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This time of year in Maryland there are all kinds of "FESTS" going on during the weekends. Tomato Fest, Mum Fest, Art Fest...you name it, we have them. Finally, someone created a FEST that Rich will attend voluntarily, instead of having to be dragged to by my wife. Announcing the "HARVEST BEER FEST."

This one is right in my neighborhood too, at Homestead Gardens, Davidsonville, MD. Let's keep the following date open: Saturday, September 17th from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM. For those of you actually consuming beer, the price of a ticket is $35. You get to sample over 50 selections of two ounce size. That's a lot of beer.

Designated drivers are encouraged to attend and can get into the FEST for $10, and that includes free soda and a meal coupon. Several Brewers will be conducting sessions during the BEER FEST.

Homestead Gardens
743 West Central Ave.
Davidsonville, MD 21035 
Saturday, September 17, 2011
2:00 PM - 7:00 PM

REMEMBER: Drink Responsibly 

Join the crowds this weekend at the intersection of Calvert and West Streets in Annapolis, MD for the First Sunday Arts Festival. The Free Festival goes from noon to 5 PM, and there is even FREE parking at State Garage on Calvert at Bladen.

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The Festival includes artists and crafters, dining, music and live performances. You can get more information on the official Festival Website.

Here are some pictures I took at one of the First Sunday Arts Festivals.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, and the American Red Cross, will be conducting a Community Blood Drive on October 5, 2010.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010
2 PM to 8 PM
1800 Seton Drive
Crofton, MD 21114

If you’re able to donate blood, please call 1-800-RED-CROSS (733-2767) to schedule your donation time.

The Village Green, located right on Crofton Parkway in Crofton, MD, is the location for the much awaited Summer Concert Series. Grab your chair and come down to the Green on Sunday evenings between 6 - 8 PM, for music and friendship.

This wonderful music series, featuring local bands of every persuasion,  has been going on for as long as I remember. As an added bonus...it's free.

This years free music offerings include:

• June 6 - The Pocket Change Band
• June 13 - Bay Jazz Project
• June 27 - Baywinds
• July 11 - Ruth Capobianco
• July 18 - Big Band Caliente
• July 25 - The Annapolis Bluegrass Coalition

Remember, the Village Green is a mosquito free zone :)

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

Crofton Woods is a wonderful sub-division located within the Crofton Triangle. While most of the homes in the Crofton Triangle were built in the late 1960's to early 1970's, Crofton Woods homes were built in the mid 1990's. Not only do home owners in Crofton Woods have the advantage of being in the triangle, they also enjoy the benefits of newer homes.

The special tax district of Crofton, MD, enjoys one of the best locations in Maryland. Crofton is located in between the two largest employment markets in the area, Baltimore about 30 minutes to the North, and Washington, DC, about 30 minutes to the South.

Crofton is also about 15 minutes from Annapolis and the varied leisure activities of the Cheasapeake Bay. Ft. Meade, one of the largest employers in the State, and projected to grow by about 22,000 additional jobs in the coming decade, is located about fifteen minutes from Crofton, MD. When the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) is completed, Ft. Meade will employ more people than the Pentagon. Crofton, MD will be a destination point for many employees relocating in to Ft. Meade.

Crofton Woods consists of 173 single family detached homes. One of the three Crofton Elementary Schools is located in Crofton Woods. All graduating students from Crofton Woods Elementary feed the Blue Ribbon Crofton Middle School.

Crofton Woods residents apparantly like to stay in the area. There have only been two homes listed and sold in Crofton Woods in the past year. Only one home in the Crofton Woods sub-division is currently Active in the MLS, and can be viewed here.

Crofton Woods is located in the Southwest corner of the Crofton Triangle with easy access to Rt. 3 and Rt. 450 commuting routes.

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

Build a better dry cleaners and people will come. Dry cleaning is dry cleaning, right? Sure, but the business model that Zips Dry Cleaners uses is different than competing dry cleaners in the Crofton, MD area. I believe its one of the things that is contributing to their success.

Zips Dry Cleaners is located in the Princess Shopping Center, 2510 Conway Road, Gambrills, MD 21054, just over the Crofton border.

What makes Zips Dry Cleaners different? They accept only one form of payment, and its up front. Cash is king at Zips. They even have an ATM machine in the lobby if you need cash. When you bring your laundry or dry cleaning in, you pay up front.

Since they only accept cash, they don't have to worry about paying a certain percentage to a credit card company. No returned checks either. Decide to leave your cleaning there...remember, you already paid for it when you brought it in.

Zips Dry Cleaners seems to be passing along their savings generated by their simple business model. Shirts laundered, starch and hangers, $1.19 each. My old cleaner used to charge over $2.00 per shirt. The quality at Zips is equal or better than my old cleaner.

Like a lot of dry cleaners, Zips also employs the in by nine, out by five model. Can't get it in by nine, it will be ready the next day. Large, custom pieces, like bedspreads, do take a bit longer.

Dry cleaning again uses a different, user friendly model. Each piece is $1.99. A two piece suit, $1.99 for the pants, $1.99 for the jacket. Again, my old cleaner used to charge me $8.00 for a dry cleaned suit. Not any more.

I think Zips is here to stay. Great customer service, great prices, great quality. What more could you ask?

If you haven't given Zips in the Crofton, MD area a try yet, you owe it to your pocketbook to stop by soon. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

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 a property owner in Anne Arundel County Maryland, you know you have to have a perc test conducted on the property in order to determine the type of septic system required. Unlike last year when the season was shortened due to groundwater levels being too low, thats not the case in 2010.

We've had a pretty wet couple of months and the "wet season" perc testing started early on December 28th. The testing should continue until Spring. Nevertheless, if you're trying to sell the property, or need a building permit, you shouldn't wait to get your test conducted. The testing is done by the County on a first come, first served basis.

Detailed information on the requirements for the perc test can be found on the Anne Arundel County Department of Health website, located here. For additional information from the County they can be reached at 410-222-7193.

I recommend that you visit the County website or contact them directly. If you miss the test this year you'll have to wait until 2011 until it becomes available again.

If you're looking to buy or sell undeveloped property, I can help.

Time is of the essence can relate to a couple of things as it pertains to buying a home in Crofton, MD. Certainly, it can pertain to making an offer and getting the home of your choice. The market is changing here in Crofton and buyers shouldn't wait too long to make an offer. While you're waiting and thinking, someone else is working with their Realtor and the home you thought you were going to get will be gone.

For purposes of this post though, lets talk about a clause in the contract of sale that pertains to "Time is of the Essence." In the Maryland Residential Contract of Sale, the Time is of the Essence clause is right at the top of the contract. Its pretty hard to miss because its located before any of the paragraphs, and is outlined with a border. The clause says:

"TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. Time is of the essence of this Contract. The failure of Seller or Buyer to perform any act as provided in this Contract by a prescribed date or within a prescribed time period shall be a default under this Contract and the non defaulting party, upon written notice to the defaulting party, may declare this Contract null and void and of no further legal force and effect. In such event, all Deposit(s) shall be disbursed in accordance with Paragraph 19 of this Contract."

An offer to purchase a home using the Maryland Residential Contract of Sale can get pretty complicated. This is especially true with respect to all the corresponding addenda that might be required. On a simple, routine sale, the contract can easily exceed thirty pages. Within that entire contract, both the buyer and seller commit to perform specific acts within a time frame. As you can see from the Contract language, those dates are very important. You, and your Realtor should be closely monitoring the dates in the Contract so that the transaction continues smoothly to its ultimate goal, settlement.

The dates you and your agent place in the contract have consequences if they're not met.

If you're looking to buy or sell a home in the Crofton MD real estate area, or surrounding communities, and you don't already have an agent, I can help.

I hate to be the spoilsport but we all know those Christmas Trees don't last forever. Heck, most of them were cut down long before Christmas and by now they're pretty well drying out. Maybe another week left in them but that's about all.

What do you do to get rid of the once live Christmas Tree? If you're living in Anne Arundel County Maryland, its pretty easy to recycle. After you un-decorate the tree, all you need to do is to put it out with the other recycling. If its too big (over four feet) you should cut it in half so the recyclers can get it in the truck. Recycled Christmas Trees are made into mulch by the county.

While you're at it, a lot of other Christmas waste can be recycled as well. Wrapping paper, catalogues, cardboard boxes, etc.

For more information about recycling in Crofton and Anne Arundel County MD, you can visit the County website at www.aacounty.org/DPW/Wastemanagement or call the County office at 410-222-6100.

The Crofton Community Association General Membership Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 19, 2010. The meeting will begin at 7:30 PM at the Crofton Elementary School, located at 1405 Duke of Kent Drive, Crofton, MD.

The snow date for the meeting is January 26, 2010.

The first meeting of the year is usually well attended because the budget for the next fiscal year will be presented. The budget, which has been mailed to all residents, contains a modest 2.3% increase.

Crofton MD is one of the Special Tax Districts located in Anne Arundel, MD. An additional tax is charged to residents of the Crofton Community Association and is collected by the County. This tax surcharge is used to pay for the Crofton Police Department, recreational activities, administration and maintenance of public areas.

While Crofton MD is a large, spread out community, only those residents living in Crofton Triangle are members of the Crofton Community Association. The Crofton Triangle is loosely defined as being within the borders of three roads. Rt. 3, Rt. 424, and Rt. 450.

Join your friends and neighbors on January 26th for a lively discussion on CCA activities.