Dumpster Day at Riderwood Elementary School

The Ruxton-Riderwood-Lake Roland Area Improvement Association (RRLRAIA) has their annual Dumpster Day this Saturday, April 30, 2011 from 8am-noon at Riderwood Elementary School.

Not only will there be a Dumpster, but The Loading Dock will be there to accept building materials like cabinetry, lighting fixtures, and flooring materials for reuse instead of dumping.

Goodwill will also be there to accept donations!!!!

So if you live in the area, clean out your closets, your garage, your shed, your attic, and make it to Riderwood Elementary on Saturday morning, and donate and dump to clean out your Towson house!

Home Remodeling Mistakes to Avoid

There are many home remodeling projects that can beautify and add value to your home.

Unfortunately, there are some trends and mistakes that can happen, and CNNMoney had a great article on how to avoid those errors.

First, don’t follow the popular trends, if your plan is to resell the home before the next time it comes back around. Trends come and go — often quickly — and decorating or remodeling according to trends can be costly when it comes to resale. Buyers are savvy and want the house up-to-date. To CURRENT date.

Second, if you are moving walls or building an addition, have it designed by a professional before starting the work! If it isn’t designed well, it may diminish the value when re-sold.

Third, don’t overdo the kitchen. Yes, kitchens are very important. They are a focal point of many homes. That being said, overdoing it won’t get you back what you put in financially.

Fourth, don’t count on energy efficient things such as windows and appliances saving you a bundle in the long run, or making your home worth much more in value. According to the article, windows only account for about 15% of heat loss in a house. That means that new windows won’t reduce your energy consumption by more than that amount!

Basically, if you are able to do remodeling and want to do it, then definitely do it. The things to keep in mind is where to spend or not spend — and try not to overdo it, because you won’t benefit financially from most of these things. They may help aesthetics and you can do them for YOU to enjoy, just don’t count on them to get the amount you spend back when you go to sell!

Contact me for Baltimore home sale tips!

Towsontown Spring Festival 2011

The 44th Annual Towsontown Spring Festival is this weekend, April 30 & May 1, 2011.

The Festival kicks off with Towson Gardens Day on Thursday the 28th from 10am-3 pm with Wine & Jazz from 5-7 at the Historic Courthouse Garden. Friday night showcases a concert by Mood Swings from 5:30-9pm.

Saturday, the festival runs from 10am-7pm and Sunday is 1pm-7pm.

My son had a great time at last year’s Towsontown Spring Festival at the Moon Bounces and Carnival Games areas — and loved seeing the ponies. These activities are an extra charge, but children love it!

He also loved seeing the firetrucks that both block off the streets and are there for show.

The food is wonderful — the smells wafting through Downtown Towson are amazing!

The Freedom Fun Zone, sponsored and staffed by the Maryland National Guard will have NASCAR racing cars to view as well as inflatable obstacle course and Halo Jumper.

Mix 106.5 has their stage with $2 entry, and Crushing Day plays Saturday 1-3pm, 2U from 3:30-6:30, and Sunday, Mobtown Saints from 1:30-3:30, and Reagan Years from 4-6:30.

Z104.3 is having a Singfest — a singing contest where the winner wins $300 and a trip to the next American Singing Competition!

98 Rock has their Beer Garden for $2 entry, where music & bands play.

There is so much going on, and so many activities for the weekend.

Come to Downtown Towson this weekend and enjoy the fun!

Baltimore Bnote Green Currency

Baltimore has its’ own currency called Bnote, and it is now available for purchase and use in more than 60 locations in Baltimore city.

The Bnote comes in $1 and $5 notes, and became available for use on April 18.

According to the Baltimore Green Currency Association, Bnotes are local currency, and:

Local currency, also called complimentary currency, is money that is designed to be used within a community, town, or city.  Whereas national currencies, like the US Dollar, are now loaned into existence, necessitating their repayment with interest to a bank or financial institution, local currencies exist solely to facilitate commerce within a community and to preserve and restore the social nature of trade and business. Dollars are universal, but they don’t have the same power that local currencies have, to promote and grow a local economy, in ways that benefit the people and not banks.

Many merchants in the Hampden neighborhood are accepting the currency, and are ready to get it into circulation around Baltimore.

Here is the list of merchants who are currently accepting the Bnote as currency. They include the very popular Woodberry Kitchen, Golden West, Cafe Hon, 9th Life, Corner Restaurant, Renew Organic Skincare, Sprout Organic Salon, and even two attorneys!

While you’re using your Bnotes in Hampden, make sure to stop by my listing around the corner from the Avenue at 911 38th St. Better yet, you can live there, and just have a quick jaunt to use them!

How My iPhone Helps My Clients

A number of years ago, I got my first iPhone. Before then I had a Palm Treo, for its’ multipurpose useage.

My iPhone has many facets that help me better serve my clients in my business.

First, it has internet access, so I can check emails, look up houses, and enter information as needed. I can download documents from emails and review them before I can get to a computer.

Second, it has text messaging. With the exception of being in a class, on an airplane, or with a client, I often respond very quickly to text messages. It is a quick and efficient way to communicate!

Third, it can make & receive phone calls. I say that somewhat in jest because I have the AT&T version, and there are areas where my phone doesn’t ring even if it is right next to me. (Sometimes even in my own Timonium real estate office…)

Fourth is the high resolution camera, which I have even used to take photos of my listings.

Fifth is the built-in video camera, which I have used to take video of a house to share with an out-of-town client!

I use the calculator app on a regular basis, and my calendar is accessed through my phone too. I tweet, I check in on foursquare, and take notes on the iNote application and save it to Evernote.

The multiple-functionality facets of the phone make it an easy to use tool to help remain in contact and get fast answers for my clients!

The iPhone is just one of the many technology tools I utilize in helping my sellers and buyers achieve their dreams!

If you’d like a tech savvy real estate agent, contact me. I’m your person!

Baltimore Earth Day 2011

Friday, April 22, 2011 is Earth Day across the US.

Earth Day began on April 22 in 1970, making this the 41st Anniversary. The first Earth Day, according to Wikipedia, was originally a teach-in held by US Senator Gaylord Nelson, and 20 million people participated. It is now celebrated in 175 countries, and over 500 million join in.

Earth Day in Baltimore brings a number of activities to celebrate.

In Towson, the Towson ARTS Collective has an exhibit, “The Process of Peace”, running through May 20. Friday is a free reception from 6-8 pm to celebrate Baltimore Earth Week’s 8th Anniversary.

On Saturday, The Maryland Science Center in Downtown Baltimore will have Earth Day and recycling activities from noon-4pm which is included in the cost of admission.

The Irvine Nature Center in Owings Mills has multiple events going on Saturday — with the Junior Naturalists in the morning, and then “rainy day” Earth Day activities from 1-2:30pm. They’ll be using broken crayons, old magazines, and more to recycle into new products and projects! For non-members there is a cost.

The Oregon Ridge Nature Center in Hunt Valley will also have its’ “Earth Day Greening” from 1-4pm, where those ages seven and older will be able to help plant trees, and assist in cleaning up the trail & park. This event is free!

You can always celebrate Earth Day at your own Baltimore home too. Plant trees, change lightbulbs to those that use less energy, turn off lights when you are not using them, and recycle materials!

Ravens Home Opener Against Steelers September 11, 2011

As many of you know, I am a die hard Baltimore Ravens fan. Since the team arrived in Baltimore in 1996, I have missed only a few handfuls of home games.

This year, with the NFL Lockout possibly looming, I wasn’t sure whether to care when and whom we are “supposed” to play.

Then the schedule was announced.

Home opener? Check.

Against the hated rivals the Steelers? Check.

Holy excitement, Batman!

Not only do we have a really strong team, we are playing the team that got their guts handed to them on a plate in the Superbowl (and I will admit, I was rather pleased to be able to see it in person, and joke with my family who lives in the Pittsburgh area) at home to start the NFL Regular Season!

So expect a lot of buzz and a huge amount of attention on Downtown Baltimore the second weekend in September!

GO RAVENS!!!!

63 Northwood Drive — Timonium Cape Cod
Timonium, MD 21093 — Offered at $249,000.
*SOLD*

**UNDER CONTRACT IN ONE WEEK!** **UPDATE: SOLD**

• Schedule an Appointment
• Ask a Question
• Download the Brochure (PDF)

Explore this wonderful Timonium home for sale at $249,000…

• First Floor
• Second Floor
• Finished Basement
• Exterior
• Neighborhood

(Click on Any Picture to Enlarge)

Cape Cod Home in Timonium, Maryland

63 Northwood Drive is a lovely cape cod in a very convenient location in Timonium, MD. Close to York Road, yet far enough away to be removed from the busy-ness, this home is ideal!

Very close to shopping, grocery stores, restaurants and eateries, in addition to close access to 83 North and South!

First Floor

Second Floor

8503 Westford Rd — Lutherville Split Level
Lutherville, Maryland 21093 — Offered at $300,000.
**SOLD IN ONE WEEK!**

**WENT UNDER CONTRACT VERY QUICKLY! LESS THAN A WEEK ON THE MARKET!** **UPDATE: SOLD**

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• Ask a Question

Explore this wonderful Lutherville-Timonium home for sale at $300,000…

Longford North Split Level in Timonium, Maryland

This split level house, built in 1964, is located in community of Longford North in Timonium, Maryland in Baltimore County. This particular street’s neighborhood is also called Meadowland, but most know it as Longford North.

An Estate Sale, this home has great bones, and should not take much to bring it to new glory days!

Baltimore Home Sellers Named One of Most Stubborn

Fortune.com recently had an article discussing the large price drops in most cities due to the bubble burst of the real estate market.

In the article, Nin-Hai Tseng used a Trulia.com report to discuss house pricing trends across the US:

f you’re a buyer or seller, here’s what to expect this spring: Detroit, with an average discount of 19%, led with the nation’s deepest price cuts during the initial listing, followed by other foreclosure hotspots including Miami, FL with 11%, Columbus, OH with 11%, Baltimore, MD with 10%, and Atlanta, GA with 9%.  Since these areas are already gravely depressed, the deep cuts could likely have long-lasting impacts on future home values.

The cities with sellers who didn’t cut deep enough during the first go-around and will most likely have to cut deeper are Phoenix and Mesa, AZ, Jacksonville, FL, Baltimore, MD and Chicago, IL.

What this says is that in general, many Baltimore home sellers are pricing their homes too high for the market to bear. Buyers are not responding, so the sellers lower their prices. When they are not lowered enough, and buyers still don’t respond, they reduce again. This, according to Fortune.com, makes Baltimore home sellers as a group one of the more stubborn, since they have to reduce more than one time before a sale.

To facilitate a quicker sale, many homeowners can price “ahead” of the market. This means lower than the other average sales in the neighborhood, because in many areas, prices are still declining. Houses that sell faster tend to sell for more than comparable homes who overpriced their homes at the beginning.

Hopefully our “stubborn” sellers will be stubborn no more!

For Baltimore real estate needs, make sure to contact me. I can help guide you in the right direction!

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