Can't get value from textbox

Can't get value from textbox

Greetings.
 
I am unable to get the value from a textbox located in my Default.aspx -
 
<
input id="textOwner" type="text" value="Smith" />
 
I have this code in a seperate .js file -
 
function Owner() {

strtest = $("#textOwner").value;

$(
"#divOwnerList").append("TEST");
 
}
 
The var strtest remains empty, but the divOwnerList does get 'appended' with 'TEST'.  Though .append is not a method that is in the intellisense.
 
Any idea?
 
Thanks
 
(not sure why my code is getting extra line feeds inserted in them...  Its the forum, not my code).