Ruhl relocates Ravenscraft Realty to former Courier-Post building

Jennifer Ruhl, new owner of Ravenscraft Realty, has relocated the long-established business to North Third Street, in the building which formerly housed the Hannibal Courier-Post. Contributed photo

MARY LOU MONTGOMERY

A third-generation realtor, Jennifer Ruhl is undertaking a new business venture. When John Ravenscraft, of Ravenscraft Realty, told her of his plans to retire, she stepped forward to take the reins of the firm that has long served Northeast Missouri.

The company historically has had two offices: One in Hannibal and the other at the Mark Twain Lake.

The Hannibal office was previously located on Chester Road. In search for a more visible location for the expanding business, Ruhl started out in pursuit of available properties.

“I thought about going out by Walmart, but there wasn’t the right piece available,” she said.

She wanted a good spot, “with lots of traffic and exposure.”

Jennifer had to look no further than a building she previouslynsold to Brad Walden, at 200 N. Third. The building housed the Hannibal Courier-Post from 1952 until the building was shuttered during the Covid epidemic of 2020.

After Walden made extensive renovations to the old news and composing room portions of the building, he offered Jennifer a tour.

“The minute I looked at it I knew; I knew I had to be here,” she said.

Walden subsequently leased the 1,800 square-foot-space to Ravenscraft Realty.

While much of the building has been renovated - including a whole new roof - and leased, there are more plans on the horizon.

“He’s going to build the building up as a big office complex. He’s been working on this project for several years. He’s done an amazing job.”

And Jennifer is proud that “We’re in the very front,” she said, at 206 N. Third St.

Ravenscraft Realty has three licensed agents, in addition to Ruhl, “and I’m looking to bring a couple more onto the team,” she said.

The firm covers the area from Louisiana to the south, west to Paris and Perry, and north to Canton.

“We’ve gone as far as Mexico, as needed,” she said. “We go all over.”

Although still new to the neighborhood, she is pleased with the amount of foot traffic her firm has already experienced. She credits the location, plus the firm’s new signage on the building.

“We have walk-in traffic now, we didn’t use to have that. It’s been a lot busier. People pop in and say ‘we have a house to sell.’ Nowadays, that’s kind of rare; people call or email; you can do most details electronically, but it is nice when we have those popping in.

“Downtown is flourishing,” she said, “lots of new businesses coming in; I love to be able to be down here and be a part of it.

“We are still working on our decor,” she said. “June 5 is our open house, grand opening, It will be an all-day event, people can come and go. We have a few things we’re finishing up. My brother is a graphic designer, and he started working on a bunch of stuff for me. You would not recognize the space.

Jennifer Ruhl’s grandparents, Roy H. and Clarita Goodhart, established the firm of Goodhart Realty. Clarita began her real estate career in 1971 and became a broker in 1982. Her husband died in 1994, and Clarita died in 2025.

Jennifer’s mother, Becky Motzkus (1955-2017), was also involved in real estate, serving as a realtor and broker.