Nancy Knows Madison County

If you're planning to put your house on the market soon, you probably have some cleaning to do. 

Most people hang on to things like old paint cans, cleaning products, insecticides and weed killers long after they're needed. But what is a homeowner supposed to do with the stuff that you just can't throw into the trash?

Madison County has the once-a-year answer this Saturday, September 26, 2009. 

From 8 a.m. until 3 p.m., the county's recycling program is sponsoring a free collection of household hazardous waste. Just take your items to the Madison County Wood River Facility (the building that used to house the old Wood River Hospital) at 101 East Edwardsville Rd. in Wood River.

You will need to show proof of residency in Madison County when you drop off the hazardous waste. Items turned in will be incinerated or recycled by a hazardous waste contractor.

These items will be accepted during the annual recycling event: batteries, drain cleaners, solvents, lawn chemicals, hobby chemicals, antifreeze, thermostats, pool chemicals, arsenic, cooking oils, electronics, fluorescent tubes, mercury thermometers, spray paint, oil/latex paint, lead acid batteries, gasoline, cleaning products, motor oil, herbicides, insecticides and pesticides.

So, round up the RoundUp and clear out your home's garage, shed and storage areas. Prospective buyers will thank you for it and so will the environment.

For more information, just call the Madison County recycling hotline at 618-296-6647 or click on their web site at www.madisoncountyrecycles.com.

Shooting approximately 630 feet into the air several times each day, the stunning Gateway Geyser has the power to reach for the sky and to lure drivers from the interstate highways of Southwestern Illinois for a closer look.

If you've ever wondered about that massive fountain of water that can be seen from vantage points in both Missouri and Illinois, here's your answer.

Located in the Malcolm W. Martin Memorial Park in East St. Louis, Illinois, the fountain was designed as a counterpart to the 630-foot-tall Gateway Arch which rises over the Missouri side of the Mississippi River as a tribute to President Thomas Jefferson and his hope for a continental United States.

Eero Saarinen, the Arch's architect, originally envisioned a park surrounding his stainless-steel sculpture that visually linked both sides of the great river.

Saarinen died before the Arch was completed and his vision remained just that until 2009 when the Illinois park and geyser opened thanks to the determination of the late Malcolm W. Martin. 

A St. Louis attorney, philanthropist and civil rights champion, Martin purchased the land for the park and provided the leadership necessary to establish an organization to guide the project through to its completion. Martin modeled the geyser -- which is the world's largest man-made fresh water fountain -- after one he had seen in Geneva, Switzerland.

The main geyser sits in a six-acre, million-gallon lake (inhabited by a number of happy -- and brave -- ducks during our visit) and is surrounded by four smaller fountains that represent rivers that converge at St. Louis.

Visitors are often surprised at the noise produced by the three 800-horsepower pumps that operate the geyser. They can process 7,500 gallons of water at 250 feet per second. Just as the Gateway Arch sports an aircraft warning beacon at its summit, so does the geyser. A light on the pump shed alerts pilots that the fountain will be operating so they can avoid the area.

Erupting like Old Faithful, the Gateway Geyser operates on a set schedule at noon, 3 p.m., 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. from April through October.

The spray from the main geyser and its four smaller companions often produces brilliant rainbows such as the one to the right which I snapped this summer.

In addition to the geyser, the Malcolm W. Martin Memorial Park contains a newly constructed Mississippi River Overlook which rises 40 feet high and allows visitors to see over the Mississippi River flood wall for a magnificent view of the St. Louis skyline. If you're visiting St. Louis, this is the primo location from which to take a postcard-worthy skyline image.

To reach the park and fountain, take the Fourth Street exit from I-55/70. You can follow the signs for the Casino Queen or look for the smaller fountain icon signs that are now in place. Pass the casino parking lot entrance and make a left on the road that runs parallel to the flood wall. You'll see the park, observation tower and fountain on your left.

Here's a map that will help guide you to the park.

I toured two very nice bank-owned houses in Troy, Illinois today. Both are new construction and new to the market. All that is missing is your offer.

The first (pictured right) is listed for $239,000. It offers four bedrooms, three baths and 2,540 square feet of living space. The interior painted in neutral colors.

Its kitchen is loaded with an abundance of attractive cherry cabinets and a planning desk. A fireplace warms the great room and there is a formal dining room for entertaining.

Gleaming hardwood floors have been installed throughout much of the main level, along with soft carpets in the living room and bedrooms and tile in the master bath. That's where you'll find a corner soaking tub, separate shower and his & hers closets. 

The full basement is ready to be finished. A three-car garage, zoned heating and cooling and a backyard patio complete the picture.

The second bank-owned property (pictured left) is located in the same Troy, IL subdivision. It's priced at $209,900.

The three-bedroom, three-bath home is a story-and-a-half style with 1,800 square feet of living space.

A see-through gas fireplace separates the family room from the breakfast area and huge two-story windows overlook the back yard.

Hardwood floors grace the dining room, breakfast area and entrance foyer and tile offsets the cherry cabinets in the kitchen. The family room and bedrooms are carpeted.

Buying an REO or bank-owned home can be an exercise in patience, but it often pays off in a good deal on a very nice place to call home.

If you're interested in learning more about these two homes, contact me at Nancy@JustDuckyHomes.com. We can talk about the process of buying a bank-owned home (it's a bit different than making an offer on a privately owned property) and we can set appointments to take an in-person look at both of these listings.

I can recall joking with a friend some years ago that I wasn't really sure how one uses the drug called Meth. Do you shoot it, smoke it, sniff it, whiff it or what? Neither of us could figure it out. (I'll give you the answer at the end of this post.)

Now, sadly, I know more than I want to about the stuff. That's because, as a Realtor, it's important to be able to spot the signs of possible Meth contamination in a property for sale. This often comes up with investors who are looking at lower priced properties, but don't be lulled into a sense of complacency if you're buying high end. Meth labs have been found in properties that range from trailers to lovely suburban neighborhoods.

Methamphetamine is a drug commonly called "Meth," but also known as "speed," "crystal," "ice" and a bunch of other nicknames that most of us don't even know. Lack of knowledge about Meth -- and about the houses where it has been made -- now falls into the category of "what you don't know CAN hurt you."

How can it hurt? When a house that had been used to manufacture Meth is abandoned and the lab is shut down, the property may remain contaminated with the volitile organic chemicals (VOCs) used in the meth-making process. Those VOCs include a variety acids, bases, metals and chemical salts. Those same metals and chemical salts can cause decreased mental function, anemia, kidney problems and even birth defects.

Entering a home -- and worse yet -- buying a home that is contaminated with these chemicals' residue can give you nose and throat irritation, headaches, nausea and confusion. Dizziness, vomiting and breathing difficulties also have been reported. Some VOCs are known cancer-causing agents.

Just recently Illinois has wisely added a new line to its Residential Real Property Disclosure report. It asks the homeowner to disclose if the property being listed for sale has ever been used as a Meth lab -- meaning a place where methamphetamine has been produced.

So who is responsible for cleaning up a property that had been used to make meth?  It's the owner. And the owner might also be responsible if people get sick after they enter a contaminated property. Investors and landlords, take note. If you own it, it's your problem, even if it was the tenant who caused the contamination.

There's no safe level of exposure to Meth, so until a property formerly used to make it has been decontaminated, no one should enter. And, it goes without saying that no one should buy or rent a place that has been used as a Meth lab unless a cleanup executed to OSHA standards has taken place.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) keeps a list of properties that have formerly been used as Meth labs available on its web site at http://www.dea.gov.  That list is not all inclusive as there may be contaminated houses that were never reported to the government or any law enforcement agency. Buyers also should contact local police or sheriff's department prior to writing an offer on a home that they suspect may have issues. They are the best source of information for Meth and also for general neighborhood safety and security questions.

So, investors and residential buyers, what do you look for that might signal that a home you're considering buying or rehabbing has been used for Meth production? Here are a few questions to ask:

• Does the home (if still occupied) have a lot of visitors at odd hours who just stay for a short period of time?
• Are there strange items in the trash such as fuel cans and antifreeze containers?
• Landlords, are your tenants making their rent payments in cash?
  
• Have the tenants/owners blacked out the windows to keep people from seeing into the home?
• Are there strong chemical odors in the house? (Some of those smells can resemble ether, which is that old-time doctor's office smell; cat urine; or strong ammonia.)
• Do you see propane tanks with blue corrosion around the valves or stripped batteries or red-stained walls in the home?

That's your quick crash course in Meth labs for today. I hope it helps you make wise choices if you're a landlord, investor, prospective renter or a residential buyer.

The answer to the question in the first paragraph? Apparently Meth must be the world's most flexible illiegal narcotic, because the answer is, "yes, all of the above."  Users smoke it, inject it, inhale it or swallow it.

PS -- Two important things: 1.) Don't forget that active Meth labs have a propensity for blowing up when the "cooking" goes awry, so stay away.  2.) Don't ever confront someone you suspect of manufacturing Meth. There is a lot of money on the line in this criminal enterprise and they are not playing. Call the police and do not put yourself in danger.

Sometimes it pays to park a big, yellow Hummer outside your place of business. That's what stopped us in our tracks tonight as we cruised along Illinois Route 140 in Bethalto, Illinois in search of dinner.

The behemoth billboard beckoned us into a place called Country Barbecue situated in a small strip of shops. Always willing to give a new barbecue joint a try, the Goshen Gourmet was smacked with a succulent smoke smell the minute the door to the diminuitive diner was opened.

When you visit, just grab a menu and order at the counter outside the kitchen in the back of the restaurant. Some of the top offerings are detailed on a white dry erase board on the wall. While we pondered what to try first, a steady stream of carryout orders was being pickup up. Country Barbecue has only been open since March, but it seems to have collected a loyal following from Bethalto and surrounding communities.

My dining companion settled on the Holy Grail of barbecue in the St. Louis area -- the Pork Steak. I wavered and, in a rare indecisive moment, ordered the Sampler Plate which allows the customer to pick three meats and two sides.

We waited a short time for the order to arrive at the table, spending time enjoying the vintage Mountain Dew signs (what else would one drink with Country Barbecue after all?) on the walls. A Razorbacks flag that we'll just have to forgive also adorned part of the wall space.

The owner brought a monster-sized Pork Steak to the table for my guest, side by side with Potato Salad, Baked Beans and Garlic Toast. My plate was piled high with Beef Brisket, Chicken and Burnt Ends.  The Pork Steak came naked (no barbecue sauce). Sauce can be found in tall squeeze bottles on each table. The house sauce is a St. Louis-style sweet and smokey base dressed up with hints of black pepper and possibly a dash of cayenne.  Because of its thickness, the Pork Steak takes on the quality of roast pork, extremely tender.

A special note about the potato salad. My companion pronounced it "delicious." It had a creamy dressing with perfectly cooked chunks of potato that never approached the mealy texture that sometimes ruins a great side dish. I sprinkled a little red pepper on mine to make it a little more exciting.

I have to confess that half of my Sampler Plate is in the refrigerator now. It will make a fine lunch tomorrow. I chose Beef Brisket, Chicken and Burnt Ends for my three meats. (Burnt Ends are the tasty pieces of meat cut from the end of a smoked brisket.) The chicken was hickory smoked, chunked and very moist. It was mild enough for the pickiest spice-avoiding diner if you're enjoying a meal with less adventurous friends. The brisket was finely chopped and would have been perfect on a sandwich. It can be ordered that way on the menu and I'd suggest that. The Burnt Ends also were finely chopped and glazed with a seductively sweet sauce. (I prefer Burnt Ends left in larger pieces, which is a common practice in Kansas City-style Q, but don't let that stop you from trying these.)

We didn't have room to sample the Barbecued Spaghetti or the Baby Back Ribs this visit, but we are looking forward to diving in next time we pass by. Spicy Cole Slaw and Mild Jalapeno Cornbread were also left untried.

The most expensive item on the menu is a full rack of ribs for $19.99. On the opposite end of the price spectrum, a Burnt-end Sandwich is just $2.65.

Drinks include bottled soda (Pepsi products), Lipton sweet or unsweet tea and Aquafina water. A fountain soda machine would be a great addition to the offerings.

As a bonus for the sweet tooth, the owners will sell you an Ice Cream Sandwich for just 25 cents with any order.

Country Barbecue's hours are Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m.; Wednesday, 11 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. The restaurant is closed Sunday and Monday. Call 618-717-0600 to place a carryout order.

If you visit, tell them the Goshen Gourmet sent you.

"I didn't realize there was a neighborhood back there!"

That's the most common comment that I get when showing homes to prospective buyers in the Ginger Creek neighborhood of Glen Carbon, Illinois. The entrance to the popular subdivision is filled with professional office buildings that house medical offices and associations. Behind those offices, the residential part of Ginger Creek is tucked away in its own, quiet world.

You'll know you've reached Ginger Creek when you see the charming red mill and water wheel pictured to the right.

Located off of IL-157, Ginger Creek is close to everything. Less than a mile from the Edwardsville High School, it's also a close drive to I-270, I-255 and the highways and byways of Madison County. If you commute to work in the county or to the west side of the Mississippi in St. Louis City or County, Ginger Creek is a convenient place to call home. Downtown St. Louis is a 25 minute drive with no traffic hassles.

The Ginger Creek subdivision has set aside many acres of common land for the use of the neighborhood's residents. Neighbors routinely see deer, foxes, hawks, egrets, turkeys and other assorted wildlife taking advantage of the undeveloped acreage and mature woods too. Ginger Creek's lake is filled with fish that bite for the neighborhood's younger residents.

A swimming pool, clubhouse and tennis courts -- available to residents and their accompanied guests --provide plenty of recreational opportunities.

Currently there are three Ginger Creek residences on the market.  A 2,800-square-foot new construction villa with four bedrooms listed for $318,000; a 1,900-square-foot, three-bedroom uniplex for $165,000; and a four-bedroom, single-family home for $199,900. Click here to see the available Ginger Creek properties. 

The neighborhood's homes include executive residences that sell for more than a half million dollars to adorable townhouses that list in the low $100,000 range. Some are updated and move-in ready resale homes. Others are quality new construction. Some homes are waiting for a smart buyer with a handy streak who can add newer touches to increase its appeal. (Note: listing availability changes regularly. If you're reading this post after September 2009, just text or call me at 6118-791-8007 for a new list of Ginger Creek homes for sale or send an e-mail to Nancy@JustDuckyHomes.com.)

See something you like? Get in touch and we'll set an appointment for a personal showing of properties that match your needs.

Take a leisurely drive down Meridian Road in Glen Carbon and you'll pass the entrance to the lovely Somerset subdivision on the west side of the street.

(Heed my advice and be sure the drive is "leisurely," if you know what I mean, because the speed limit is just 30 mph on Meridian.)

Currently there are four homes for sale in this prestigious neighborhood. Three are one-and-a-half story models and one is a two-story. They range in square footage from a high of 3,800 square feet to a low of 2,584. The largest offers five bedrooms and the other three are four-bedroom homes.

The Somerset homes currently for sale range in price from $285,000 to $339,900. 

See the homes for sale in Glen Carbon's Somerset neighborhood (current as of September 2, 2009).  (Note: If you're reading this post much later, just call or text me at 618-791-8007 for a current list of Somerset homes on the market, or send an e-mail to Nancy@JustDuckyHomes.com.)

The neighborhood is near Madison County's network of bike and pedestrian trails and very close to the award-winning Glen Carbon Centennial Library.  Shopping and dining are nearby along the IL-157 and IL-159 corridors.

Somerset is located in the Edwardsville School District.

The neighborhood's placement provides easy access to local interstates for a smooth commute. Just minutes from I-270, I-55/50, I-255 and I-270, whether you're working in St. Louis or St. Louis' Illinois suburbs in Madison or St. Clair counties, you'll be home from the office in no time.

If you're not familiar with the neighborhood's exact location, here's a map that will guide you to Somerset.

Find something you'd like to see? Just call or text me at 618-791-8007 or send an e-mail to Nancy@JustDuckyHomes.com.  We'll make an appointment to get you in to the homes of your choice for a personal showing.