Bookmark this - Links to articles on Agent safety. - 05/31/07 06:38 PM
After reading Keith Zimmer's post on agent safety today, I received this week's Maryland Association of Realtors (MAR) Hot Sheet, containing a link to A Field Guide to REALTOR® Safety by Anne-Marie Siudzinski.  MAR's focus on safety was motivated by last week's murder of a Maryland REALTOR in the basement of a vacant home for sale.  
Whether you are a new agent or an old pro, you might find something here that saves your life someday.  So bookmark this page, if you don't have time to click through now, and set it aside to read sooner rather than later.  (Thanks again to Anne-Marie Siudzinski, NAR, … (9 comments)

Moving - Nuisance or Nightmare? - 05/31/07 03:33 PM
Most real estate transactions usually involve a move for our clients, and it is easy for real estate agents to forget that fact as we check off all the details we track from contract to closing.  It is fair to say that most agents think of closing as an ending, whereas it is just one of many many details related to our clients' moving experience.  While our clients expect their move to be a nuisance, they also fear that it could be a nightmare.
I'll never forget something that one of my mentors said to me about 30 years ago, in the early days of my real estate career:  Real … (1 comments)

Throw those canned follow-ups into the can! - 05/22/07 08:28 AM
If you want to find out whether your canned follow-up programs are effective, register to receive them yourself.   
I recently registered on another agent's website to gain access to listings for my daughter, who is relocating to that area.  Since then, I have been getting canned email follow-ups every few days.
They are very impersonalThey are very "lecturing" in toneThey are ANNOYING!  Say that again, ANNOYING!  (as in, too frequent)Every time I receive one of these ANNOYING emails from the agent, I instinctively start to look for the unsubscribe link or the delete button on my email.  And I've grown to truly … (17 comments)

Davidsonville MD - Market Report for April 2007 - 05/22/07 07:08 AM
DAVIDSONVILLE MD 21035 
Sales comparisons between April 2006 and 2007 don't mean much for Davidsonville, MD, when there was only one sale during April 2006.  That seems crazy, but it's the information reported by Metropolitan Regional Information Systems, Inc., the regional multiple lsting service that includes Davidsonville.
I think we need to focus on the 2007 information, specifically the fact that there were 14 new listings in April, 4 new contracts, and 6 new settlements (see Total Units Sold below).  Those 6 units were on the market for an average of 217 days - almost 2/3 of a year.  If you have a … (0 comments)

Odenton MD - Market Report for April 2007 - 05/21/07 05:54 PM
ODENTON MD 21113 
Wow, this is interesting...  I've been posting MRIS sales statistics for Anne Arundel County, MD for a few days, and Odenton is the only zipcode (so far) where the numbers seem to be going up.
Total sold dollar volume, average sold price, median sold price, total units sold and average list price for sold homes - all UP from April of last year.  Unfortunately, the average days on market more than doubled.  And the average sale price as a percentage of average list price went down.  That last statistic does not take into account any price reductions before the sale, so it … (0 comments)

Home buyers, this is no time to beware! - 05/20/07 07:45 AM
After spending a few hours online to post local sales statistics today, I can't believe the market isn't FLOODED with home buyers!  We real estate agents must not be communicating to buyers exactly how great a time it is to get out there and buy a home.
Interest rates are still very low, job security (in the DC-Baltimore region) is great, home prices are down, and home sellers are often giving away everything including a brand new kitchen sink!  Sellers are taking huge price reductions, offering incentives such as country club memberships or a year's worth of condo fees, paying buyer's closing costs...  WHAT ARE YOU WAITING … (4 comments)

Annapolis Maryland Real Estate Update - April 2007 - 05/20/07 07:15 AM
ANNAPOLIS MD 21401, 21403, 21409 
April was NOT good for home sellers in Annapolis (21401, 21403, 21409)!
GREAT NEWS FOR BUYERS!  If you're smart, you'll take advantage of the situation.
Let's take a look at the facts, comparing real estate statistics in April 2007 with April 2006:
MRIS publishes market statistics monthly, and these are just the highlights.  For information, contact me at mwoda@remax.net
 
… (0 comments)

Arnold MD - Market Report for April 2007 - 05/20/07 07:00 AM
ARNOLD MD 21012 
45 new listings, and only 20 new contracts in Arnold (21012) during April 2007.  Now THAT is a scary figure for home sellers!  Yet, as a buyer's agent, I encountered an Arnold home seller (and agent) in April who acted like it was a seller's market - holding out for top dollar, demanding a seller's contingency, and generally ignoring the facts of the marketplace.  So keep in mind that statistics are just numbers, and they don't reflect each and every home or situation.
Okay, back to the basics...  Here are sales statistics published by MRIS for April 2007 in Arnold … (0 comments)

Crofton MD - Market Report for April 2007 - 05/20/07 06:24 AM
CROFTON MD 21114 
Yikes!  93 new listings and 31 listings sold!  Three times as many new listings as sales in the month of April in the Crofton (21114) zipcode.  Now THAT is something to be concerned about.  During my 33 years in Crofton real estate, it has never been more important for home sellers to choose an experienced real estate agent who knows how to get results in a "buyer's market".
Okay, let's be more objective now and look at the facts (comparing April 2007 with April 2006):
Total sold dollar volume:  DOWN 16.29%Average sold price:  UP .12%Median sold price:  DOWN 5.05%Total units sold:  … (0 comments)

A Dead Body in the Bedroom! - 05/08/07 11:54 AM
Neither Gale Kent of Coldwell Banker First United nor Linda Chabucos-Galow of Shorewest Realtors in Janesville, Wisconsin, are members of ActiveRain.  Too bad!  It would have been interesting to read their first-hand account of the events surrounding Linda's showing of Gale's listing last week - when prospective buyers Justin and Colleen McKeen found a dead body in the bedroom. 
As a real estate professional, the widely-reported story motivates some questions:
How often do you communicate with your clients?   According to the coroner, the property owner had been dead in the bedroom for about two weeks.  I wonder...  if I tried to reach my client and he/she did … (5 comments)

Crofton, Maryland - A Wonderful Place to Live! - 05/01/07 07:30 AM
Crofton, Maryland - It's a Wonderful Place to Live!
Crofton residents enjoy the cherry tree-lined streets in Spring, a crafts fair and Boy Scout-sponsored chicken barbeque at the Village Green in Fall, the annual Christmas tree lighting in front of Crofton Country Club, plus lots of organizations and year-round activities for every age group from kids to seniors. It's a wonderful place to live, and conveniently located about a half hour from Annapolis, Baltimore, and the Nation's Capital.
You will find homes ranging from condos in the $200,000's to large detached homes topping $1,000,000 - but most are priced in between.  While some Crofton … (0 comments)

 
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Margaret Woda, Maryland Real Estate & Military Relocation Services

Margaret Woda

Crofton, MD

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Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc., Crofton, MD 21114

Address: 2191 Defense Hwy., #120, Crofton, Bowie, and Davidsonville, MD, 21114

Office Phone: (410) 721-1500

Cell Phone: (301) 346-2923

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Real Estate and community information for home buyers and sellers, military transferees, and rookie agents in the greater Crofton area, including Bowie, Davidsonville, Fort Meade, Gambrills, Odenton, and the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis.

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