Kristina Pratt, REALTOR® - GoshenRealtyGroup.com

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.

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. :)

So far in 2009 only one home has sold in the Hunter's Crossing Subdivision in Edwardsville, Illinois. It was on the market for 83 days, and the selling price was $213,00.

Currently, there are ten active homes on the market in Hunter's Crossing. There are three homes currently under contract. Prices range from a low of $184,900 to a high of $245,000. The homes for sale have been on the market an average of 112 days.

What does this information tell a seller in Hunter's Crossing? That your home should be priced correctly and be presented in the best possible condition to rise to the top of the choices in your price category. Don't "test" the market with a price higher than recent comparable sales to "see what happens." What will happen is this: buyers will turn to properly priced properties and write offers while your home lingers on the market.

Thinking of selling your home in Hunter's Crossing? Click here to e-mail me about what your current home might sell for.

Or maybe Hunter's Crossing is the perfect neighborhood for your new home? Click here to e-mail me for a list of homes currently available.

So far in 2009 six existing or new construction homes have sold in The Oaks Subdivision in Edwardsville, Illinois. Homes were on the market for an average of 319 days, and the average selling price was $235,975.

Currently, there is only one active home on the market in The Oaks. There are 2 homes currently under contract. Prices range from a low of $269,900 to a high of $324,900. The homes for sale have been on the market an average of 206 days.

What does this information tell a seller in The Oaks? That your home should be priced correctly and be presented in the best possible condition to rise to the top of the choices in your price category. Don't "test" the market with a price higher than recent comparable sales to "see what happens." What will happen is this: buyers will turn to properly priced properties and write offers while your home lingers on the market.

Thinking of selling your home in The Oaks? Click here to e-mail me about what your current home might sell for.

Or maybe The Oaks is the perfect neighborhood for your new home? Click here to e-mail me for a list of homes currently available.