mdrealestateblog.com

If you're SEARCHING for a home anywhere in Maryland, click here to view ALL ACTIVE LISTINGS.

Richard Iarossi, REALTOR®
Long and Foster® Real Estate, Inc.
Crofton, MD 21114

410-451-6255 Office
443-995-9595 Cell
Web: http://www.RichSellsHomes.com
eMail: Rich@RichSellsHomes.com

Annapolis MD Real Estate Specialist
Bowie MD Real Estate Specialist
Crofton MD Real Estate Specialist

©2009 - RichSellsHomes, All Rights Reserved

All photos and written content were produced by Richard Iarossi. Copyright 2009 - All Rights Reserved. This content may not be reproduced or reprinted, except for Active Rain Re-blogging, without express written permission of Richard Iarossi, REALTOR®, Long and Foster® Real Estate, Inc., Crofton, MD.

It doesn't take much research to know that there are a large number of foreclosures on the market, including some Crofton, MD homes for sale. Picking up a foreclosure property in Crofton, MD could be a great investment, but buyers do need to be careful.

If you're interested in including foreclosure properties in your home search, make sure you have a qualified, local Realtor to assist. The process to buy a foreclosure does differ a bit from a regular residential resale. Also, buyers agents usually get paid from the seller in a transaction. Even if the property is a foreclosure, where the owner is a bank.

There are three distinct phases of foreclosure activity. Once an owner stops paying their mortgage the lender will file for a notice of default. Remember all those documents you signed at closing. One of them gave the lender the right to do this. At this stage its really called a preforeclosure.

The bank has an obligation to post a public notice in the paper several times before they can go to court and take the property back. Once the court ordered foreclosure is complete, the bank can sell the property at auction on the courthouse steps in Annapolis, MD. Thats right, the auctioneer is on the courthouse steps and announces each property for sale. If there are no buyers at a price acceptable to the bank, the property reverts back to the lender, and will soon go on the market.

Banks aren't real estate companies, so their properties are listed for sale with a local brokerage. These are called REO properties, meaning Real Estate Owned.

Most buyers agents will tell you that they prefer working with a foreclosure than a short sale any day. Banks seem to have their act together on foreclosures, while short sales still have serious process problems, in many cases.

I can help if you're interested in looking at foreclosures anywhere in the Annapolis MD area. If you're not already working with an agent, give me a call at 443-995-9595.

Crofton, MD has 10 bank owned foreclosures for sale, and more in the preforeclosure stage. If you would like a listing of the Crofton, MD foreclosures, just eMail me at Rich@RichSellsHomes.com.

If you're SEARCHING for a home anywhere in Maryland, click here to view ALL ACTIVE LISTINGS.

Richard Iarossi, REALTOR®
Long and Foster® Real Estate, Inc.
Crofton, MD 21114

410-451-6255 Office
443-995-9595 Cell
Web: http://www.RichSellsHomes.com
eMail: Rich@RichSellsHomes.com

Annapolis MD Real Estate Specialist
Bowie MD Real Estate Specialist
Crofton MD Real Estate Specialist

©2009 - RichSellsHomes, All Rights Reserved

I am on Facebook, and Twitter, Linked In, and something called Yammer. Probably a couple of others I don't even remember. I will confess though, that I'm not the most prolific user, by any means. There is this pesky thing called work that keeps getting in the way.

For me, its been an evolution adding social media to my real estate toolbox. Some tools, like Active Rain, I use every day because the benefits are immediate and relevant to my business. Others are like the hex wrenches at the bottom of the toolbox...I use them every once in a while.

I've got followers and friends all over the place, and sometimes I don't know why. I'm really not that interesting but somehow people keep showing up wanting to follow me or be my friend. I even have Karl Rove following me on Twitter. Besides being a little scary, I guess he doesn't have much to do since the election.

I wonder though, am I overthinking this Facebook friends thing? First, let me say I don't really believe in coincidences, and I'm only a little paranoid.

In the last three days I've had over 20 requests to be my "friend" on Facebook. Go figure. What characterizes all of these requests is that they're all 20 somethings, which I don't have a lot in common with, and, I don't know one of them. I'm sure they don't know me either. OK, so why the heck do they want to be my friend?

I know I'm overthinking this, so I ask, do you just add Facebook friends whenever someone requests it, or are you more selective?

If you're SEARCHING for a home anywhere in Maryland, click here to view ALL ACTIVE LISTINGS.

Richard Iarossi, REALTOR®
Long and Foster® Real Estate, Inc.
Crofton, MD 21114

410-451-6255 Office
443-995-9595 Cell
Web: http://www.RichSellsHomes.com
eMail: Rich@RichSellsHomes.com

Annapolis MD Real Estate Specialist
Bowie MD Real Estate Specialist
Crofton MD Real Estate Specialist

©2009 - RichSellsHomes, All Rights Reserved

If you're SEARCHING for a home anywhere in Maryland, click here to view ALL ACTIVE LISTINGS.

Richard Iarossi, REALTOR®
Long and Foster® Real Estate, Inc.
Crofton, MD 21114

410-451-6255 Office
443-995-9595 Cell
Web: http://www.RichSellsHomes.com
eMail: Rich@RichSellsHomes.com

Annapolis MD Real Estate Specialist
Bowie MD Real Estate Specialist
Crofton MD Real Estate Specialist

©2009 - RichSellsHomes, All Rights Reserved

All photos and written content were produced by Richard Iarossi. Copyright 2009 - All Rights Reserved. This content may not be reproduced or reprinted, except for Active Rain Re-blogging, without express written permission of Richard Iarossi, REALTOR®, Long and Foster® Real Estate, Inc., Crofton, MD.

If you're SEARCHING for a home anywhere in Maryland, click here to view ALL ACTIVE LISTINGS.

Richard Iarossi, REALTOR®
Long and Foster® Real Estate, Inc.
Crofton, MD 21114

410-451-6255 Office
443-995-9595 Cell
Web: http://www.RichSellsHomes.com
eMail: Rich@RichSellsHomes.com

Annapolis MD Real Estate Specialist
Bowie MD Real Estate Specialist
Crofton MD Real Estate Specialist

©2009 - RichSellsHomes, All Rights Reserved

All photos and written content were produced by Richard Iarossi. Copyright 2009 - All Rights Reserved. This content may not be reproduced or reprinted, except for Active Rain Re-blogging, without express written permission of Richard Iarossi, REALTOR®, Long and Foster® Real Estate, Inc., Crofton, MD.

If you're SEARCHING for a home anywhere in Maryland, click here to view ALL ACTIVE LISTINGS.

Richard Iarossi, REALTOR®
Long and Foster® Real Estate, Inc.
Crofton, MD 21114

410-451-6255 Office
443-995-9595 Cell
Web: http://www.RichSellsHomes.com
eMail: Rich@RichSellsHomes.com

Annapolis MD Real Estate Specialist
Bowie MD Real Estate Specialist
Crofton MD Real Estate Specialist

©2009 - RichSellsHomes, All Rights Reserved

All photos and written content were produced by Richard Iarossi. Copyright 2009 - All Rights Reserved. This content may not be reproduced or reprinted, except for Active Rain Re-blogging, without express written permission of Richard Iarossi, REALTOR®, Long and Foster® Real Estate, Inc., Crofton, MD.

Not only is it a neat application but it's free too, for up to 2 GB of storage. Like many of you I have multiple computers. A desktop, a laptop, and a netbook, and yes, I use them all. If I have a file on my desktop that I need on my laptop, I can transfer it over the network or put it on a USB thumb drive. 

Along comes this application called Dropbox. Pretty simple really. Download the free software on each of your computers and it creates a "Dropbox" folder in your "My Documents" folder. Whatever you put in that dropbox folder on any of your pc's, now gets populated in the dropbox folder on your other PCs. No fuss, no muss, you don't have to do anything, the file will automatically populate on all your pc's. All you need is an internet connection, or a connection at a later time. If you don't have access to one of your PCs, go to the Dropbox website and the file is there too, for download. To find out more information, you can access the Dropbox website here.

2 GB comes with the free account. You can order 25 and 50 GB of storage, for a reasonable monthly fee.

Not only does it work on your pc's, but there is also an iPhone application and yes, your files will automatically populate to your iPhone.

Super easy and free. Just what Realtors like.

If you're SEARCHING for a home anywhere in Maryland, click here to view ALL ACTIVE LISTINGS.

Richard Iarossi, REALTOR®
Long and Foster® Real Estate, Inc.
Crofton, MD 21114

410-451-6255 Office
443-995-9595 Cell
Web: http://www.RichSellsHomes.com
eMail: Rich@RichSellsHomes.com

Annapolis MD Real Estate Specialist
Bowie MD Real Estate Specialist
Crofton MD Real Estate Specialist

©2009 - RichSellsHomes, All Rights Reserved

It didn't take long after our board discontinued the use of one day showing codes, for the first agent to call me complaining that they couldn't get into one of my listings. On October 1st, Anne Arundel County Board of Realtors blocked the one day code from being used in the Sentrilock lockboxes. Since our conversion to Sentri, agents without keys, non-updated keys, lost keys, etc., were able to get into listings via a 4 digit one day showing code.

According to the board, the one day showing codes were blocked because of security. OK, thats what they said, even though there are about a bazillion combo lockboxes out there too. Since they're the controlling Board, it didn't matter what the reason. It was their decision, and, as members, we all live by it.

It was a nice feature, but now its gone. Despite this, I got a call from the showing service the other day asking for permission to give out a one day code. Sure, but I don't think it will work. Sure enough, a couple of minutes later I get a call from Sentrilock support asking my permission for the same thing. Didn't work for him either. It's blocked, period, end of story.

After several unsuccessful attempts to circumvent the system, the agent calls. "I guess you don't want your listing shown if you don't allow agents to get a one day showing code." When I explained to her that these were no longer allowed, it didn't really matter. At that point she was just posturing for her buyers by yelling at me. I even offered to go out and let her in, but she would have none of it. 

I guess she didn't get the memo about the one day codes being blocked. To me it doesn't matter whether they allow a one day showing code or not. I have a key and I keep it updated.

How any real estate agent can function without a real estate key, to the Board approved lockbox system, is a mystery to me. Frankly, if you want to be a real estate agent, you have to pay the price. Purchasing a key, and a yearly subscription, should not be discretionary.

If you're SEARCHING for a home anywhere in Maryland, click here to view ALL ACTIVE LISTINGS.

Richard Iarossi, REALTOR®
Long and Foster® Real Estate, Inc.
Crofton, MD 21114

410-451-6255 Office
443-995-9595 Cell
Web: http://www.RichSellsHomes.com
eMail: Rich@RichSellsHomes.com

Annapolis MD Real Estate Specialist
Bowie MD Real Estate Specialist
Crofton MD Real Estate Specialist

©2009 - RichSellsHomes, All Rights Reserved

Davidsonville, MD is never an easy zip code to analyze for real estate statistics. Clearly, one of the most expensive areas of Anne Arundel County to live, Davidsonville, MD rarely has monthly sales that are in the double digits.

With the median home price over $700 thousand dollars, this shouldn't be a surprise.

58 of the 73 current active listings in Davidsonville are priced over $700 thousand dollars.

Despite the relatively low number of transactions, Davidsonville, MD has seen a decreasing inventory in the last couple of months. 

If you're looking for an upscale neighborhood, with an easy commute to Washington, DC, Baltimore and Annapolis, Davidsonville, MD is the place to be.

If you're SEARCHING for a home anywhere in Maryland, click here to view ALL ACTIVE LISTINGS.

Richard Iarossi, REALTOR®
Long and Foster® Real Estate, Inc.
Crofton, MD 21114

410-451-6255 Office
443-995-9595 Cell
Web: http://www.RichSellsHomes.com
eMail: Rich@RichSellsHomes.com

Annapolis MD Real Estate Specialist
Bowie MD Real Estate Specialist
Crofton MD Real Estate Specialist

©2009 - RichSellsHomes, All Rights Reserved

As you can imagine, home buyers in Odenton, MD, frequently take advantage of VA loans. I'm pretty sure that this is one of the few communities around where VA loans exceeded Conventional loans for home purchases in September, 2009.

Of course, Ft. Meade, home to the NSA is the cause of so many VA loans.

In September, 2009 though, FHA loans were at the top of the list with 10. This loan type is very attractive for first time home buyers since it only requires 3.5% of the purchase price as a down payment.

If you're looking for a home in Odenton, MD, I work with an outstanding lender who can secure the best financing to meet your needs.

If you're not already working with a Realtor® to find a home in Odenton, MD, I can help.

If you're SEARCHING for a home anywhere in Maryland, click here to view ALL ACTIVE LISTINGS.

Richard Iarossi, REALTOR®
Long and Foster® Real Estate, Inc.
Crofton, MD 21114

410-451-6255 Office
443-995-9595 Cell
Web: http://www.RichSellsHomes.com
eMail: Rich@RichSellsHomes.com

Annapolis MD Real Estate Specialist
Bowie MD Real Estate Specialist
Crofton MD Real Estate Specialist

©2009 - RichSellsHomes, All Rights Reserved