Kristina Pratt, REALTOR® - GoshenRealtyGroup.com

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.

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.

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.

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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.)

Introducing Real Estate 101 From Just Ducky Homes

For anyone considering selling their home with agent representation, this is going to be a crash course in the world of real estate. Check back in over the next few weeks, as I'll be adding more information.

I know, you're already saying "Why would an agent help me sell my home for free?" I'll answer that question in a second.

The first thing you need to know is that it is not impossible to sell your home without an agent. I've known some owners that really take on the job of doing it themselves and the results are fabulous. You just have to be willing to make a large commitment to marketing your home effectively.

A simple rule of any type of marketing is that the more people your product (in this case, your home) is exposed to the higher the demand for that product will be. We all know what happens when demand is high - just look at gas prices last summer. The more buyers and agents that know your home is available the higher your selling price will be.

For example, when Nancy and I list a property the first thing we do is send out an e-mail to local agents letting them know about the new listing. Here is where having access to the MLS comes in handy - every prospect from other agents in the MLS that matches your home will receive an e-mail alert. They can then contact their agent to set up a showing. We also begin our Internet marketing and print campaigns. It's important to let as many people know your home is for sale as possible.

Although you can't list your home in the MLS without listing with an agent, the best place to start to market your home is on the Internet. Over 87% of buyers start their home search online. Try www.freewebs.comas a starting place. You can create a website for your home here. Most sites like Realtor.com, Trulia.com, or ColdwellBanker.com only allow agents to post listings - but don't worry - there are plenty of sites out there that let owners post their homes for sale. It's pretty long, so feel free to contact me if your interested in this list.

Now to answer the question I'm pretty sure you posed above... Why would an agent would give tips out to a FSBO? (That means For Sale By Owner in Realtor speak, by the way). The reason is this - there may come a day when you or someone you know needs the services of a Realtor, and you might be kind enough to refer them to me.

Next week, I'll go over commonly used terms by agents that might contact you about your home and what they mean.

Feel free to e-mail me or call with any questions about selling your home. I'd be happy to help, with no obligation.

You can find more tips for selling your home on your own under the "Sellers" section of our website at www.JustDuckyHomes.com

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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.)

A new year means a new website. Your source for real estate information in St. Louis' Illinois suburbs has been re-designed! You'll find pages that are easier to navigate, more information for buyers and sellers, southern Illinois MLS search capabilities, featured listings, virtual tours, community links and more.

If you're thinking of selling your home in Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Troy, Highland, Alton, Collinsville - anywhere in the Metro-East - be sure to check out our 'Sellers' section. Learn tips for a quick sale, view homes that have recently sold, sign up for neighborhood updates and find information about selling on your own.

For buyers - make sure to check out our exclusive "Platinum Buyer's Program". Only three spots are available for enrollment at one time, and we currently have two available. Don't forget to check in with Chris Brown at Mortgage Makers for a quick pre-approval before you go house hunting.

Check back often, because there is more to come in the next few weeks. Be sure to sign up for our e-newsletter during your visit.