Many people who come to the Washington, DC, area are choosing the Southern Maryland suburbs (Charles County, Calvert County or Saint Marys County) to live.  Once you venture outside of the counties located immediately next to Washington, DC (Prince Georges County and Montgomery County), you will be amazed at the atmosphere ... we're more rural here and it's possible to buy properties that are somewhat secluded, but are still located close to commerce.  We have close access to Andrews AFB, Bolling AFB, the Naval Research Lab, the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Indian Head, and the Patuxent River Naval Air Station.  The commute into Washington is, on most days, not that bad either, so people who work for the U.S. Government find our area pleasing, too.

If you're relocating to the Washington, DC area, I can help you find a home in Southern Maryland ... BUT if this isn't your cup of tea, we can search for homes in the other areas of the State, too.

There are many reasons why NOW is the best time to buy real estate:

1.  Selection.  There are an incredible amount of homes on the market right now, so buyers have more than enough potential properties to choose from!

2.  Few Offers.  Two years ago, I worked with buyers who wrote offers on 10 homes before we finally got the contract.  Those days are over!

3.  Making an Offer Works.  You can now make an offer that is at "less than asking price" and have a reasonable chance of being successful.

4.  Time is on Your Side.  You don't need to make a decision to buy 30 seconds after you visit a property for fear of someone else getting there first!

5.  Inspections are OK.  In the "hot" market of a few years ago, a home inspection usually resulted in an unsuccessful offer.  Now, buyers can get the inspections that they should do.

6.  New Home Developments and "Spec" Homes.  A few years ago, builders were "kings" and there was no negotiating.  They wouldn't even talk with a Realtor.  Now buyers can take a Realtor to a new development to act as their "buyer's representative" to watch their backs.  Builders' sales representatives in Maryland now must be licensed!

7.  Repairs.  Home inspections almost always find something that needs to be addressed ... and now sellers are more willing to do that to satisfy buyers and keep the contract.

8.  Investors are Gone.  In many instances, buyers aren't competing with investors for homes.  This means that people who are trying to find a home to live in have a better shot!

9.  Locations.  The large number of homes that are available make it easier for buyers to find homes in the neighborhoods where they want to live.

10.  Financing.  The lending industry has undergone a cleansing ... many of the lenders who made bad loans that now have people in trouble are gone.  It is very easy for really qualified buyers to get good loans.

According to the Dept. of Housing and Community Development, Prince Georges County tops the list for foreclosures in Maryland Counties at 29.1%.  The foreclosure rate in Charles County is 3.9% rate.  I would be intersted in compiling the statistics for the other Maryland Counties. 

The information that I have seen indicates that the market conditions improve as you move farther away from the District of Columbia ... Charles County, Saint Marys County, Calvert County  and Prince Georges County seem to be hurting due to rapid price appreication in the past few years ... but the counties closer to Baltimore (Anne Arundel, Howard, Montgomery, Frederick, Carroll, Harford and Baltimore) seem to be weathering the "correction" a little better.

I watch the foreclosure postings in the local newspapers every week and hope that the people who are in trouble would contact someone who can help them resolve their issues ... whether it's through listing their home for sale using a short sale or a normal arms-length transaction.  I've done short sales this year and they are not as painful as many people may thing.

Homeowners need to be very cautions of "foreclosure consultants" and the potential for mortgage fraud and other types of potentially criminal activity that can cost them their homes, their credit ratings and even more.  That's why you should contact a Realtor who is well-versed in foreclosures, brankruptcies, bank-owned (REO) properties  and short sales.

It seems that every day we hear someone on television talking about what a disaster the real estate market is now.  During 2003, 2004, 2005, and most of 2007, the market in Maryland was booming ... partly because of the liberal practices of lenders.  We saw home prices shoot up at ridiculous rates and home sellers were getting multiple offers for their homes. 

Now the buyers have disappeared for the most part because the news media and Wall Street have scared them to death by talking about the "problems" in the real estate market and how investing in real estate is no longer a good idea.  It's obvious that many people who bought homes during the boom shouldn't have and they're now suffering.  Fortunately, the lenders who put them into that position are now going belly-up.  The fact is that the market that we are in now in Maryland is NORMAL ... properties are still selling, although the pace has slowed down.  The rate of price appreciation has stopped, and we are seeing some price reductions.  Many of the price drops are by sellers who were (1) unrealistic to begin with about the value of their home, (2) need to sell because of a transer or relocation, or (3) need to sell because of an impending foreclosure.

As long as we all keep our wits about us, we will make it through this current "correction" in the market.  For those of us who can see what is REALLY going on, there is money to be made ... and the buyers that I am representing will get some incredible deals!