Fort Meade - USNA - Andrews AFB: August 2008

Included in Your Online Relocation Package for Anne Arundel County, Maryland - Home of Fort George G. Meade, NSA, Northrop Grumman, BWI, and the U.S. Naval Academy.

ATTENTION HOME BUYERS!

No need for you to worry about the countless details involved in finding and buying a home in Anne Arundel County, Maryland - It's MY job to handle them on your behalf.

Yet I know you have questions about what to expect, so I created this handy reference guide for you.

When you work with me, the home-buying process boils down to these 3 simple steps:

1. Pre-Purchase Consulting
2. Shopping for your Home
3. Buying your Home.

Are you ready to get started?

1. PRE-PURCHASE CONSULTING

Before we actually go out to look at homes, we'll invest some time together so you feel confident about the entire home-purchase process and your choice of me as your REALTOR®.

• You'll share with me some information about what you're looking for in a home, your hobbies and special interests, your concerns about location, transportation, schools, etc. You'll tell me what you do and don't like about your current home, and show me photos of homes that catch your eye. Together, we'll identify your "wants" and "needs".
• You'll share with me some details about your financial situation, including your income, debts, and cash on-hand. You'll tell me what amount you expect to spend on a monthly mortgage payment, and how much cash you wish to invest "up-front". Together we'll determine the price-range of your next home.
• I'll explain financing options that suit your situation. Together, we'll choose a local lender so you can make application right away.
• I'll provide information about real estate customs and laws, including penalties for non-compliance. Together, we'll review brochures such as "What Everyone Should Know About Equal Opportunity in Housing" and standard disclosure forms.
• I'll explain the relationships between home buyers, sellers and agents.

2. SHOPPING FOR YOUR HOME

Now that you've decided what you're looking for and what you can afford in a home, we can get started.

• Using the Metropolitan Regional Information Services (MRIS®) database and other sources, I'll research homes that are currently available for sale. Together, we'll choose homes that meet your requirements.
• I'll make appointments for us to inspect the selected homes at a convenient time, and I'll point out their assets and drawbacks as we go through them.
• When you see a home you like, I'll estimate your closing costs and monthly payment.
• I'll conduct the necessary research to determine answers to your questions about the homes and communities we inspect, and provide them to you in a timely manner.
• If none of the homes we inspect satisfy your requirements, we'll discuss options such as adjusting your "wants" and "needs" or simply waiting for other homes to come on the market. And we'll begin this step again another day-as many times as it takes to find you the right home.

3. BUYING YOUR HOME

When you choose a home, I'll represent your best interests in negotiations and follow-up.

• Using standard forms, I'll prepare a Contract of Sale and all related paperwork on your behalf, and explain your rights and obligations to you. (However, keep in mind that I'm not an attorney, and my explanations are not a "legal opinion")
• I'll advocate strongly for you with the property owner and the owner's agent, and help you evaluate any counter-offer.
• After you and the property owner reach agreement and initial any changes to the Contract of Sale, I'll assist you in selecting a settlement attorney and home inspectors.
• I'll accompany you to the home inspection and pre-settlement inspection, and notify the property owner of any discrepancies.
• I'll follow-up with the property owner, lender, appraiser, surveyor, settlement company, inspector and others to assure that all contract conditions and all deadlines are satisfied.
• In the meantime, there are some things you need to do: Contact your insurance agent to make arrangements for a hazard insurance policy, confirm that you have provided all requested documentation to your lender, notify all utility companies, and obtain a certified or cashier's check in the amount estimated by your lender.
• I'll accompany you to settlement, review the settlement sheet, and advocate strongly for you if there are any disagreements. Then, I'll proudly hand you the keys to your next home.

Whether you're relocating around the world or just moving across town, I'll handle the details so you don't have to. I consider it a privilege to help you through each of these steps so together we can create a real estate success story for you and your family!

PHOTO: Istockphoto.com
VIDEO: MWoda

3 Simple Steps to Owning a Home in Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Copyright 2008. Margaret Woda. All rights reserved.

Elks Camp Barrett, in Crownsville, wil be the site for this year's Parish picnic on September 7. 

Be sure to mark your calendar if you're a parishioner at Holy Family in Davidsonville, Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Edgewater, or Our Lady of Sorrows in West River.

Mass begins at 11:30, followed by fun for the whole family including the camp's pool, playground, swings, basketball, volleyball, and more.

PHOTO:  Istockphoto

Thinking of relocating to Crofton Maryland?  Don't get it confused with Crofton Kentucky, because there's a world of difference! 

En route home from Texas last week, my husband and I decided to take a 160-mile detour off our route across Kentucky to visit another Crofton, one of three in the United States (Kentucky, Maryland and Nebraska).  Unfortunately, we didn't get there 'til nearly dusk so our photos aren't the greatest, but you'll see Crofton Kentucky and Crofton Maryland have very little in common. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

______________________________________

There's very much of a rural small-town feel to Crofton Kentucky, with a single blinking stop-light.  And yet, there are 14 places of worship.

In Crofton Maryland, as you drive into the community you see the Village Green with its shops and professional offices, Crofton Country Club with its large clubhouse, Olympic-size pool and championship golf course that winds through the community, and two of the community's five places of worship - all within a block.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

______________________________________

Crofton Diner is located on Main Street in Crofton Kentucky, one of six dining out options listed on the town's website.  A pretty impressive number, I think, for a population that numbered under 1000 people in the 2000 census.  

Crofton Maryland's population, by contrast, was over 20,000 in the same census.  Sly Horse Tavern, located on Crofton Maryland's Village Green, is one of our dining out options. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 ______________________________________

Crofton Kentucky does not have a library, but it has a Post Office and Fire House in the downtown area. There are two schools, Crofton Elementary and Crofton Amish Parochial School. 

In Crofton Maryland, we too have a Post Office - plus 3 elementary schools and a middle school.  Pictured here is the Crofton (Maryland) Library.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

______________________________________

Other interesting facts: 

• Crofton Kentucky covers an area that is only .6 sq. miles, whereas Crofton Maryland is 5 sq. miles.
• Income in Crofton Kentucky averages $25,625; in Crofton Maryland, it is $75,046.
• Average age in Crofton Kentucky is 37; it is 35 in Crofton Maryland.
• Crofton Kentucky's average family size is 2.37; in Crofton Maryland, it's 2.69.

What about leisure time, you may ask. 

The only references to leisure time in Crofton Kentucky on the town's website are a link to Gordon Park - featuring tennis courts, a driving range, picnic pavilions, basketball court and an air-conditioned building - and a link to the announcement about squirrel hunting season, including a place for residents to post photos of their catches. 

In case you're interested, the season opens this weekend, August 16, and runs through February 28, except November 8 and 9.  (???) There is a daily limit of 6, with a possession limit of 12. The announcement includes a reminder to request permission before hunting on someone else's land and a reminder to always treat a gun as if it were loaded.

 

 

There are plenty of squirrels on Crofton Maryland's two golf courses, but no hunting allowed!  In addition to golf, there is swimming, fishing, and tennis, as well as several parks and athletic fields. Commercial recreational opportunities include Skate Zone, Capital Raceway, and Crofton Go-Cart Raceway. 

Not to mention we're less than a half hour from the Chesapeake Bay and its numerous tributaries for boating, fishing and beaching. 

 

 

Obviously, I'm partial to Crofton Maryland - that's where I live and work.  Yet I'm sure most Crofton Kentucky residents wouldn't trade their town or lifestyle for ours.  The world would be a very boring place if we all liked the same things, and if every community and person looked alike.

That being said... I hope you enjoyed this little detour.  It was probably the highlight of our drive home to Crofton, Maryland. 

If you're curious about Crofton Real Estate - Crofton Kentucky AND Crofton Maryland - be sure to visit www.FocusOnCrofton.com tomorrow, August 15, when I'll show a comparison of what you can buy for $280,000 in the two Croftons.

 

PHOTOS:  Squirrel by Istockphoto;  all others by MWoda

Detour to Crofton - Kentucky, not Maryland
Copyright 2008.  Margaret Woda.  All rights reserved.

If your Crofton home is pictured in this video about Curb Appeal, you have just won a $25 gift card to Homestead Gardens in Davidsonvlle.

Just contact me before August 20, and I'll deliver it to your home. The homes of winners will be recognized for their curb appeal in a blog appearing at Focus On Crofton later this month.  

 

 

This video is based on the presentation I made to Crofton Village Garden Club in May.  I hope you enjoy your home's "moment of fame" and your $25 gift card - just in time to pick up some beautiful fall mums at Homestead Gardens!

 

Copyright 2008.  Margaret Woda.  All rights reserved.  "Is Your Crofton Home in this Video?"

 

Crofton Maryland Real Estate real estate sales were down almost 40% in July from the same month last year, based on dollar volume.  The number of units sold was down about 37%.  Of course, that means the "average sold price" was down in July, too, by 3.9% from the same month last year.  Ironically, the "median sold price" was actually up by 3.15%.

While that's not much of a drop from July last year to this, the average sold price fell almost $30,000 from last month and the median sold price by more than 42% since June.  But don't panic... This does not mean the value of any one house has dropped by the same percentage - it means more lower-priced homes are selling than higher-priced homes, which affects both the average and median sold prices.

If you're a Crofton homeowner, thinking of selling, I guess the bottom line to all this is How long will it take to sell my Crofton home?  Based on the fact that 34 of 210 available homes sold in Crofton last month, it would take about 6 months to sell the remaining inventory of 176 homes - assuming there are no new listings in that time.  This, of course, is purely theoretical, because there will be new listings and some owners will take their homes off the market.

What can you do to become one of those successful home sellers?  In a word, PRICE!  Homes that are priced correctly for their features, size, location and condition DO sell.  If your home has been on the market for a few months (or even several weeks) and not yet sold, you can't rely upon the estimate of market value received from your agent 3 or 4 months ago - it may have changed since then.

If you're a Crofton homebuyer, this is a good time to buy.  But again - a drop in average or median sold price does NOT mean you can buy a home at a hugely discounted price.  As I mentioned before, it simply means that more lower-priced (probably smaller) homes sold last month.   Most Crofton homes are well priced - certainly within 5-10% of their final sale price. 

A lot has been said and written about the tight mortgage market, but the news is not all bad for borrowers.  Most Crofton homes are priced within the allowable maximum for FHA, a loan program which is widely available.

By the way, if you'd like to see what's happening with real estate in your immediate neighborhood, just click on this link to receive a MARKET SNAPSHOT by email, usually within 30 minutes.

Chart:  Focus on Crofton

YOUR ONLINE RELOCATION PACKAGE FOR ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MARYLAND

Copyright 2008.  All Rights Reserved.  Margaret Woda.  "Crofton Maryland Real Estate Update - July 2008"

If you haven't yet discovered the Summer Concert Series at Fort George G. Meade, let me suggest you head on over to the Fort Meade Pavilion this weekend (August 16) to hear the Army Concert Band & Soldiers' Chorus.  They'll be performing Tchaikovsky's Overture to 1812, complete with Cannons, in the final performance of this year's series.

The last time I heard this performed, we were at Wolf Trap - it was magnificent, but it was a lot more expensive.

You see, the Summer Concert Series at Fort George G. Meade is free and open to the public.  You can afford to bring the whole family - expose your kids to the classics! And, just like Wolf Trap, you can bring your own comfy lawn chairs or blankets.  It starts at 7 p.m.

But this concert series is not only less expensive than Wolf Trap, the Kennedy Center and other concert venues in the Washington - Baltimore area, it's CLOSER!

DIRECTIONS:

From D.C. - Take MD-295 N towards BALTIMORE to US 175 EAST. Follow 175 EAST approximately 2.5 miles to Fort Meade on the right, and use the Llewellyn Avenue Gate entrance.

From Baltimore - Take MD-295 S towards WASHINGTON to US 175 EAST. Follow 175 EAST approximately 2.5 miles to Fort Meade on the right, and use the Llewellyn Avenue Gate entrance.

From Annapolis- Take I-97 to Rt. 32 towards COLUMBIA.  Take 175 WEST to Fort Meade on the left, and use the Llewellyn Avenue Gate entrance.

 

Relocating to the Washington-Baltimore area?  Be sure to check out...

Your Online Relocation Package for Anne Arundel County, Maryland

Photo:  Fort Meade Happenings

Copyright 2008.  All Rights Reserved.  Margaret Woda.  "Concert at Fort George G. Meade:  Tchaikovsky's Overture to 1812"
 

Whether Fort Meade is your neighbor, your employer, or your duty station, you'll want to be there tonight at 7 p.m.  (August 9, 2008)

The Army's fabulous JAZZ AMBASSADORS are performing at the Fort Meade Pavilion.  This concert is open to the public, and there is no cost for parking or attendance.  Just bring your own comfy lawn chairs or a blanket.  The entire family is welcome (but not your pets).

If you're not familiar with The Jazz Ambassadors, you're in for a treat.  This 19-member touring orchestra is part of the Army Field Band, and they literally tour the world to showcase America's own art form - Jazz. Expect to hear your favorite contemporary jazz and jazz standards, plus some pop tunes, dixieland, patriotic music... maybe even some swing, bebop, and Latin music.  The evening promises to be a lot of fun - and the price is right!

This performance is the second in the Summer Band Concert series.  Next week, August 16, The Concert Band & Soldiers' Chorus will perform Tchaikovsky's Overture to 1812 with Cannons.  Again, it is free and open to the public.

DIRECTIONS:

From D.C. - Take MD-295 N towards BALTIMORE to US 175 EAST. Follow 175 EAST approximately 2.5 miles to Fort Meade on the right, and use the Llewellyn Avenue Gate entrance.

From Baltimore - Take MD-295 S towards WASHINGTON to US 175 EAST. Follow 175 EAST approximately 2.5 miles to Fort Meade on the right, and use the Llewellyn Avenue Gate entrance.

From Annapolis- Take I-97 to Rt. 32 towards COLUMBIA.  Take 175 WEST to Fort Meade on the left, and use the Llewellyn Avenue Gate entrance.

Relocating to the Washington-Baltimore area?  Be sure to check out...

Your Online Relocation Package for Anne Arundel County, Maryland

Photo:  Istockphoto

Copyright 2008.  All Rights Reserved.  Margaret Woda.  The Jazz Amabassadors at Fort Meade Tonight 

If you're eager to find a home that's away from the hustle and bustle around Andrews AFB, but still within about 30-40 minutes, check out this home.

731 Mallard Drive is near Rockhold Creek in North Deale, in a relatively quiet neighborhood with a rural atmosphere.  Children will attend Anne Arundel County Schools.

 

 

For more information, contact Margaret Woda at RE/MAX Vision - 410-451-1900 or mwoda@remax.net.

Your Online Relocation Package for Anne Arundel County

 

'Just bought a Davidsonville home, settlement is over, the moving truck has come and gone...  now what?

Unpacking and putting things away seems like a good place to start, but procrastination rears its ugly head...  So you're off to the store - 'Gotta find some new ways to organize your clutter.  If you don't do it when you move in and put things away, when will you?

If only there were a Container Store nearby, but there's not.  Target, Home Goods, K-Mart and Walmart are probably your best bet unless you're military and have access to shopping at Fort George G. Meade, the USNA, or Andrews AFB. 

 

Target - 4600 Mitchellville Rd., Bowie 20716.  From Rt. 424/214, go West on Rt. 214, North on Rt. 3, Left on Rt. 197, and Right on Mitchellville Rd. Target will be on the left at the end. 

Home Goods - 2618 Chapel Lake Dr., Gambrills, 21054.  Go North on Rt. 3 'til you see Villages at Waugh Chapel on the left; Home Goods is nearly straight ahead, at the end of the road.

K-Mart - 1647 Crofton Center, Crofton 21114.  From Rt. 424/214, go northwest on Rt. 424 to the intersection of Rt. 3 and Rt. 424.

Walmart - 3300 Crain Highway, Mitchellville 20716.  From Rt. 424/214, go West on Rt. 214, North on Rt. 3 to Walmart on the Left.

You may be looking for more heavy-duty storage and organization options - Lowe's and Home Depot are not far.  From 424/214, go West on Rt. 214 to Rt. 3; North to Rt. 197, Left one block to Michellville Rd., Right one block to Lowe's.  To reach Home Depot from 424/214, continue past Rt. 197, and you'll see Home Depot on the right at the entrance to the Bowie Baysox Stadium.

Two other Home Depots are located in Annapolis, as well as a Best Buy on the opposite side of Route 450 from Home Depot.

If you get the urge to pick up some accessories for your new home, you'll find a Pier One in two of these locations - in the same shopping center as Home Goods and the same shopping center as Target.  A 3rd Pier One store is located in Annapolis, at the Intersection of Rt. 450 and Riva Road.

In fact, there's a Haverty's Furniture in Bowie, located between Target and Pier One, if you need (or want) some furniture.  If a new bed is on your shopping list, there are a number of mattress stores - it's hard to go anywhere without passing one.

If you're new to the Davidsonville area, feel free to contact me with questions about other resources in the area.  After helping my daughter move into a new home in July, I'm very familiar with the trials and tribulations new homeownesr face when they start unpacking and trying to get settled.

Your Online Relocation Package for Anne Arundel County, Maryland

Photo:  Istockphoto

 

Copyright 2008.  All Rights Reserved.  Margaret Woda.
 
Resources for Davidsonville Newbies

Remember the Avis Rental Car ad  "We try harder because we have to" -  That's what comes to mind when I think about today's real estate market.

When this ad campaign was first launched in 1962, Avis was an unprofitable wannabe, while Hertz was the rental car leader.  Within a year, Avis began to generate a profit and, by 1966, their market share had increased from 11% to a whopping 35%.  The rest, as they say, is history!

It was a good slogan, but Avis didn't just talk about trying harder - they actually did it!  In fact, before they even launched the "We Try Harder" campaign, they set out to overhaul their customer service and improve their product.   Now there's a timeless plan for improving business and increasing sales, if I ever heard one!

In today's real estate market, "We try harder" is a practice that both home sellers and real estate professionals should adopt to differentiate themselves and their homes from the competition. 

One strategy for "trying harder" might be to offer a home warranty so prospective buyers will have peace of mind that is just not available with other homes or listings for sale that don't have a warranty.

The reason is clear:  Because of today's tightened loan criteria, many buyers are using all or most of their available cash to purchase a home.  That's why they want a home in good condition that won't require expensive updating or repairs - buyers simply won't have much cash left after settlement, now that down payment assistance programs have been legislated away and 95% conventional loans have disappeared.

A home warranty that protects home buyers from expensive repairs or replacements of all major appliances and systems could mean the difference between a sale or not because home buyers want these benefits:

• Protection of all major appliances and systems 24 hours a day, 7 days a week... 365 days a year!
• Coverage of all major appliances and systems, regardless of age, make or model.
• Repair or replacement at minimal cost to the buyer (a small deductible).

However, buyers are not the only ones to benefit when sellers offer a home warranty.  Just look at these figures from independent surveys, showing that a warranty helps sellers get more money and sell more quickly:

• 8 out of 10 people prefer to buy a home that DOES have a warranty.  (Gallup Poll)  
• Homes with a warranty sell 50% faster. (National Home Warranty Association)
• Homes with a warranty sell for 3% more (Business Week)

Additionally, some warranties cover all or some of these items while the home is for sale.  One word... WOW!

How do sellers go about getting a home warranty?  Just ask your listing agent.  Most real estate companies offer warranty programs from several independent insurers.  The cost is usually less than $500, and your agent will probably handle the paperwork for you.  More good news:  No money up front.  Warranties are paid for at settlement, and there's no fee if there's no settlement.

A home warranty is a small investment because it says to buyers, We Try Harder - in other words, BUY ME!

Home buyer warranty companies you might want to check out:  HMS, AHS, 2-10

Photos:  istockphoto

Copyright 2008.  All Rights Reserved.  Margaret Woda.  Why Home Sellers Should Offer a Warranty