I am excited about this weekend when the Ravens take on the Houston Texans here in Baltimore on Sunday. It looks like it is going to be C-O-L-D out there, but I will have my many layers on (I’ll have someone take a picture so you can see “Michelin Man Marney.”

I’ve been wearing purple all week, but today have my Joe Flacco jersey on, and am ready to cheer on the Ravens!

Last time we took on the Texans was in October, and we won then, we are hoping for the same this Sunday.

Baltimore has gone Purple with lights going purple, grasses being painted with the Ravens logo, and a sea of purple shirts & jerseys everywhere!

My son’s school even let them wear Ravens Jerseys as their uniforms today!

Baltimore is in deep support of our team this week, and it will continue.

As far as Sunday, I’ll be there, cheering on the Ravens!

GO RAVENS!

This year again, the restaurants are supporting “The Journey Home,” a program designed to end homelessness in Baltimore City within the next ten years. This year, the United Way is offering that if you text “JOIN” 20222, from January 20-29, you will donate $10 to The Journey Home.

Participating restaurants will have prix-fix menus. Three course dinners will be $30.12 or $20.12, depending on the place (though when I looked, I only saw four in the entire list that were only $20.12). Many will also offer two course lunches for $15.12.

You should check baltimorerestaurantweek.com to see which restaurants are participating, who is serving lunch, and to make reservations, which are highly recommended.

So come to Downtown Baltimore and enjoy some delicious food at delicious prices. Make your reservations now, because some places are very popular and book up quickly!

Mangia & Enjoy!

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!

This is part of the “Downtown for the Holidays” promotion, trying to bring people Downtown in the month of December.

There are 15 museums participating this year, including the Baltimore Museum of Industry, Port Discovery (Sunday only), National Aquarium, and the Maryland Science Center. Some of these museums charge much more on a regular basis, so these are fantastic deals!

Keep in mind that due to the deals, expect crowds, and limited availability. Make sure to arrive early! Here is a full list of the participating museums, and the times and days they are joining in.

Come on down to Downtown Baltimore this weekend for Dollars or Less!

This year is the 40th Annual Lighting of the Washington Monument, so expect an extra special night.

The lighting will take place Thursday, December 1, 2011 with events beginning at 5:30pm and running until about 8:00pm. The ceremony itself starts around 7:00pm, and the official lighting takes place close to 7:45pm.

The weather looks to be perfect — a little cold, but clear for the show. We have gotten used to this warmer weather, but this will feel much more like the holidays! There will be hot chocolate, food, and fun for all!

The Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts and the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore have partnered to put this on. More details can be found on the BOP site.

So bundle up, and come to Mount Vernon to celebrate the beginning of an always exciting season in Downtown Baltimore!

The Washington Monument is located at Mount Vernon Place by the Walters Art Museum at 600 N Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21201.

Photo courtesy of sidewalk flying via Flickr CC

The Baltimore Ravens play the San Francisco 49ers at 8:20pm Thanksgiving night — so my family will be split up in places.

A mini Kirk Thanksgiving will be held at Ravens Stadium (or really, prior to, at the tailgate), since a number will be attending the game.

Another group will be at my house with kiddos.

Another group will be heading somewhere new.

And my side of the family is staying at their homes in their respective states.

I will miss those we cannot be with, but am thankful for the family we will be.

So, HAPPY THANKSGIVING, Baltimore, and GO RAVENS!

It begins this Saturday, and it looks to be spectacular!

The light show will be held throughout the holiday season at the following times & dates:

Saturday, November 19 – Saturday December 31
Sunday – Thursday: 6pm, 7pm, & 8pm
Friday – Saturday: 6pm, 7pm, 8pm, & 9pm

I may just have to go this Saturday evening for the first night. It looks SO neat! Here is a preview from the “It’s a Waterfront Life” website! The Greater Baltimore Committee describes the show as:

“…projections on the Power Plant buildings, accompanied by a laser light show, high energy music, and fireworks. The show will preview the GBC’s concept for a year-round entertainment intended to pump up the “fun” element at the Inner Harbor after dark.”

I have a feeling my son would absolutely love it!

Saturday is a big day for the Inner Harbor with the Winter Wonderland at West Shore Park from 1-5pm with live music, crafts, games, and more. You can even create your own lantern, and participate in the Holiday Lantern Parade at 5:30! The Holiday Lantern Parade will go from West Shore Park to the Harbor Amphitheater with characters, illuminated suits, festive decorations, and more. PLUS Santa will bring up the end of the parade and arrive at Santa’s Place for his stay through 12/24.

So come on down to Downtown Baltimore this Saturday to enjoy the awesome new light show on the Power Plant. I can’t wait! If you go, let me know. I’d love to hear how you liked it!

The numbers from October, presented by Jay Papasan, showed the home sales at an annual pace of 4.9 million, down slightly from last month, but much better than September’s numbers. Median home price was $165,000, which is another drop from This Month in Real Estate October 2011. Interest rates rose very slightly to an average of 4.1% for a 30 year fixed mortgage.

The Top Story asks the question, “What are first time homebuyers looking for?” According to KW research, much of it is to stay in the same area as they were renting. 3/4 of first time homebuyers bought a single family home, and most purchased a three bedroom, two bath home.

Of course, this data is nationwide, and the Baltimore real estate market is different than any other. Many areas of the country do not have the dense, highly populated areas with rowhomes such as Downtown Baltimore in Federal Hill, Fells Point, Canton, and Locust Point. Even Baltimore County has many townhouse neighborhoods, such as Mays Chapel in Timonium, Rodgers Forge, and areas of White Marsh and Perry Hall.

In News You Can Use, Bryon Ellington discusses three things you should know about buying versus renting.

1) Equity. You can build wealth through equity. He aligns it with a long term savings account. Every month that you pay your mortgage, a portion of the mortgage goes into that “account” (your principle).

2) Appreciation. If the market where you buy appreciates, then that equity becomes even larger.

3) Make it your own. You can renovate, paint, do whatever you’d like to it!

He also points out that when you pay rent, you are still paying a mortgage. It is just someone else’s mortgage, and you don’t get the benefits of ownership.

For more information about buying a home in Baltimore, please contact me. I would be happy to help!

The Green Line has stops in Fells’ Point, the Water Taxi at Maritime Park (At Caroline and Thames,) the Shot Tower (near the Metro and Power Plant Live), Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, plus City Hall.

Today also adds a Howard Street/Pratt Street stop to the Orange line, near the light rail.

More details on routes and hours can be found on their website!

Don’t know what the Charm City Circulator is? Check out my prior posts. It is a neat initiative for Baltimore residents and workers!

More about the Charm City Circulator Orange Route.

More about the Charm City Circulator Purple Route.

The Charm City Circulator is free bus transportation service provided by the City of Baltimore. It is designed to provide transportation around Downtown Baltimore for residents, workers, and visitors. Come Downtown and get around for FREE!

After the decision on October 24, 2011, that cap and compromise is no longer the case.

According to an article in the Daily Record,

The Court of Appeals, in its 7-0 decision, called the immunity provision and $17,000 offer “totally inadequate and unreasonable” to remedy the harm done to children permanently brain damaged due to their ingestion of lead-based paint in a rental property.

“For a child who is found to be permanently brain damaged from ingesting lead paint, proximately caused by the landlord’s negligence, the maximum amount of compensation under a qualified offer is minuscule,” retired Judge John C. Eldridge wrote for the high court. “It is almost no compensation.”

Thus, the provision — found in the 1994 Reduction of Lead Risk in Housing Act — violated Article 19 of the Maryland Constitution, which grants individuals the rights of access to the courts and to a remedy for their injuries, the court added.

This is a very big thing for landlords in Baltimore City, where many older homes may have lead based paint if they haven’t been mitigated in the past.

Landords all around Baltimore should make sure they understand Lead-Based Paint laws, rules & regulations, to ensure they protect both themselves AND the tenants they would have living in their properties.