Ruxton Graul’s Movie Night June 13, 2010

The Ruxton Graul’s is hosting a Ruxton Community Dinner and a Movie on Sunday, June 13, 2010 beginning at 6 pm.

The movie will be “Finding Nemo”, and will begin at 7 pm, and will be held at The Church of the Good Shepherd, 1401 Carrollton Avenue, Ruxton, MD 21204.

Graul’s is hosting the cookout featuring steak burgers, mac & cheese, watermelon, cupcake, bottle water, and their famous fresh squeezed lemonade.

Tickets for dinner are $5 each, and can be purchased at Graul’s Ruxton or at the Church of the Good Shepherd.

Free popcorn during the movie!

$1 of each ticket goes toward the Towson YMCA Discovery Program.

So enjoy a nice night with your family and your Ruxton neighbors on Sunday!

Ruxton Graul’s Fights Cancer Day April 24, 2010

This Saturday, April 24, 2010 is the Ruxton Graul’s Fights Cancer Day.

The Mays Chapel Graul’s and Hereford Graul’s stores will be participating as well.

Festivities and fun will be held in the parking lot of the Ruxton Graul’s with children’s activities, balloon artists, live music and good times.

5% of all grocery sales on Saturday go to benefit the American Cancer Society.

The Ruxton Graul’s is located in the Ruxton Village Shops on Bellona Avenue in Towson.

21204 Home Sales Statistics February 2010

January and February 2010 has shown some recovery and growth over last year at the same time for Towson home sales.

21204 houses that settled had prices up $24,000. Under contract, however, was down around $106,500 (23%). I attribute much of that drop in February due to the two blizzards. Half as many new listings as last year came on the market (not surprising since they were buried under about 4 1/2 feet of snow), which the National Association of REALTORS® has found across the areas hit by these storms.

21204 home sales have remained strong, though, this year over last year, and have continued to be consistent over time. Though the amounts may rise some months, the graphs show a consistent level of sales and prices.

Here is the full report on median price on market dynamics for the Towson 21204 zip code.

21204 Towson Home Sale Statistics 2009 Year In Review

Reviewing the 21204 zip code sales, contracts and listings for December of ‘08-December of ‘09, there are many interesting variations throughout the year.

The good part for the owners of Towson homes in the $500,000 and higher range, is that finally these seem to be selling! 11 properties in December went under contract with a median price of $500,000. 14 properties settled in the same time period with that same median price.

The graph through the rest of 2009 has shown that houses have been consistently selling, but that the average sales price was under $400,000 (some months by a large amount).

Other good news is that sales and prices are up a tremendous amount over the same time period at the end of 2008, showing that Towson and 21204 seem to be in a recovery & stabilizing mode.

Click here for the full report.

I am excited to see how January’s numbers look, because I have been seeing quite a number of higher priced homes in 21204 going under contract since the beginning of a year. I will update you when those numbers come out!

Happy New Year 2010 Towson Real Estate Market Thoughts

As I sit here and reflect on 2009 and enjoy the beginning of 2010, I am reminded at what a new year can bring.

There is always a sense of excitement — that a new year can mean great things.

What will happen in the Towson real estate market? Will it rise? Will it fall? Will it stay at its’ teetering stabilization point that it has been in? I think we will remain about where we are — I don’t foresee a jump, but I think our neighborhoods are strong and prices will remain strong.

What about the real estate market in general? A few economists, like the National Association of REALTORS (R) economist, think there will be about a 10% increase.

I tend to be cautious in my optimism, and think we still have a large number of short sales and foreclosures coming down the pike in 2010, which will drop values lower, or keep them at the lower prices we are seeing now. I truly don’t foresee a real true recovery until 2012.

What does this mean for Towson sellers? That your homes are still worth a great amount because our area has been stabilized. That being said, they are not worth what they were even two years ago, so you can’t think about those prices when considering selling your home.

What does this mean for Towson homebuyers? BUY! It is a GREAT time! Interest rates are still very low, and prices are much lower than they have been in years.

For a true value estimation of a Towson home as a homebuyer or seller, or to find if this is the right time for you to move, please contact me – I am happy to help!

Graul’s in Ruxton Holiday Tasting Events December 4-6, 2009

This Friday, Saturday and Sunday, you can enjoy living in Towson near Ruxton if you want to try some great food at Graul’s in Ruxton or be happy you live in Timonium near the Graul’s in Mays Chapel.

Friday from 4-7 enjoy yummy appetizers that are easy to make! Saturday and Sunday, try some ”Over the Top” Holiday Favorites from 11-5.

As the email they sent says, “Bring your family to join our family for a Taste of the Holiday Season”!

Graul’s continues to be a great cornerstone for both the Ruxton and Mays Chapel communities, offering good food both local and imported, and wine shops attached to complement your meals.

I love living near the Graul’s in Ruxton for both the convenience and these neat events they hold. We are there on a regular basis — and the staff really does make you feel like family!

So join their family this weekend and enjoy some delicious food while you are there. Another great reason to live in Towson or live in Mays Chapel!

21204 Home Sale Statistics Past Six Months

My compilation of the 21204 real estate market statistics for the last six months are here!  The full chart includes data on sales, contract, and active homes from May 25-November 8, 2009.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What this shows is that the lower priced Towson homes are the ones that are selling best. The first week in June the median sales price was over $1M, but since then, it has been generally under $500,000.  West Towson house values are continuing to be strong, while the higher priced areas of the 21204 real estate market, such as Ruxton home sales, are not as solid.

Another interesting spike is the “under contract price” for the second and third weeks in August, but even more notable is the lack of corresponding “settled price” spikes, suggesting those homes did not go for their asking prices.

Consistently, there have been over 80 homes for sale in 21204, while on average only 2-3 of those homes are going under contract each month, and only 2-3 are settling each month.  There is definitely a large inventory for Towson homebuyers, with an average of only 3.75% of listed homes going under contract each month.

These 21204 home sale statistics show that pricing correctly, having the home in showplace condition, and good marketing are imperative in this Towson housing market.

Please note that these are statistics from the multiple list. The chart is an overview of the zip code and does not take into account the type (condo, townhouse, single family) or condition of the home. To have a true value understanding of your Towson home or neighborhood, these factors need to be taken into consideration. If you would like a Towson home price evaluation, please contact me today.

West Towson — West Joppa Road to be closed Monday-Friday 11/16-11/20/09 from Woodbine to Bosley

West Joppa Road in West Towson will be closed from 9am – 3pm this entire workweek, Monday 11/16-Friday 11/20/2009 from Woodbine Avenue to Bosley Avenue.

As in past weeks, there will be detours through the West Towson neighborhood. Please use caution and drive slowly through here, as these roads and homeowners are not used to having large amounts of traffic through!

Alternate routes also include Kenilworth Avenue from Charles Street to Bosley or a little further south, Towsontown Blvd runs from Charles to Bosley as well.