Thank You to Our Servicemen and Servicewomen on Memorial Day

This Memorial Day, I want to make sure to thank our veterans and current servicemen and servicewomen for their service to our country.

Without them, we would not have the freedoms we enjoy.

Too many have lost their lives for us, and this is a day of remembrance of them.

Thank you to those who fight for us everyday, and who have given everything for us.

What Not to Pack

Many times people are not sure of what not to pack when moving either for the movers or for yourself!

RISMedia and Lowe’s came up with a great list to help.

For irreplaceable items, I recommend taking them with you in your car. Unfortunately many times things get broken. You want to make sure to have these items with you. If you want or need to send them, take it to a shipping place like Fedex or someplace where they will pack it for you and ship it. For Timonium residents, there is a FedEx location (map) right on York Road in Lutherville.

For heat sensitive items, you will want to have them in a climate controlled location. Moving trucks are not climate controlled, so candles and such are likely to melt.

Large items such a pool tables, which need disassembling, let the pros do it. They can take it apart at your current house and put it together on the other end at your new house. The professionals do this often, and have insurance for situations where needed. If you take apart yourself, the insurance usually would not cover it.

As for flammable, hazardous materials and such? Do not bring them AT ALL. Find out how to dispose of them properly and do so before moving. Baltimore County residents have access to the Eastern Landfill in White Marsh for most items, while the Baltimore County Resource Recovery facility in Cockeysville takes a limited number of these things. Here is the Baltimore County Hazardous Waste Recycling and Disposal web page for more details and contact information.

Hopefully you found this information useful. Contact me for more Baltimore County moving resources.

Roland Park Area Master Plan Update

On May 19, the Roland Park Area master plan was updated By the Greater Roland Park group.

The goal of the master plan is to reduce speeding, help with traffic flow, keep the area mostly residential, preserve the architectural beauty, all while having the area updated with newer pipes, walkways, and repair the deteriorating infrastructure.

This includes areas that are right now in question, like the Baltimore Country Club land that is no longer in use by the club, where hopefully some recreational facilities could be created. There is Stony Run Park where parking interrupts the path, so they plan to reconnect and move the parking area. The water tower is in disrepair, and they plan to fix that as well as build a park around it.

There are also plans to spruce up the shopping areas.

This is great news for the Roland Park neighborhood in Baltimore, because it should make it a more walkable, greener, even nicer place to live. I am looking forward to seeing the improvements as they happen!

Brew at the Zoo 2010

The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore has its’ Annual Brew at the Zoo this Saturday and Sunday, May 29 & 30, 2010.

This is the biggest fundraiser each year for the Baltimore Zoo, and this year they really need it. This year’s major blizzards hurt the zoo tremendously, with millions of dollars in repairs needed, and its’ doors opening late this year.

The Brew at the Zoo is designed to be fun for all with adults able to enjoy wine and beer tastings, while there are three bands per day with crafts, food, and other vendors to help you enjoy. It is open from 1-7 pm both days. Click here for the zoo website, more information, and tickets.

Enjoy Memorial Day weekend right here in Baltimore!

Honfest 2010

Honfest 2010 is coming up, and the Hons in Hampden are ready!

This year’s Honfest is June 12 & 13.

For those unfamiliar with the Baltimore term, “Hon”, here is an explanation from the Honfest website:

HonFest is a local tradition. The Bawlmer term of endearment, Hon, short for Honey, embodies the warmth and affection bestowed upon our neighbors and visitors alike by historic working-women of Baltimore. HonFest is an annual celebration in honor of these women.

Honfest 2010 is adding on a fun evening the night before with the Concert in the Park from 6-10 pm at Roosevelt Park.

Saturday and Sunday, attendees can delight in music, crafts, and fun, not to mention wild, outrageous hair, outfits, and accents! Sunday afternoon is when the full judging happens with the “Top 10 Hons” and talent show.

Honfest takes place over 4 blocks of 36th street on the Avenue in Hampden.

There are many shops, restaurants, and Hampden houses nearby!

Hampden is also home to the Miracle on 34th Street lights show around the holidays in December.

Come visit Hampden in Baltimore on June 12 & 13 — you’ve never experienced anything like it!

Prime Steakhouse Restaurant in Baltimore’s Chef Will Be On Top Chef

Prime Steakhouse Restaurant in Baltimore’s Chef will be a contestant on the next season of Bravo’s Top Chef.

Timothy Dean will be competing for the title in Washington, DC beginning next month, according to the Baltimore Business Journal.

Fells Point’s Prime Steakhouse has become a popular place in its’ short time in business.

Having national attention from Bravo’s Top Chef could bring even greater things for the Fells Point and Downtown Baltimore areas with visitors coming to try Chef Dean’s food, and getting to experience what our great city has to offer.

Coupled with the “Find Your Happy Place in Baltimore” campaign for the summer, Baltimore’s economy could see a great boost in resolving its’ current deficit.

So visit Prime Steakhouse in Fells Point and judge Chef Dean’s creations yourself!

Mortgage Rates Drop Very Low

Mortgage rates drop very low — below 5% — as international money comes into the United States. The US bonds are seen as a safe haven in light of the financial troubles in Europe, and this is having a nice result in our country.

The Wall Street Journal reported this morning that interest rates were quoted at 4.86% on Friday. According to the Journal:

Falling mortgage rates can give a powerful lift to the housing market. A general rule of thumb holds that every one percentage point decline in mortgage rates effectively lowers home prices for buyers by roughly 10%. So, if the current rates hold, say economists, that could help stabilize prices and allow current homeowners to sell existing homes without substantial price cuts.

This is great news for the Towson real estate market because lower interest rates usually mean more houses selling.

There was concern that interest rates would rise above 6% as the Federal Reserve’s mortgage securities program is coming to an end. Add onto that the end of the Homebuyer Tax Credit, and the real estate market looked bleak for the summer.

Now, with the interest rates being so low, it can make homes much more affordable for many buyers.

It makes this truly a fantastic time to buy with interest rates at historic lows and housing prices so low as well. Contact me to take advantage of these low interest rates and get into your new Baltimore home!

FHA Approves Electronic Signature

On April 8, 2010, FHA sent out a mortgagee letter stating that the FHA approves electronic signatures on documents, including contracts.

This is wonderful news, as I have recently begun to use Docusign electronic signatures for the convenience of my clients.

I also wanted to use this to prevent the use of paper as much as possible, since contracts can be anywhere from 35-50 pages, and often times many copies are made, wasting so much.

Here is a copy of the mortgagee letter from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.

In speaking with T Jeremy Loomis, my mortgage partner, he stated that Wells Fargo’s policy is that the settlement papers must be done “wet” — actually signed in person with ink.

This is very exciting that FHA is trying to help make the contract process easier and more environmentally friendly.

Since implementing electronic signatures through Docusign for my Towson real estate clients, it has made things so much more efficient and “green”, and my clients have enjoyed the ease of contract completions!

Fannie Mae Last Minute Credit Report Check

Beginning June 1, 2010, just before settlement, Fannie Mae will be running last minute credit report checks to ensure borrower’s credit has not changed since loan application.

Though I tell my clients not to go open lines of credit before settlement, because I know many times there is a spot check, this is a new policy that could affect many loan applicants. The purpose is to find out whether the borrower has accrued or shopped for new debt.

Many homebuyers get excited once they have an accepted contract on a home, and realize they will need new furniture and decorations for the house. What some do not realize is that they should not open an account at a store or make these large purchases because they effect their debt-to-income ratios for their loan.

Now, if a Fannie Mae homebuyer does this, they risk a delay in settlement as the lender does more research and reviews the file further, creating problems for themselves and the sellers of the house they are buying.

The Washington Post reported on this new policy, and make a few notable points.

Fannie’s “loan quality initiative” will require lenders not only to pull two credit reports for each mortgage transaction but to perform additional verifications of borrower occupancy plans for the property, Social Security numbers and Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers.

Essentially, to ensure you get your dream home and close on the house, DO NOT open or apply for ANY lines of credit from the time you make loan application and closing. That is the only safe route!

Timonium Fairgrounds Farmers Market

The Timonium Fairgrounds Farmers Market is opening June 2 , 2010 and runs through October 27, 2010.

The Farmers Market in Timonium will be showcasing and run by local Baltimore County farms.

Grand opening is set for Wednesday June 9, but the sneak peek is June 2.

Hours for the Baltimore County Farmers Market are 2 pm – 6 pm every Wednesday.

During the Maryland State Fair, it will be open every day!

The Baltimore County Farmers Market will be located at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium.

Two other Farmer’s Markets in Baltimore County are the Green Spring Station Farmers Market in Lutherville on Saturday afternoons from 2-5 pm and the Hunt Valley Farmers Market Thursdays from 11-2.

The Maryland State Fairgrounds are located at 2200 York Road, Timonium, MD 21093.

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