Southern Maryland Real Estate

Feds Officially Find Link to Corrosion and Chinese Drywall

Southern Maryland Real Estate~ Jonathan Benya (Century 21 New Millennium) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:16:32 -0600

The Federal Government just released a study showing a link between copper corrosion in home on pipes and wiring, and drywall imported from China during the housing boom.

The consumer product safety commission also found a possible link between higher-than-normal levels of hydrogen sulfide gas emitted from the wallboard coupled with formaldehyde, which is commonly found in new houses.

Fortunately, there haven't been any instances of Chinese drywall being used in our area, but there are problems that have been reported in Northern Virginia.

The suspect building materials, found mostly in new homes in the southern part of the country, have previously been found by state and federal agencies to give off "volatile sulfur compounds" and produce a rotten-egg odor. Homeowners have complained the fumes are corroding copper pipes, destroying TV's, blackening jewelry and making them sick.

This is a step in the right direction for people who are suffering from the problem right now, as there is now scientific evidence of the problem in place, and hopefully this can lead to favorable resolution for the thousands of people who are suffering due to the use of this building material.

~Jonathan Benya- Realtor
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000 - office
301-653-8116 - cell

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Great Economic News for Charles County, MD!

Southern Maryland Real Estate~ Jonathan Benya (Century 21 New Millennium) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:23:30 -0600

So when is the economy going to recover? According to the Washington Post, it looks like it may already be happening here in Charles County! In an article written this weekend in the Washington Post (Economic Rebound Seen for Charles County), Signs are good that the evidence of an improving economy is being seen already in our neck of the woods!

According to the article, the U.S. unemployment rate is 9.8 percent; Maryland's is 7.2 percent; and Charles's is 5.9 percent!!! In addition to this news, rising homes sales, and a continuing influx of new jobs, Charles County is becoming a much more popular place to be! Also, if you're thinking of buying or selling a home in the area, I know a FANTASTIC Realtor, LOL!!! ;-)

~Jonathan Benya- Realtor
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000 - office
301-653-8116 - cell

Charles County Real Estate Blog
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Why aren't banks disclosing Mold????

Southern Maryland Real Estate~ Jonathan Benya (Century 21 New Millennium) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:18:19 -0600

Are Realtors obligated to disclose mold problems in a foreclosure? The short answer is yes, but unfortunately things aren't always done as they "should" be.

Why Should It Be Disclosed?

A mold problem in a home falls into the category of "Material Defect". In the state of Maryland, any Material Defects that are known by the seller or listing agent must be disclosed, regardless of the Annotated Code of Maryland, Real Property Article, Section 10-702. The catch is that the seller must have knowledge of the defect.

Banks Don't Disclose

Banks typically avoid making any sort of disclosure, and rather sign a disclaimer stating they have know knowledge of the property and it's potential defects. Since the bank has probably never actually visited the property, how can they know there is a mold issue?

Banks Should Disclose

It stands to reason, however, that someone involved in selling the property (such as the Realtor who lists the property) has seen and is aware of a possible mold problem. If there is a latent defect such as this, and it is known, then it is the responsibility of the listing agent and the owner (The Bank) to disclose such problems. What should happen, and what does happen, however, can be two entirely different things.

Are they Trying to Hide It?

With the massive mold growths I've seen in so many foreclosures, it's impossible to hide the fact in many cases. the concern that I, as a Realtor, have is that there is a potential health risk involved in showing these properties. It's a weekly occurence now: I go out, show a dozen or so moldy foreclosures, and go home with a splitting headache and nausea. At it's core, this is a health risk, for both me and my clients.

The concern many banks have is that mold stigmatizes a property (DUH!) and reduces it's value. Their risk of exposure to a lawsuit is minimal (You gotta prove they knew the home had mold), and so the less they say, the better, at least in their mind. In the mean time, myself and my clients get to deal with the headaches, nausea, dizziness, and shortness of breath that goes along with heavy mold exposure. Lucky Us.

~Jonathan Benya- Realtor
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000 - office
301-653-8116 - cell

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Maryland Mortgage Fraudster gets 12 years in Jail

Southern Maryland Real Estate~ Jonathan Benya (Century 21 New Millennium) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:16:15 -0600

A Federal Judge yesterday sentenced Joy Jackson (you know, the stripper turned foreclosure "rescue" scam artist?) to 12 years in prison for scamming more than 117 people into signing over the deeds to their homes.

In addition to the prison term, she's ordered to pay more than $16 million in restitution (good luck recovering that, she spent it on her mega bucks wedding!), and the judge described her as a "vulture".

Her accomplice, Jennifer McCall also had a hearing later in the day where she fired all of her lawyers, and when the prosecution recommended keeping her jailed pending sentencing, a relative of hers jumped into the well of the courtroom and punched the prosecutor in the face! Quite the well mannered group I'd say!

It's a relief to see these people going to jail, but it's a cold comfort for the people that believed their lies and lost their homes. The scam is the perfect example of the greed that the housing bubble created. I hope this serves as a warning to anyone else out there thinking about doing something like this, and more importantly, I hope this brings to the forefront the risk involved when someone makes you an offer that sounds too good to be true.

Link: All posts regarding the Metro Money Store and Joy Jackson

~Jonathan Benya- Realtor
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000 - office
301-653-8116 - cell

Charles County Real Estate Blog
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Local Outlook: Fort Washington, MD, Foreclosures

Southern Maryland Real Estate~ Jonathan Benya (Century 21 New Millennium) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:34:44 -0500

The old phrase, "Real Estate is Local", has been worn out by countless Realtors, desperate to paint as bright a picture as possible in a bleak real estate market. It's more than just a worn out catch phrase, though, and without paying attention to what's happening in the region you're looking to buy or sell in, you can find yourself extremely frustrated.

I've written 5 contracts for buyers looking in Fort Washington, MD over the last 3 weeks. All of them have been on foreclosed properties. In 4 out of the 5 contracts, we have found ourselves competing with other buyers in a multiple-bid situation. The first question that comes to buyers mind when they hear this is usually something along the lines of: "Is the real estate market really that good?"

Here's a quick breakdown on what's really happening in the Fort Washington, MD real estate market:

From the current MRIS statistics, the majority of homes for sale in Fort Washington are non-foreclosures. In fact, as of today there are only 42 homes in the 20744 zip code that are listed as bank owned (REO). 272 properties listed for sale in Fort Washington are NOT foreclosures.

Seeing considerably fewer foreclosures listed than traditional resales is an excellent thing. The bad news is that 41% of all homes that are currently under contract (98 homes out of 234 listed) are bank owned.

The fact of the matter is that people are gravitating towards buying foreclosed properties in the area. the fact that there are more REO's under contract than there are available is very telling. typically the ratio of homes under contract vs. homes available is 1:4. right now that ratio is closer to 2:1 in the area. As far as foreclosures are concerned, Fort Washington would be considered a sellers market. (It's incredible how quickly things can change!)

The other thing to look at is total sales volume. In Fort Washington, property sales volumes have been picking up as well. Although it's nowhere near the sort of monthly volume we had seen during the boom years, total sales volume has grown considerably in the last few years. This is due largely due to the incentives in PG county to buy a foreclosure (Not only the $8,000 tax credit, but also the Down Payment incentive program)

What about Prices?

The other significant factor to look at is homes sales prices. The current average sales price is $251,141. A look at the average sales price over the last year shows that sales prices have fallen only marginally over the last year. In January the average sales price was $267,883, which represents a depreciation of only 6.3%. The national average is 13.4%, but heavy job growth in the government sector has helped stabilize prices in the D.C. Metro area.

It's obvious that foreclosures are driving the Market in Fort Washington for the time being. The good news is that the market is showing signs of what is hopefully stabilization. long term consideration of future regional job growth should help to shore up the market even more. It is entirely possible that we may see home sales slow again once the tax credit and foreclosure incentive programs expire, but only time will tell how large of an impact these programs will actually have on the real estate market.

~Jonathan Benya- Realtor
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000 - office
301-653-8116 - cell

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Bad Marketing Tips

Southern Maryland Real Estate~ Jonathan Benya (Century 21 New Millennium) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:25:13 -0500

Someone recently sent me a photo of a FSBO (For Sale By Owner) sign that I had to share. I understand that you can't always choose your neighbors, but when it comes to selling your home because you hate your neighbors, there is good news! Fortunately, bad neighbors are not what you would call a "material defect" in your home (Regardless of how defective you think they may be). If you hate your neighbors, odds are that other people may hate them as well. My advice would be to keep the commentary about the obnoxious neighbors to yourself, and let the next owner find out in their own sweet time. Enjoy the photo! ~Jonathan Benya- Realtor

Century 21 New Millennium

301-653-8116

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Close to DC and AAFB, A Gorgeous Home in Waldorf, MD for only $275,000!

Southern Maryland Real Estate~ Jonathan Benya (Century 21 New Millennium) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:35:45 -0500

Looking for a Gorgeous, move-in ready home in Waldorf that isn't a foreclosure dog or an impossible-to-close short sale? This is it!

This Beautiful home with loads of upgrades is located right in Waldorf! Large kitchen, and gorgeous family room! Move in ready! The Open floor plan makes this home feel large and inviting. Beautiful private deck with Large fenced back yard. and playset for the kids! Don't miss your chance to see this fantastic property!

~Jonathan Benya- Realtor
301-653-8116

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A Little Holiday Humor- The Pushy Real Estate Agent

Southern Maryland Real Estate~ Jonathan Benya (Century 21 New Millennium) — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 13:52:29 -0500

This labor day weekend has us working overtime, so for all of you enjoying the holiday weekend, I thought it would be fun to post this clip of a rather obnoxious real estate agent. I got a laugh out of it, and I hope you do too! Now if only we got shows like this here in the United States, I'd be a happy guy!

~Jonathan Benya- Realtor
301-653-8116

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Take a Video Tour of Our Newest Listing in Waldorf, MD!

Southern Maryland Real Estate~ Jonathan Benya (Century 21 New Millennium) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 11:18:46 -0500

Check out or newest hot listing! This home is located in Waldorf, MD and has more than 2,000 square feet with 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths! The back yard is completely fenced in, and practically everything is new! New kitchen, new baths, new doors, new siding, new flooring, and the list goes on! There's also a 1 year warranty included with the home! Check out this video to get a better look!

The price is only $285,000, and there's no HOA to worry about! Don't miss out on your chance to see this great home!

~Jonathan Benya- Realtor
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000 - office
301-653-8116 - cell

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PG County, Maryland Foreclsoures with no closing or down payment!?!

Southern Maryland Real Estate~ Jonathan Benya (Century 21 New Millennium) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:17:04 -0500

As you may have heard, HUD's Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP), has been implemented in Prince George's County, Maryland, and the incentives for buying a foreclosure in PG County are STAGGERING!

The goal of the program is to reduce the number of vacant homes in neighborhoods troubled by foreclosures. Through a government funded program (Thanks to the large economic stimulus package), PG County has been allocated $10,883,234 for a program called the "Down Payment Closing Cost Assistance Program" (DPCCA).

If you're looking to buy a foreclosure in PG County, you may qualify! For a detailed list of qualification requirements, please click here: Down Payment Assistance for First Time Home Buyers in PG County. This is going to allow you to purchase your first home with between $1,000-2,000 down, and no closing costs or additional down payment required! That means some people are actually going to be getting their first home for almost nothing down, AND they can qualify for the $8,000 first time home buyer credit as well!

Keep in mind that this program is not designed to get people loans with serious credit issues. Your credit and debt-to-income (DTI) ratio's need to allow you to qualify for a traditional mortgage. This program has been designed for people with good credit, but limited savings.

Will You Need to Pay Back the DPCCA?

You may be required to pay back some or all of the DPCCA Money you receive, depending on how long you live in the home. The money is treated like an interest free loan, that does not need to be paid back until you sell your home. Here's the rundown on how much you may owe at settlement:

If you live in the home for:                            % of amount due is:

0-3 years                                                                        100%

3-6 years                                                                       50%

6-9 years                                                                         30%

10+ years                                                                         0%

The longer you live in the house, the more money you save! When you figure that this program can save you anywhere between $6,000-$20,000, it makes one heck of an argument for buying a foreclosed home!

Have Questions, or Want to Know More?

Please feel free to give me a call on my direct line at (301)-653-8116 and I'll be more than happy to assist you with taking advantage of this great program!

~Jonathan Benya- Realtor
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000 - office
301-653-8116 - cell

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Down Payment Assistance for First Time Home Buyers in PG County!

Southern Maryland Real Estate~ Jonathan Benya (Century 21 New Millennium) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:52:30 -0500

If you're looking to purchase a foreclosure in PG County and you're a first time home buyer, there's good news afoot! HUD has approved a new program to provide down payment assistance for low income families in PG county ONLY!

The Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) and the Down Payment Closing Cost Assistance Program (DPCCA) have released their guidelines and trained a select group of lenders to be able to provide this program to potential homeowners!

How Does It Work?

Step 1: Find out if you qualify! Here's the eligibility requirements:

Must be 18 years or older
Must be a first time home buyer, or must not have owned anywhere for the last 3 years
Home being purchased MUST be primary residence
Annual household income must not exceed program limits (less than $86,600 for 1 person, or $99,000 for two people, if you have children, the limit increases. An income calculator for determining eligibility can be found at https://webapps1.hud.gov/hfc/calculator/)
Must qualify for a loan from a participating lender (There are currently 37 approved lenders, give me a call for a complete list)
Must contribute a minimum amount of cash towards purchase (Between $1,000-$2,000)
Must have ratified contract of sale on a vacant foreclosed property (Need help finding that home? That's where a spiffy Realtor like myself comes into play!)
Buyer must also attend an 8 hour minimum housing counseling class provided by HUD and receive a certificate of completion. (Class is free, and there's already a waiting list, so hop to it!)

What Does DPCCA Do?

DPCCA will provide up to $20,000 in closing cost assistance on an interest free loan, with an interest rate of 0%, that is payable only when you go to move! The longer you live in the property, the less you are required to repay! For example, if you live in the home for 3 years, you're required to repay 100%. If you live in the house for 4-6 years, the balance due is 50%. For 6-9 years, the balance is 30%, and if you live in the home 10+ years, you're not required to repay the DPCCA at all!

Essentially, this program is designed to allow low-income families to purchase foreclosed properties with minimal downpayment. The will help reduce the foreclosure blight that has troubled PG County, and reduce the number of vacant homes sitting in the area. This program can be used in combination with the $8,000 first time homebuyer tax credit, which means that it's possible to buy a vacant foreclosure for as little as $1,000 down, all closing paid, with 3.5% downpayment paid by DPCCA, AND $8,000 in tax credit provided by the federal government! The incentives to buy a foreclosure in PG County just keep growing!

~Jonathan Benya- Realtor
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000 - office
301-653-8116 - cell

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Protect Your Client: Home Inspections for New Construction

Southern Maryland Real Estate~ Jonathan Benya (Century 21 New Millennium) — Fri, 08 May 2009 11:20:19 -0500

This morning I attended a walk-through in Southern Maryland (Waldorf, to be exact) on new construction for a first time home-buyer of mine that is due to settle this week. Typically, people do not feel a need to pay for an inspection when they're buying a new home. The thought is that if the home is "new", then there shouldn't be a need for the extra expense.

My buyer wanted the assurance that comes with having a professional home inspector go through the property, and it turned into a very wise investment.

So what made it worth hiring a home inspector?

For starters, the threshold at the front door was water damaged. The builder rep offered to have it painted and sealed, but the inspector stated that due to the water damage, it needed to be replaced. Suddenly the idea of hiring an inspector started to make sense...

Next, the furnace filter access was blocked by wiring, and was in accessible. Our inspector, Kevin Curry from Amerispec, caught the issue and stated that the wiring needed to be moved. Imagine buying a home and finding out a year after-wards that you can't change the filter!

Third, there was insufficient insulation in the furnace, and there were drafts being created. This is the sort of issue that only a home inspector would be able to catch, but the work completed by the builder was insufficient.

In addition, the rear sliding door wouldn't lock, the carpet was cut too short on the sides of the staircase, the kitchen needed a final coat of paint, and there was trim work that was cut too short.

You would think that builders would be a bit more mindful, but the bottom line is that if you as a buyer are paying for new construction, you should not be willing to accept anything less than perfect.

There were issues at the inspection that needed to be addressed, and the builder is perfectly willing to correct them, but without an inspector, there was no way to catch all of the issues at the walk-through. It's proof that it really pays to have a Realtor and Inspector on your side when buying new construction!

~Jonathan Benya- Realtor
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000 - office
301-653-8116 - cell

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How Not to Take Real Estate Photos

Southern Maryland Real Estate~ Jonathan Benya (Century 21 New Millennium) — Thu, 07 May 2009 15:14:58 -0500

A common complaint among home sellers is that photos that are taken to market their home look less than stellar. I know how to take a good photo, but my brother knows how to take a GREAT photo. I know my limitations, and I leave the photo taking up to him.

I saw a wonderfully terrible photo in a listing recently, and it reminded me of just how many factors come into play when photographing real estate. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and this one says more than that. It's a perfect example of things to AVOID when marketing a home!

~Jonathan Benya- Realtor
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000 - office
301-653-8116 - cell

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Let's Shed Some Light on Selling Your Home!

Southern Maryland Real Estate~ Jonathan Benya (Century 21 New Millennium) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:42:24 -0500

Upgrade Your Lighting to Sell Your Home

When you're putting your house on the market, there's obviously a lot that needs to be done in preparation, such as rearranging, cleaning, and landscaping in order to maximize your house's interior and curb appeal. But in today's market, perhaps touching up the paint and making the minor repairs isn't quite enough to make your house stand out.

This is why sometimes it might be best to upgrade when you're putting your house on the market, especially when it comes to home lighting.

This might seem counter intuitive at first; why buy additional lighting that you won't be using and that might be removed or altered by the eventual buyers? Certainly both points are valid, but a few changes can drastically help improve the appearance of your house and might in the process enable you and your Realtor to sell it at the asking price.

How to Get the best "Bang for your Buck"

When upgrading your lighting in this manner, it is worth noting that you want your upgrades to be based on functionality, not style. After all, you don't want to purchase lighting based on what looks good to you but rather what you think would work for any future occupants.

Above all it is important to find lighting that will illuminate areas that previously didn't have much light cover, as you don't want to turn on your lights when showing your house only to have some unappealing dim spots. A few simple and inexpensive ways of rectifying this would be upgrading your vanity lights for your bathroom or purchasing kitchen island pendants and under-cabinet lighting for your kitchen.

You also need to consider the exterior of your house as well. Flood lights do an excellent job of accentuating the front of you house at nighttime, while path lighting can help highlight your landscaping while also providing safe and easy access to the house.

Both of these types of lighting will also make your house easier to find for the prospective buyers and will help its curb appeal as well.

Don't forget about Sunlight!

Lastly, it is important not to overlook natural light, as this can be important during daytime visits. In this case, the littlest things, such as cleaning your windows and keeping all curtains and shades drawn up, can make a huge difference. Sunlight is always more appealing than artificial lighting, so it is important to utilize it whenever possible.

It goes without saying that the better you present your house, the better the chances of being able to sell it the asking price. Maximizing both artificial and natural lighting goes a long way in creating the right look and atmosphere for potential buyers.

~Jonathan Benya- Realtor
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000 - office
301-653-8116 - cell

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Save The Senator Theater in Baltimore, MD from Foreclosure!

Southern Maryland Real Estate~ Jonathan Benya (Century 21 New Millennium) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 11:25:18 -0500

For years now, the old art-deco movie house has stood as a testament to a bygone era. Aside from the occasional movie premiere, filling the 900+ seat theater has been a challenge. Competition from your big 24 screen multiplexes is more efficient, and the Senator Theater in Baltimore, MD has had trouble paying it's bills recently.

1st Mariner Bank of Baltimore is now planning on Foreclosing on the historic theater at 10am on April 20th, 2009. This is not the first time the Senator has faced financial difficulties, and as of March 16th, the theater has stopped showing movies until a resolution can be made.

In the meantime, the theater's management are desperately angling to save the theater. Please donate to The Senator Community Trust, which is working to raise money to bring the loan current and eventually purchase The Senator. The Senator is a cultural and historical landmark for Maryland, and it needs to be preserved!

~Jonathan Benya- Realtor
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000 - office
301-653-8116 - cell

Charles County Real Estate Blog
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Is a bypass right for Waldorf?

Southern Maryland Real Estate~ Jonathan Benya (Century 21 New Millennium) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 11:22:56 -0500

For years now, there has been a proposal to create a bypass road for Route 301. The bypass would create an alternative way to get through Waldorf, MD without having to actually suffer through the long traffic lights and delays that local commuters know all too well.

A proposal like this will provide a huge relief for the arduous morning commute, but there is a lot of concern for the potential environmental impact it will have. Hopefully this long term plan will benefit the residents of Waldorf and Charles County by reducing travel times to and from DC!

~Jonathan Benya- Realtor
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000 - office
301-653-8116 - cell

Charles County Real Estate Blog
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Finding Bad Apples in real estate?

Southern Maryland Real Estate~ Jonathan Benya (Century 21 New Millennium) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 14:09:52 -0600

Unfortunately, sometimes things just don't go according to plan. Bad apples exist everywhere, especially in the real estate market. You do your best to avoid them, but the problem with bad apples is that they may look great on the outside, and there's no way to know about that worm waiting for you to bite!

I have a client who recently purchased a foreclosure as an investment. The deal itself was straightforward. He was paying cash, could close immediately, and wasn't asking for closing help.

The bank was insistent that we use their particular title company. It's not uncommon to see that, banks often like to work with one company over and over because the processors are familiar with each other, and (in theory) it should help move the transaction along quickly.

The problem was that the title company was one of those bad apples. They forgot to show up for settlement, and in order to get the closing done we ended up hiring a notary to sign all of the paperwork and have it hand delivered to their office, which was 70 miles away.

We were fortunate to have a notary that was able to get the settlement paperwork notarized in the absence of a title officer. We were more fortunate that they were able to deliver the paperwork to the title company that day!

The biggest lesson for us was that we will never in a million years do business with that company if we can avoid it! The title company that dropped the ball does a LOT of business, and I had never heard a complaint about them before, so we didn't realize how disorganized they really are. The important thing about discovering a bad apple is knowing better than to continue eating once you find half a worm!

~Jonathan Benya- Realtor
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000 - office
301-653-8116 - cell

Charles County Real Estate Blog
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$230k for a single family home in Mechanicsville, MD!

Southern Maryland Real Estate~ Jonathan Benya (Century 21 New Millennium) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 11:20:02 -0600

If you're looking for a great deal on a home in Mechanicsville, MD, this is it! This home is listed at just $230,000, and is sitting on 2.15 acres! The back yard is fenced in, and the rear multi-tiered deck is made of trex decking!

The home is located in the Country Lakes subdivision, and although it does need a little minor TLC, the roof, gutters, siding, windows, and garage door have all been replaced within the last six years. The heat and AC were replaced less than 3 years ago!

The home has 2 bedrooms, 2 full baths, and best of all, this is NOT a short sale or foreclosure! Sold As-Is.

If you would like to view this or any other property in St. Mary's County, give us a call and it would be our pleasure to make the appointment!

Additional Information

~Jonathan Benya- Realtor
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000
301-653-8116

Charles County Real Estate Blog
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Holy Cow! New Townhouses in Waldorf, Maryland for Less Than $250,000???

Southern Maryland Real Estate~ Jonathan Benya (Century 21 New Millennium) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 23:35:10 -0600

Patience pays off! I have a client and very dear personal friend that I have been working with for roughly 2 years to help her buy her first home in Waldorf, MD. Other agents have been ribbing me for awhile now about not convincing her to write a contract on the 78 or so real estate properties that we had seen. To them, this was about more than just her finding the perfect home, my reputation as a Realtor seemed to be at stake here!

Fortunately, I took it all in good stride. I hate having people force decisions down my throat, and I don't ever want to be "That Realtor Guy" who pushed someone into buying a home they didn't love; especially when that someone is a friend of 14+ years!

With the current economic downturn and low interest rates guiding us, we finally found a fantastic option! We had been looking at every foreclosure and short sale imaginable, but in the end we actually decided on new construction!

This is her first home, and she's excited that the idea of being a homeowner will soon be a reality! I'm excited that she's decided to purchase without being pressured into something she doesn't love, and here's the best part!

Guess how much her townhouse is going to cost:

$275,000?
$260,000?
$250,000?
$240,000?

Would you believe me if I said that it was less?

I can't disclose how much our contract for these new construction townhouses is for due to client confidentiality, but here's what I can tell you:

For a 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 3 story Townhouse with brick front and a 1 car garage, prices are starting at $230,000!!! for that price we've been looking at foreclosures in need of serious repair! Less than $250k can get you brand new construction in Waldorf, complete with your own garage!

I know I've got other clients who are now looking at buying a new townhouse rather than struggle with foreclosures that "need work" ("needs work" is a polite way for Realtors to say "prepare to hire a general contractor"!)

If you're looking for new construction in the Waldorf or Charles County are, give me a call and I can help you find and negotiate great deals on your new home!

~Jonathan Benya- Realtor
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000
301-653-8116
Charles County Real Estate Blog- Market News and Real Estate info, specifically for Southern Maryland!

GetEmSold.com- Sell your home or find your next home here!

SOMDLand.com- Southern Maryland's Source for land and custom homes!

Looking for Building-Ready Lots for sale in Charles County? try www.SOMDLand.com!

Southern Maryland Real Estate~ Jonathan Benya (Century 21 New Millennium) — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 23:15:00 -0600

If you're looking to buy land in Southern Maryland, you might just want to check out SOMDLand.com. The website has just launched, and it's designed to help people find both raw land and ready-to-build lots in Southern Maryland.

One of the nice features is the interactive google map search for lots and parcels available in Southern Maryland. The site is also designed to help people understand how to go about building a custom home in Southern Maryland/Charles County region, and all of the resources to do so will be available there! Check it out and let me know what you think!

GetEmSold.com- Sell your home or find your next home here!

SOMDLand.com- Southern Maryland's Source for land and custom homes!

Wordless Wednesday- Trans Siberian Orchestra

Southern Maryland Real Estate~ Jonathan Benya (Century 21 New Millennium) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 12:35:01 -0600

Maryland Home Equity Scammer pleads guilty

Southern Maryland Real Estate~ Jonathan Benya (Century 21 New Millennium) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:36:14 -0600

If you've been following my blog for awhile now, you probably know that I like to keep up to date on the real estate scams that have littered the metro area in recent years. One of the scams that I wrote about awhile back was the Metro Money Store scam.

I won't go into all the previous details (you can read them here), but there's been a bit of good news recently that I wanted to share with all of you. Katisha Fordham, One of the principal figures of the Metro Money Store scam pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to commit fraud, and can be sentenced to up to 30 years in prison.

The two biggest players in the scheme, Joy Jenise Jackson and Kurt Fordham have yet to be convicted, although 4 people have now pleaded guilty as the court builds their case. Katisha's plea may force her to testify in court against her brother and sister-in-law.

It still disgusts me that people were able to rob homeowners like this, right in our back yard. Their actions have forced people into foreclosure, cost them their life savings, ruined their credit scores, and all because these con-artists found a way to get rich quick at the expense of honest folks like you and me. Good riddance to bad rubbish!

~Jonathan Benya- Realtor
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000
301-653-8116
Charles County Real Estate Blog

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New York Times thinks rates will hit 4.5%!!!

Southern Maryland Real Estate~ Jonathan Benya (Century 21 New Millennium) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 13:38:13 -0600

The New York Times published an article Friday stating that now is the time for first time home-buyers to take advantage of the market. It's an interesting read, but the cliff notes version of it is that interest rates are below 5.5% right now, and it's possible that they may be pushed down to as low as 4.5% in the very near future.

The market is a double edged sword: if you are only going to be in the area for 2-4 years. you should probably be renting. However, if you're a home-buyer looking to live in the area for 5+ years, the odds of seeing a fixed interest rate of 4.5% rate again are pretty slim. Quite simply, it's a monumental rate drop!

~Jonathan Benya- Realtor
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000
301-653-8116
Charles County Real Estate Blog

Wordless Wednesday- A Tuba Christmas!

Southern Maryland Real Estate~ Jonathan Benya (Century 21 New Millennium) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 13:33:20 -0600

Tuba Christmas, originally uploaded by teambenya.

Congratulations to Westlake High School!

Southern Maryland Real Estate~ Jonathan Benya (Century 21 New Millennium) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 09:11:19 -0600

Congratulations to Westlake high school for their 13-0 shutout victory at the state football championship!

I'm a westlake grad myself ('99), and I wrestled for Coach Zacharelli during my time there. This is a hard fought, well deserved victory for everyone, and I'm thrilled to see them pull it off!

I have the utmost respect for Coach Zac, and have never met a more deserving coach, mentor, of role model for his players. He is a true asset to Waldorf, Charles County, and Westlake High School!