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college park: 9327 Limestone Place, College Park, MD 20740 - 11/06/09 04:55 PM
This home has a ton of appeal and a ton of potential. This house has what we, in real estate, call "good bones". Yes, it needs some cosmetic fix up here and there. However, it could be the perfect home to the right buyer who sees the potential and gets the right mortgage -- a FHA 203 (k) would be perfect. … (3 comments)

college park: Now, I Remember Why I Like Real Estate - 05/20/09 06:39 PM
Years ago, I worked with a husband and wife who were buying their first investment home. They had grand dreams (or, at least, the wife did) of buying a house a year until it was time to retire and they'd live off the rental income or sell a few homes to tide them over in the Golden Years. 
Luckily, the husband was a pretty handy guy who wasn't afraid to roll of his sleeves and the wife became the Queen of Craigslist finding all kinds of great bargains for appliances and the like.  They both went in with their eyes open.
… (8 comments)

college park: The Market Is Picking UP...These Home Prices Are Going DOWN - 05/11/09 08:30 PM
Recently, I had two of my clients re-think their pricing startegy. I've been gently encouraging them to do something. Yes, the market is picking up. Yes, the media is saying that we may be hitting the bottom. However, the sad fact is that prices are still trying to find the "just right" place to stabilize. Meanwhile, the foreclosures and short sales are still out there in plentiful supply.Wouldn't it be nice, though, if there were some nice homes, in good shape (can you say, "No repairs!") that are being sold by real people (not banks) who can say "Yes!" to your … (2 comments)

college park: A Change (price adjustment) We Can Believe In -- College Park, MD - 01/26/09 04:53 PM
This home has been inspected, detected, selected and upgraded in all the places it counts:

* great open, remodeled kitchen
* huge renovated master bath with a Jacuzzi and water temperature control (the hot water stays hot!)
* a working sauna
* a fully finished walkout basement
* Pella doors
* hardwood floors
The new, new, new price on this is only $314,999 and it's very close to METRO and the University of MD.
… (5 comments)

college park: Thank You, Mr. & Mrs. Buyer For Paying For The Inspection - 01/16/09 06:34 PM
A few posts ago, I wrote about one of my listings going under contract soon after the settlement of another of my listings.  I was pretty excited and thought I was on a bit of a roll.  Maybe too excited.
I forgot my primo rule - don't count the money until it's in the bank - otherwise known as "It ain't over 'til the Fat Lady sings!"
It turns out the buyers for this house wanted to do a home inspection.  Nothing wrong with that.  Inspections are good things.  Besides the house was in good shape,  A lot of upgrades.  Still … (67 comments)

college park: Fun @ Franklin's BrewPub in Hyattsville for the College Park Woods Swim Club - 01/14/09 07:50 PM
I honestly think this FUNdraiser for the College Park Woods Swim Club was a good excuse for neighbors and friends who have known each other for years to get together and have a great meal and toss back a couple of Franklin's famous microbrews.
College Park Woods is this great community minutes from the University of MD that has this wonderful community pool.  They get into water aerobics and everything.  Of course, it's a Memorial Day to Labor Day kind of thing since it is, after all, an outdoor pool.
I wrote more about this with some great photos at this … (1 comments)

college park: College Park, MD: 5918 Bryn Mawr Road, New Great Price - $314,999 - 01/12/09 03:15 PM
If you were looking for a home that was in true "move-in" condition, this may be the one for you!
This beautiful home has been updated and remodeled with a gorgeous kitchen and spacious master bath complete with a real Jacuzzi with a temperature control that keeps the water warm (or hot!) as long as you want to sit in it.
It also has a working sauna in the fully finished walk-out basement.

-- Minutes to METRO
-- Minutes to the University of MD
-- Minutes to great commuter routes
-- Parks, Shopping, Movies, ... and More.

… (1 comments)

college park: Is College Park Having a Renaissance? - 01/05/09 09:27 PM
A couple of posts back I wrote about a great end-of-year settlement for a nice Split Level in College Park Woods.  The house hadn't been on the market that long and the previous owner had kept it in good shape.
Now, just days after that one settled an offer cam in on another listing "across town" from College Park Woods near the Town of Berwyn Heights. We're really just talking a couple of miles here. Still a great neighborhood with great access to the University of MD and major employers as well as major commuter routes and METRO.
You can read … (5 comments)

college park: Multiple Offers? Really? - 04/07/08 06:25 AM
Recently, I was asked by Realtor colleague from the Houston area if I would assist with the sale of the family home in College Park.  She had a sister in the area who was the Personal Representative for the Estate who would handle all the details with her husband, my colleague's brother-in-law.
After taking a look at the interior of the house, it was obvious that it needed a lot of repair.  Most of the repair was cosmetic in nature.  The hardwood floors needed to be refinished, the unfinished basement has some issues, the roof was old, it needed painting.
… (9 comments)

college park: Hot Decorating Tips for Your Home - 02/27/08 06:44 AM
Here is another in a series of great, quick tips on how to make you home more inviting.  As you may have heard, the housing market is not is a good a shape as it could be.  That's why it's more important than ever that your house look its best when you're trying to attract someone to buy it!
The best part about these tips is that you really don't have to be selling your home to put them to work.  Taking advantage of some of this advice will help your home look nice and feel nice even if it's just … (0 comments)

college park: Watch out! THEY may be using your information. - 02/23/08 07:05 AM
Every so often an article or, in this instance, an OpEd piece in The Washington Post decries the aggregation of data that we, ourselves, put online.  It doesn't matter if it's a profile on Amazon in order to be able to buy books or stuff you bank wants to know.  It's an apocalyptic invasion of privacy (don't forget we're the ones that  put it there).
Here is an  Opd piece in today's Washington Post about what Facebook does  (or doesn't)  do with information you add to your Facebook profile.  Just Click Here to read the article.
Full disclosure -- I'm … (4 comments)

college park: Property Tax Relief for Low to Moderate Income Homeowners - 02/22/08 07:08 AM
A great friend of mine, Doyle Neimann, who also happens to be a State Delegate for Maryland's 47th District alerted me to this program designed to provide some relief for low to moderate income homeowners.  The program was originally designed to benefit elderly homeowners on fixed incomes but applies to anyone who meets the qualification guidelines.
If you happen to be interested to see if you meet the guideline for the Homeowners' Property Tax Credit Program -- Click Here.
… (0 comments)

college park: The Realtor as a "Consumer" - 02/20/08 04:07 PM
Most of the time on Active Rain I see the word Consumer used to mean Home Buyer and/or Home Seller or, perhaps, Borrower.  Sometimes we forget that the "consumer" of real estate services is unlike, say, a consumer of food at the grocery store, clothes at the department store or automobiles at the car dealership.
This was bought home to me recently when I, a super duper Realtor, went into the refinancing marketplace.  You see, way back in 2003 when I bought my current home I, like most everyone else, was looking for the lowest rate wit the lowest payment.  I guess … (3 comments)

college park: How the Economic Stimulus Package May Affect Your Ability To Buy A Home - 02/18/08 06:31 PM
A great loan officer friend of mine -- Rob Mercer of First Home Mortgage --  recently sent out a little bit of information about the new Economic Stimulus Package.  Now, everyone knows they'll be getting a check in the mail but what does it have to do with mortgages?
Currently, the "conforming" loan amount for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac -  the two huge secondary mortgage "quasi-governmental" entities - is $417,000.  You really can't buy a lot of home for $417,000 in this area. What happens, though, when the price of the home falls at or below $417,000 you get a … (2 comments)

college park: I Love to Blog but I hate to Type - 02/17/08 05:10 PM
I'm an opinionated SOB and I'm not afraid to admit it.  I love to share.  The big problem is that I hate to type.  Ya see, I missed all those great typing classes back when I was in high school (and, yes, when I was in high school they still had typing classes -- but only the girls took them).  If only I had known...and been brave enough to sign up for one.
Now, here we are in the 21st Century where everyone is equal and can do anything they want even if you're a boy and want to take typing.  But … (52 comments)

college park: Making Your Home Attractive to Buyers - 01/12/08 10:27 PM
Now that you've decided to put your home on the market and make the outside look great (curb appeal) and you've priced your home competitively so that you will attract the most buyers possible it's time to make the inside look great.
In the age of the Internet and with lots of people online looking at homes it is more important than ever to make sure your home looks like a page from a magazine.  I know this is particularly hard if you have kids and/or pets but making your home look clean and attractive will help you sell your home … (1 comments)

college park: Discussion of the DC Metro Area Housing Market on WAMU -- 88.5 FM - 01/03/08 12:21 PM
I just finished listening to almost an hour of discussion on the Kojo Nnamdi Show about the housing market in the DC Metro area.  Fascinating stuff. 
There was a lot of talk about the outer Virginia suburbs (Loudon and Prince William Counties) but there was a healthy dose of discussion about the ARMs that are about to re-set, living close-in to DC vs farther away, and a few call-ins from people who had great success stories about selling their homes in a relatively short period of time.
Guess what?  The people who called in to say they sold their homes quickly (one used … (1 comments)

college park: Preparing Your Home to Sell -- Curb Appeal - 01/02/08 07:36 AM
A big part of what home owners can control when putting their home on the market is the over all condition of their home.  Certainly, curb appeal -- how your home looks when you drive up to it -- is very important.  The grass should be nicely mowed and any gardening or landscaping should look as nice as possible.  Any major items should be stored away.  These include things like toys, trash cans and recycling bins, tools and other big things that take away from the overall appearance of the house.
It's important to have good curb appeal for two reasons: … (2 comments)

college park: How Long Will It Take Your House To Sell? - 12/29/07 09:50 AM
When you're deciding on what to price your home for in order for it to sell, it is interesting to see how long, in general, it is taking for homes to sell in your area. This is known as the absorption rate.
The table below is for all the homes in College Park and Berwyn Heights (20740) during the last 365 days (12 months), 180 days (6 months) and 90 days (3 months). 
This table is very general.  It takes into consideration all homes within all price ranges. Higher priced homes as well as lower priced homes.  Believe it or not, you can … (0 comments)

college park: Preparing Your Home to Sell -- Location - 12/27/07 08:46 PM
There is an old saying that says the three most important things about real estate is "Location. Location. Location."  This has been repeated so often by so many that no one questions it anymore.  The fact of the matter is that, as important as location is with real estate, it is not the only important aspect.  As I mentioned in my two previous posts, Price and Condition, are equally, in not more important than Location.
It is location that you, as a home seller, have no control over.  Your house is on it's piece of the earth and, more than likely, it … (0 comments)