These photos were taken during a lazy Sunday morning stroll in beautiful downtown historic Annapolis, Maryland...

Boat owners love to dock in the Annapolis Harbour, where passers-by
can admire their boats.  This area is known as "Ego Alley".

"Ego Alley" ends here at the City Dock where you'll usually find
tourists feeding the ducks or snapping photos.

Annapolis Real Estate, December '09:

Real estate activity in Annapolis (21401) was up an impressive 68% to 37 sold/settled properties last month from the previous year (December '08).  An analysis of Days on Market provided more good news - only 120 days, which was down over 18% from a year ago.  Home prices held relatively steady in Annapolis during this period while dropping throughout much of the region:  Median price went up slightly (.13%) and average sold price went down only about 10%.

Visit the Annapolis page of MDisFun.org for more information about this beautiful city, or contact me anytime for a list of homes for sale in the Annapolis area.

“Updated kitchen” and “updated bath” are key phrases in any MLS listing for Bowie and Crofton, signaling to buyers that the home decor is probably good – i.e., no longer a relic of the 60’s or 70’s featuring original pink bathroom fixtures and tile or aqua kitchen appliances and metal cabinets. 

But wait… that’s not necessarily the case any more, as “retro” becomes more and more popular in homes of that period.  One of my clients was the lucky recipient of my original pink bath fixtures when we finally remodeled our bath last year – one of many people who asked for them. 

Just goes to prove that one person’s trash is another’s treasure. 

If you want a “Retro Redo” for your Bowie-Crofton area home that preserves the original 60’s and 70’s features, check out Retro Renovation, an online resource with the tag-line Love the House You’re In.  The site features information for re-doing homes from the 40’s through the 70’s, promising to assist homeowners who cherish their older home’s character and want to preserve it. You’ll find answers to frequently asked questions as well as recommendations on retro kitchens, bathrooms, counter-tops, flooring, lighting, paint colors, etc. 

You may decide to freshen up the ol’ bath or kitchen with just a fresh coat of paint instead of expensive updating or remodeling, after a visit to this website, and you can call it “retro” instead of “old”.  Even if this isn’t your taste, I’d be surprised if you didn’t enjoy looking at the pictures… they’re bound to bring back some memories for anyone who lived through those decades.

P.S.  Looking for original bath fixtures from the 60’s or 70’s?  You don’t have to scavenge the Bowie and Crofton curbsides on trash day, looking for discards from neighbors who prefer “new”. Check out the Habitat for Humanity ReStores throughout Maryland.

For another perspective on this topic, be sure to view Christine's post today, Does it Pay to Update Your Bowie Home?

No need to turn on the TV or radio any more to find out if Anne Arundel County schools are closing, opening late, or dismissing early when it snows.  Just look for a text message or email.

That's how easy it is for parents and kids in 2010.

Just register on SchoolsOut.com to receive an email notice (free) or text message ($19.95/yr) and you'll never again have to camp out in front of the TV watching school notices crawl across the bottom of your screen.

The service is available for both Anne Arundel and Prince George's County public schools, and a number of private schools and day care facilities in Maryland, as well as schools in 20+ other states.

It's not very often that I digress from real estate topics, and even less often that I send you off to read another website.  I'm going to do both today so you know it must be important.

If traveling by air is in your future, as it is mine, you'll want to read today's featured post on eHow.com:

How to Handle In-Flight Fiascos

One of the suggestions which will change my in-flight behavior later this month, when I go visit my daughter, is to stay awake and alert throughout the entire flight so you'll be at your sharpest in the event something adverse should occur.  Another thing is to tweet your Airline, Flight #, Desitnation and what's occurring in the event of a crisis, so your followers on the ground will hopefully alert authorities.  They even give the phone number of the FBI so you can save it in your phone.

So take a break from real estate for less than a minute to check out this post and read ALL the "how-to" advice.  It could help save a life (even if you're the one on the ground reading the tweet and contacting the authorities at that phone number they provide).

You’ll find plenty of things to celebrate and do in the Crofton area during January 2010, whether you’re a Crofton area Newbie or Old-timer.

Why not begin the month by turning to someone nearby tp say “thank you” because January is National Thank You Month. It’s also National Eye Care Month, Hot Tea Month, National Book Month and National Volunteer Blood Donor Month – just in case you were wondering about that. 

The following information was gathered from countless websites so you won’t have to.  Please contact me at mwoda@mris.com or call me at 301–346–2923 if you would like to see your organization’s events added to this calendar: 

These links are provided for your convenience so you can easily access additional information.  If any of them don’t function properly, please let me know so they can be corrected.

P.S.  RECYCLE YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE – Just place your tree at the curb on your usual recycling day during the first week of January for county pick-up.  If it’s over 4 feet in height or width, be sure to cut it into 4’ sections (or smaller) so it will fit into the truck.

Originally posted by Margaret Woda at FocusOnCrofton.com

Crofton homeowners are looking forward to an improved real estate market in the new year.  Will they get their wish?

I’ll restrain from commenting on the ups and downs of the past decade that will impact real estate in the future because you'll be hearing and reading about that online and in the media from now through New Year's Day.  Instead, I'll go straight to the subject at hand.

My Top Five Predictions for Crofton Maryland Real Estate in 2010:

1. 2010 will continue to be a buyer’s market – i.e., buyers will have the edge in any real estate negotiations because supply will outweigh demand.
2. Prices will remain relatively stable, with seasonal ups and downs throughout the year.  In other words, I’m expecting curves on any graph showing prices from month to month in Crofton, not sharp peaks and valleys. 
3. Foreclosures and short sales will continue to be lower in Crofton than other areas because so many Crofton homeowners are long-time residents with plenty of equity.
4. Interest rates will rise.  Really, how long can they stay below 5% for a 30–year fixed rate mortgage?  
5. Average days on market will remain in the 3–4 month range, but well-priced homes in good condition will still sell in less than 30 days.

Certainly no one has a perfectly focused crystal ball… not even the economists and certainly not the politicians who will dominate the cable channels and print media over the next few days with their predictions about real estate in 2010.  There are just too many variables that we cannot control!

A prediction is nothing more than someone’s “best guess” – and I certainly don’t have a crystal ball.  Yet I do have 4 decades of real estate experience in Crofton, so my guess is probably as good as (or better than) the next guy.

Remember, real estate is kinda like the weather… it is LOCAL.  (Just because it's raining in Philadelphia, it doesn't mean you'll need your umbrella in Crofton!)  You’ve seen in my real estate market updates throughout the year that the real estate market varies widely even from Crofton to Bowie, or Odenton to Davidsonville.  That's why I have to clarify that these predictions are for Crofton only, and not the greater Crofton area.

If you own property nearby, but outside the 21114 zipcode, contact me directly for my predictions on the real estate market in your community.

This little parody on Clement Clark Moore's "A Visit from Saint Nicholas" should probably be called "A Visit from Margaret". 

‘Twas the week before Christmas, and all through the town,
Not a buyer was stirring, the market was down.
Our sale sign was posted in front with care,
In hopes that some buyers soon would be there.

The children were curled up reading in bed,
And visions of moving danced in dad’s head.
Now Grandma in her sweater, and pa in his cap,
Were asleep near the fire, taking a nap.

When out in the yard there arose such a clatter,
I leaped from my chair to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Pulled back the curtains and threw up the sash.

The road wasn’t shoveled, there was new-fallen snow
And neighborhood children were playing below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a red SUV, full of people, right here.

With a little ol’ driver, not lively or quick,
I knew in a moment it wasn’t Saint Nick.
I called to the family, and everyone came,
As I whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

“Now Grandma! now, Grandpa! now Steven and Harry!
Call Larry and Tim, Susan and Mary!
Buyers are coming, there’s no time to spare!
Turn lights on, make beds! Pick up toys everywhere!”

As Margaret’s clients came up the front walk
I was so excited I could barely talk.
The kids jumped into action, and each knew his chore,
We had to be finished, when they got to the door;

And then, in a twinkling, we left just in time
The buyers were there now, ringing the chime.
As I looked o’er my shoulder, I saw they’d arrived.
And Margaret invited them to step inside.

She was dressed all in red, from her head to her toe,
We could trust our agent, our house to show.  
For buyers today, she knew how to find
All the features they wanted, what they had in mind.

Big rooms made them happy!  The closets did, too,
They loved the new kitchen, and baths all in blue.
A big ol’ smile appeared on their face,
Of the homes seen today, this might be the place!

Then quick as they came, they all disappeared,
And they might not buy, that’s what I feared.
We went back inside, sat down for a meal,
We cried, then we laughed, how should we feel?
 
Margaret drove to her office, with buyers in tow,
For she knew what to do now, an experienced pro.
She sold lots of homes that were not nice as mine,
She told me herself that our home is fine.

She had not a doubt, but went straight to her work
Explained all the contracts, then turned with a jerk,
And laying her pencil aside on her desk,
Shook hands with the buyers, and wished them the best.

She sprang from the office, and rushed to our side,
And we listened carefully before we signed.
Then I heard her exclaim, with a SOLD sign in sight,
“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Good Night!”

This was written for Activerain and published to The Maryland Real Estate Blog in December 2007.

'Gonna find out who’s naughty and nice… Santa Claus is coming to town.   La la la la la, la la la lah!

This little cutie was ready with her Christmas wish-list for Santa when I snapped this photo at Annapolis Mall last year.

Will you be ready with a wish-list for buying a home in the Crofton area when we get together in 2010? 

Before our first appointment, I suggest you do a little daydreaming and write down every feature and quality you want in a home (as if price were no object).  Then start at the top and identify the must-have (or required) items by highlighting them or marking them with a check-mark or star.  I call this your “wants and needs” list. 

For example, you may want 4 bedrooms, but could live with 3 if everything else about the home is perfect.  Or you want a fenced yard but you’re willing to install a fence yourself if you like everything else about the home.  In these examples, bedroom #4 and fenced yard are wants, not needs.  Knowing both your wants and needs will help me find homes to show you and help you verify that the home you fall in love with meets all of your needs (required features and qualities).

Why not start by looking around your current home and identifying the things you like about it.  Now ask yourself what would make it better…  If it were bigger?  Sunnier?  Had a fireplace?  On a day like today, I'll bet you're wishing for a garage so you don't have to shovel out your car after the next big snowstorm!

Remember to include practical items on your wish-list, as well - the amount of desired monthly payment, how much cash you want to invest, moving date, or special incentives.  The tax credit extension and expansion would be a good example because it creates a deadline for you to enter into a contract and settle.

Remember, making a list and checking it twice is not just for children at Christmas time… it’s also for you when you’re ready to buy a Crofton area home.  It will help you stay on track and help me help you!

Early in my career, I spent 2 months every fall making gingerbread houses for anyone who had sent me a referral or bought a home during the previous year.  After a while, however, that task just became impossible for a combination of reasons - my busy family, real estate business, and the pure volume of houses needed to meet that standard. 

Alas, gingerbread houses were replaced with Hickory Farms cheese balls.

Now I've come up with something that doesn't require as much time as the gingerbread houses but is more personal than the cheeseballs:  gingerbread house cookies.

This idea came to me last year when the list of organizations asking members to donate cookies in December for their Christmas parties or bake sales reached epic proportions.  I decided the only way to rationalize spending that much time baking was to turn it into a marketing effort. 

It turns out the cookies were a huge hit, and now I'm known as the "house lady" - not just for real estate - but for my gingerbread house cookies.  They are a great conversation starter and often lead to real estate talk.  Needless to say, I'm prepared for that with statistics about the local real estate market, descriptions of homes for sale, and information about interest rates and the temporary tax cut for home buyers... and a pocket full of business cards.

These cookies may not have my name and contact info on them, but they make a great marketing tool during the holiday season.  They have no religious connotation so they don't offend anyone.  And they taste good, too!

November was a very good month for real estate in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.  Does this mean we can celebrate a rebound?  To help answer this question, let’s take a look at the number of units sold, the average and median sold prices, and the days on market:

UNITS SOLD (Anne Arundel County, MD)

463 homes sold last month, compared to 266 in November 2008 – that’s a 74% increase in units sold from one year to the next.  Although this is certainly good news, the total number of sold homes is down from last month, when 502 homes sold.  Yet October 2009 home sales were up over 44% from October 2008.

I feel like we need a three months history before we can start thinking “trend”, so I went back one more month to September 2009 and found that 482 homes sold – still higher than November, but “only” a 24% increase from the previous year.  Nevertheless, we do have three consecutive months of increased sales over the previous year, so I think we might allow ourselves to be optimistic about the Anne Arundel County real estate market.

SOLD PRICES (Anne Arundel County, MD)

Average and median home prices, however, have been lower than last year’s level during the same months, when comparing them to 2008:

NOVEMBER:  Average sold price down 11.17% to $334,287.  Median sold price down 9.38% to $285,000

OCTOBER: Average sold price down 7.97% to $349,961.  Median sold price down 10.94% to $285,000

SEPTEMBER: Average sold price down 13.95% to $347,391.  Median sold price down 9.38% to $290,000.

 

DAYS ON MARKET (Anne Arundel County, MD)

160 of the sold homes last month were on the market over 120 days, yet 129 were on the market for 30 days or less.  The average days on market in November was 120 – down 18.12% from November 2008.

In October, average days on market were down 14.47% from October 2008 to 130, and September saw a decline of 11.76% to 120.  It looks like a safe bet for any Anne Arundel County home seller to plan on four months on the market, although the average will be lower/higher in some zipcodes.

THE BOTTOM LINE (IS ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY REAL ESTATE REBOUNDING?)

While all these statistics seem to suggest the answer is “yes” to the rebound question…  There’s just one problem – this apparent rebound is not the free market making a natural come-back from a downturn in real estate sales… it is most likely the result of the temporary tax credit targeting first-time homebuyers (and now some move-up buyers).  When the artificial stimulus disappears, it’s anyone’s guess whether sales will drop off or continue to rebound.  Only time will tell if this is genuine improvement in Anne Arundel County real estate.

For information about your own zipcode in Anne Arundel County, Maryland - or even your own neighborhood -you can contact me by email at MWoda@mris.com.  If you’re a homeseller, I suggest you get your home on the market now or early in January to maximize the likelihood of your home selling before the tax credit expires.

More real estate statistics for November 2009:

• Crofton Home Sales Up 166% in November (21114)
• Are Bowie MD Real Estate Prices Still Dropping?  (20715, 20716, 20720)
• Real Estate activity in my own neighborhood (Request an online Market Snapshot)

Written and posted by Margaret Woda at Focus On Crofton