It is amazing how many wonderful homes are available for sale in Prince George's County, MD that are listed for $100,000 or less.  

A few years ago it was unheard of to find homes under $100,000 anywhere in the DC area.  Even the smallest condos were selling above $100,000.

These incredible prices coupled with low interest rates make this a perfect time to buy your first home or investment property.  

Prince George's County, MD is one of many regions where it is actually more expensive to rent than to purchase many homes.

Prince George's County, MD offers many of the best bargains in the DC area.  If you would like more information about the available properties in PG County give me a call.  

These are homes available in some of the more popular cities in PG County that are listed for $100,000 or less.  

If you are interested in a city not listed let me know and i'll be happy to send you links to search homes in that city.

Upper Marlboro Homes Under $100,000

Bowie Homes Under $100,000

Fort Washington Homes Under $100,000

Clinton Homes Under $100,000

Laurel Homes Under $100,000

Lanham Homes Under $100,000

District Heights Homes Under $100,000

Temple Hills Homes Under $100,000

Capitol Heights Homes Under $100,000

Hyattsville Homes Under $100,000

 

Prince George's County Homes Under $100,000

I tried a new salon today.  Does my hair look good? Absolutely!!!

Will I ever go back there? Not likely!!!!!

I walked into the salon and got my hair washed.  At no time while this was going on did anyone speak to me.  Instead all the stylists spoke to each other in Spanish, sang along with the radio, or talked on their phones.

I was put under what had to be the hottest drier in history.  There was a point where I actually thought I was going to die.  No one checked on me to make sure I was ok in the hour I sat under there.

Mercifully, the drier turned off and I was moved to a chair.  A new stylist was responsible for using the blow drier and flat iron to finish my hair.  The only thing she said to me was "Curly or straight?"

She was using the flat iron and at one point when separating my hair she handed me the hot flat iron - I was supposed to hold it for her when she didn't need it.

At one point she even coughed without covering her mouth or even turning her head in a direction away from me.

The final straw came when she touched my ear not once or twice but three times with the hot flat iron.

I paid $65 to get my hair done today.  I have paid way more than that to get my hair done in the past but $65 is not cheap to me so I don't expect to be treated with such disdain.

 

What did I learn?  The customer experience is as important as the final product.  

Why Me? by Sarah Burleton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Story of horrific abuse endured at the hands of her mother and step father. The book feels incomplete and under-developed. It was way too short and left you wanting to know and understand more. I think the author's triumphant "I'm happy now" seems a bit unlikely given her history. I would have preferred a more realistic discussion of her struggles as an adult and a mother herself.

View all my reviews

Now You See Her by James Patterson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a quick read that did suck you into the story. The problem was that the story was not very good - the entire story was more than a bit unbelievable. Several times along the way I kept saying, "that's not very likely". The characters were also not very developed and so it was hard to feel connected to anyone in the story. I think in an attempt to pack too much "action" into the story the author forgot to concentrate on plot development. I'm not sure why James Patterson keeps putting his name on all these books that are mediocre at best.

View all my reviews

Elizabeth The Queen: The Life Of A Modern Monarch by Sally Bedell Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As a child who grew up in one of the British commonwealth nations I have always found the pomp and circumstance of the monarchy fascinating. I enjoyed this book and really enjoyed learning more about the inner workings of the royal family.

There were times when I found the people in the book difficult to follow - all the different Dukes & Earls, etc could be quite confusing. Also, the politics of the many prime ministers was sometimes very distracting.

The book was decidedly pro-queen. It felt as though sometimes the author went out of her way to convince us that the queen was a nice person. This made some of the accounts seem to not ring true. The author was also very unfavorable in her descriptions of Diana while down playing some of the bad behavior of the other spouses. Charles' role in the demise of the marriage was significantly down played.

Loved the pictures throughout the book which helped to bring alive some of the stories.

Overall, an interesting read.

View all my reviews

Oak Creek Club, Upper Marlboro MD SOLD Homes 2011

Houses SOLD:  19

Average LIST price:  $484,114

Average SELLING price:  $483,992

Average DAYS ON MARKET: 107

LOWEST SALE price:  $303,000 - 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath townhome built in 2008 - short sale

HIGHEST SALE price:  $689,000 - 7 bedroom, 7.5 bath single-family built in 2007 - short sale

 

 

Oak Creek Club, Upper Marlboro, MD ACTIVE listings (as of 1/11/12)

ACTIVE Houses:  12

Average LIST Price:  $516,350

LOWEST LIST Price:  $282,000 - 2 bedroom, 3.5 bath townhome built in 2007 - short sale

HIGHEST LIST Price:  $795,000 - 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath single-family home built in 2010 - new construction

Current Average Days on Market:  150

 

Oak Creek Club, Upper Marlboro, MD Under Contract listings (as of 1/11/12)

UNDER CONTRACT Houses:  7

Average LIST Price:  $385,842

LOWEST LIST Price:  $275,000 - 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath townhome built in 2007 - short sale

HIGHEST LIST Price:  $649,995 - 6 bedroom, 5.5 bath luxury single-family home built in 2006 - short sale

Current Average Days on Market:  168

 

 

Oak Creek Club has seen a small reduction in the sale prices in 2011.  The number of re-sale units sold in 2011 is very similar to the total number sold in 2010.  However, there was a significant reduction in the number of new construction homes sold.  

Oak Creek Club is located in Upper Marlboro, MD (Prince George's County) just outside the Nation's Capital. It is Prince George's County premiere gated, country club community.  Amenities include 24 hour guard gated entrance, concierge, and a swim & tennis.

Oak Creek Club is accessible to DC and Baltimore.  It is only minutes away from I-495 and Rt-50 as well as the Largo Town Center and Morgan Blvd metro stops.  Bowie Town Center, Largo Town Center, restaurants, and Fedex Field (Home of the Washington Redskins) are located within a 10 minute drive from the gates.

If you would like to buy or sell a home in Oak Creek Club, Upper Marlboro MD or if you would like more information about this community please contact Stacey Baugh of EOP Real Estate, Inc.

Last year I challenged myself to read 25 books.  I love to read but often find myself too busy to devote time to it.  However, in 2011 I decided that my only real resolution would be to make the time to enjoy the people and activities I love.

Unfortunately, I fell shy of my reading goal managing to only read 21 books in 2011 (this is probably double what I read in 2010).  

My favorite book read in 2011 was "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett.

Other books I really enjoyed were:

"Ah So Wi Do It" by Joelle Cohen Wright - a hilarious collection of Jamaican sketches written by my very good friend from college

"Still Alice" by Lisa Genova - a book about a person's descent into Alzheimer's told in the first person

"Band of Sisters" by Annette Lyon - a book about a group of women who support each other while their husband's are away at war.

 

The most recent book I read (completed on 12/30/2011) was "Gabby:  A Story of Courage and Hope" by Gabrielle Giffords and Mark Kelly.  I did enjoy this book but wished they had waited to write it until we had a more complete picture of her recovery.

 I also read "The End of Normal" by Stephanie Madoff Mack.  This was written by Bernie Madoff's daughter-in-law.  The one married to the son who committed suicide.  I must say I found her a very unlikable person, despite what I know she had been through.

I read the book "One Day" by David Nicholls which came highly acclaimed and recommended.  I hated it.  I found it tremendously boring and the only reason I finished it is because I was delayed in the Miami airport and it was the only book I had with me.

 

 

2011 was the first year I began reading electronically on my I-pad and I really enjoyed exploring some of the free books available on Amazon.  

This Christmas my husband gave me a Kindle so now I can read anytime.

 

I am once again challenging myself to read 25 books in 2012.  Hopefully, I will be able to hit and exceed my target this year.  Anyone want to join me?

 

 

Many of you know that I implemented a $150 Donation to Charity with every closing in 2010.  

This was harder to stick to this year because business was quite slow early in the year and the dollar amounts of commissions has gotten smaller and smaller and home prices have fallen.  It was also a difficult year for me personally with lots of loss of friends and family members and my mother's illness.

However, I am proud that I have stuck to this and look forward to what interesting charities my clients will choose at the close of each sale.

Following the successful closing of 1771 Countrywood Court, Hyattsville MD I am proud to say that the following donation has been made:

$150 to Avon Walk for Breast Cancer

My client is walking in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in May 2012 and I was very happy to be able to support her.  

Breast cancer touches so many lives that I am happy to be able to contribute to help find new treatment options.

I live in fear of breast cancer as I have watched many people I love battle this disease:

• My paternal grandmother passed away from breast cancer in 1974.  I never got the chance to meet her.
• Last year my childhood friend passed away at age 37.
• This summer my aunt Susan passed away.
• This October my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and I went home to be with her as she was recuperating from her mastectomy.  She has been lucky because the cancer was caught early and she does not need chemotherapy at this time.  

Beginning in January 2010 I implemented Pay It Forward - $150 donation to charity with every closing.

Following the successful closing of 872 Nalley Road, Hyattsville MD I am happy to report that the following donations have been made:

 

• $50 to the UMBC - UMBC is part of the University of Maryland system.  When I first moved to America it was to attend this wonderful university and I have always been grateful for my wonderful experience there.

• $40 to Angie Houtz Memorial Fund -  This fund provides scholarships to students attending Maryland public universities who have shown a committment to academics and community service

This charitable donation is rapidly becoming one of my favorite pats of the real estate transaction.  I am excited to be able to make these donations and I look forward to making many more donations in the coming months (and years).

I got in the car this evening to hear that Rapper Heavy D had passed away at the age of 44.  

I clicked on a link to read more of what may have caused his death and I was horrified by the number of comments that said "Good Riddance" or "Hopefully all the other rappers will die too".  I am disgusted that people hear that someone is a rapper and automatically assume that he did not deserve to live.

I am not a fan of country music but I would certainly never say good riddance if I learned of the death of a decent human being who happened to be a country singer.  

Regardless of whether I am a fan or supporter of someone it's hard for me to revel in the loss of life.

 

RIP Heavy D!  Though many may belittle your influence i know that you were an integral part of my teenage and college party years.

 

 

I used to be a voracious reader.  It wasn't unusual for me to read several books each week.  As I've gotten older and now have many more responsibilities, jobs, kids, husband, etc. I don't get nearly as much quality reading time as I would like.

Over the past few years I have neglected my passion for reading allowing all the demands of being the mom of young children and a young real estate career to take over the time I would usually have devoted to reading.  I have gone from reading a minimum of 1 book each week to sometimes not even reading at all in a month.  For awhile, magazines were my best substitute but they never fulfilled me in the same way.  

I realized this year that I really miss my reading time a great deal and I set myself a challenge to read 25 books this year. For me reading is the only true ME time that I get where I am doing something that I totally want to do without having to consider what other people want.  I have begun to try to carve out moments here and there that I can enjoy a good book.     

Yesterday I finished my 16th book which puts me 5 books behind where I should be to make my goal of 25 books for the year.  

To make my goal I am going to have to average more than 1 book each week until year's end, yikes!

If I had an extra three hours each week I would definitely use it to curl up with a good book!

"This post is a submission to the DocuSign/ActiveRain Thankful Contest. It's possible I will win a prize for writing this post. You could win a prize too by going to the Contest Announcement and sharing your own story"