Fort Meade - USNA - Andrews AFB: November 2007

This information is included in the Online Anne Arundel County Relocation Package for Fort George G. Meade, NSA, Northrop Grumman, BWI, the the U.S. Naval Academy

Any time of year is beautiful, along the water.

Now, when you see reflections of the beautiful fall colors on the water, it's especially lovely!  If you enjoy fishing, boating or even driving along the miles of shoreline in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, you may be more tempted than ever to "jump in" and buy a waterfront property.

There are several on the market now - 200 listed for sale under $1 million dollars, and another 196 homes priced over $1 million dollars.  That is an exceptionally large inventory for any given time, thanks to today's buyer's market.  You are probably more likely to get "a deal" on waterfront today than any time in the past decade or more.

Before you buy waterfront property, however, I recommend you become familiar with Maryland's critical area laws to make sure you understand them.  In fact, they affect some properties that are near, but not on, the water, as well. 

You will find answers to these 20 frequently-asked questions on the Maryland Department of Natural Resources website:

1. What is the Critical Area?
2. Who and What does the Critical Area Act affect?
3. What is the Critical Area Commission and how does it affect me?
4. How do I know whether my property is in the Critical Area?
5. Can I give a building lot to my son or daughter if my property is in the Critical Area and designated Resource Conservation Area (RCA)?
6. What is a "grandfathered lot"? If my lot is grandfathered, am I exempt from the Critical Area regulations?
7. Are farmers exempt from the Critical Area regulations? Is logging and timber harvesting allowed in the Critical Area?
8. If I buy a lot in the Critical Area, may I build a house on it?
9. What is the difference between the local zoning ordinances and the State's Critical Area Law?
10. What is growth allocation and how do I obtain it?
11. Do I need to obtain the approval of the Critical Area Commission to build or develop in the Critical Area?
12. If my home is in the Critical Area will I be able to make a simple addition such as a swimming pool, deck or garage?
13. What is "impervious surface" and what are the impervious surface requirements in the Critical Area?
14. What is the Buffer and how does it differ from the rest of the Critical Area?
15. Exactly what can and can't I do in the Critical Area Buffer? If I think I see a violation near the water, who do I call?
16. What are FIDS?
17. Can I remove trees from my property if it is in the Critical Area?
18. Can I take measures to stabilize my shoreline?
19. What do I do if I have a stormwater problem in my neighborhood?
20. Who can I contact if I need more information?

Information that is specific to Anne Arundel County waterfront is available at the Anne Arundel County Planning & Zoning office on Riva Road in Annapolis.  For a shortcut to information about critical areas provided online by the county, CLICK HERE.

Buildable waterfront property that is still undeveloped in Anne Arundel County is a rarity - and an excellent investment.   Existing waterfront communities, homes and condos are always in high demand.  If you have ever considered purchasing waterfront property, now is an ideal time to get serious about it.  Today's low interest rates and the current buyer's market create an opportunity that may not be available again for years, if ever!

To search for Anne Arundel County property on the market now AND subscribe to updates about new listings or price reductions, CLICK HERE.  Feel free to browse through the listings at your own pace, and contact me to see any that interest you.  Contact information is under my photo on this page.

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Find a Home and learn about Real Estate Market Conditions in Crofton and Anne Arundel County, Maryland.  Check out Today's Rates, use the free Mortgage Calculator, and watch a brief video about the Power of RE/MAX.  These consumer-friendly real estate tools are provided by Margaret Woda for you to use at your own pace. 

When you're ready to go from "just browsing" to "let's get serious", contact Margaret online or call her at RE/MAX Vision in Crofton Maryland. 410-451-1900 

One of the first people I invited to ActiveRain last spring was Katie Landon. 

I'm hoping that some of my ActiveRain friends will read the blog she posted yesterday, Holiday Fun at the Beach, and encourage Katie to get more involved with ActiveRain.  She will be a wonderful addition to our community!

Katie and her husband Rob were clients of mine, several years ago, and Katie ended up working with me as a part-time assistant.  If only there were more Katie's around - she was a tough act to follow, and no subsequent assistant ever lived up to the standards she set.  I am very confident that she is a fabulous agent, and I wouldn't hesitate to refer any of my clients to Katie!

I'm embarrassed to say that I never saw Katie's Me-Me'd in Delaware before this morning, and that shamed me into making this introduction.  If you get a chance to check out Katie's meme, you'll learn a little more about her.

Katie lives and works in Rehobeth Beach, Delaware, a vacation and year-round community located on the Atlantic Ocean, with a beautiful sandy beach. 

Delaware is one of those corporate and consumer-friendly tax states, so it's a popular destination for businesses and retirees alike. 

I know she will tell you more about Rehobeth and the surrounding area and hopefully post a lot of beautiful photos, if you give her a little encouragement.  Before long, Katie will probably have you adding Rehobeth to your growing list of places to visit.

No, Silly, I'm not talking about buying a home online - even if this is a real estate networking site.  I'm referring to all the other things you might purchase online between now and New Year's Eve.  Media estimates vary, but most indicate that anywhere between a third to a half of all holiday shopping will be done online this year.

That's why I put together these tips, with a little guidance from the Electronic Retailing Association.  You might want to share them with your clients or post a similar list on your outside blog, since Tips #1 and #2 could be important to preserving good credit.

SEVEN ONLINE SHOPPING TIPS

1.  Know the Seller.

• Shop online with companies you know and trust.  If you are unfamiliar with the seller, look for third-party verification such as a buySAFE Seal, which guarantees your online purchase up to $25,000, even on eBay.
  
• If you receive an email from an online merchant or payment facilitator (such as Paypal) requesting your social security number, passwords, account numbers or other personal information, do not click on the link in the email.  Instead, log in to the sender's website in a separate window to update your account information.

2.  Use a Secure Connection.

• Look for the "s" following "http" in the URL.  In other words, look for https://  This indicates you have a secure connection.
  
• Make sure your online transactions are Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) enabled and encrypted.   SSL is the universally accepted method for providing secure communications on the Internet.  Before entering personal information, be sure the padlock at the top or bottom of your browser is closed and locked.

3.  Verify Contact Information.

• Make sure the website provides contact information including a mailing address and phone number.  Dial that phone number, if the vendor is unknown to you, to verify it is legitimate.  

4.  Familiarize Yourself with Return/Exchange Policies.

• Always look for a company's return and exchange policy before you place your order. If you make a purchase, you are agreeing to the terms outlined by the company.  If there is no published return/exchange policy, you should assume that the sale is final.
  
• Keep your eye open for a satisfaction policy, which is another incentive to do business with a seller.  can't be returned if they are opened.

5.  Check out the Shipping/Handling Options.

• What are your shipping options?  Make sure you know the carrier, when your purchase will be shipped, how long delivery will take, what will happen if your purchase is out of stock, and how much you will pay for shipping?

6.  Identify Additional Charges.

• Determine if you are reponsible for sales tax, processing fees, insurance options, or membership dues -  just a few of the fees that you may not notice at first, which can dramatically increase your costs.

7.  Keep Good Records. 

• Check the email receipt of your transaction to make sure it is accurate, and then save it in a folder labelled "receipts" so it will be easy to find.  If there is any problem with your purchase, email will provide a written log of your communication with the seller.  If you have a phone conversation with the seller, be sure to write down names of all people you speak with, their titles and the dates and times you spoke with them, as well as what they told you. 

In the event of a dispute regarding any online purchase, contact the seller immediately and clearly state your problem.  If you keep a positive attitude and are courteous, many merchants will fix the problem when they learn about it.  If not, your good records will come in handy in resolving the matter.  

If you know of any advertising online, on television, or radio that makes unsubstantiated claims about a retail product, the Electronic Retailing Association wants to know about it.  CLICK HERE to file your consumer complaint.

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Find a Home and learn about Real Estate Market Conditions in Crofton and Anne Arundel County, Maryland.  Check out Today's Rates, use the free Mortgage Calculator, and watch a brief video about the Power of RE/MAX.  These consumer-friendly real estate tools are provided by Margaret Woda for you to use at your own pace. 

When you're ready to go from "just browsing" to "let's get serious", contact Margaret online or call her at RE/MAX Vision in Crofton Maryland. 410-451-1900 

Do you remember this big NO button on my post last month titled Consumer Tax on Real Estate Services?  No Way!?  I reported that Maryland's Governor Martin O'Malley had called a special legislative session to railroad through several tax increases without the usual citizen safeguards in place during a regular session - including a tax on property management fees. 

Unfortunately, the Governor's strategy was effective in increasing the sales tax 20% from 5% to 6% and returning slots to Maryland for the first time since 1968, when they were outlawed.

Maryland Realtors were very effective in opposing several other bills, however, so our "NO" was heard! 

Following are excerpts from the Maryland Association of Realtors (MAR) press release, after the final vote on November 19, with a few editorial comments added by me.  (Photo on the right is the Maryland State House)

1.  TAX ON SERVICES:  The proposed tax on real estate property management services was removed from the final bill.  This is considered a huge victory because the tax was seen as a "trial balloon" for a far-reaching tax-on-services bill, ultimately taxing consumers on ALL real estate commissions and fees. 

2.  GREEN FUND:  Real estate was removed as a funding source for the Chesapeake Bay 2010 Trust Fund, which would have imposed an annual fee on residential and commercial property.  Instead, the General Assembly approved general fund appropriations, and dedicated revenue from the motor fuel tax and rental car tax as the funding sources.

3.  MARYLAND RESIDENT REAL ESTATE WITHHOLDING TAX:  MAR successfully opposed legislation before the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee that would have created a Maryland Resident Real Estate Withholding Tax, subjecting all Maryland residents to a 4.75% withholding tax when net proceeds of sale exceed $250,000 or $500,000, based on the seller's tax filing status.

4.  CHANGE OR RESIDENCY FROM 6 MONTHS TO 3 MONTHS:  A bill introduced in the Senate would have required a nonresident of Maryland to file Maryland taxes if that person resided in Maryland for more than 3 months (in order to capture revenue from "snowbirds" who live in low-tax states like Florida yet keep Maryland property).  The House did not include a similar provision in its version of the Tax Reform Act, and the provision was removed from the final bill.

5.  CONTROLLING INTERESTS:  The Tax Reform Act did include "controlling interests" legislation which levies real estate recordation and transfer taxes on the transfer of a "controlling interest" in a real property.  However, an amendment supported by MAR delayed the effective date until July 1, 2008 - after the regular legislative session, January-April,  Hopefully, this will be overturned then. 

Maryland Realtors can be very proud of their effectiveness in dealing with the Governor's strategy of calling a special session to avoid accountability.  We did a pretty good job for ourselves and on behalf of Maryland property owners.  Congratulations to our State Legislative Committee and lobbyists, and many thanks to all who attended the REALTOR rally on November 1.

Source of Information:  Maryland Association of REALTORS

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Find a Home and learn about Real Estate Market Conditions in Crofton and Anne Arundel County, Maryland.  Check out Today's Rates, use the free Mortgage Calculator, and watch a brief video about the Power of RE/MAX.  These consumer-friendly real estate tools are provided by Margaret Woda for you to use at your own pace. 

When you're ready to go from "just browsing" to "let's get serious", contact Margaret online or call her at RE/MAX Vision in Crofton Maryland. 410-451-1900 

Thank you, Neal, for the invite to the ActiveRain Silver Hall of Fame!  This post put me at exactly 100,000 points, just as I departed for Thanksgiving weekend with my family.

A Thanksgiving tradition in my family was inspired by my Dad's two Thanksgivings as a POW in Stalagluft III during World War II.  Before dinner, each person at the table names something for which they are grateful - just as the boys did in Stalagluft III.

In anticipation of this, I always begin thinking several days in advance of Thanksgiving about things I might mention when it's my turn.  I find myself giving thanks all week, as a result, and not just at dinner on Thursday. 

That's probably why I've been thinking a lot about ActiveRain, and how much it enriched my life during the past year.  

Thank you to the creators of ActiveRain.  I know you have spent many long hours, risked everything you have, and overcome many obstacles along the way to build your business.  You can be very proud of what you've created because you made it possible for me and literally thousands of people to develop new friendships, generate new business, and learn answers to questions we didn't even know we had!  In return for the value you bring to us, I sincerely hope ActiveRain is profitable for you.  And...

Thank you to my ActiveRain friends.  You know who you are.  You enrich my life every day with your friendship and you teach me more about business than I ever learned from a real estate class or book.  I will be thinking about you, this Thanksgiving, as I consider the blessings in my life.

Thank you for helping me achieve 100,000 points with this post.  You have read my other posts, encouraged me with your comments, written brilliant posts of your own that inspired my comments, accepted my invitation to join ActiveRain, referred business to me and successfully served people I referred to you.  What a gift!  It's not really the magic number of "100,000 points" that I celebrate - it's the magic of what they represent.  That's YOU.  Thanks again!

FYI:  I'm going out of town for several days and leaving my computer behind, so please understand if I don't acknowledge or reciprocate your comment 'til next week.

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Find a Home online and learn about Real Estate Market Conditions in Crofton and Anne Arundel County, Maryland.  Check out Today's Rates, use the free Mortgage Calculator, and watch a brief video about the Power of RE/MAX.  These consumer-friendly real estate tools are provided by Margaret Woda for you to use at your own pace. 

When you're ready to go from "just browsing" to "let's get serious", contact Margaret online or call her at RE/MAX Vision in Crofton Maryland. 410-451-1900 

This is the fourth local real estate market update for October 2007 I've prepared in as many days, and things are more optimist in Gambrills thatn some other nearby areas.  I say that because statistics released by MRIS, the regional multiple listing system, indicate that Days on Market for a property in Gambrills is down significantly from last year - Over 32%!  Additionally, the number of units sold in October 2007 remained seven, the same as last October.

Unfortunately, the average sold price in Gambrills is down almost 10% from last year and the median sold price is down overe 40%.  But this is better than Crofton, where the average sold price is down about 15%.

One of the things I look at for predicting the real estate market in the near future is the number of new listings coming on the market and how many are going under contract n the same timeframe.  When the new listings outnumber the contracts, it is a buyer's market.  When homes are selling faster than new listings are coming on the market, it is a seller's market.  In Gambrills last month, 13 new listings came on the market and only 3 properties went under contract.  I'm buckling down for another few months of tough times for home sellers.

Another factor I look at is the absorption rate, which is determined by analyzing the number of homes sold out of the entire inventory of homs on the market.  In October, 7 homes sold of a 97-home inventory.  If that rate continued (and no new listings came on the market in the meantime), it would take over 13 months for today's inventory to sell.  That's a 7% absorption rate.

Obviously something has to give, and I suspect that sellers will drastically drop prices to effect some activity in the marketplace.

If you're thinking of selling, there has never been a more important time to work with an experienced agent - one who has survived and thrived in a sellers market before.  Correct pricing in a market like this requires that an agent understand the importance of evaluating statistics for your specific Gambrills neighborhood.

If you have any questions about real estate in Gambrills, give me a call.  I'll be happy to help.

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Find a Home and learn about Real Estate Market Conditions in Crofton and Anne Arundel County, Maryland.  Check out Today's Rates, use the free Mortgage Calculator, and watch a brief video about the Power of RE/MAX.  These consumer-friendly real estate tools are provided by Margaret Woda for you to use at your own pace. 

When you're ready to go from "just browsing" to "let's get serious", contact Margaret online or call her at RE/MAX Vision in Crofton Maryland. 410-451-1900 

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and it's certainly true when you look at Davidsonville real estate statistics in the form of a graph or chart. 

This shows the sold properties each month, alongside the listing inventory.  It's not a very pretty picture for home sellers, is it?

As ugly as this appears, there ARE homes selling. 

Just this week, closing occurred for my listing on Blandford Way in Wynnewood Subdivision. The property listed, sold and settled in LESS THAN 60 DAYS. 

And, I might add, the combined sale price and closing cost subsidy were higher than I initially estimated when I listed the home in September, at 94% of full price (with no interim price reductions).

There is never much turnover in Davidsonville, but I thought you might like to see "Units Sold" and "Days on Market" in Davidsonville this year.

Other statistics for Davidsonville real estate in October that may interest you:

• Average sold price down 7.29% from 2006 to $711,687.
• Median sold price down 9.40% from 2006 to $675,000.
• Average sold price, as a percentage of list price 91.83%

One of the things I look at, when trying to predict the next few months in real estate is this:  How many new listings last month compared to new sales.  Well, it isn't pretty - 18 new listings, and just 4 properties went under contract, including my listing in Wynnewood.

Thinking of selling?

It's more important than ever for you to choose the right real estate agent - one who "gets" all this mumbo-jumbo and can interpret what it means to you... one who will help you price your home right so it sells and so you get a good price.

If you have any questions about this or anything related to Davidsonville real estate, I'd be happy to help.

UPDATE:  The real estate data remains the same, but I am no longer associated with RE/MAX Vision.  My current contact informatio is below.

As you drive around your neighborhood, do you get tired of seeing FOR SALE signs?  I do.  Some days, it seems like they just don't make SOLD signs any more. 

I came across a website today called FunnyChill, featuring funny candid photos of people and places.  I thought it might be fun to go through them and create a list of 20 funny signs, since we don't have many SOLD signs making us smile in this market.  'It would take a LOT of room to show these here, so I will just provided you with links instead. 

Enjoy these funny signs!

1. Road Closed
2. Do Not Disturb
3. Octopus Warning
4. Caution
5. Skiing / Hospital
6. Crocodile Warning
7. Rock Climbing
8. Thin Ice
9. Protected by Pit Bull
10. Showgirls
11. Sharp Edges
12. Beware
13. Nudist Beach
14. Tree in Road
15. Flying Lessons 
16. Copy Hiding
17. No Dancing
18. Penguin Warning
19. On Break
20. Beware of the Dog

In case you may have forgotten what a SOLD sign looks like, here's one.  Now THAT is something to smile about!

List compiled by Margart Woda, Crofton Maryland Real Estate

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Find a Home and learn about Real Estate Market Conditions in Crofton and Anne Arundel County, Maryland.  Check out Today's Rates, use the free Mortgage Calculator, and watch a brief video about the Power of RE/MAX.  These consumer-friendly real estate tools are provided by Margaret Woda for you to use at your own pace. 

When you're ready to go from "just browsing" to "let's get serious", contact Margaret online or call her at RE/MAX Vision in Crofton Maryland. 410-451-1900 

Check out this beautiful home for sale in Crownsville, Maryland, near Annapolis.

Each month, MRIS, the regional multiple listing system releases statistics about the previous month's real estate activity.  I find statistics a little dry at times, so I've created some charts to help you see what's happening throughout the 21032 zipcode.  With so few homes selling in Crownsville each month, it's tough to draw meangful conclusions - keep in mind that all of these numbers refer to the 21032 zipcode, as a whole.

If you're familiar with the Crownsville, you know that this is a diverse area near Annapolis - with large elegant homes in upscale communities priced around a million dollars and going up to $4,500,000.  You also will find much smaller and older homes in other Crownsville communities, starting in the $200,000's.  For that reason, there can be large swings in "Average Sold Price" - so I'm just going to tell you that the average sold price in Crownsville last month was $678,000, for whatever that is worth. 

The number of home sales last month was the lowest of 2007, down over 65% from last year, to two homes sold in October 2006.  When you take a look at this chart, you'll see that September and July were much better than any other month, but there doesn't seem to be any seasonal trend from one year to the next:

Let's take a look at Average Days on Market, keeping in mind again that these averages are based on very low turnover, and very different communities:

Last but not least, let's try to predict the future by estimating how long it will take to sell the current inventory of homes for sale.  This assumes that no new listings will be added to the inventory so, of course, my estimate will not be entirely accurate.  Here are the sold properties, in relation to the active listings in Crownsville:

As you can see, the number of sold properties is completely off balance.  If homes continue selling at the same rate they did in October (God forbid!), it would take almost five years, with a 2% Absorption Rate.

With all this doom and gloom, are you just a little curious about the two properties that did sell in Crownsville during October? 

791 Old Herald Harbor Road, listed for $1,200,000 and sold for $1,000,000 the same day!  This was not your average residential property, however.  This was a package deal, with the home sale contingent on the buyer also purchasing several building lots located at 787, 789 A,B, & C as well as an additional 5 acre parcel with tentative address known as 793 Old Herald Harbor Road.   It is highly likely that this sale was negotiated BEFORE it went into the MLS, which really compromises the DOM statistics for this month.

785 Shelton Road, listed for $349,900 and sold for $356,900, with $12,500 of closing help paid by the seller.  This cute little split-foyer style home was on the market almost 4 months.

If you have any questions about real estate in Crownsville, or anywhere in Anne Arundel County, please feel free to ask.  My office is located in Crofton, ideally situated for serving home sellers and buyers anywhere in the triangle formed by Annapolis, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C.

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Find a Home and learn about Real Estate Market Conditions in Crofton and Anne Arundel County, Maryland.  Check out Today's Rates, use the free Mortgage Calculator, and watch a brief video about the Power of RE/MAX.  These consumer-friendly real estate tools are provided by Margaret Woda for you to use at your own pace. 

When you're ready to go from "just browsing" to "let's get serious", contact Margaret online or call her at RE/MAX Vision in Crofton Maryland. 410-451-1900 

There is good news to report about the Crofton real estate market!

Statistics released by MRIS, the regional multiple listing system for this area, indicate that homes took less time to sell in October 2007 than they did in the same month last year.  Days on Market were down 11.54% to 69.

Additionally, 42 homes sold in the 21114 zipcode last month - 7.69% more than October 2006.  Take a look at these charts:

All the news wasn't good - the average sold price was down 14.48% to $327,400 from $382,846 in October of 2006.  Unless you bought in the past year or two, it simply means your profit would be less to sell than if you had sold a year ago.  However, if you did purchase your home in the past two or three years, it could mean that selling your home for enough to cover your mortgage will be tough.

Here are some additional Crofton real estate statistics that might interest you:

• Average Median Sold Price - $300,450, Down 12.91% from $345,000
• Average List Price for Sold Properties - $346,445, Down 14.10% from $403,326
• Average Sale Price as a Percentage of Average List Price - 94.5%, compared to 94.92% last year.

Absorption Rate may be that one "key" statistic that will help predict the market for the next few months:  How many months will it take to sell the current inventory of homes (if no new ones are listed), based upon the number of homes sold this month?

The following graph shows the number of sold properties and the total inventory of homes for sale, each month.  This is the information I use to estimate the absorption rate:

In October 2007, 42 listings sold out of the 173 on the market.  This is a 4.12 month inventory, or a 24% absorption rate.  Just for the sake of comparison, let's look at the absorption rate in Crofton for the previous three months:

• September - 16%
• August - 23%
• July - 27%

If you're thinking about selling your home, what does all this mean to you? 

Frankly, it means you should find an agent who "gets" the importance of these statistics, since you'll be relying upon your agent to advise you about pricing.  While these charts are helpful, they are very general - based upon the entire zipcode.  You will need to know this information for homes in your own Crofton neighborhood.

Bottom line:  While the Crofton real estate market isn't great, we're doing a lot better here than most other areas of the country.  During the next few days, I will complete real estate market studies for other nearby areas in Anne Arundel County including Odenton, Gambrills, Davidsonville, and Crownsville.  As they are completed and posted on my other blog, I will insert links so you can see them, as well.

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Find a Home and learn about Real Estate Market Conditions in Crofton and Anne Arundel County, Maryland.  Check out Today's Rates, use the free Mortgage Calculator, and watch a brief video about the Power of RE/MAX.  These consumer-friendly real estate tools are provided by Margaret Woda for you to use at your own pace. 

When you're ready to go from "just browsing" to "let's get serious", contact Margaret online or call her at RE/MAX Vision in Crofton Maryland. 410-451-1900