Snowpocalypse 2010 2.0 On Its Way

Well, we are currently buried in about 30″ of snow here in Towson, MD and just got reports that Baltimore County Schools are closed through Wednesday. I have a feeling that will be extended through the end of the week.

Why?

Snowpocalypse 2010 2.0 is apparently on its way.

Originally forecasters were calling for around 5″. Now they are saying in excess of 10″.

If you follow Foot’s Forecast, they are predicting 12-20″. You read that right. Possibly 1-2 more FEET on top of the almost 3 FEET we have on the ground.

So imagine these photos with double the snow. I will post pix once it gets here, but I can tell you, I am not happy! It’s not good for my clients who are trying to sell their homes in time for buyers to receive the homebuyer tax credit on the purchase, so they are listing earlier than they usually would.

Wish us luck!

3136 Eden Drive – St Clair – Abingdon, Maryland
Offered at $215,000

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Explore this wonderful Abingdon home for sale at $215,000…

• First Floor
• Second Floor
• Finished Basement
• Neighborhood

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New Listing at 3136 Eden Drive in Abingdon, MD 21009

I have been working on the website for my new listing at 3136 Eden Drive, Abingdon, MD 21009 for sale for $215,000, and it has been taking some time to complete.

I do have the brochure with photos and details uploaded, and wanted to share this beautiful house!

Located just north of the 24 & 924 intersection in the convenient St Clair subdivision of Abingdon, MD, this one is a true treasure.

Minutes to 95 North and 95 South, plus just minutes south of Bel Air, MD, this home is very easy to get to!

The owners have lovingly updated this end of group home with wood floors on the main floor, newer appliances, and a new deck with built-in lockable storage underneath.

The lower level features a gas burning fireplace (perfect to stay warm today!), sliding glass doors to the backyard, a full bath, laundry, and a nice family room with a ceiling fan & light controlled by remote.

Upstairs you find three nice sized bedrooms and an extra large bath with deep soaking tub, separate shower, and double vanity sink.

Not one to be missed!

Keep an eye out for the upcoming website on this great home at 3136 Eden Drive!

Snowpocalypse 2010 Begins

So Snowmaggedon, Snowpocalypse2010, SnoMG has begun. We have a good 4-6 inches on the ground already, with a predicted 20-30 inches total to expect.

Here is how we look in Towson now, around 9 pm.

We expect 6-10 inches overnight. I will continue to take photos and document the progression of the grill & hot tub as long as they can be seen!
Officials have asked for people to stay off the roads, and stay at home. So I hope you don’t get stir crazy, and are able to remain at home if you are here in the Baltimore area…
Good luck weathering the storm!

Snowpocalypse 2010 “Snow Say Can You See” Snowball Fun in Fells Point February 6, 2010

With the “Snowpocalypse” coming tomorrow through Saturday night with predictions of snow accumulations of around TWO FEET, residents of Downtown Baltimore are ready to have fun.
On December 19, 2009, we got about this same amount, and there was a fun snowball fight in Federal Hill called “Snow Say Can You See”.
This Saturday, February 7, 2010 is Snow Say Can You See Part Two — this time in Fell’s Point at the Broadway Square at Thames and Broadway.
A great time was had by all who attended the last, and I am happy to see that they are moving across the Harbor to let more city residents enjoy!
What a wonderful idea to get people out of their houses for a safe, fun time, since attendees will walk from their houses!
Enjoy to those who get to go — and take pictures to share!

Punxsutawney Phil Sees His Shadow — Baltimore Will See Six More Weeks of Winter

Well, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow yesterday, so we here in Baltimore can expect six more weeks of winter.

Of course, no matter what, there will be six more weeks of winter. But with the snow covering from overnight, and the 1-2 feet predicted for Friday (Friday 3-6 inches, overnight 6-10 inches) into Saturday (an additional 1-3 inches), I believe the wintry weather is here to stay for some time.

At the grocery store yesterday, there was still some milk, and a variety of breads, but I went before 5 pm. I hope you are stocked through the weekend, because if the predictions remain as they stand, the panic will set in by tomorrow afternoon.

So bundle up, hunker down, and get ready for some more home time. Remember to dig out your board games, get your break & bake cookies, and stay safe as you “enjoy” another snow storm. For fun, read my sarcastic list of how to enjoy the winter white. It was much more enjoyable back in December, I’ll tell you.

Be safe!

Mt. Washington Mill “Around the Mill” First Fridays — Come “Mill” Around February 5th 2010

The retailers at Mt. Washington Mill have begun their “First Fridays” “Around the Mill” from 5-8 on the first Friday of each month, where you “mill around” and visit each participating store to get your “mill pass” stamped. Once your pass has been stamped at each store, leave it at the last store, and you will be entered to win a $400 value gift basket from these stores.

The Mt. Washington Wine Company is a big sponsor of this event, and invite you to sip wine as you visit stores, where each will have refreshments and deals to share! Mt. Washington Wine Company has tastings and an e-mail list (which is how I found out about the event!), plus many other events.

The participating stores in the “Around the Mill” are: Amazing Glaze, Dogma-Life with Your Pet, Gore-Dean, Holly G Boutique, Home on the Harbor, Mt. Washington Wine Company, Starbucks and Whole Foods.

The Mt. Washington Mill is located in the Mt. Washington area of Baltimore at 1340 Smith Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21209 (map).

Ramp from Southbound Charles Street to I-695 East to be Closed on February 4, 2010

Charles Street traffic heading south from Lutherville in Towson will be hitting another snarl beginning Thursday night around 8 pm as the entrance to I-695 East will be closed long term as part of the ongoing Charles Street Overpass construction project.

This means cars coming south on Charles Street from Seminary Avenue or the circle at Bellona Avenue will not be able to make a left to enter the beltway going east.

From the State Highway Administration’s website:

The official ramp detour route: north/eastbound Bellona Avenue to eastbound MD 131 (Seminary Avenue) to southbound MD 45 (York Road) to the York Road Interchange ramp to eastbound I-695…

Temporary traffic signs will guide motorists through the official detour route in Lutherville and the ramp closure will remain in effect until early fall 2010.

So yes, this will be a big change for those traveling south on Charles Street from the circle & Seminary Avenue, but the long term benefits should much outweigh these inconveniences!

Unexpected Snow Storm Wreaks Havoc in Towson

A large amount of snow blanketed the Baltimore area yesterday, causing major problems on roads north and south of the Beltway.

Forecasters were predicting a dusting to three inches of snow. As most of us realized yesterday, it was more like 6-10 inches.

The major problem was that State Highway Administration crews apparently were not prepared. At noon, as I was on 695 traveling east toward White Marsh, it became very clear that road crews had not been out — there was no salt, sand or plowing. Snow began around 10, and it was sticking very well to the cold roadways.

I would have thought that 95 North of the Beltway would have been better, but I was wrong.

Numerous cars spun out, down embankments, in the medians. I saw about 4 accidents and probably 13 cars spun out in my short trip to Abingdon. I have a heavy SUV and it handles very well in the snow, but even I found my wheels losing their grip as I traveled slowly north.

As I was meeting with sellers and listing a great property in the St Clair neighborhood of Abingdon (it will be online in a few days — stay tuned!), the snow continued to fall quickly. At 3 pm I went to leave.

And Route 24 was a parking lot.

It took about 35 minutes to go just over a mile on that main artery toward 95 South. Police were out directing traffic, which is the only reason things were moving at all.

Once I got on 95 South, roads were a little better than earlier. It appeared at least the left lane had been sanded, but in between lanes there was a decent amount of snow built up and the right lanes completely covered. To be safe, you needed to drive in the grooves in the snow that other cars had created. Again, though, the number of ambulances and fire engines I saw was astounding. All I could think was that maybe if these roads were treated, the EMTs, firefighters, and police officers wouldn’t have to be working so hard!

695 West was decent, but Eastbound still was not. An hour & 1/2 later I was getting to Towson and York Road was untouched by plows. Bosley was a mess with cars attempting to go uphill without traction. I am still amazed that one car did not slide back down and hit me. I saw it happening and was able to navigate my way around him (thank goodness for growing up in New England — we learned how to turn into the skid!).

By the time I got home, my nerves were shot, and I was shaking from being so tense for that two hour period of driving. I was glad to get and remain home.

I wish that forecasters had been closer or that the State Highway Administration had taken precautions and sanded “just in case” so there wouldn’t have been so many accidents.

I hope you were able to remain home, and that you remembered to check out my past post on how to Enjoy the Winter White for fun things to do. It appears roads have been cleared this morning, at least here in Towson, so we may venture out. If you do so, please be careful!

Homebuyers Claiming Tax Credit Cannot E-File

Homebuyers who are claiming either the $6,500 move up credit or the $8,000 First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit cannot file electronically, according to the IRS.

One of my past clients let me know of this after she read an article on MSN. (Thank you for the information and link!)

The reason for this restriction is that unfortunately there were many suspicious claims last year, and the government is trying to curtail tax fraud. There is also an additional form and a decent amount of supporting paperwork that needs to be sent in to prove eligibility for the credit.

The additional paperwork First Time Homebuyers claiming the credit need:

For purchasers of conventional homes, a copy of Form HUD-1, Settlement Statement, or other settlement statement, showing all parties’ names and signatures, property address, sales price and date of purchase.

For purchasers of mobile homes who are unable to get a settlement statement, a copy of the executed retail sales contract showing all parties’ names and signatures, property address, purchase price and date of purchase.

For a newly constructed home where a settlement statement is not available, a copy of the certificate of occupancy showing the owner’s name, property address and date of the certificate.

For those long time homeowners who moved and qualify for the $6,500 credit, this is the additional paperwork they will need to submit:

Form 1098, Mortgage Interest Statement, or substitute mortgage interest statements,

Property tax records or

Homeowner’s insurance records.

Here is Form 5405 from the IRS.gov site. For instructions on how to fill it out, click here. For long term owners looking to claim the $6,500, here is Form 1098.

The good news is that homebuyers who are going to claim the credit can still use the electronic tax preparation programs they would to e-file, but instead of clicking a button to submit, they will need to print it, attach the supporting documents, and mail!

(All in all, the few extra steps and the longer time it will take are worth the up to $6,500 or $8,000 credit that the filer will receive!)

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