Fort Meade - USNA - Andrews AFB: July 2007

Your real estate connection for Anne Arundel County, Maryland - Home of Fort George G. Meade, Northrop Grumman, BWI and the U.S. Naval Academy 

CROFTON MD 21114

My dad always said that a golf course is the best place to raise children, and I have to echo his sentiment.   A child who runs home from school to get his golf clubs and practice is not hanging out in an alley experimenting with drugs.  An adolescent or teen who plays 18 or 36 holes of golf a day, virtually from dawn 'til dark, is too tired to stay out late at night drinking.  A child who plays golf develops life skills such as goal-setting, discipline, self-motivation, and learning from mistakes and disappointments. 

Living in Crofton provided my children the opportunity to play golf every day that weather permitted, and my sons took full advantage of that.  They competed locally, regionally and nationally - and went to college on golf scholarships.  We never had to worry about them... we knew where to find them, because we often played golf with them or watched them play.  Their younger sister learned the game, too (although she didn't compete growing up), but she certainly enjoys golf as an adult. 

Living in Crofton, your children probably will be a bike ride or walk away from the course at Crofton Country Club or Walden.  It's a lifestyle that you and they can both enjoy.  But I should warn you... 

Bring your long game with you when you tee it up at Crofton Country Club.

It's a Par 72 course that plays 7211 yards from the Championship tees, 6782 from the Blues, 6297 from the White, 6004 from the Golds and 5529 from the Reds.   With a course rating of 74 and slope rating of 136, it plays tough as well as long.  The home-lined fairways, particularly on the front nine, and three water hazards (two creeks and the pond on #12) demand accuracy as well as length from both tees and fairways. 

Crofton Country Club's 18-hole course, designed by Ed Ault and built in 1964, has bent green fairways and greens.  With sandy soil, drainage is excellent, and the course is open year-round.  

Nearby Walden Golf Club is more friendly to weekend and juniorgolfers with a shorter game, playing just 6504 yards f

rom the Professional tees, 6312 from the Blues, 5947 from the Whites, 5335 from the Golds and 4384 from the Reds.  It is a Par 71 course, with a 72.1 course rating and 132 slope rating.  Water hazards come into play on fifteen holes.

Designed by Lindsey Irvin in 1990, townhomes and detached homes have grown up around and along Walden Golf Club ever since.   The course features sloped greens of bent grass, and the fairways are winter rye.

For more information about golf in Crofton, contact:

• Crofton Country Club -1691 Crofton Pkwy, Crofton, MD 21114, Phone (410)721-3111
• Walden Golf Club - 1500 Riedel Rd, Crofton, MD 21114, Phone (410)721-8268

For information about living in a home overlooking one of these golf courses, contact Margaret Woda - Long & Foster REALTORS, (410) 451-6245 or cell/text (301) 346-2923.

Baseball fans know that Cooperstown = Baseball Hall of Fame.  In case you are not a baseball fan, let me bring you up to speed...

This is the day that Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken, Jr. and San Diego Padres outfielder Tony Gwynn are being inducted into that Hall of Fame, the highest honor for anyone in baseball.  I can only imagine how emotional it must be for them - it certainly is an exciting day for their fans, even those who may not also be baseball fans. 

To be honest, I don't know a thing about Tony Gwynn, and I hope his fans will forgive me if I let them post a blog about him.  I just want to add my congratulations to Maryland's hero, CAL RIPKEN.  I'm not alone - Local radio reported from Cooperstown on Saturday that there was a "sea of orange" with Cal's fans in their Baltimore Orioles jerseys and hats outnumbering everyone else in sight by more than 5 to 1.  He has earned this respect.

Yes, there are some impressive baseball statistics associated with native Maryland Cal Ripken's 21-years as a Baltimore Oriole.  Yet I believe, as do many people, that his legacy will be what he does for kids and the future of baseball.  This is what truly makes Cal Ripken a hero! 

What does Cal have to say about that?  "I've been asked this question a lot, 'How do you want to be remembered?' and my response to that question has been To be remembered at all is pretty special"

I'm going to refer you to The Baltimore Sun to read what local sportswriters have to say about Cal's playing career.  For now, let me just say again...

MARYLAND LOVES CAL RIPKEN!

 LINKS:  Hall prepares for record attendance, Complete Hall of Fame coverage, Margaret Woda

Copyright 2007.  Margaret Woda.  All rights reserved.

CROFTON MD REAL ESTATE: For real estate in Crofton MD or anywhere in the D.C.-Baltimore-Annapolis triangle, contact Margaret Woda at RE/MAX Vision in Crofton MD.  (410) 451-1900.

Your real estate connection for Anne Arundel County, Maryland - Home of Fort George G. Meade, Northrop Grumman, BWI and the U.S. Naval Academy

"Maryland is for Crabs" - Who hasn't heard that slogan, even beyond Maryland? 

Apparently, if some folks get their way, it may also be "Maryland is for Watermelon" -

A friendly rivalry between Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, who says "there is no beter watermelon anywhere in the country than those grown in Maryland," and Delaware Governor Ruth Ann Minner, who says "Except those grown in Delaware" has evolved into the MAR-DELicious campaign.

Maryland and Delaware Departments of Agriculture and the University of Delaware have partnered to create this promotion.  Local grocers including Giant, Superfresh, Whole Foods, Acme, Food Lion and Weis Markets are among those that will carry and identify MAR-DELicious watermelon.  You can learn more about this promotion by reading last week's press release from the Maryland Department of Agriculture.

Watermelon won't be the first to step on those crab claws; others already share the limelight in Maryland:

• The Oyster State - Oyster fisheries in Maryland promote this slogan
• The Queen State - A result of Maryland being named after Queen Henrietta Maria
• The Monument State - Probably a reference to President John Quincy Adams' comments about the monuments he saw during a visit to Baltimore in 1827
• The Free State - An indication of Maryland's political position opposing prohibition in the 1920's
• The Cockade State - Coined during the Revolutionary War in the King's Handbook regarding the cockades worn by Maryland soldiers
• The Old Line State - Refers to the dividing line between land grants given by Lord Penn and Lord Baltimore

It will be interesing to see if watermelon really do earn a place on this diverse list of monikers.  Somehow, nothing else seems to have quite the same ring as "Maryland is for Crabs".

More interesting reading about Maryland and Watermelons:

• More than you ever wanted to know about Maryland
• Watermelon History and Fun Folks
• Buy Local Challenge
• Watermelon Recipes

MarketWatch reports more bad news for real estate...

...on a national  level.  But it is important for you to remember that the real estate market is more accuratey measured on a LOCAL level.

Today's report by Rex Nutting for MarketWatch sounds very dire:  Existing home sales fall to 5-year low of 5.75 million.  He quotes National Association of REALTORS statistics that sales were down 11.4% in June 2007 from June 2006.  Just yesterday, John Spence reported for MarketWatch that Home-builder stocks fall on renewed housing fears.  Now I would like to call a "time out", please, to ask a question in the face of all this bad news:

Do you rely on NATIONAL weather statistics in the morning when you make a decision about grabbing your umbrella on the way out the door?  What if it's sunny in Maryland but there is heavy rain and flooding in 5 other states?  Basing your umbrella decision on NATIONAL rain averages would be no more ridiculous than allowing these depressing national media reports to influence the price you offer or accept on a home!

State and local real estate statistics are often published by the State Association of REALTORS or the local MLS.  In my market, for example, I can look at the zip code where property is located and see whether the existing home sales volume is up or down from last year or last month, what is the average sold price,  number of units sold, and the percentage for sale price vs. list price.  Just for the record, in Crofton (21114), MRIS (the local MLS) reports that these statistics improved in June 2007 from June 2006:

• Total Sold Dollar Volume +6.56%
• Average Sold Price +1.15%
• Total Units Sold +5.36%
• Average List Price for Solds +1.78%

When you check the weather tomorrow before you leave for work, let the rain forecast serve as a reminder for you to check the local real estate statistics before you sell or buy a home. 

Copyright 2007.  Margaret Woda.  All rights reserved.

CROFTON MD REAL ESTATE: For referrals to Crofton MD or anywhere in the D.C.-Baltimore-Annapolis triangle, contact Margaret Woda at RE/MAX Vision in Crofton MD.  (410) 451-1900.

Those "old pros" - I know they get to you sometimes! 

When I was a rookie, a lifetime ago, I had a love-hate relationship with them.  In my mind, most of them were old-fashioned, overweight, arrogant - and clients seemed to fall effortlessly into their laps from nowhere.  Yet, over the years I have found myself mentally giving some of those "grande dames" credit for different things I learned from them that still impact my business after four decades as a REALTOR.  Now that I'm an old pro myself, I stipulate to the weight and being somewhat old-fashioned; I just hope today's rookies don't find me too arrogant...  that they realize I worked very hard for many years to earn my loyal clients' repeat and referral business...  and (drum roll please) that someday they will remember learning something from me that helped make them better and happier agents.

Here are the TOP 3 LESSONS I LEARNED FROM OLD PROS WHEN I WAS A REAL ESTATE ROOKIE:

1.  It's okay for the buyer and seller to talk to each other. 

Calm down, agents who don't believe this - I'm not suggesting you aspire to this scenario in every case, or even most cases.  Lee Blewett was listing agent on the first home I ever sold, and she told me to have my clients get a babysitter and come into her office with me for the contract presentation.  I didn't know any better, so of course I did as she instructed. 

After a very pleasant exchange between the buyers and sellers, a ratified contract, and we were finally alone in her office - Lee told me this was not the norm, after all.  In this case, she felt the low offer stood a better chance of being accepted if the seller could put a face with the name...  that it would be harder for them to say "no".  And, of course, her strategy worked!  As a result of this experience, I've never shied away from having buyers and sellers meet each other face to face.  

2.  You don't have to show every available house that meets the buyer's search criteria. 

I'll never forget the day I overheard Louise Davis telling prospective buyers there were a bunch of houses on the market in Crofton, but she already inspected them all and only two met their needs.  When she walked back into the office with them about an hour later, they had already picked the one they wanted. 

After the clients wrote an offer and departed the office, I asked Louise why she didn't show them more houses - there were about a dozen on the market in that price range.  She said it's easier for people to make a choice between two homes than choose one of twelve.  She pointed out to me that builders almost always offer prospective buyers their choice of only two lots for that very reason, and that apartment managers always seem to have just two available units to show prospective renters.  Obviously, if the buyers didn't like either of those two homes, she would have showed them others - one or two at a time.

Well, if you read my blog a few weeks ago, you know I'm a 5-house girl! - I didn't say a word about showing just two houses.  That's a goal I am still working on, but I've never forgotten that advice.  It is a little speech I give to myself whenever I'm having trouble limiting showings to five houses at a time. 

3.  It's okay to lose a few - buyers or sellers, that is. 

Early in my career, after working for several weeks with one couple, I finally showed them a new home community that seemed ideal.  We then invested many hours in meeting with the listing agent, Ruth Grimes, to prepare the contract and make selections for everything from carpet to brick.  When the buyers called the next day to say they had decided to rent (talk about cold feet!), Ruth said, "That's okay, let it go.  Bring me another buyer."  

She pointed out to me that any energy spent fretting about that one lost sale was energy better invested in helping someone else achieve their goals - or playing with my children.  She asked if I learned anything from that transaction and, of course, I had.  Therefore, as she pointed out, the experience was not a waste of my time... in fact, she said everything we do in real estate builds upon our past experience, whether it was a success or a disappointment.  Knowing that has helped me through other "lost" buyers and sellers over the years (as recently as this month).  Somehow, we just have to let them go!

As a real estate rookie (Yes, that was my official business photo in the 70's), I did not have a mentor and never had a single training class.  I learned from the "School of Hard Knocks" and a few "old pros" that I both resented and respected.   Thank you, ladies, whereever you are!   I'm happy to pass on YOUR legacy of these TOP 3 LESSONS I LEARNED FROM OLD PROS to a new generation of real estate rookies.

Crofton real estate is alive and well, if the activity I've experienced in recent weeks is any indication.  But the inventory of available properties is much higher than we've seen in recent years, so buyers have several homes to consider.  Showing so many homes in the same price range has reminded me again how important curb appeal is to a sale - especially in this "Buyer's Market". 

Each of my buyer-clients chose to make an offer on the home that had the best curb appeal over others in the same price range and with the same features.   Having observed this, I sat down at my computer today to make sure there was an article about curb appeal on the SELLERS tab of my website homepage, and here are some excerpts:  

PUTTING YOUR BEST FACE FORWARD

In real estate, as in other things, you don't get a second chance to make a good first impression.  That first impression could mean the difference between a sale or someone driving past without a second look, or a even look inside.

I always suggest to home sellers that their first step should be to dress up the front door area.  In most cases, a fresh coat of paint on the door, freshly washed windows on the front of the house, and new or polished door hardware and lighting are musts.  A wreathe on the door and flowers in season in front of the house provide the "icing on the cake".

"People cost themselves a lot of money by not paying attention to the exterior appearance of their house," according to Jim Albrecht, ABR, a broker in Waukesha, Wisconsin.  Industry experts say new landscaping can add two to three times its cost to the home's sales price. 

THE BASICS

At a minimum, everything a potential buyer might notice about a home's exterior and lot should be in working order and well maintained.  For the most part, homeowners can take care of this work themselves with very little money and a lot of elbow grease.

Items such as burned-out light bulbs, broken doorbells and fountains, cracked panes of glass, and damaged trim should be repaired or replaced. Windows and siding should be clean, and any metal objects, such as doorknobs, mailboxes, and kick plates, should be polished.  "If the house shines like a pretty penny, it will sell more quickly," says Ed Huck, ABR®, CRS®, an associate broker in Westlake, Ohio. 

Keep sidewalks and driveways clean and passable. Lawns should be cut, edged, and green. A bag of fertilizer from the local hardware store or garden center and regular watering will perk up grass in a week or two.  In addition, all bushes and trees should be trimmed, and flower beds should be weeded and covered with fresh mulch.

"If the yard is overgrown and weedy, it's a turnoff," says Steve Griggs, president of Land Design Studio Inc. in Blauvelt, N.Y.  If bushes are beyond trimming, the homeowner should remove them unless they're covering up an unattractive feature. "It's better to have minimal landscaping than bad landscaping," says W. Scott McAdam, president of McAdam Landscaping Inc. in Forest Park, Ill.

As long as the properpty is on the market, it's important to maintain the property so it looks its best at all times.  If you have exterior lighting, be sure to keep it on at night - at least until your home is sold.   After all, you never know when tht prospective buyer may drive past!

MUST DO vs. SHOULD DO

Once owners have covered the basics, the line between "must do" and "should do" projects becomes blurred, with budget and timing of the sale often determining which tasks to tackle.

MUST DO:  Buyers are usually concerned about the roof, since it has the potential to be a big expense.  If your shingles are curling, it will be a turn-off.  Replacing the roof will probably cost less than the discount buyers will want off the price, if you don't.   Painting a home's exterior, replacing damaged gutters and shutters, repairing broken concrete in walks and driveways, and adding exterior lighting should also be high on the list.  I recommend that you power wash the exterior, or hire someone to do it for you, if painting is not an option.  In fact, as a minimum, you should power wash any decks, fences and walkways to take years off their appearance.

SHOULD DO:  Other projects fall into the optional category.  Landscaping is a good example of the type of improvement homeowners can pursue, but only if they have the money and time.  A yard makeover can have a dramatic effect on a home's curb appeal, but the cost can easily run into several thousand dollars or more, and the improvements might take weeks to install and several months to mature.  This is a project that owners should initiate about 6 months prior to listing their home for sale.

If flowerbeds are scarce or nonexistent, you can fill flowerpots to add splashes of color.  "Yellow and red flowers are buyer colors.  They really seem to stop people in their tracks," says Mary Harker, a Dallas REALTOR.  "If there's room, add a bench to the front porch.  If not, try putting it in the yard."

Another cost-saving suggestion for improving curb appeal is to focus on plants and not worry about projects such as putting in a brick pathway, since plantings are so much less expensive than hardscapes. 

PLANNING AHEAD  

A recent survey by Hebert Research for HouseValues Inc., found that the average home sale is about six months from the time the owner thinks of selling to the closing date.  If that sounds like your schedule, it would be a good idea to start sooner rather than later on maximizing your curb appeal. 

"I'm working with two clients now who will be putting their homes on the market next spring," says one landscaper.  "We're planning now for plants that will be blooming when they put up the For Sale sign."  Several landscapers have indicated that about 2 percent of the people contacting them are preparing for a home sale within the year.  This is a great idea becaue it allows sellers to spread out expenses and consider more elaborate plans.  And they have the added benefit of being able to enjoy the improvements while still living in the home. 

Crofton homesellers, it's important for you to know this:  CURB APPEAL COUNTS!  Don't overlook this important factor when you put your home on the market for sale.

More articles about curb appeal:

• Summertime Curb Appeal Tips that sing "Welcome Home!"
• http://activerain.com/blogsview/123426/Curb-Appeal-Your-Homes
• Is Your Home a Drive-By? Ways to enchance your curb appeal
• Add Some Curb Appeal
• Curb Appeal

Copyright 2007.  Margaret Woda.  All rights reserved.

CROFTON MD REAL ESTATE: For referrals to Crofton MD or anywhere in the D.C.-Baltimore-Annapolis triangle, contact Margaret Woda at RE/MAX Vision in Crofton MD.  (410) 451-1900.

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College Park real estate houses a lot of singles, according to an article appearing on CNNMoney.com.   College Park may not be one of the Top 100 Best Places to Live 2007, but it is one of the Top 25 Best Places to Live Where the Singles Are, with 57.8% singles among the 26,400 population.

According to the article, "University of Maryland students have easy access to a variety of nightlife and culture, and life inside the Beltway is plentiful pickings for selective singles. The Metro runs to Washington, D.C. and the vibrant streets of neighborhoods like Adams Morgan or Georgetown, and a quick trip up I-95 will deliver you to spectacular Inner Harbor and the rest of Baltimore. Keep your eye on the Rethink College Park initiative to see what's in store for the town."

The City of College Park is a great place to buy a home, too, using a Home Ownership Grant for owner occupants.  Anyone purchasing a single-family property that was previously rented for a minimum of two years is eligible for a $7,500 grant.  Sound too good to be true?  Check it out!

Copyright 2007.  Margaret Woda.  All rights reserved.

COLLEGE PARK MD REAL ESTATE: For real estate in College Park or anywhere in the D.C.-Baltimore-Annapolis triangle, contact Margaret Woda at RE/MAX Vision in Crofton MD.  (410) 451-1900.

Your real estate connection for Anne Arundel County, Maryland - Home of Fort George G. Meade, Northrop Grumman, BWI and the U.S. Naval Academy

Money's list of Top 100 Best Places to Live 2007 includes five Maryland communities:   Crofton (72), Catonsville (49), Eldersburg (56), Elkridge (42), and Olney (17).  Communities around the country were ranked for a variety of factors that impact quality of life including affordability, leisure activities, cultural options, job growth, health care access, commute time, and even the weather.  Of course, that's no surprise to anyone who lives in these Maryland communities because those are some of the reasons people have been choosing them for many years.

For information about Maryland Real Estate, be sure to visit www.MargaretWoda.com and www.FocusonCrofton.com

Request a FREE Maryland Travel Kit, including a map, places to visit, and things to do. 

Crofton real estate is always desirable, but it may be even MORE attractive to folks who are looking for a home in Anne Arundel County now that Money has ranked Crofton in its Top 100 Best Places to Live 2007.   Communities around the country were ranked for a variety of factors that impact quality of life including affordability, leisure activities, cultural options, job growth, health care access, commute time, and even the weather.  Of course, that's no surprise to anyone who lives in Crofton - those are some of the reasons we chose this community as our home!

Other Maryland communities included on the list are Catonsville, Eldersburg, Elkridge, and Olney.  

• Check out the Crofton News Crier article about this topic
• Free Maryland Travel Kit
• More information about Crofton
• Crofton real estate

Your real estate connection for Anne Arundel County, Maryland - Home of Fort George G. Meade, Northrop Grumman, BWI and the U.S. Naval Academy 

Maryland Real Estate is not the only thing that REALTORS in the D.C. Metropolitan area have to offer relocating buyers - we are privileged to live and work in an area that celebrates culture, history, and recreation, enriching life every day for local residents.  When someone buys a home around here, they get the whole package!  Take a look at some of the sites around the Maryland side of I-495, the D.C. Beltway:

Start by visiting Fort Washington Park, which was built over 180 years ago on the banks of the Potomac River to defend the nation's capital.  From there, you will admire views of both George Washington's home in Virginia - Mount Vernon - and Washington, D.C.  

Andrews Air Force Base, probably best known to civilians for being home to Air Force One, the President's official airplane, is headquarters for the USAF 316th Wing, which maintains emergency reaction rotary-wing airlift and other National Capital Region contingency response capabilities critical to national security.

As you travel around the Beltway towards Montgomery County, you can exit on Rt. 50 E towards Annapolis for a tour of the United States Naval Academy or many historic sites in Annapolis - that could be a separate day trip, in itself.

Or continue on the Beltway to Baltimore Washington Parkway, I-295, which will take you to the NASA/Goddard Visitor Center and Museum, where you can get a first-hand look at the miracles of space flight and then come right down to earth with model-rocket launches.

Not far from there is the College Park Airport, established in 1909 by Wilbur and Orville Wright.  Yes, THE Wright brothers!  Stop by the College Park Aviation Museum, where an animatronic Wilbur Wright greets you at the world's oldest continually operating airport.  A 1911 Wright B is one of several historic planes on display, and you can break for lunch while watching planes land amid all this history.

Just a few blocks away is the University of Maryland College Park campus, chartered in 1856 as an Agricultural College, and now one of the world's eminent research universities.  You will be impressed by Comcast Center, home of Terps Basketball, the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, which hosts the annual William Kappel International Piano Competiton and the beautiful rolling expanses of open space on campus.

Heading North towards the Beltway along Rt 1, if you keep going a short way, you may find yourself watching for birds at the National Wildlife Visitor Center and Patuxent Research Refuge.  A tram tour offers a scenic introduction to 13,000 acres of forest, wetlands and meadow environments that make up the only national wildlife refuge created to study man's impact on nature.

Never been to the horse races?  Now is your chance, since you're close to Laurel Park.   Then back to the Beltway and on to...

The Clara Barton National Historic Site, the first headquarters of the Red Cross relief organization. Just a ring toss away is Glen Echo Park, a turn-of-the-century amusement park that's been restored and features a marvelous 1921 Dentzel Carousel.

The Potomac River turns rapid around Great Falls, a series of rocky cliffs and outcroppings that now lie within the boundaries of the C&O Historical Park. Stroll along the tree-lined canal and take a mule-drawn barge ride. A more recent - but just as romantic - method of transportation is on display at the nearby National Capital Trolley Museum, featuring historic trolley cars from America and Europe. Climb aboard one of the working cars and take a quick spin!

For more information about this area, check out my online Area Guide, with links to many additional venues PLUS local resources and communities.

Copyright 2007.  Margaret Woda.  All rights reserved.

CROFTON MD REAL ESTATE: For referrals to Crofton MD or anywhere in the D.C.-Baltimore-Annapolis triangle, contact Margaret Woda at RE/MAX Vision in Crofton MD.  (410) 451-1900.