Towson High School Named Blue Ribbon School of Excellence

Towson High School was named a Maryland Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.

It was one of six named in Maryland in 2010, and is the 15th school in Baltimore County to receive the honor, and the third Baltimore County High School to do so.

According to the Baltimore County Public Schools article:

Blue Ribbon School designation is a state and national program that recognizes schools that meet rigorous standards developed by the Maryland State Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Education.

Towson High School students are 98% proficient or above in Mathematics and 99% in English, according to the Maryland State Department of Education tests, and even Newsweek has named the school to its annual list of the best high schools in the nation for the past few years. In 2010, it was ranked #334.

This could help Towson house values as many homebuyers may look to the high school’s current zoning district to try to send their children to the school.

What buyers need to be aware of, is that school districts can be adjusted at any time, as many Towson homeowners found when West Towson Elementary School was opening.

Meanwhile, CONGRATULATIONS to Towson High School students and staff! Your hard work is definitely shining through!

21204 Towson Home Sale Statistics November 2010

The 21204 Home Sale Statistics for November 2010 had both highs and lows.

The amount of sales dropped slightly, about 3%, over the same period last year. Here is the report.

The good news is that the average sales price jumped over 44% to $516,938 from $358,083. There were 17 new houses listed to bring the total to 73 currently on the market. Eight went under contract, and eight also settled.

Luckily the days on market dropped from the October Towson Home Sales Report from 292 days down to an average of 102, a huge difference in that month!

As we head into the end of the year, it will be interesting to see how these numbers flux again, and when the end of year report is ready, I look forward to sharing the results of the entire 2010!

Towson Home Sale Statistics October 2010

The Towson home sale statistics for October 2010, specifically the 21204 zip code, were down in a number of areas, compared with the same time last year.

Total sold dollar volume was down 40.91% and only four houses settled in the month, with seven settling last October. Though there were three fewer settlements, the prices on those four were up 3.4%, averaging $339,150 versus $327,986.

Twenty new homes came on the market, while ten went under contract, leaving 84 active listings for buyers to choose from. The time it is taking for houses to sell skyrocketed over last year, up 58.7% from 184 days a year ago, to 292 days now. This means it is taking, on average, the majority of a year to sell a house in 21204!

September 21204 home sale statistics were much better, which shows things are getting shakier as we head into the winter season. The October Timonium home sales report also showed a drop in number of homes sold, with prices rising a minimal amount as well.

For more details about your particular Towson neighborhood and your Towson house value, contact me!

Towson Home Sale Statistics September 2010

Towson home sale statistics for September 2010 fared much better than most of Baltimore County, according to data released by MRIS, the Metropolitan Regional Information Systems, Inc over September 2009.

Focusing specifically on the 21204 zip code, which includes Towson, Ruxton, West Towson, and the Riderwood area, the numbers are very positive, while the majority of Baltimore County home sales were down 25.7%.

Average sold price was up 13.38% from $357,496 last year to $405,325 last month. The one number heading into the negative category was the average days on market, dropping from 125 last year to 64 this September. Great news!

Homes on the market are averaging 89.35 % of their list price when they sell, showing that Towson houses for sale may have two different perceived values when it comes to buyers and sellers.

Contact me for more about Towson house values.

Ruxton-Riderwood-Lake Roland Improvement Association 2010 Annual Meeting

The Ruxton-Riderwood-Lake Roland Improvement Association has its’ annual meeting and election of the Board of Directors on Thursday, September 23, 2010 at 7 pm at the new West Towson Elementary School.

Tours of the new West Towson Elementary School will be given to members prior to the meeting at 6:30 pm.

Also, principal Susan Hershfeld will share news of what students will be experiencing this year at the new school.

The annual meeting should have discussion on the 2020 Ruxton Area Community Plan that was presented at Blakehurst on the 13th, and will have the election of the new Board of Directors for the upcoming year.

So come learn about the RRLRIA and what it can and has done for our Towson neighborhoods!

Ruxton-Riderwood-Lake Roland Area Community Plan

The Ruxton-Riderwood-Lake Roland Area Community Plan for 2010 is underway, and now the committee is asking for feedback on the proposed plan.

The Community Plan input meeting is to be held September 13, 2010 at 7 pm at Blakehurst Retirement Community in Towson, 1055 West Joppa Road.

This Ruxton area community plan is due to be adopted by the Baltimore County Master Plan 2020.

From the Community Plan: Proposed view of Falls Rd at Clarkview Rd

Much of the new Ruxton-Riderwood-Lake Roland area plan involves the continuation of the expansion of Bare Hills on Falls Rd with park space, more buildings, and mixed-use capacity, plus large sidewalks to make a walkable-moveable friendly area where you don’t need a car to get around, and people should be able to avoid being struck by vehicles due to safety precautions.

The Jones Falls Valley Trail is in the plans to be expanded with more biking and hiking trails to people to enjoy.

Historic Preservation of areas such as the Scott Settlement area are addressed, as are Commercial areas for better access in & out for consumers’ use.

If you have ideas or thoughts on the Ruxton-Riderwood-Lake Roland Area Community Plan, make sure you are there on Monday, September 13, 2010 at 7 pm. A lot of hard work has been put into this, but they are looking for suggestions for improvement!

Help make our Towson neighborhoods even better places to live!

New Traffic Light at Charles Street and Greenwood

There is a new traffic light going in a Charles Street and Greenwood in Towson.

It will be a big adjustment for those coming north on Charles St from the West Towson area, because it is around a curve where many people drive quickly.

The reason for the light is the new West Towson Elementary School, which is located at that intersection. This will make it easier for crossing guards helping children cross the very busy Charles Street, and for parents dropping off and picking their children up at the brand new school.

It should really help slow the flow of traffic through this point, and hopefully help with the delays seen now around the time of dismissal from the multitude of schools in the area.

The West Towson Elementary School will open for the 2010 school year at the end of August.

Students from Rodgers Forge Elementary and Riderwood Elementary schools have been redistricted to the new school on Charles Street.

Contact me for more information on West Towson real estate and how these marked changes are welcome to the West Towson neighborhoods!

East Ruxton and West Towson Neighborhood Walk April 14

The Ruxton-Riderwood-Lake Roland Area Improvement Association announced the East Ruxton and West Towson Neighborhood walk on Wednesday April 14, 2010 from 9:30-11 am.

Participants will meet at the Baltimore County Board of Education located at 6901 North Charles Street, Towson, MD 21204. The entrance and parking lot is off Greenwood Road, which runs from West Joppa Rd to North Charles St.

The West Towson neighborhood tour will include areas known as Kalmia Park, Greenwood Meadows, Gunners Range, and Chestnut Hills.

The tour will highlight “historic properties from the 18th century Gott family land grant as well as many handsome 19th century estates owned by Towson’s first wealthy industrialists”, according to the RRLRAIA Spring Newsletter.

Dogs are welcomed if they are leashed.

Enjoy the spring weather and learn more about this great West Towson neighborhood!

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 Sale Statistics February 2009-February 2010

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.

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