Edwardsville and Glen Carbon Real Estate Chat: March 2009

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

Great original woodwork, built-ins and architectural details add charm to this country cottage set on 1.5 +/-acres.  Beautiful original fireplace has been converted to additional storage over the years, yet it still retains it's character.  Formal dining room has original light fixture and window seat.

Large eat-in country kitchen has tail ceilings and ample cabinet and counter space.  A large walk-in pantry completes the heart of the home.

Nestled on the main street in the darling village of Prairietown, this four bedroom two bath home has a flat yard with a barn, one car garage and two carports outside.  Pecan trees and mature shade trees add to the beauty of this lot.  Parcel is L-shaped and backs up to a field.

Edwardsville schools.

Call today to see this home for yourself.  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

First, we would like to thank Danielle Daniels for being the inspiration of this fabulous idea.  Danielle is a fellow Realtor in Marion, Ohio.  You can read her blog here.

Danielle recently wrote a blog post called "Cans For Comments".  For each comment Danielle received on Active Rain she donated a can of food to her local food pantry.

It's no secret that our fellow residents here in Madison County are having a tough time making ends meet.  We asked Danielle if we could borrow her idea and she graciously said yes.

So here it is... for each comment we receive from now until Thursday night at 10:00 we will donate a non-perishable food item to the Glen-Ed Food Pantry.  And we promise not to buy things that we wouldn't eat ourselves.  :)

Help us out, AR community, Localism.com community and Just Ducky Homes newsletter readers... lets get 100 comments for the Gled-Ed Pantry.

Thanks for helping us give back to the community that has given us so much.

My father-in-law is a car buff.  He loves anything fast.  He's had a Porsche, classic Thunderbird, '78 Trans Am, Corvettes... anything that moves quick.

In October of 2007, he found a steal on E-bay.  A 1985 BMW 635csi in Wisconsin for $1,500.  There were only 20,000 of these manufactured for the US market.  He lives in Las Vegas, but he bought it anyway because my husband's Uncle lives in Menomonee.  Uncle Mike picked it up for us and planned to drive it out to Las Vegas for a restoration job to be completed by Bob, my father-in-law.

Bob was going to undergo a surgery for Parkinson's in a few weeks called Deep Brain Stimulation.  He was so optimistic about the surgery, that he thought he would be able to restore the car as his first project after surgery.   It's a long story, but we'll suffice it to say that the doctor botched the surgery, nicked Bob's brain and caused significant damage. 

The BMW that Bob was planning on restoring for me sat in Wisconsin until December of 2008.  When it became clear that a full recovery was not in his future, my husband and I picked up the car and brought it back to Illinois.

The first thing I did when I got my new baby home was to replace the blower motor for the heater.  In January, I couldn't drive the car with no heat.  It was a fairly simple job for my first ever car repair.

Then I scraped the horrible after-market window tint from the driver and passenger side windows.  It was bubbled, ripped and turning purple.

The next step is a new paint job on the trunk and top of the car.  The former owner tried to sand it down himself to change the color, and he ended up just scratching the heck out of the paint.

The car has some rust on it, and the interior needs a little work on the driver's seat, but other than that I'm in love with it.  It's mechanically sound, drives smooth and accelerates fast.  Owning a BMW is a childhood dream come true.

I'll post more pics as soon as the new paint is on.  I'm planning on keeping it the original color. 

Robin did a great job explaining the absorption rate in terms anyone can understand.  Thanks, Robin!

Did you know the odds of selling your home in Edwardsville or Glen Carbon are only 42%?

In the past six months, 138 houses sold in Ed/Glen - while 323 were put on the market.  There is currently 13 months of inventory on the market right now.  Prices have held relatively stable, with a 7% decrease in the sales price from 2008 to 2009.

The market is tough right now, but it doesn't mean you can't sell if you need to.  The following five steps will help increase your odds.

1.  Price it right.  Don't price your house higher than the market will bear - or even worse - higher than your competition.  You must price your home competitively or buyers won't even bother to look at it.  There used to be a time when you could build-in a lot of wiggle room for negotiations - those days are gone.  Price it right to garner the attention of buyers.  The job of your agent is not to tell you what the house is worth, rather their job is to help you price it to sell.

2.  Clean it up.  Make sure your home sparkles.  Go the extra mile to clean sinks, counter tops, cobwebs, kitchens and especially bathrooms.  Put the toilet lid down, close shower curtains, check the fridge for funny smells and open blinds for showings.  (Just make sure you clean your windows and glass doors first).

3.  De-clutter.  In a market where buyers have so much choice available, maximize your living and closet space by renting a storage unit.  Make every square foot you have count.

4.  Neutralize.  You might love your bright red walls, blue carpet, floral wallpaper or neon green bedroom - but buyers won't.  If your home is going head to head with competition that is already neutralized, odds are the home that doesn't require a cosmetic overhaul will win out.

5.  Make repairs.  Even small repairs can help buyers feel like they are getting the most for their money.  Tighten loose door knobs, change light bulbs, fix broken baseboards, fill holes in walls - you get the idea.

Above all, don't be afraid to ask your agent for help pointing out some things that might require attention.  The hardest part of selling your house is making the shift in your mind to treat it as a commodity instead of a home.  Right now most buyers want to get the most for their money.  They tend to prefer homes that are move-in ready.

In a tough market, you need all of the advantages you can get.  For more information visit our "Sellers" section of our website at JustDuckyHomes.com  With a little bit of elbow grease, a good agent and above all - patience - you can sell in this market.

----------

Kristina Pratt is a Realtor with the Just Ducky Homes Group at Coldwell Banker Brown Realtors in Edwardsville.

kristina@justduckyhomes.com
(618)917-0775 wireless

http://www.edwardsvillerealtors.com
http://www.justduckyhomes.com
http://www.twitter.com/kmprattrealtor
http://madisoncountyrealestate.blogspot.com

(Copyright© 2009 Kristina Pratt, All Rights Reserved.)