratt, Realtor
Nancy Milton, Realtor/GRI
618-917-0775 or 618-791-8007
Coldwell Banker Brown Realtors

Search the MLS on-line at JustDuckyHomes.com
Need to sell yours first? It's not impossible in this market.  Learn more.
Platinum Buyer's Program - Exclusively from Just Ducky Homes