Dear Buyer:
It's time for a little straight talk about real estate.
If you seriously want to buy your first home this year to take advantage of the $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit, low interest rates and the great selection of available homes, then this blog post is for you.
I've met a few of you in the last couple of weeks who are going about this process the wrong way. You're wasting your time and you could be wasting money. You're scanning the Internet, driving past a sign or looking at ads. When you find a property that catches your eye, you might call and ask questions about it. Or you might just wander into an open house at the property.
But then what?
Do you talk to the home's listing agent knowing that he is working for the seller? Do you panic and start looking for someone to help you at the last minute, losing the window of opportunity to make an offer on the house when it goes to another buyer?
All is not lost. By just reversing the process, you can be in your new home in no time. You need to shop for a good real estate buyer's agent before you ever think of shopping for your new home.
A GOOD BUYER'S AGENT WILL...
...look out for your interests during the transaction. After all, the seller has an agent. Shouldn't you?
...meet with you before you ever set foot in a house that is listed for sale. Your conversation should be all about your needs and your wants in a new home and about creating a plan that will get you into home ownership with the least amount of hassle.
...ask a lot of questions and will listen -- really listen -- to what you have to say.
...never be too busy to answer questions.
...find homes that meet your needs and will make appointments for you to see the properties privately with no interruptions so you can carefully consider their merits.
...help you eliminate the homes that don't fit your criteria and focus on those that do.
...never try to "sell" you a house. But she will help you buy the house that you ultimately choose by managing the buying process and negotiating the best possible deal for you in the current market.
...communicate in a way that is best for you. Are you an e-mailer? Do you live on Facebook? How about Twitter tweets or texting. Test an agent by sending a message to see how quickly she or he responds. If it takes too long to hear back from them, move on to someone else.
...offer solid research to help you make a decision. She'll know what other homes in your target property's neighborhood have sold for in recent weeks and months. She'll be aware of external factors in the area -- both good and bad -- that might influence your decision. She'll know the target home's listing history and will go over the seller's disclosures with you.
...stay in close touch with your lender to make sure your pre-approval turns into a solid loan commitment that will allow your deal to close on time.
Choosing your agent before you choose your home will make the buying process less challenging and much more enjoyable and successful. Happy agent shopping!
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About the Author: Nancy Milton, GRI, is a Realtor with the Just Ducky Homes team at Coldwell Banker Brown Realtors in Edwardsville, Illinois. She and Kristina Pratt 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 real estate in 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 Nancy@JustDuckyHomes.com.
This new, 7.1-acre listing at 7523 Possum Hill Road by the Just Ducky Homes Team is a true lifestyle property. If you're looking for a private and beautiful piece of land in the Edwardsville, Illinois school district, this is it.
Your horses can enjoy a 2-acre pasture surrounded by an electric fence and a run-in shed that is big enough to hold 100 bales of hay.
Beyond the pasture, a deep pond is stocked with bass and channel catfish. And behind the home, you can wander manicured paths to a cool glen with a "fort" and hammock or just walk along the quiet creek. Behind the home there is plenty of space to expand with a barn, outbuildings or additional rooms.
The three-bedroom home was built in 2007 and features a split bedroom floor plan, large bright windows, a master bedroom with attached bath and dual closets, nine-foot ceilings, an oversized two-car garage and a charming, covered front porch.
The home's lower level has a nine-foot pour and is ready to be finished into a family room, office, additional bedroom or whatever you need. Plumbing is roughed-in for a bathroom.
See it for yourself. Call, text or e-mail today for a private showing. More than 60 photos are available by e-mail.
Offered at $264,900 by Nancy Milton, Realtor/GRI (618-791-8007) and Kristina Pratt, Realtor (618-917-0775) Just Ducky Homes/Coldwell Banker Brown Realtors.
Search the MLS online at JustDuckyHomes.com. Need to sell your home first? It's not impossible in this market. Learn more. Platinum Buyer's Program - Exclusively from Just Ducky Homes.
The Just Ducky Homes Team enjoyed the culmination of a great buying experience this week when one of our clients closed on his new home.
Helping first-time homebuyers realize their dream of home ownership is one of my favorite things. They're almost always excited, sincere, a little scared and very grateful to have someone on their side during the process. It makes me feel good to provide counsel and guidance to someone just starting out and to look out for their interests in locating the right property and negotiating the purchase.
That said, my most recent buyer client was a standout among standouts. We first met when he called with a request to look at a house that ultimately didn't meet his needs. So we had a detailed chat about what he really wanted in a new home, including specific locations to minimize his commute, the style of construction he preferred and the price range in which he was comfortable.
He took advice seriously, obtained his pre-approval for a conventional loan in a snap (he had amassed a nice downpayment amount) and without kissing too many housing frogs, we found just the right place.
Playing his negotiating cards close to the vest and remaining unemotional about the outcome, we went in low -- but not insultingly so -- on the target house and lightening struck: His offer caught the seller's high motivation at the right arc and a deal was done without a counter.
Inspections were clean, his loan committment came through just fine and when we closed this week on his lovely open-floor-plan ranch I told him how happy I was to have met such a focused and responsible young guy. He's modest and not the type to take praise very well, but I meant every word. Great job!
No two deals are alike, but if you're in the market for a new home of your own, give me a call, text or e-mail. Having the right kind of communication at the beginning of a buyer/Realtor relationship can make all the difference in creating a happy outcome just like this for you.
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About the Author: Nancy Milton, GRI, is a Realtor with the Just Ducky Homes team at Coldwell Banker Brown Realtors in Edwardsville, Illinois. She and Kristina Pratt 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 real estate in 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 Nancy@JustDuckyHomes.com.
Do you know someone in Madison County who is having trouble paying his utility bills?
This time of year, when temperatures have risen consistently above 32 degrees after April 1, utility companies are allowed to cut off service to delinquent customers.
Ameren IP offers payment plan options that allow the customer to pay 25 percent of the past due bill and the remainder in monthly installments. Once the full amount of the bill is paid, service can be reconnected.
For residents who meet certain income requirements, Illinois Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funds are available to help.
And for families with income that exceeds the LIHEAP limits, help is still available with with one-time grants. These grants are given to families with extreme hardship issues such as military deployment, medical challenges, family tragedies, loss of income or theft.
Call 877-411-WARM (9276) for details. Or visit the LIHEAP web site.
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About the Author: Nancy Milton, GRI, is a Realtor with the Just Ducky Homes team at Coldwell Banker Brown Realtors in Edwardsville, Illinois. She and Kristina Pratt 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 real estate in 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 Nancy@JustDuckyHomes.com.
Yanda Log Cabin Opens for 2009
The historic Yanda Log Cabin in Old Town Glen Carbon (pictured right) is now open for the season.
The cabin and grounds are available for rent for special events. Call 288-7271 for reservation information.
The Yanda Log Cabin is located at 148 South Main Street in Glen Carbon. Built by Austrian immigrant and blacksmith William Yanda in 1853, the cabin is a beloved relic from the region's past.
Glen Carbon's Arbor Day Ceremony, April 25
Think green this spring by attending the village's annual tree planting ceremony.
The Arbor Day event will be led by the Mayor, who will host a ribbon cutting for a new self-guided nature walk. A tree planting clinic and children's activities also will be held. Activities will take place at Greenspace North on Saturday, April 25 at 10 a.m.
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About the Author: Nancy Milton, GRI, is a Realtor with the Just Ducky Homes team at Coldwell Banker Brown Realtors in Edwardsville, Illinois. She and Kristina Pratt 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 real estate in 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 Nancy@JustDuckyHomes.com.
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Helping sellers & buyers in St. Louis' Illinois suburbs with their residential & investment real estate needs. Specializing in Edwardsville, SIUE, Glen Carbon, Maryville, Collinsville and Troy, IL.
Hi, my name is Nancy Milton and I am a Realtor in Edwardsville, Illinois, the seat of Madison County in St. Louis' Illinois suburbs.
Are you moving up? Downsizing? Dreaming of a first home? Perhaps you're searching for an investment property that will work as hard as you do.
Whether you're looking for a sophisticated executive home, a rural horse farm or a cozy starter cottage, together we can find the right place for you to call your own.
Visit us at www.GoshenRealtyGroup.com, call or text me at 618-791-8007 or e-mail Send2Nancy@Charter.net 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.
As a lifelong resident of St. Louis' Illinois suburbs, I know the cities, neighborhoods and streets of this vibrant and important part of the metropolitan area. 
From the lively county seat of Edwardsville and Southern Illinois University to Glen Carbon -- named one of Money Magazine's Best Places to Live -- Collinsville, Maryville, Alton, Troy and Granite City, the cities and villages of Madison County offer small town community life just minutes away from the big city amenities of St. Louis.
Bethalto, East Alton and Wood River are seeing new interest thanks to the I-255 extension and industrial expansion. In St. Clair County, fast-growing hot spots include O'Fallon, Shiloh and Swansea. Fairview Heights is a shopper's dream and Belleville presents historic properties and a vibrant downtown. Looking for a country lifestyle? Southern Macoupin County may have what you need.
Imagine a close commute to your Illinois workplace or a shorter drive to your St. Louis city or county job than co-workers who live in West County and St. Charles. The Illinois communities we serve are convenient to I-270, I-70, I-255, I-64 and I-55.
Ask me about the Five Easy Steps to Owning a Home of Your Own. Together we can turn your home buying dreams into a reality. And between now and December 1, 2009, don't forget that first-time buyers who close their purchase by that date are eligible for a federal tax credit of up to $8000.
BUYER TESTIMONIALS
Nancy & Kristina: "It only takes a moment to say thank you, but your help and thoughtfulness will be remembered for a long time. I don't know if we'd have made it through the home selecting and the buying process without your help."
--Kathy & Bob
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"I just wanted to personally thank you for making our experience as a first time buyer go so smoothly. I has no idea what I was doing...the only thing that I was positive about was that I wanted to live in Collinsville. Doing business with you made this a breeze and stress free. You are a pleasure to work with I will be sending anyone that is in the house buying market your way!
-- Danyale
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Selling your home in a challenging market takes some special skills. Let us market your home to a broad variety of potential buyers. We can talk with you about pricing strategies, competition, days on the market and the condition of your home.
We don't just want to list your home...we want to sell it.
With our Internet presence, a network of advertising and our personal marketing skills, Goshen Realty Group can work to get the best possible price for your property in current market conditions.
If you're considering selling your home, you know that you have a lot invested in your family's property -- your time, your money and your emotions.
Selling or exchanging an investment property? Maybe it's time to make sure your cash on cash return is as strong as it should be by listing your current investments and locating new ones.
It's critical to make the right decisions when you decide to sell. Which Realtor is right for you? And which agent will work hard on your behalf and be a true partner in your sale?
The answers to your selling questions? Goshen Realty Group.
Homeowners, ask for a free analysis to help you determine the right price for your home in today's real estate market. A house that lists at the right price will have an immediate advantage over the competition. Add aggressive Internet marketing to the mix and you have the perfect combination to get your property sold.
Investors, we can look at the return your properties are providing and give you the information you need to make smart sale, purchase and exchange decisions.
Once we've listed your property, our extensive marketing and advertising network will go to work to attract qualified buyers. And our systems will give those buyers access to instant information about listed properties like yours.
We will work with you on every aspect of your sale, from introducing your property to the brokers and agents in the real estate community and placing your listing in the Multiple Listing Service to holding public open houses and creating a customized advertising and marketing plan that works.
Learn more from a personal listing presentation. Call or text me at 618-791-8007 or send an e-mail to Send2Nancy@Charter.net to schedule an appointment today. We don't take every listing, but every listing we take, we take to sell.
SELLER TESTIMONIALS
Nancy & Kristina: This is a long-overdue letter to tell you how much my family and I appreciate all your hard work to sell our home. From our first meeting with Nancy to look at purchasing a home to our last interaction to say "You sold your house!", the two of you have been professional, courteous, empathetic, diligent, humorous, and just flat-out awesome!
Between the two of you, every single aspect of our home-sale was covered. Dave and I had been talking about selling our house for YEARS, making improvements, watching the market, strategizing... and the two of you came in and basically read our minds. We felt completely taken care of. Pampered even.
When we suddenly decided to move across the state to be near family, leaving the house behind, we felt confident in your abilities to handle everything from afar. And you did not let us down! Getting two offers within two weeks of leaving, we never had to come back to town!
All I can say is THANK YOU. I really came to feel like you two were family, and I only wish that you could be here with us in Milwaukee when we go house hunting next spring. I will continue to tell my friends in Madison County how amazing the two of you are, and I wish you many many years of continued success."
-- Meaghan and Dave"
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Nancy & Kristina: "Once again I'd like to thank you for all of your help in making the sale of my property so very successful. In every way that I can think of your professionalism was and is outstanding. Thank you very much."
-- Steve
Graduate, Realtor Institute, GRI
National Association of Realtors
Illinois Association of Realtors
Greater Gateway Association of Realtors
Southwestern Illinois Regional Multiple Listing Service
Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville Alumni Association
Friends of Lovejoy Library
Friends of the Glen Carbon Library
Friends of the Historic Benjamin Stephenson House
Your Community Foundation
Coldwell Banker Million Dollar Club
Greater Gateway Association of Realtors Bronze Award
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