Real Estate Broker/Owner
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome, Broker/Owner HomeRome Realty. Radio Host ALL ABOUT REAL ESTATE. Sundays 12 noon. Author: Real Estate The Rome Way. 410-530-2400
Cell: (410) 530-2400
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Real Estate Agent
Ron Trzcinski, 410-935-5844
Together, we can make it happen.
Cell: (410) 935-5844
Office: (410) 935-5844
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Baltimore County, MD Real Estate News

By Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400, Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome
( HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400)
6 Stone Gate Ct 21208Cobblestone RancherMLS  #MDBC20698043 Bedrooms2 1/2 BathsHOA $220/Mo What you’ve been waiting for! Check out this single-family rancher with a finished lower level and a two-car garage.The spacious primary bedroom, with a soaking tub and separate shower, has a door to the private patio. Did you notice the tray ceilings?  The second bedroom/media room with a full bath and an office with built-ins is also on the main level. The bright eat-in kitchen has white appliances, cabinets, and granite on the counters and island. Another set of sliders from the kitchen leads to the enclosed private patio. A convenient laundry room with a pantry and storage is between the kitchen and the two-car garage. The spacious living room/dining room (34 x 20) has a gas fireplace and acces...
Comments 6
By Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400, Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome
( HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400)
Not For Sale!How would you react if you found a  FOR SALE sign on your lawn? Very official, broker's name, rider, and all.My friend received a call from a neighbor, hurt and disappointed that they would list their home without telling the neighbor first. What? We are not selling! Bill and his wife called me to share this situation. They sent me a photo of the post and another agent's sign.This couple is more than friends. I've known him since he was ten years old, attended their wedding, was at the birth of his beautiful daughter, and sold them their house more than 25 years ago.I immediately called the agent with the errant sign. Yes, it was a mistake. We found that her listing had the same house number, but that property was on a different nearby street. They even had the photographer...
Comments 16
By Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400, Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome
( HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400)
Listening to various buyers, I started listing what they said was important when buying a Baltimore home. These things come after selecting the right location, condition, style and of course price range.Here are a few, and they are in no particular order.Kitchen: open floor plan, white cabinets; double ovens; center island; gas cooking, stone or quartz counters; a single large sink; and a walk-in pantry.Parking: two-car garage, carport, but, at the minimum, definitely off-street parking.Butler's pantry for those who like to entertain.Main-level primary suite and laundry on bedroom level. Mudroom or a suitable place to unload groceries, packages, and hide shoes and coats with lots of hooks and storage.Wood flooring/or high-quality engineered wood.Double vanities and at least one bathtub....
Comments 18
By Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400, Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome
( HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400)
Through my eyes- A May Challenge.  Thanks to Debe Maxwell, CRS, for this month's challenge about appreciating the beauty of May flowers.I was sitting outside on my porch this week, enjoying a lovely picnic lunch with my beautiful daughter. It was a delightful perfect Spring day. I looked up and around and saw the sheer beauty of the trees, the leaves, and the grass. Did those trees and leaves get so much greener than I remembered? Did what's left of my blooming Azaleas get brighter and more delicate in color and shape? Maybe not, but to me, they were much more vibrant. The texture, the colors the shapes were spectacular.  But they are the same trees and flowers that bloom yearly. What changed was me! The way I saw this beauty was through my "new" eyes. Recently I had cataract surgery. I...
Comments 19
By Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400, Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome
( HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400)
What precautions can I implement to secure my home from title theft?The question of title theft has come up on my radio show. How to protect my home from title theft? Do you need to get title lock insurance? Can someone steal my home?And they want my advice.  This is a technique to scare people into buying protection with the promise of monitoring their home's title. But most people already have this coverage. Just look at your title policy when you bought the house. Most all buyers take out a title insurance policy that covers fraud, pre, and post-forgery at the time of settlement. It is a one-time fee and  covers the following:  False impersonation of the valid owner of the property. Forged deeds, releases, and wills  Undisclosed or missing heirs Instruments executed under invalid or ...
Comments 38
By Ellie McIntire, Luxury service in Central Maryland
(Ellicott City Clarksville Howard County Maryland Real Estate)
4 SOUTH PROSPECT AVENUE, Catonsville, Maryland Coming Soon Property Video Description Photos Real Estate Reports for Home Owners, Sellers & Buyers! Maps & Local Schools Print Follow This Home Free Home Values Catonsville Homes For Sale Fulton Homes For Sale Howard County Home Values CATONSVILLE, MD Home Values Search All Homes For Sale Homes Close to Where You Work Avoid Foreclosure Presented By: EPIK Home Group of Keller Williams Integrity President and CEOKeller Williams Integrity443-418-7668Licensed In: MDLicense #: 535650   Schedule a Showing/Request Info $ Click for current price3 BEDROOMS | 2 Full Baths BATHROOMS | 1,178 SqFt Contact the Official Listing Agent, Ellie McIntire with Keller Williams with any questions you may have. Call - 240-389-3745 or 276-696-6930 Let your mouse ...
Comments 5
By Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400, Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome
( HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400)
It was only a month; we placed offers on three condos. On the third condo, our offer got accepted. Patience paid off, and none of us gave up. Today we settled on 3233 Katewood Ct. in the Greenspring East Community. A top-floor two-bedroom condo with cathedral ceilings, a balcony, and a sunroom. It was everything that this first-time home buyer wanted. It is oh-so-convenient, close to the Baltimore Beltway and a short walk to The Quarry at Greenspring.Look at the smiles on Mel, Heidi, and her dad, Paul. These are the faces of happiness. We experienced a smooth closing with Jeffrey Margolies, Attorney at Real Estate Settlements & Escrow, LLC, and Wingate Pritchet Esq. Vice President and branch manager for Oceans Lending. How special to have an attorney and lender both at the closing table...
Comments 10
By Ron Trzcinski, 410-935-5844
(410-935-5844 Office)
Where Do Interest Rates Need To Be?Many potential buyers are holding off from buying a home because they believe that mortgage interest rates are too high.This, naturally, raises the question of where do interest rates need to be for these buyers to make a purchase.For the first few months of 2023, interest rates have been fluctuating between 7.0% and 8.0%.The average interest rate from the 1970s through today is about 7.76%, which a bit higher than today's interest rate.The historically low rate of 2.96% was the average in 2021.  Don't hold your breath waiting for that low rate to return anytime soon.In 1981, when people were actually buying homes, the average interest rate was 16.63%.  It is not likely that we are going to go anywhere near that amount.  The economy in the late 70s and...
Comments 5
By Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400, Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome
( HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400)
Seek, and you will findWe have been searching for a Stevenson Rancher needing more than TLC for almost a year. After researching and being patient, we found the perfect property on March 31st and had a smooth settlement on April 19th. That's twenty days from the contract to closing. Fast and smooth is an excellent way to sell Baltimore homes. The buyer and the agent need to be available to see properties at a moment's notice. When the potential right property hits the market or comes back on the market, there is no time to waste.When you have a buyer who has specific needs, keep looking. If you continue to seek, eventually, you will find!Buying or selling a homeCall Margaret Rome
Comments 13
By Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400, Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome
( HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400)
                                                      4/19/23 We had a  happy smooth closing yesterday, and I received this lovely letter from my appreciative, kind seller, now my friend.    ''She Answered My CallIf she had not answered my call I would have moved to the next realtor. Margaret Rome answers every call.On or about March 4th, I was in need of a realtor to help me sell my home of twenty-five years. Initially I attempted this task on my own to no avail. The second week I was given inspiration to seek help, not just any help but Divine help. After searching the web through hundreds of seller’s agents, I was exhausted. I begin to honestly become whelmed with the possibilities and was to the point of closing my search for the day. Just one more click I said…suddenly this picture...
Comments 18
By Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400, Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome
( HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400)
6209 Liberty Heights Terrace 21207MLS MDBC 2062302Baltimore County Single Family went fast.This big little house was listed on March 14th, ratified on the 18th, and settled on April 18thCharming Baltimore County 100-year-old single-family home sitting on a fenced double lot.Nine-foot ceilings on the first level. The main level with a 21' bedroom with a bath,  den, kitchen, living room, dining room, sun porch in front, and large deck in the back—a paved driveway and parking pad also had a wood-burning fireplace with an insert. Upstairs are two more bedrooms.Need accessibility; there is an exterior elevator.A full basement has a separate entrance, two finished rooms,  a full bath, and a separate laundry utility room.Loaded with charm, we found the right buyer. It was the first person who ...
Comments 13
By Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400, Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome
( HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400)
 Consider A Home That Needs WorkReal estate has been challenging for many buyers, especially young first-time buyers. They have lost properties because of low inventory,  the need to make fast decisions, and bidding wars for these lower-priced homes. They are losing out to cash buyers and those who waive inspections or appraisals.Let's rethink. Look for homes in a buyer's desired neighborhood that are substandard. You obviously will look at properties that are lower priced.This may be the time to consider a Rehab loan. Talk to a trusted lender.This idea may suit sellers who do not want to spend more time, work, or money on a home they sell. And it could be fast closing.Is this an answer for buyers who have not been able to purchase?We can help both buyers and sellers in the present real...
Comments 20
By Ron Trzcinski, 410-935-5844
(410-935-5844 Office)
House Needs Too Much Work; You Rent Instead of SellYour house needs lots of work before you can put it on the market and realistically get a price that you want.Instead of spending the time and money to properly prepare your home for the for sale market, you decide on an alternative.You immediately put the house on the rental market instead of going through the hassles necessary to sell it.In order to get a good and reliable tenant, you will do a thorough background  check before you approve them to rent your place.You will want to verify that their income is sufficient to pay the rent and the utilities, to review their credit to determine if they consistently pay their bills, to check that they do not have a criminal background, and to talk with references to help you to determine that...
Comments 6
By Ron Trzcinski, 410-935-5844
(410-935-5844 Office)
Maryland Real Estate Prices PlateauAccording to data from the Bright MLS, which serves all of Maryland, and reports compiled by the Maryland Association of Realtors, real estate prices have plateaued in Maryland.If you were waiting for the market to peak before you put your house on the market, then that time may have arrived.With mortgage interest rates doubling over the last year, inflation remaining much higher than anyone would like, an extremely volatile oil market, and with a potential recession brewing, potential buyers of real estate have been hesitant to enter the market.The appreciation of 8 to 11 percent, that was seen over each of the last three years, has leveled off.One major stressor that is preventing a drastic decline in prices is that, even though fewer homes are being...
Comments 4
By Ron Trzcinski, 410-935-5844
(410-935-5844 Office)
Selling with a VA Assumable LoanVA loans are assumable.If you own a home that you purchased with a VA loan when interest rates were closer to 3.0%, then you could use this as a selling incentive.The purchaser, who would assume the loan, does not need to be a veteran.The purchaser would still need to qualify to the lender's requirements regarding credit, income, and debt.The purchaser would need to pay a 0.5% VA funding fee.If you go this route, then  you should make certain that you are not responsible for the loan if the new borrower defaults.When the purchaser is not a veteran, then the VA loan entitlement will remain with the property and you will not be able to use it for another home.When the purchaser is a veteran, then the VA loan entitlement of that veteran can be substituted fo...
Comments 3
By Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400, Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome
( HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400)
Dress your house You’ve decided to sell your unique home, chosen a top agent, prepared for photography, and set a price.  Of course, you want it to look its best…but how?Dressing for success is not just for people.  With some thought and planning, your home can be warm, light, and inviting, no matter how much furniture or clutter.  You’ve heard the saying “Less is more,” especially when preparing your home for the market.Start with knowing that you probably have too much in all your rooms.  You might plan a neighborhood yard sale, donate to a favorite charity, or rent a Pod or storage locker.  During this time, you must clear out furniture and accessories so that your rooms look as large and inviting as possible.Maybe ask for help virtually through a stager like our Kathy Streib.  Once ...
Comments 15
By Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400, Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome
( HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400)
I Don't Need Listings; I Need Specific Baltimore HomesYes, inventory is low; not much on the market in Baltimore right now. Homes start as "Coming Soon," By the time they are listed, they have an offer with the only contingency being viewing the property. Not only first-time buyers but others who are cautious want and need more time to decide about the magnitude of this decision.I am not looking for listings. I am looking for specific properties! And here are a few buyers ready to purchase and settle. They are qualified and prepared to make a decision right away.Buyer #1 is looking for a home no more than 10-15 minutes from Owings Mills 21117 but will consider other zip codes. A perfect home would be in pristine move-in condition, with a garage, gas cooking, public water and sewer, and ...
Comments 9
By Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400, Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome
( HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400)
  When I get a phone call that is a telemarketer or other solicitor, I am as polite as possible. But after a  'No Thanks, Not interested'... enough is enough.  I hang up. The good thing is that they will never get through to me again. How?I make a new contact in my phone, label it SPAM, and block the number. Never again do I take that call.But many people won't take calls from unfamiliar numbers.I want to know who is calling and don't want to lose legitimate callers.    To most of us, it is just an annoyance, but speaking with a client, I found out she received one of these calls that turned out to be a scam!Told she had won the lottery or some other sweepstakes. The person/scammer was persuasive and convinced her to send a $10,000 check to redeem the million-dollar prize. And she did! ...
Comments 18
By Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400, Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome
( HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400)
The Buying Of My First and Only House Kathy Streib and Carol Williams host this month's challenge. They want us to tell them about buying our first home. Some cannot remember their first home or choose to forget the experience; maybe it was purchased with a former spouse.For me, this is a straightforward challenge because, believe it or not, I am still in that first home we purchased.  My husband was content living comfortably in a spacious apartment with a  great balcony view of woods and a stream. I wanted to be a homeowner. My Lee challenged me and said he would consider it if I could find a house in a specific price range. He was sure there was no home we would agree on, especially at that price. For years I went looking with and without a REALTOR®- Yes, that agent told me I was too...
Comments 38
By Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400, Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome
( HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400)
It's a good idea to listen to the agent you hire.After 30-plus years, I have learned some lessons which may help a buyer or seller:Your Realtor has access to a variety of lenders. Agents genuinely want you to qualify for a mortgage (or bring cash, if possible). Switching agents won't magically improve your financial situation. You might have to wait if you cannot get qualified after speaking with several mortgage professionals. A Realtor can help decide about your situation, whether buying or selling. If it's not the right time to buy, if you are priced out of the market, or if you don't qualify, a good agent will not waste your time or mislead you. The same is true when you're selling a home. Professional agents will give you information about your home's market value. If you are looki...
Comments 31
By Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400, Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome
( HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400)
Have you ever had a con man as a buyer?Years ago, I had a buyer who asked to see a wonderful vacant exciting home close to our Baltimore Harbor. He was so smooth, he was so confident, and he was a charmer. He tried to assure me there would be a quick settlement; I was waiting for his proof of funds before submitting his full-price cash offer.  Did I mention he was smooth?In the meantime, this charmer contacted the listing agent and convinced her he had an excellent investment to make her money. He got really 'friendly' with that listing agent by assuring her he could get her a deal with a sure investment. He had her convinced that he would buy her listing. She was somehow smitten and gave him the keys to this property even before there were signatures, which never happened.He and a few ...
Comments 17
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