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!

Southland Hills and Towson University

Southland Hills neighborhood is right on the cusp of Towson University, near the corner of Towsontown Boulevard and Bosley Avenue.

Located right behind the Old Towson Jail, which is due to become the Towson Swim Club, the neighborhood has seen a number of changes recently.

The most recent change is that Towson University Public Safety building is due for a major addition to begin this summer — much larger than the one on the master plan in 2009.

It will add much more parking and take over where the tennis courts used to be right on Towsontown Boulevard.

The big question to the nearby homeowners is whether it will affect Southland Hills house values and their current quality of life and neighborhood. That is yet to be determined, possibly unable to do so until the new TU building is finished.

Contact me for both West Towson house values and Southland Hills house values. I live nearby!

Towson Tree Lighting Ceremony 2010

The Towson Tree Lighting Ceremony will be this Saturday, December 4, 2010 beginning at 6 pm.

Come to Downtown Towson at Olympian Park just off the circle near the Towson Town Center mall to enjoy the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus on a fire engine & the tree lighting in the new park at 6:30! The Baltimore Sheraton North will be providing hot chocolate and cookies, and local stores will be offering specials.

Santa will be ready to have little ones visit & share their holiday wishes, and have photos taken at Ridgely & Ferrens on Allegheny Avenue! (Bring your own camera if you want a photo!)

The event, put on by the Towson Chamber of Commerce, will be showcasing local talent in performances by the Perry Hall Middle School 8th Grade Jaguar Choir, Chapel Hill Music Sensations, Anna Apicella School of Dance, and Towson University’s a cappella group Purrrfect Pitch.

Barnes & Noble will have a book signing, and Santa’s Workshop opening in the building.

All of this is part of the Towson Winterfest Celebration all December long. Come join in!

Commit to Vote on Facebook

Have you gotten a lot of your friends posting a “Commit to Vote” button on your page?

I have continually gotten them, and though I appreciate the sentiment, I was lucky enough to be able to take advantage of Early voting in Maryland, and voted on Tuesday at Towson University.

Though I have gotten tired of so many postings on my facebook page, I do understand the importance, and hope everyone who is able to get out and exercise their right to vote.

Whether you do it early or do it on November 2nd, make sure to have your voice heard and VOTE!

Early Voting in Towson

Today, my husband and I took advantage of Maryland’s new Early Voting, and went to Towson University to do our civic duty.

The line was short, the directions easy, and the Administration building well set up & equipped for early voting.

Baltimore County and Baltimore City have a number of sites where you can vote early. Baltimore County voting locations include Towson University, Catonsville Community Center, Honeygo Community Center in Perry Hall, North Point Library in Dundalk, and Randallstown Community Center.

Baltimore City’s early voting centers include the Public Safety Training Facility at 3500 Northern Parkway, St. Brigids Parish Center near Canton, Pleasant View Garden Apartments in Downtown, Library #10 on Loch Raven Blvd, and Edmondson Westside Senior High School #400.

We enjoyed our early voting experience, and thank Towson University for hosting! GET OUT THERE AND VOTE!

Baltimore Home to Popular College Destinations

Baltimore was named #6 in the American Institute for Economic Research’s rankings of metro area colleges out of a pool of 222 areas of 15,000 students or more.

Baltimore County colleges include Towson University in Towson, Stevenson University in Stevenson, MD, University of Baltimore, Baltimore County in the Catonsville area, plus in the city there are Johns Hopkins University, Loyola College, Morgan State, and University of Baltimore, just to name a few.

The Baltimore Business Journal reported these findings, sharing that

Cities were evaluated on academic environment, quality of life, cost of living, arts and leisure activities, and professional opportunities.

Baltimore has many things to offer, including activities, public transportation, multiple routes in & out of the city & county, plus a large airport and train station for travel.

Baltimore housing affordability is high as well, making it even more attractive.

Towson University is located in a suburban area called Towson, with a large mall, many restaurants and shopping areas around, plus condos, townhouses, apartments, and the like, all nearby the campus. Through this economic downturn, Towson house values have remained fairly steady throughout, helping the Baltimore real estate market.

These are all things that factor into Baltimore being a popular college destination!

If you would like more information on houses near Towson University, Stevenson, Loyola, Johns Hopkins and more, please contact me. I would be happy to help!

Rodgers Forge House Values not to be affected by new Towson University Stadium

The Baltimore Sun and the Baltimore Examiner report that Towson University and the Rodgers Forge Community Association have reached an agreement about the location of the new arena to be built near the Forge.

I wrote about this issue on January 22, as the fear was the design and location of the new arena would affect Rodgers Forge House Values negatively, in a market that has already taken an average 5.5% hit in the past year.

The University will now construct the arena on the other side of the current stadium, so it won’t be in view of the Forge houses and they will plant tall trees as a barrier. They are doing this despite the fact that the terrain will make the construction more expensive, but realize that this is better for the community that they are an integral part of.

SO thank you, Towson University for listening and responding to your community’s needs. We Towson-ites appreciate it!

Rodgers Forge House Values could be hurt by Towson University’s New Stadium Proposal

Towson University and its’ neighbors have always had a love-hate relationship when it comes to expansions. I remember when I lived in the Forge (as many of us affectionately call Rodgers Forge) on Stanmore Road, and our neighbors across the street had extra long yards — needed because they back to the athletic fields of the University!

Well, now, the University is planning to expand the Towson Center near Osler Drive by 5,000 seats, the Baltimore Sun reports.

In steps Senator Jim Brochin, a self proclaimed Conservative Democrat , to help the surrounding neighbors. “The community respects the school’s right to build an arena, but not on a boundary line without a reasonable buffer,” Brochin said.

Let’s hope he and the three other delegates who sent a letter about their concerns to the University can help these neighbors. “These neighbors are saying work with us, be fair and don’t build a 60-foot wall 30 feet from our boundary,” he continued.

Can you imagine a 60 foot wall in your backyard where now you have practice fields? I don’t know about you, but I think that *just might* hurt their property values….which, as we all know, are ALREADY suffering! (One year average house value change in Towson? Zillow reports DOWN 5.5% ), which though better than MOST of the country, still hurts!

So, as a Towson resident, and Towson Real Estate Agent, I will certainly be following this closely, and hoping, for my neighbors’ sakes, that this does not hurt their house values anymore than the economy already has!