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Annapolis MD Real Estate - Annapolis MD Waterfront Homes for Sale

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 21:50:06 -0400

Annapolis, MD has some of the most desireable waterfront properties in the country. Home of the Naval Academy, sailing is at the heart of the Annapolis lifestyle. With all due respect to our friends on the West Coast, many people consider Annapolis to be the sailing capital of the world.

There are currently 152 Annapolis waterfront properties for sale. They range from a $209,900 2br/2ba condo all the way up to a $9.9M 39 acre estate.

The first 20 Annapolis, MD waterfront properties are listed on the map below. Click on any of the icons and all 152 properties will be available for detailed viewing.

If you're looking for a waterfront home in Annapolis, MD, or anywhere in the surrounding area, I can help.

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
Bowie MD Real Estate
Crofton MD Real Estate

Bowie MD Real Estate - Bowie Foreclosures, Bank Owned Properties

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 20:40:58 -0400

The city of Bowie, MD has a population of over 50,000 residents spread out over an area of approximately 16 square miles. Two middle schools, Benjamine Tasker and Sam Ogle feed into the Bowie High School. Bowie has a median household income of $99,105, based on a 2007 estimate of census data.

Bowie, MD currently has 530 Active listings in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Of these, 87 are foreclosures, or bank owned properties.

Bowie has one of the highest foreclosure rates in the area. From January 1, 2010 to August 31, 2010, 702 homes were sold in all of the Bowie zip codes. 250 of these were foreclosures, or bank owned properties. 35% of all homes sold in Bowie, MD since the beginning of the year have been foreclosures. Crofton, MD, an adjacent town had a foreclosure rate of about 7.5%.

There is no question that Bowie, MD has been severly affected by the housing downturn and the sale of distressed properties.

Foreclosed properties can be a bargain. All are listed with a real estate brokerage and considered bank owned after the foreclosure process is complete. There are only minor differences in buying a foreclosed property compared to a normal resale.

The map below lists the first twenty Bowie, MD foreclosures as of today, September 6, 2010. Click on any of the icons and bring up a detailed list of all Bowie, MD foreclosures.

If you are looking to purchase a foreclosed home in Bowie, MD, or the surrounding area, I can help.

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
Bowie MD Real Estate
Crofton MD Real Estate

Should Crofton, MD home sellers paint before listing their home?

Sat, 04 Sep 2010 07:56:49 -0400

The short answer to that question is yes. Crofton, MD, like many other communities here in Suburban Maryland is very competive when it comes to selling your home. The current inventory is high, and buyers can afford to be picky about which home they purchase.

Certainly, the outside of your home has to show as well as the inside to attract as many buyers as possible. You've probably heard the expression..."you don't get another chance to make a first impression." Well, it's true. I've dealt with many a buyer who eliminated a house because the exterior "curb appeal" wasn't up to par. If the outside of your Crofton, MD house for sale needs cleaning or painting...do it. Painting the outside trim finishes off the appearance of your house and adds to it's curb appeal.

Once you fix the outside and can attract more buyers, its time to take a look inside. Painting is one of the least expensive ways for you to increase the value of your home. Keep it neutral. There is a lot of evidence that beige walls and white trim are the favorites with buyers. They're neutral, and blend well with most furniture. When you're selling your home, it's not the right time for bold experimentation with paint. Let the new buyers paint whatever color they want...after they move in.

If you're like most home sellers, once you make the decision to sell your home, you want it to go as quickly as possible. Inside and outside painting is one of the best, and least expensive ways to make your Crofton, MD home for sale more marketable.

If you're thinking about putting your home on the market, and you're not already working with an agent...I can help.

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
Bowie MD Real Estate
Crofton MD Real Estate

Crofton MD to host the Anne Arundel County Volunteer Firefighters Parade on September 11, 2010

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 09:59:38 -0400

The Annual Anne Arundel County Volunteer Firefighters Parade will be coming to Crofton, MD this year on September 11, 2010. Volunteer Firefighters from around Anne Arundel County will be bringing their firetrucks for the largest parade Crofton has had in quite some time.

There are over 100 units expected to be in the parade and on display. The parade will be held starting at 10:00 AM, and expect it to last a while with that many participants. The firetrucks will be staged near Urby Drive and will travel along Crofton Parkway to Duke of Kent. They can be viewed anywhere along the way.

Residents should be aware that the parade route will be closed off to normal traffic for several hours on the morning of September 11, 2010. No complaints as this is a privilege to have the Firefighters choose our community for their parade.

Bring the kids, bring a chair, bring your community pride, and let's honor the Volunteer Firefighters of Anne Arundel County. Let's show them what kind of party Crofton, MD can throw.

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
Bowie MD Real Estate
Crofton MD Real Estate

Crofton MD Real Estate - Crofton MD Foreclosures

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:22:13 -0400

Homes that have completed the foreclosure legal process frequently revert back to the bank, if they're not perviously sold at auction. While Crofton, MD doesn't have a significant number of bank owned properties, some are always available for preview and purchase. Bank owned properties can be a great deal for potential home buyers.

Crofton, MD has had a total of 193 homes that have sold from January 1, 2010 through August 31, 2010. Of these, only 15 were bank owned (foreclosure) sales. This equates to 7.7% of total sales. Compared to other communities in the area, this is a very small number.

The process of purchasing a bank owned property is well documented, and varies only slightly from a normal resale. The fact that there hasn't been many foreclosures in Crofton, MD has tended to help keep property prices stable.

As of today, September 2, 2010, the map below shows the ten properties that have been foreclosed on in Crofton, MD. These properties are available for preview. Hover over the icon for a picture and price, click on the icon for full details.

If you're not already working with an agent, I can show you any foreclosed property in Crofton, MD, or anywhere in the surrounding area.

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

Crofton MD Real Estate - Crofton MD Foreclosures

Sun, 01 Aug 2010 20:24:31 -0400

Crofton, MD has had a total of 165 homes that have sold since January 1, 2010. Of these, 13 were bank owned (foreclosure) sales. This equates to 7.8% of total sales. Compared to other communities in the area, this is a very small number.

As of today, August 1, 2010, the map below shows the seven properties that have been foreclosed on in Crofton, MD. These properties are available for preview. Hover over the icon for a picture and price, click on the icon for full details.

If you're not already working with an agent, I can show you any foreclosed property in Crofton, MD, or anywhere in the surrounding area.

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

The Wild Ponies of Assateague Island

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 07:34:07 -0400

All States have their areas of natural beauty. Maryland is no exception. Out on the Eastern Shore of Maryland is a wonderful little island, operated and maintained by the National Park Service, Assateague Island.

This paradise island is a place to enjoy white sandy beaches, take Marsh and Forest tours, study ecology, camping, and of course, a visit with the Wild Ponies.

There are two herds of Wild Ponies on Assateague Island. They have the run of the island and we humans are just visitors. There is a sister island in Virginia, Chincoteague Island, which also has its own herd of Wild Ponies.

The Assateague Wild Ponies have adapted to an environment which is not common to their domesticated partners. Their diet consists of Marsh and Dune grasses. On Assateague Island, there is plenty of fresh water, both natural and provided by the National Park Service, and the ponies know just where to quench their thirst. Summer months can be very hot and unforgiving. This year has been especially brutal.

The island has a bounty of bird life in addition to the famous ponies. Great Blue Herons, Egrets, Wigeons, and others can be found in the Marshes, forest areas, and on the water.

Enter the parking lot and the Wild Ponies will frequently be there to greet you. Probably looking for a handout.

Egrets catching a ride. They may be keeping the fly's from bothering the horses.

A new foal destined for an interesting life on Assateague Island.

Cars wait for the Wild Ponies, not the other way around.

I wasn't able to get any pictures of the horses on the beach with the Atlantic Ocean in the background. That just gives me another excuse to go back to Assateague Island.

If you're in the area you should explore Assateague Island. Be prepared to walk the Marsh, Forest and Dune trails. Stay clear of the Wild Ponies though. They are cute, but they are wild, and not all that friendly.

All photos and written content were produced by Richard Iarossi. Copyright 2010 - 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.

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
Bowie MD Real Estate
Crofton MD Real Estate

Crofton MD Real Estate - Homes for Sale in Chapman Farm

Sun, 22 Aug 2010 19:31:50 -0400

OK, you've already selected Crofton, MD as your destination of choice to buy a home. Now its time to drill down into the specific neighborhoods.

One of the ones that should be high on your list is going to be Chapman Farm. This unique subdivision is made up exclusively of single family detached homes.

Built in the late 90's, these homes have a lot to offer. Most with finished basements, nine foot ceilings and maintenance free exteriors.

Chapman Farm is a community with houses for sale starting in the mid $400's and going over $600 in some cases. This report does show one Chapman Farm home for sale listed at $399,900. This is a 3 br, 2.5 bath home.

Today, there are 6 homes for sale in Chapman Farm, Crofton, MD. Clicking on any of the icons on the map below will bring up a page where you can view detailed descriptions of all homes for sale in Chapman Farms, Crofton, MD.

If you're not already working with a Realtor to purchase a home in Crofton, or the surrounding area, I can help.

The map below shows all the homes currently for sale in Chapman Farm, Crofton, MD.

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
Bowie MD Real Estate
Crofton MD Real Estate

Odenton MD Real Estate - Changes for Week of 8/15/10 to 8/21/10

Sun, 22 Aug 2010 19:20:42 -0400

Nine new rentals came on the market in Odenton, MD last week bringing the total rentals in zip code 21113 to 27. Rental requests remain high, primarily due to military moves at this time. Decent rentals are going pretty quickly.

Thirteen new listings became active during the week of 8/15 to 8/21. Prices on these new entries ranged from $225,000 to $525,000.

Four homes went under contract/no kick out status, and six went under full contract status. These contract changes are an indicator of future settlements in Odenton, MD.

One rental applications were registered, and ten homes were rented last week in Odenton, MD. Again, another indication of the strong rental market in Odenton.

Six homes completed the entire sale process and settled. Congratulations to these new Odenton, MD home owners. Closings remain strong in Odenton, MD.

One active listing expired, and six active listings were withdrawn from the Odenton, MD real estate market.

If you're looking for a home to buy or rent in Odenton, MD, or anywhere in the surrounding area, I can help.

Clicking any icon on the map below will display all homes for sale or rent in Odenton, MD.

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

Crofton MD Real Estate - Changes for Week of 8/15/10 to 8/21/10

Sun, 22 Aug 2010 19:02:01 -0400

Six new rentals came on the market in Crofton, MD last week bringing the total rentals available in Crofton to 21. . All the current rentals are townhouses, except for one semi detached home. Rental prices range from $1,425/month to $1,900/month.

Eight new homes became active during the week of 8/8/10 to 8/14/10. One of these would be new construction. The current available homes for sale in the Crofton, MD inventory remains at 154. This is an excellent combination spanning all price ranges. The least expensive Crofton, MD home is listed for $129,900 and the most expensive is listed for $650,000.

Five homes went under contract/no kickout status, and three went under full contract status. One home went under contract with a kickout. This activity is an indicator of future settlements in Crofton, MD.

Three application was registered on rentals, and eight homes were rented last week in Crofton. Another indicator of the strength of the rental market.

Six homes completed the entire sale process and settled. Congratulations to these new Crofton, MD home owners. They ranged in price from $234,995 to $529,900.

Two active listings were withdrawn from the Crofton, MD market.

If you're looking for a home to rent or buy in Crofton, MD, or anywhere in the surrounding area, I can help.

Clicking any icon on the map below will display all homes for sale or rent in Crofton, MD.

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

Sometimes a real estate service works just fine

Sun, 22 Aug 2010 07:29:52 -0400

I can remember a few years ago when our office was going to convert to using a showing service to book listing appointments. Oh boy, the howls, screams and gnashing of teeth, coming from both listing and showing agents.

Centralized Showing Service hasn't changed much since that time, but it just keeps plugging along every day, doing what it was designed to do very efficiently, which is make appointments. For the nominal charge per listing, the service has turned out to be a terrific time saver for brokerages and agents.

Listing agents enter the showing data, and all calls to show listings go to a centralized number. Reports are available to the agent, seller, or both. Listing agents get emails when a showing is scheduled. Showing agents get a confirmation email with the showing details. Quick, easy and efficient.

CSS sends out one or more emails asking for feedback. If you don't want feedback, you can set an option for that too. I don't have a 100% success rate with feedback, but asking an agent for feedback in an email seems to be more acceptable than asking by telephone.

Where the service really stands out is when showing homes. When you're making appointments to show multiple homes, I can get all the CSS ones out of the way with one phone call. It's easy to make half a dozen appointments to show homes in the space of about two minutes. I cringe now when I see the ones where I have to make an appointment through the brokerage, or worse yet...through the agent.

Are there stories of CSS making mistakes? Sure. I do wonder though, whether the mistake was theirs or the information provided by the listing agent. Personally, I've found that their error rate is pretty low.

There are other showing services we occasionally run into when making appointments, but Centralized Showing Service is the 800 pound gorilla in our market.

Why a brokerage would want to keep making appointments in house escapes me. CSS is a win/win for listing agents, showing agents, and brokerages alike.

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
Bowie MD Real Estate
Crofton MD Real Estate

Gambrills MD Real Estate - Homes for Sale in Hallmark Woods

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 21:38:15 -0400

Hallmark Woods in Gambrills is a wonderful community tucked away in the woods, yet near major roads and transportation routes. Just minutes from Crofton, Hallmark Woods sub-division has 108 homes, all on an acre, or more of land.

Prices of these single family homes in Hallmark Woods range from the mid $400's to the high $500's.

If you're looking for a single family home in a rural setting, Hallmark Woods is an area you should explore. There are currently 5 homes for sale in Hallmark Woods. all 5 can be seen on the map below.

If you're not already working with a REALTOR® to find a home in the Gambrills, Annapolis, Crofton area, I can help.

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
Bowie MD Real Estate
Crofton MD Real Estate

Crofton MD Real Estate - Homes for Rent in Crofton, MD

Sun, 15 Aug 2010 20:39:27 -0400

The Crofton, MD rental market is extremely robust right now. Quality, affordable rentals are very hard to come by. I'm getting calls and emails every day from people looking for decent rentals in the area. Renters are getting pretty aggressive trying to get into a place before school starts.

Many military families are being relocated and will be working at Ft. George G. Meade, or the NSA. Some as a result of the Base Realignment and Closing initiative (BRAC), and others with their Permanent Change of Station orders.

Crofton, MD is an excellent choice for renters. Located about 15 minutes from Ft. George G. Meade, Crofton has a lot to offer both buyers and renters.

Crofton has a nice selection but only 20 rental homes in the current inventory. This is a pretty small inventory for a community this size. All of the properties are condos or townhouses. No single family homes are available today, August 15, 2010. That will change.

The map below shows all of the homes for rent in the Crofton, MD home inventory. Click on any of the icons and you will see additional details on each property. Log in and get automatic email updates when new homes go on the rental market in Crofton, MD.

If you're not already working with an agent to rent a house in Crofton, MD, or the surrounding area, I can help.

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
Bowie MD Real Estate
Crofton MD Real Estate

Crofton MD Real Estate - Changes for Week of 8/8/10 - 8/14/10

Sun, 15 Aug 2010 20:26:25 -0400

Six new rentals came on the market in Crofton, MD last week. This is good news since the rental inventory is pretty low, and the demand is high. That brings the total available rentals in Crofton to twenty. All the current rentals are townhouses. Rental prices range from $1,275/month to $1,995/month.

Four new homes became active during the week of 8/8/10 to 8/14/10. The current available homes for sale in the Crofton, MD inventory stands at 154. This is an excellent combination spanning all price ranges. The least expensive Crofton, MD home is listed for $129,900 and the most expensive is listed for $639,990.

Four homes went under contract/no kickout status, and four went under full contract status. This is an indicator of future settlements in Crofton, MD.

One application was registered on rentals, and eight homes were rented last week in Crofton. Another indicator of the strength of the rental market.

Four homes completed the entire sale process and settled. Congratulations to these new Crofton, MD home owners. They ranged in price from $187,999to $425,000.

Four active listings were withdrawn from the Crofton, MD market.

If you're looking for a home to rent or buy in Crofton, MD, or anywhere in the surrounding area, I can help.

Clicking any icon on the map below will display all homes for sale or rent in Crofton, MD.

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

Crofton MD Real Estate - Crofton Homes for Sale in Walden Sub-division

Sun, 15 Aug 2010 20:02:38 -0400

Crofton, MD tends to be a destination point for buyers relocating into the area and working in DC or Baltimore. Situated almost equidistant between those two large employment markets, Crofton, MD offers a lot to local and relocating buyers. Once you add Annapolis to that mix, you have a combination that's hard to beat.

Crofton, MD has many subdivisions that have grown into the Greater Crofton area over the years. It would be hard to find any nicer than Walden.

Surrounding the Walden Golf Course is a terrific selection of single family, townhouse and condo offerings. Prices for these listings range from the $190's to the $700's. There is something for everyone in Walden.

Today, there are 22 homes for sale in the Walden sub-division of Crofton, MD. Clicking on any of the icons on the map below will bring up a page where you can view detailed description of all homes for sale in Walden.

If you're not already working with a Realtor to purchase a home in Crofton, MD, or anywhere in the surrounding area, I can help.

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
Bowie MD Real Estate
Crofton MD Real Estate