Fort Meade - USNA - Andrews AFB: October 2008

Imagine my surprise when I saw this video indicating my vote swung the election.  Take a look... you might want to customize this and send it to your friends, regardless of your political viewpoint.

I guess the moral of this video is "Vote" (regardless of which candidate you support). Take a look at some of the ways history has been shaped by just one vote:

* 1645 - Oliver Cromwell gained control of England.

* 1649 - Charles I of England was executed.

* 1776 - America chose the English language instead of German.

* 1800 - The Electoral College gave Thomas Jefferson the Presidency over Aaron Burr.

* 1839 - Marcus Morton became Governor of Massachusetts.

* 1845 - Texas came into the Union.

* 1868 - President Andrew Johnson was saved from impeachment.

* 1876 - Rutherford D. Hayes won the Presidency of the United States.

* 1876 - France changed from a Monarchy to a Republic.

* 1916 - Woodrow Wilson won the Presidency by carrying California by less than one vote per precinct.

* 1923 - Adolph Hitler won leadership of the Nazi Party.

* 1948 - Harry Truman won the Presidency by carrying California with less than one vote per precinct.

* 1960 - John F. Kennedy won the presidency over Richard Nixon when he won Illinois by just one vote per precinct.

Fear of making a costly mistake is one of the reasons Crofton home sellers give for choosing to work with a real estate agent.  After all, who can afford to miss a single detail in this market - buyers are few and far between, and you don't want to let any get away!

Whether you're selling your own home or working with a real estate agent, here are some of the mistakes home sellers sometimes make - in Crofton or Anywhere, USA:

• Overlooking critical details -
  You must be prepared with answers to questions buyers ask, when they ask them. For example, the average utility bills or annual property taxes... how old the furnace is or when the roof was put on... which schools do neighborhood children attend or how far is it to the nearest parochial school...
  
  
• Failing to provide disclosures required by local, state or federal law -
  The repercussions of this could be extremely costly.  For example, do you know the exact wording required for disclosing a private utility assessment on your property in Anne Arundel County Maryland?  Do you even know if you have one?  Is disclosure required in your state or local jurisdiction if your home is "upside down" or facing foreclosure?
  
  
• Relying upon open house, print media and the Internet for finding a buyer -
  There is no substitute for the huge network of repeat and referral clients most real estate agents have, not to menton their relationships with other real estate professionals who also have a huge network of repeat and referral clients.   Even if you post your home on the Internet yourself, do you know which sites generate the most qualified traffic?
  
  
• Being unavailable when a buyer wants to see your home -
  Of course you want to attend your son's ball game or go grocery shopping.  Let's just hope a buyer doesn't want to see your home while you're away from the house.  There's a fair chance that buyer will move on and not come back if you're not available to show your home at the buyer's convenience.
  
  
• Overpricing or underpricing your home -
  Like the story of Goldilocks and the three bears, "just right" is what buyers want.  Pricing can make a difference right up front, when a buyer is deciding which homes to view.  Overpriced homes often don't get shown at all, and underpriced homes may sell quickly (but take money out of your pocket).
  
  
• Appearing too anxious when you follow up with buyers or agents -
  It's like walking a balance beam...  If you call the buyers or agents, they may see that as an indication that you're desperate.  On the other hand, what if you don't call, and they have questions?
  
  
• Making unnecessary selling concessions or failing to make necessary concessions -
  Do you really have to pay the buyer's closing costs?  Leave all your appliances?  I know a buyer who walked away when the seller self-righteously refused to clean the gutters, as requested in negotiations.
  
  
• Under-estimating your selling expenses -
  This is easy to do - especially at certain times of the year when taxes may be due, but they are not yet paid from the seller's escrow account.
  
  
• Assuming the buyer-broker has your interest at heart -
  Just because an agent submits an offer on your home, do not mistake that agent for your friend.  A buyer's agent is legally and morally responsible to his or her client to represent the buyer's best interest - not yours.
  
  
• Not hiring an agent to represent your best interests - or choosing the wrong one - 
  You know what they say about an attorney who represents himself:  "He has a fool for a client".  It's no different in real estate.  Choosing the right agent can be a challenge, and "how-to" is the subject of another entire blog post. 
  
  
• Fair housing violations - 
  Can you name the seven protected classes under the Federal Fair Housing Laws?  Are you prepared to face a "tester" from HUD to challenge one of your statements or actions?
  

For more information about selling your home, take a look at my series of blog posts, the Buyer's Market Challenge.

FIND A HOME IN  CROFTON,  DAVIDSONVILLE,  ODENTON,  GAMBRILLS,  ANNAPOLIS,  BOWIE

Crofton Fine Art & Framing is located at 1334 Defense Highway in Gambrills, at the intersection of Routes 450 and 424.  It's a tiny little shop you could easily miss, if you weren't looking for it.

"Looking for it" is something I find myself doing fairly often, however, and I highly recommend you do the same.  You'll be thanking me for introducing you to this Crofton-area business!

They carry original fine art in stock as well as limited edition prints, posters, sculpture, ceramics, and even jewelry.  But their custom framing is what usually motivates my visits there.  It is done with an artist's attention to detail and with conservation in mind.  They also do restoration of photos, art and documents.  But those are such understatements, because Crofton Fine Art & Framing doesn't just "do" those things... their work is an art in itself.  I should know - I've spent thousands of dollars there over the course of many years, and they've never disappointed me.

In fact, when my daughter went to Graduate School at the University of Texas about 10 years ago, we purchased some limited edition prints for her apartment, had some custom framing done, and they shipped everything directly to her.  I didn't have to do a thing except provide motherly input about her choices.  The results were beyond all expectations, as usual, and all of the prints arrived quickly without any damage.

If I had to narrow down the long list of reasons why I love doing business with Crofton Fine Art & Framing, it would probably go something like this:

1.  A talented and experienced staff who really knows what they're doing and make it easy for me to make a decision based on my wants and needs (and budget). 

2.  Excellent inventory of fine art, including framed prints and photos - many of local interest and many of those by local artists such as Terri Fowler.

3.  Huge selection of custom frames and mats - not to mention the free advice from their talented staff.

4.  Convenience - But honestly, I would travel miles to have them do my framing.

5.  Pricing is fair and reasonable, and they require only a deposit "up front" with the balance due upon completion and inspection of the finished product.

Don Burkes, one of their consultants and an artist himself, taught me a valuable lesson:  choose matting for its relationship to whatever is being framed, NOT to match the decorating in a room where you expect to display it.  Those pieces framed for my daughter ten years ago have looked fabulous every place she's hung them.  Meanwhile, other pieces framed to match their destination room, before we met Don, now sit in a closet.

Recently I walked into the store with a large print that had been discarded by its owner.  The glass was broken and the frame was ornate gold - not at all appropriate for the casual room where I intended to use it.  Don immediately recognized the piece and told me its history, pointing out details such as the fact that one of the people in the picture was the artists mother.  Don was a wealth of other information about the artist and his work and, drum roll please... informed me it was probably worth about two thousand dollars.  Now tell me, where else could I have gotten it framed AND learned all this!

May I suggest you visit Crofton Fine Art & Framing online, if you haven't done so before, and stop into their shop to meet Don and the other talented folks on their staff.  While you're online at their website, sign up for their mailing list to receive notices of shows and special events.  And be sure to tell them you learned about them from FocusOnCrofton.com.

PHOTOS:  MWoda

Find a home in  CROFTON,  DAVIDSONVILLE,  GAMBRILLS,  ODENTON,  ANNAPOLIS,  BOWIE

Yes, it's true... a real estate agent who sees a silver lining in the cloud known as "today's market."  I spent this entire weekend being a "normal" person instead of a real estate agent.  It was fun and so very relaxing.

I actually spent Saturday at a college football game with my husband, son and grandson, followed by big tailgate party with my brother's family and about 30 others, without receiving a single text message or phone call.  The Terps beat Wake Forest in a shutout, so that was a bonus.  It was chilly, but otherwise a great fall day that I probably would not have experienced in a good market - at least not without a severe case of guilt.

On Sunday, my husband and I drove to Ocean City for the day.  We hung out at my brother's house a few hours and then went with him and his wife to the Ocean Pines Yacht Club, where we sat at a table with a view of the water and enjoyed a beer while watching the Redskins game.  They won, too, in a squeaker.  After a late dinner by the fire, we drove home - about two hours - not worrying about an early-morning appointment.  Again, no text messages, no emails, no phone calls received - just a nice relaxing weekend day with family.

For most people, this would be a fairly typical weekend... people who are not in real estate, that is.  While I do love my real estate career and my clients, this was a lot of fun.  On the flip side, I didn't earn any money this weekend, either.

But I did say to myself several times over the past few days, "I love a down market!"

There is nothing remotely real estate about this post, so just move on to the next one if you feel ActiveRain is for real estate topics only.  That being said, this is a really neat video that could give you some ideas to use in YOUR own video marketing.

You may assume this post is about breast cancer awareness, based on the title and knowing October is breast-cancer awareness month.  Actually, it's about somethingn else. 

Reflections Body Image Program debuts today with this video about another situation affecting thousands millions of women who have struggled with dissatisfaction about their body image at some time in their lives... perhaps you, your wife, your mother, daughter, neighbor, or best friend.

This is Fat Talk Free Week (October 13-17, 2008), a nationwide public awareness campaign designed to draw attention to the damaging impact of the "thin ideal" for women. 

It also coincides with the official public debut of Reflections: Body Image Program - a revolutionary body image education and eating disorders prevention program co-developed by Carolyn Becker, Ph.D. FAED, of Trinity University, local sororities on her campus, and Delta Delta Delta Sorority's Center for Living, Learning and Leading (under the leadership of my daughter Susan Woda, the Center's Senior Director of Operations). 

Seventeen Magazine, National Organization for Women (N.O.W.), the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) and the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED) have endorsed this program, and it's probably coming soon to a campus near you.  While this program is targeted specifically to college women, I think a "Fat Talk Free Week" is something we all might try.

For more information, check out the Reflections website and, if you didn't already watch THIS VIDEO, check it out now.  It's not clinical or lecturing, I promise.  'Just a catchy, creative and thought-provoking flash video that you will enjoy while learning something.

Find a home in  CROFTON,  DAVIDSONVILLE,  GAMBRILLS,  ODENTON,  ANNAPOLIS,  BOWIE

"The Greater Crofton Area" is generally considered to include Crofton, Gambrills, and Odenton - three distinctly different communities located in the D.C.-Baltimore-Annapolis Triangle. (And, I might add, there are distinctly different neighborhoods within each community.)  Some of the confusion probably comes from the nonsensical zipcode boundaries created by the U.S. Post Office for Crofton. 

Just picture a donut:  Gambrills is like the donut itself, and Crofton is the hole in the center.  Odenton is north and west of Crofton and Gambrills, but I couldn't tell you where one stops and the other starts.  

Adding to the confuson:

• Crofton Centre (retail shopping) is located in Gambrills.
• Crofton Farms and other Crofton-named subdivisions are located in Gambrills.
• Crofton Automotive, Crofton Skate-Zone and other Crofton-named businesses and professional offices are located in Gambrills.
• The Greater Crofton Council is an umbrella organization for community associations in all three zipcodes (PLUS Davidsonville). 
• Many community organizations include residents of all three zipcodes.
• School boundaries in each of these zipcodes were affected by the recent opening of Nantucket Elementary School, formerly known as the "Gambrills Area Elementary School" - but located in Crofton.  

Besides sharing a convenient location in the D.C.-Baltimore-Annapolis Triangle, Crofton, Gambrills and Odenton share many local resources such as shopping, dining and professional services.  They use the same public transportation (MARC Station in Odenton, BWI Airport) and highways for commuting.  And residents are looking for that "hometown feeling" in spite of living in a huge metropolitan area.  Most newcomers nterested in any one of these communities will also look at homes in the others - and they can't go wrong, no matter which zipcode they choose for buying a home. 

I, for one, do think of The Greater Crofton Area as a single entity, with different three communities that make this a great place to live and work! 

Some of the differences in these zipcodes are reflected in the real estate market.  Take a look at these tables comparing the number of units sold in September, 2005-2008, and the average days on market for the same period:

Want more real estate info on these communities?  I can provide you tables showing the average and median sold prices during the same timeframe, and details about current and recently sold home lilstings.  Just ask me.  Or maybe you want to check out homes for sale in these communities.

Crofton Homes for Sale               Gambrills Homes for Sale               Odenton Homes for Sale

Many homeowners are worried about the values of their Crofton homes, and that certainly is understandable in this economic climate.  Let me reassure you that the "average" and "median" sold home prices in September 2008 were only slightly lower than they were in 2005.  (Probably the 2004 level, but I don't have the statistics to substantiate that.)  Most of us were not unhappy with those prices at that time.

Yet homes which probably would have sold quickly in September 2005 or 2006 took many months to sell in the same month this year.  There are many reasons for this, beginning with unrealistic home sellers who (understandably) find it difficult to accept today's market conditions - i.e., lower sale prices than recent years, much more demanding home buyers, and general lack of confidence in the real estate market.

With the bail-out, credit unavailability, and volatile stock market in recent days, we'll have to wait until the month is over to draw any conclusions about Crofton real estate in October 2008.  For now, let's check out the listing and sale statistics released by MRIS today for September.  To help you put them in perspective, I created a table comparing numbers in September each year since 2005.

Please click through to FocusOnCrofton.com to view the table, my recommendations to home owners and buyers, and links to other 2008 market studies. 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Find a home in  CROFTON,  DAVIDSONVILLE,  GAMBRILLS,  ODENTON,  ANNAPOLIS,  BOWIE

If you're new to Maryland, you're probably overwhelmed with all the events taking place in October.  How on earth can you possibly choose which ones to visit with your family this weekend? 

There's the Fall Festival at Homestead Gardens, Patuxent River Appreciation Days, Fright Fest at Six Flags, the Harvest Festival at Anne Arundel County Farmers' Market, Westfield Annapolis Farmers' Market Fall Festival, the Renaissance Festival, the Fall Harvest Festival at Kinder Farm Park, Pluck a Pumpkin at St. Martin's Pumpkin Patch...

It's such a beautiful time of year in Maryland that it's no wonder so many events are scheduled for October.  None is more uniquely "Maryland", however, than the annual in-water Sailboat and Powerboat Shows in Annapolis, in the shadow of the historic State Capitol building and the U.S. Naval Academy.

Annapolis is known as the "Sailing Capital of the World", and that's never more true than during the Sailboat Show each October when the entire harbor area is taken over by sailboats large and small.  Any open space on the docks that doesn't contain a boat on a trailer will probably be occupied by a vendor selling boating gear, rigging, accessories, publications, or services.

One of the neatest things about this event is your access to the boats, actually climbing aboard them and imagining yourself sailing on the Chesapeake Bay with your family and friends. 

But there's more than boats to this show.  There are educational programs, as well, including BOAT BUYING 101 presented by Chesapeake Bay Magazine editor-at-large Janie Meneely, who will talk about:

• Simple strategies for finding the boat you want
• What you need to do once you find a boat
• How to register, insure and finance your new boat
• What to know before you sign on the dotted line.

This is a Buyer's Market for boats, as well as homes, so it may be your year for finally buying a boat.  Larry and I found it was a good strategy to browse the show on Friday before the weekend crowds, and to return late Sunday when vendors were eager to unload some boats and items rather than take them back where they came from.

If you're unsure whether sailing or power boats are right for you, the annual power boat sale is the following week.  And, if seeing the Bay from your kitchen window is more important to you than sailing on it, you can click on these links to view waterfront homes under $2,000,000 and waterfront homes over $2,000,000 that are for sale in Anne Arundel County.

Annapolis restaurants, hotels, and retailers are eager to serve all the boat show visitors, so come prepared to take it all in.  

If you're looking at a map of the D.C.-Baltimore area and feeling a bit overwhelmed, I understand.  Even after growing up in the Maryland suburbs of D.C. and graduating from college in D.C., Larry and I were unfamiliar with this immediate area when Larry got orders to the Naval Academy in Annapolis.

My grandmother told us that choosing a community would be easy, if we would take the time to answer these questions:

1. What do you want to be near? 
2. What are you looking for in a community?
3. What is your price range for a home?

Our answers led us to CROFTON, MARYLAND - and chances are it will be a good place for you to start your home search, too, for the same reasons.

1.  CROFTON IS 30 MINUTES TO EVERYWHERE YOU WANT TO GO - 

You know what they say about the three most important things in real estate - Location, Location, and Location.  When the traffic gods are smiling, Crofton is only about 30 minutes to the D.C.  Beltway (I-495), the Baltimore Beltway (I-695), and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.  (And frankly, that's most days!)

If you are active duty or retired military, you and your family will enjoy the resources of several military bases within an hour of Crofton:  The U.S. Naval Academy, Ft. Meade, Andrews AFB, National Naval Medical Center Bethesda, Walter Reed, and even the Pentagon. 

If you travel for business, you'll appreciate the convenience of BWI Aiport and Amtrak.

For commuting, you have the option of taking the MARC train from Odenton or METRO-Rail from New Carrollton.

Aside from commuting time, you'll appreciate Crofton's location for its convenience to the museums, monuments, professional sports teams, and arts venues in Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Annapolis, not to mention sailing on the Chesapeake Bay.   As to shopping - Annapolis Mall and Bowie New Town Center are just 15 minutes away, but groceries and other everyday shopping needs will be met without leaving Crofton. 

Your kids will probably be glad to learn that the Atlantic Ocean is only about 2 hours east of Crofton - close enough for a day trip or weekend.  You'll find links to many of these in my Crofton Area Resource Guide.

2.  LIVING IN CROFTON IS A LOT LIKE LIVING IN A SMALL TOWN - 

It's no surprise to anyone in Crofton to see our community listed in Money Magazine's 2007 Top 100 Best Places to Live.  You'll soon see why! 

American flags fly over Crofton Parkway, mounted on light posts above the many walkers, joggers, runners and bikers that travel its 3.5 mile route.  Flowering cherry trees line some of the streets, creating a spectacular splash of spring color.  Holiday wreathes magically appear on windows, doors and light posts at the Crofton Village Green (with a little help from the Crofton Village Garden Club).  

Crofton residents enjoy many annual traditions such as Spring and Fall crafts fairs, free summer concerts on the Village Green, the Tour de Crofton bike race, Santa's arrival and Christmas tree lighting, and parades for Halloween, Armed Forces Day, and Opening Day for the youth baseball season... 

There are ongoing community activities for every age and interest including organized athletics, scouts, garden clubs, civic organizations, service groups...   Recreation facilities include two golf courses, tennis courts, parks, playgrounds... There are several places of worship, small businesses, medical offices, shopping centers, restaurants and a recently-built library...  No chance of getting bored, when you live in Crofton!

And yes, your children will probably walk to elementary school from their Crofton home!  There is a middle school in Crofton, as well, but your children will have a short school bus ride due to the school being on a busy street.

MORE CROFTON PHOTOS:  Inside the Crofton Gates and Outside the Crofton Gates

3.  YES, YOU CAN AFFORD A CROFTON HOME -

While home prices are higher in the D.C. area than some parts of the country, they are lower than others.  Home prices in Crofton are certainly more affordable than many other communities in the D.C.-Baltimore area.

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how low Anne Arundel County property taxes are, too - sometimes $100 or more savings per month over other nearby Maryland and Virginia counties.  This difference enables you to spend more for your Crofton home while still keeping your monthly payments affordable.

I think many of those sticker-shock stories about the D.C. area are based on Northern Virginia home prices.  Crofton is a place where you can still find a detached home in the $300-500 thousands.  Given the nature of today's buyer's market, it is highly likely that many of them are negotiable.

Click here for a sneak preview of Crofton homes on the market for sale, in every price range (from the $200-$800 thousands).

P.S.  I almost forgot to mention the "BRAC Factor" - 

Thanks to the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Report, 22,000 new jobs are expected in the next five years at Ft. Meade.  This is great news for your Crofton home's future property value, since there will be huge demand for a limited supply of nearby homes!

Copyright 2008.  Margaret Woda.  All Rights Reserved.  Why Consider Crofton? 

With Fort George G. Meade just a few minutes and a few miles from our office, every agent at RE/MAX Vision counts relocating soldiers among our past clients.  As we've introduced military personnel attached to Fort Meade to real estate in Crofton and other communities near the post, we've gotten to know them and their families on a personal level, as well as a professional one.  We're so grateful to them for their service and very glad to have them as neighbors now.

Inspired by clients who are Fort Meade soldiers, several of the agents in my office got together after our sales meeting on Tuesday to become "Santa for a Day" and stuff holiday gift bags for deployed troops. 

Every gift bag is unique, but they all contain a book of puzzles, candy, hand sanitizer, pens, toothbrush and toothpaste, packs of band-aids, and a holiday card thanking them for service to our country.  Other items in some of the stockings include socks, Clinique samples for the lady soldiers, note paper, dice and card games, inflatable beach balls, and a myriad of different personal grooming items. 

In this photo, Melissa Slye added colorful tissue to top off each gift bag to help keep the contents in place during shipping.  Pink tissue was used in bags for the ladies, as seen in the foreground.  Melissa, Joan Fitzgibbons, and Faye Johnson joined me in this effort.

It was fun for us to be a "REALTOR Santa for a Day" and we sincerely hope our holiday gift bag reassures a deployed soldier that we appreciate his or her service and sacrifices, and that we remember him or her on Chrismas.  

P.S. - For more information about this effort, visit Operation Christmas Stocking.  It's not too late for you, your office, and your community organizations to participate.