Baltimore City Christmas Tree Pick Up 2012

Baltimore City will be picking up Christmas trees beginning Tuesday, January 3, 2012, and ending January 31, 2012.

Unlike the Department of Public Works for Baltimore County tree pickup, the Baltimore City Department of Public Works asks residents to put their trees out where their trash is normally collected, and will remove them on the days when their trash is regularly picked up.

All trees must be empty of ornaments, lights, and tinsel, and must not be in bags.

The Baltimore City Department of Public Works also offers the ability to bring your tree in to have it mulched. If you take your tree in and bring bags or other containers, you can take that mulch for your own personal use! This year the Reedbird Avenue Citizen Drop-off Center, 701 Reedbird Avenue, will provide this service from 9am-2pm Monday through Saturday.

If you had a real tree for your holiday celebration in Baltimore City, you have some time to still enjoy it, or you can put it out for collection as soon as Tuesday.

Happy New Year!

Baltimore County Christmas Tree Pick Up 2012

Baltimore County Christmas tree pick up 2012 will be here before we know it, so here are the details in order to be prepared!

Tree pick up will begin the week of January 9, 2012, and to ensure your tree is taken, it must be placed at the curb by January 14.

PLEASE NOTE that the Department of Public Works will not be collecting from alleys, so if you live in a neighborhood like Rodgers Forge, where trash is generally collected from the alley, your tree needs to be placed in front of your house at the curb.

Baltimore County officials also caution us to make sure that there are no decorations on the tree, it is not in a bag, and no tree stand attached, so if you have tinsel or anything of that sort, it must all be removed before placing out for collection.

If you would like your tree removed earlier, or should you miss the collection, you can also take your tree to one of three places in order to have it recycled & made into mulch. Tree drop off begins December 27, 2011.

Those three locations for drop off are: Baltimore County Resource Recovery Facility off Warren Road in Cockeysville, Western Acceptance Facility in Halethorpe, and Eastern Sanitary Landfill Solid Waste Management Facility in White Marsh off Pulaski Highway.

So, if you had a real tree for Christmas, just make sure to have it taken down by the 9th to ensure it can have a second life as mulch for the County!

Happy New Year!

 

**Click here for Baltimore City Christmas tree pickup details!**

Merry Christmas Eve, Baltimore!

I know I have been missing the past week or so, and will address that in an upcoming post.

But today is CHRISTMAS EVE and I want to wish everyone a wonderful day.

The BALTIMORE RAVENS play today, and last week clinched a playoff spot. What a lovely Christmas gift it would be to beat the Cleveland Browns here at home!

For those celebrating Hanukkah, I apologize for missing the first night and wishing you a HAPPY HANUKKAH. My son was with his Aunt and got to celebrate for the first time. He loved it! He got his dreidel, and won a number of times while playing with his cousin. He also got to light the first candle, which he has wanted to do for years!

I wish everyone a wonderful weekend — whether or not you celebrate this holiday!

21093 Home Sale Statistics November 2011

November 2011 showed a large jump in Timonium home sales over the same period last year.

There were 47% more sales — up  42.94% to $12,293,200 in homes changing hands, while last November had $8,600,150 in home change hands. The average sales price was only down very slightly (3.51%), to $307,330.

13 more homes changed hands than last year, with 40 settlements that happened.

An interesting statistic is that 23 detached homes sold, versus 9 last November. There are many small cape cod and rancher style homes that, in this market, are selling under $300,000, which could explain the large jump in sales, yet the slight drop in price.

Homes in Timonium are staying on the market a bit longer as well — 100 days on average for those that sold last month, versus 81 days last year. That’s almost an additional three weeks to sell your home in this real estate market! One of those 40 homes that sold, though, was on the market for almost two years, so that definitely skews the numbers. 13 of them actually sold in less than a month (5 within a week or 2 on the market!) So, it appears that if the houses are in good condition and priced well, there are many people who want to buy a home in Timonium!

47 homes went under contract, and 33 were newly listed for sale. That is a good sign! It means that the housing inventory in Timonium is dropping, with 180 available homes for Timonium homebuyers, and that homes are selling in the area!

Here is a link to the detailed November 2011 Timonium Home Sale report.

As I have mentioned many times before, even within the 21093 zip code, there are many neighborhoods, each with their own characteristics and resale values. Sometimes these houses are just one street over from each other, but could have vastly different averages.

For professional and knowledgeable Timonium real estate help, contact me. I am ready to assist!

Fannie Mae and Other Banks Postpone Foreclosures Through the Holidays

Fannie Mae is one of a few banks who have decided to put a moratorium on evicting those facing foreclosure from December 19, 2011-January 2, 2012.

Executive Vice President, Terry Edwards, was quoted in a CNNMoney article stating that “No family should have to give up their home during this holiday season.”

Others also putting evictions on hold are Freddie Mac, Chase Mortgage, and Wells Fargo. Dates for each bank may be different, and only applies to those they actually own, not just service. If they service loans for other banks or companies, they have to follow the wishes and rules of those companies.

If you are facing foreclosure in Baltimore, please contact me. You may have other options available to you!

Keep Your Fireplace and Furnace Safely Running This Winter

Winter tends to bring thoughts of a cozy fire in the fireplace, and warmth coming from your furnace.

There are a few steps you should take to ensure your family’s safety while staying comfortable this cold time of year. Thanks to Inman News for these tips!

If you use a wood burning fireplace, make sure to get it inspected and cleaned by a chimney sweep. If you need recommendations for a reputable chimney sweep in Baltimore, please let me know. There are a number of very notable ones in the area who have done good work for past clients of mine.

You should also close the damper when the fireplace is not in use.

A chimney cap is a good idea, because it can prevent animals from getting in (and building their nest or home in there!)

Use dry hardwood to burn. Apparently fir and pine tree wood burns very hot, and may deposit creosote in the chimney, which could be a fire hazard. Also do not burn construction material. Treated wood may have chemicals that could be toxic if burned.

If you have a gas furnace, it is very important to have it checked and maintained by a professional HVAC contractor annually. Again, if you need a recommendation for an HVAC contractor in Baltimore, please let me know! We have had our gas furnaces serviced by a few different companies and have been pleased with both.

Make sure to change your filter. Your furnace will function better and blow cleaner air. If you have pets (especially dogs that shed, like we do), make sure to change it every 30 days (that goes throughout the year, not just winter!)

Do not store combustible items near the furnace.

Also, if you have a gas furnace or gas fireplace, make sure you have at least one carbon monoxide detector. Carbon monoxide is odorless and colorless, so protect your family by having detectors, and testing them at least yearly.

Have a safe & warm winter! For Baltimore real estate needs, contact me. I’m here to help!

FHA Loan Limits Remain High

The loan limits for FHA are at a decent amount, thanks to Congress voting to reinstate the loan limits that had been in place before, but had lapsed.

Currently, the limit for an FHA mortgage in Baltimore County is $560,000. That was due to drop down to $494,500, which could have really hurt Towson house values, since there are many in the $500-$550,000 price range!

The reason this could hurt Towson house values, is that a buyer would have to get more of a downpayment (it could be 20% or more!), and get what is called a JUMBO loan, which generally has higher interest rates than standard Conventional or FHA loans. The loan limit for standard Conventional loans is $417,000, a large drop from the FHA limit.

There are many buyers who do not have 20% to put down on a house, in order to qualify for a Jumbo loan, which would leave them most likely unable to buy a house above either the FHA loan limit, or the lower Conventional loan limit.

I wrote about the potential issue of a Baltimore FHA loan limit drop in June, and used this possible example:

Today, you meet with a REALTOR(R), and after meeting, you determine that your house is worth around $525,000. A qualified buyer using FHA secured financing can currently buy your home.

As of October 1, 2011, that same buyer would not be able to buy your house. What do you think would happen? Might their best & highest offer be $494,500, then, since they need FHA secured financing?

These extended limits are not forever, so make sure you know what the limits are when you list your home.

For professional, knowledgeable Towson real estate needs, contact me!

This Month in Real Estate December 2011

This Month in Real Estate December 2011 has been released!

Home sales activity was at a pace of 4.97 million for the year, which is up slightly from last month. The median home sale price was $163,000, down from $165,000 for This Month in Real Estate November 2011. Average interest rate was 4%, down slightly from 4.1% last month.

Jay Papasan presents The Top Story this month, with the top reasons sellers decide to move.

1) Desire to “move up” to a bigger house or different neighborhood.

2) Need to relocate for a job.

3) Change in Family Status such as having a baby or retirement.

To learn how to make the most of the sale of a house, Bryon Ellington discusses News You Can Use.

He states that you should know how a full service agent can help you versus a limited service brokerage.

A full service agent can help you:

A) Price your home according to the market.

B) Market your home to other agents who are working with qualified buyers.

C) Post your home on other internet sites besides the MLS.

D) Full service agents, in general, have proven results.

For professional, full service Baltimore home sale assistance, contact me. I am happy to help!

Towson Winterfest and Baltimore County Tree Lighting

Towson Winterfest kicks off this weekend with a tree lighting and visit from Santa Claus on his way to his workshop in the Old Hutzler Building next to Barnes & Noble off the Towson Circle.

This Saturday, December 3, 2011 from 6-8pm, enjoy Santa’s arrival by fire engine to Olympian Park, see the official Baltimore County tree get lit, celebrate the season, and begin an exciting month in Downtown Towson.

There will be free hot chocolate, cookies, and musical performances! The tree will be lit around 6:25pm, and Santa and Mrs. Claus will arrive shortly after, heading to their workshop for good times and photos with kids. (Make sure to bring your own camera for photos with him!)

The Towson Chamber of Commerce has a lot of fun activities planned for the holiday season. Here is a list of everything they have set up for December!

So bundle up & enjoy Downtown Towson on Saturday evening for some good cheer. It should be fun!