Timonium House SOLD

Baltimore area sellers are finding new ways to draw buyers to their homes. I visited a Broker’s Open on Wednesday at a townhouse in Timonium. The price? $299,900. The four neighbors also on the market? $319,000-$330,000 and have been for sale from 60-278 days. Guess which one is expecting multiple contracts and will probably get MORE than their asking price (after being on the market for only three days)? Realistic pricing and home staging make this one THE one to buy.

These sellers listened to their agent about price and condition, and have blown the other very comparable units out of the water.

Are they hurting the values in the neighborhood? NO. They will most likely get ABOVE $300K because they have competing buyers. And what do you think the neighbors eventually might get? Probably around the same amount as these sellers.

So what is a seller to do? First, do your research. See what homes are on the market around you. See where the prices started, and to where they have dropped. Ask a REALTOR for help. We can find how much of a percentage your zip code has lowered in value over the past year, six months, and even one month, to help you correctly price your home. Finally, PRICE AHEAD OF THE MARKET.

This townhouse is the perfect example of the RIGHT way to sell your home in this market. The others will eventually get the same amount for theirs. These people are just getting it sooner. Isn’t that better in the long run?

Icy Weather and the Baltimore Real Estate Market

Well, we have a thick layer of ice over the nice snow we had last night.

What this creates is a slippery mess — and a stoppage in the real estate market here in Baltimore!

Driveways to homes in Towson and Timonium can be slick, so it is best to stay home during this kind of weather. Snow and ice storms do not happen that often in our area so it is not a good indication of a Baltimore area house’s true value  when you view it in ice or freezing rain.

So stay home today, folks. And we’ll see you when it is 45 degrees tomorrow!

Rodgers Forge House Values could be hurt by Towson University’s New Stadium Proposal

Towson University and its’ neighbors have always had a love-hate relationship when it comes to expansions. I remember when I lived in the Forge (as many of us affectionately call Rodgers Forge) on Stanmore Road, and our neighbors across the street had extra long yards — needed because they back to the athletic fields of the University!

Well, now, the University is planning to expand the Towson Center near Osler Drive by 5,000 seats, the Baltimore Sun reports.

In steps Senator Jim Brochin, a self proclaimed Conservative Democrat , to help the surrounding neighbors. “The community respects the school’s right to build an arena, but not on a boundary line without a reasonable buffer,” Brochin said.

Let’s hope he and the three other delegates who sent a letter about their concerns to the University can help these neighbors. “These neighbors are saying work with us, be fair and don’t build a 60-foot wall 30 feet from our boundary,” he continued.

Can you imagine a 60 foot wall in your backyard where now you have practice fields? I don’t know about you, but I think that *just might* hurt their property values….which, as we all know, are ALREADY suffering! (One year average house value change in Towson? Zillow reports DOWN 5.5% ), which though better than MOST of the country, still hurts!

So, as a Towson resident, and Towson Real Estate Agent, I will certainly be following this closely, and hoping, for my neighbors’ sakes, that this does not hurt their house values anymore than the economy already has!

Barack Obama’s Inauguration Brings a Nation Together

Today, I must say, made me extremely proud to be an American.

The pomp and circumstance may have been a bit much for those who were supporting another candidate, and I understand that. With the Facebook discussions I have been having with friends, even those who did not like him very much felt badly for him and realize that he must be exhausted!!!

I am excited for our Nation on many fronts.

First, have you seen this new White House.gov website? There will be blogs from the White House, information posted — how neat that this President’s people understand the importance of the Web?!

Macon Phillips, the Director of New Media for the White House’s first post went up at 12:01pm!!!! CHANGE HAS COME TO THE WHITE HOUSE is RIGHT! The 44th President’s first Proclamation was even posted by 2:15 pm.

Obama’s speech was very eloquent, poignant, and somber. A few lines really spoke to me, and made me hope that he is able to enact and BE  the change he wants to see in the world. (Gandhi anyone?)

One Favorite: “We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.”

REALLY TRUE: “For the world has changed, and we must change with it. ”

And… ” Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations. ”

As my son just turned three, this struck me tremendously, and I immediately hugged him (which, of course, he didn’t quite understand), and can’t wait until the day he DOES understand the importance of this day.

I am truly inspired and hopeful, and GRATEFUL to be an American.

Sad Day But Hopeful Future in Baltimore

Well, last night of course did not go as hoped with the Ravens’ playoff drive ending in a 23-14 loss in Pittsburgh.

The loss was marred more by the terrible injury on Willis McGahee, who was carted off the field with 3:29 left in the game. The hit was hard — the helmets crashed, and you could visibly see McGahee’s neck snap back and forth. We are still awaiting updates, but he was able to speak and move a little, which makes me hopeful that he is not paralyzed.

A few things happened after that point that 1) made me respect Pittsburgh fans a little more and 2) made me proud yet again of being a Baltimorean. As Willis was taken into the tunnel, a few Steelers fans right there yelled GOOD LUCK WILLIS one after another — which I found VERY classy and nice. In general Pittsburgh fans have not been kind to Ravens players or fans, as demonstrated by a few signs in Heinz field last night (“You’re still Cleveland to us and you still suck” anyone?), not that Baltimore fans are necessarily sweet on the yellow & black either.

But what really made my pride swell, was when I checked my Facebook friends’ statuses:

…is bummed we didn’t make it into the Superbowl but still grateful we made it as far as we did.

…is proud that the Ravens made it this far and prays Willis will be okay!

Baltimore Ravens Fans show Baltimore Pride

Well, I just returned from Tennessee where the Baltimore Ravens WON their playoff game — and have advanced in the playoffs.

What I was BOWLED over by, AMAZED by, AND PROUD OF, was the number of Ravens fans who traveled for the game! The pre-game rally that WNST 1570 held at Nashville’s Graham Central Station had 2200 Ravens fans in attendance. No, that was not a mistype. OVER TWO THOUSAND PEOPLE WERE THERE — and that wasn’t even the best of it!

Not unlike Baltimore, you need to cross one of two bridges to get from the city to the stadium. What the Ravens fans did was meet up in the street  (2nd Avenue)– where another bar let out a whole mess of fans. And we took over the street. Cars tried (almost fruitlessly) to come down. People were chanting LET’S GO RAVENS. The police ended up having to arrive to ensure traffic could get through.

AND THEN WE MARCHED. A sea of purple and black in two directions crossing both bridges into the stadium. 20 Ravens fans to 2 Tennessee fans. I have never experienced anything like this before.

The pride, the love, the anticipation, the thrill. It pulsated throughout the crowd. Wave after wave of Ravens fans crashed into the stadium lines. Everywhere you turned once you got into the stadium, you saw purple and black. It was just amazing.

The Tennesseans didn’t know what hit them. We heard time & time again how they couldn’t believe how many people traveled to the game. They were so gracious and nice and welcoming, we almost felt bad taking the game from them! (Almost).

I was PROUD to be a Baltimorean on Saturday. Thank you, fellow Ravens fans, for making me so.