While sellers wait for the housing market to thaw, buyers remain in hibernation. Will the spring market ever arrive? The housing slump isn't over yet and prices are likely to continue to tumble for the foreseeable future. However, market indicators are promising. Inquiries are up. Showings are up. Units Sold are down. Pending Sales are down. While these are only anecdotal observations, they are excellent predictors of next month's sales. While the Average Sold Price is up across Anne Arundel County and Annapolis by nearly five percent, Units Sold is off thirty-five and forty-two percent respectively from last month! Supply and demand economics continues to prevail; inventory levels remain elevated and are up nearly three percent from last month and are up nearly twenty percent from this... 02/16/2008

TIRED OF PROSPECTING?? Join Our Lending team and let our “Unique Marketing System” prospect for you!! Annapolis, MD location is seeking candidates for the position of LOAN OFFICER. If you have at least 2 years experience and are looking for a generous commission, benefits packages and possible SIGNING BONUSES UP TO 10K!!, as well as having the opportunity to profit from one of the finest lead generation systems, it is awaiting you. As an employee you may be eligible for the following benefits: Health, Dental, Vision, Life, 401K, Discounts on employee home mortgages and much more!! We build long-term,productive relationships with our customers and employees. Our in-house processing, underwriting, and closing, helps you stay in control of your pipeline. Please contact: L. Ledesma Phone: ... 02/15/2008

Included in Your Online Relocation Package for Anne Arundel County, Maryland - Home of Fort George G. Meade, NSA, Northrop Grumman, BWI, and the U.S. Naval Academy. When you relocate to Maryland, you could find yourself in the middle of a movie set.  You may see Harrison Ford, Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, Bruce Willis, Will Smith, Nicole Kidman, Clint Eastwood, Meg Ryan, George Clooney or another film star browsing the historic streets of Annapolis when they're in town again to shoot their next movie.That's because the film industry generates about $70 million annually in Maryland. As Maryland's Film Office points out, Maryland is "America in Miniature", offering varied settings that range from the gritty inner city of HBO's The Wire (2002-06) to the idyllic period towns of Disney's Tuck ... 02/13/2008

Included in Your Online Relocation Package for Anne Arundel County, Maryland - Home of Fort George G. Meade, NSA, Northrop Grumman, BWI, and the U.S. Naval Academy.   The Annapolis Visitor's Bureau describes Annapolis as "a place where history lives in a museum without walls."  While this is true, history also lives within the walls of many homes outside Gate 1 of the U.S. Naval Academy.  If you're relocating to Annapolis, these homes are just some of the historical treasures that will become your neighbors:  THE WILLIAM PACA HOUSE at 186 Prince George Street, one of the most elegant landmarks in Annapolis, is the restored home of William Paca, signer of the Declaration of Independence and Revolutionary-era Governor of Maryland. In 1965, the Historic Annapolis Foundation purchased this ... 01/27/2008

As you know, it's January, and most people in Maryland are planning to be curled up by the fire next Saturday, January 26th, playing video games or watching some college basketball.  But heck, why not bundle up and head out to Sandy Point State Park in Anne Arundel County for the Boardwalk-themed Winter Festival.  Where else can you enjoy live pig-racing action, a 20-ton sand sculpture being crafted as you watch, and even an "Early Bear Plunge for those who love to Plunge but don't love to wait."   Yep, I'm talking about the 12th annual Polar Bear Plunge (Brrrrrrrrr) in the icy waters of the Chesapeake Bay, to benefit Special Olympics Maryland. All it takes to be a part of the 2008 MSP Plunge experience is more guts than brains and $50 in pledges.  Sponsors say this is "the coolest even... 01/17/2008

Are we already in a recession? The news commentators, politicians, and economic pundits won't say so until after the fact. News about the upcoming 2008 election continues to eclipse most news including economic news. A recession, no matter how weak or strong, is not likely to be openly discussed until the Democratic and Republican candidates are chosen. Home prices may trend downward. Homes will still sell but prices will be softer. Sellers that can price competitively and below direct and indirect competition should get their homes sold first and the quickest. January, February and March are often slow months and sales can be slow. Recent warm weather may encourage buyers to continue looking rather than hibernate. In commodity driven real estate markets, pricing is everything. Supply a... 01/16/2008

As people around the world celebrate New Year's Eve, Annapolis, Maryland, is also celebrating her 300-year anniversary.  Most Americans have never experienced the 300th anniversary of anything, but Marylanders will be doing exactly that on New Year's Eve and throughout 2008, as Annapolis Alive festivities celebrate the 1708 signing of the Annapolis City Charter by Queen Anne of Great Britain.According to the Annapolis Alive Website, This had significance far beyond the borders of our then small city. It resulted in the first lasting democratic representative processes in Maryland and the southern colonies of Great Britain and established a record of "firsts." Northern colonies had democratic processes earlier, but in the south officials were all appointed by the governors or other colon... 12/31/2007

Included in Your Online Relocation Package for Anne Arundel County, Maryland - Home of Fort George G. Meade, NSA, Northrop Grumman, BWI, and the U.S. Naval Academy. WELCOME TO MARYLAND, and congratulations on your new job in the beautiful Annapolis area!   You have probably already checked out the official websites for Annapolis, the U.S. Naval Academy and Annapolis Naval Station, so I won't go there.  Instead, I will give you this:A checklist for my Annapolis house-hunting trip:1.  Request a FREE Maryland Travel Kit from the Maryland Office of Tourism.  This is first on the list because it will take a while to receive this information by mail and you may find the Maryland map and other material helpful in getting to know the area. 2.  Plan your house-hunting trip, starting with arrange... 12/29/2007

Real Estate Market AssessmentThe seasonal slump in the real estate market may already be upon us. As it does each year, home sales slow in late November and don't pick back up until January or February. And, it is likely to be slower this winter than in years past. Why? Well, there is still a lot of negative press about the real estate market and mortgages and it's the year before the election. Why just this morning there was a segment on the morning news "Foreclosure Corner". The anchor was discussing how to avoid foreclosure with a Prince Georges County judge - the steps to take and what not - and I thought to myself "has it gotten that bad?" Well, it might be.But, there is a silver lining. There will be a gold rush. The real estate market will go through another boom cycle. The Base ... 12/05/2007

This information is included in the Online Anne Arundel County Relocation Package for Fort George G. Meade, NSA, Northrop Grumman, BWI, the the U.S. Naval Academy   Looking for a Maryland waterfront home?  Look no further than Anne Arundel County, with over 500 miles of shoreline along the many inlets, coves, bays and creeks that are tributaries to the Chesapeake Bay and several rivers.   Many waterfront properties have Riparian Rights, and others are located in communities with a marina or community pier. According to the Metropolitan Regional Information System, Inc. (MRIS), there are about 400 waterfront properties for sale in Anne Arundel County at this time (10/21/07) ranging from $195,000 for a two-bedroom rancher on Marley Creek in Glen Burnie to $16 million estate in Annapolis t... 10/21/2007

Open any newspaper or listen to any newscast and you're sure to hear frantic reports about the falling  real estate market.  In fact our local real estate market is doing just fine and prospects are good for a busy and productive 2008.The local Anne Arundel County real estate market has had a good 2007 so far.  According to the Metropolitan Regional Information System (MRIS), average prices rose in the second quarter to $421,500, up from $412,400 - and the outlook for the third quarter is for another price increase.  Additionally we saw a decline in the average monthly unemployment rate.  And interest rates are still historically low, making mortgages very affordable for new buyers.  While we have seen a decline in the actual number of homes sold, the forecast is for a 13% decrease in s... 10/10/2007

I am going to answer the question I posed in the title above, but that comes toward the bottom of the article.  If you can't wait, jump on down, but please come back to read the rest.  There was even more discussion than usual in the office today about what’s happening in the housing market with agents bemoaning the lack of showings and complaining that a lot of Buyers are holding off making Buying decisions because they are afraid that we haven’t hit the “bottom” of the current downturn.  There are some similarities between what happens to the stock market and the housing market and I’d like to point out some of them and then apply some “value investing” logic made famous by Graham & Dodd and perfected by the most famous investor of all, Warren Buffet. One of the primary rules for inv... 09/07/2007

Click Here to see a REALLY COOL eye catching, flashing icon which will take you to our REALLY COOL HOME SEARCH TOOL we set up for our Annapolis Real Estate oriented website.   I confess to knowing next to nothing about HTML prior to learning how to do this over the weekend.  I learned  based on a tip from Crystal Pina who directed me to a great HTML Tutorial (Dave's Tutorial) which I highly recommend now as well. I spent maybe an hour reading through the tutorial; about 10 minutes of that time was necessary to learn to create this eye catching icon. I had just learned last week how to use www.PHIXR.com which enabled me to prepare the language on the icon itself.  You may need this or something like it to prepare your text.  Email me if you would like help with  www.phixr.com 09/03/2007

I came across an interesting article surfing the web this morning in the "Real Estate Journal", (an online product of the "Wall Street Journal") by Dana Mattioli entitled  Homeowner s Pull Home Off Market And Find A Buyer Via Auction.  According to the article, the Homeowner built a new home in Sarasota, Fla. which was completed in 2005 at a cost of $6.2 million (top of the market).  He apparently listed the property for sale for $10.85 million in late 2006 or early 2007 (definitely not the top of the market) with a real estate agent.  When his business relocated to Boca Raton, the homeowner wanting a rapid sale got rid of his real estate agent and arranged to have the property auctioned.  The auction took place a mere 3 months later with the following results: The house sold for $6.9 m... 09/02/2007

  Annapolis, Maryland Named One of Top Six Waterfront Towns In America I have the privilege of living and working in one of the most beautiful towns in America.  Annapolis, Maryland was recently named one of the top 6 waterfront towns in the country by National Geographic Adventure Magazine.  Many unique features contributed to our historic colonial town being selected as one of the best:Recognized as a recreational hub alongside the Chesapeake BaySurrounded by several bodies of waterOne of the most desirable towns to live and retireA mecca for sailing, windsurfing and crabbingThe Sailing Capital of AmericaHome to the National Sailing Hall of FameMaryland's State CapitalHost to the largest in-the-water Sailboat and Power Boat showsHome to the Chesapeake Bay FoundationTourist friendly to... 08/30/2007

 Purveyors of food & drink in Eastport (aka the MRE, that's Maritime Republic of Eastport, not Meals Ready to Eat) are as varied and eclectic as the neighborhood itself.  This is my quick take on each of those located east of 6th street (the Spa Creek Bridge Road) in no particular order.In the interest of full disclosure: I only wish I could get someone to pay me for writing reviews like this.  Click on the name to link to restaurant websites for address, menus etc.Chart House-With the best view of Spa Creek and Annapolis to be had in a cocktail lounge (do people still use that term).  With floor to ceiling windows, the lounge projects out into Spa Creek. $$$Harbour Café-Another outstanding view, from the lunch counter of this breakfast and lunch establishment looking out onto Spa Creek... 08/29/2007

If you've spent anytime in Annapolis, you've probably been caught in the occasional backup that occurs when the Spa Creek Drawbridge goes up.  While it can be a little annoying, it can also is kind of fun, especially if, like me, your favorite place to be caught is first in line at the gate that drops prior to raising the bridge.For a few minutes, it's like going back in time to the 1800's: you can imagine a bridge going up to let steam ships or coal barges pass by; even if the real traffic consists of a few sail boats rushing to the starting line for Wednesday Night Racing or a cruiser returning from a weekend gunkholing on the eastern shore.Of course the real scene as you sit there in your car isn't bad:  Hundreds of masts all around you, boats maneuvering to pass through the narrow p... 08/27/2007

 If you've caught the news in the last few days, you've heard that new home sales were up nationally in July.  If you read your local newspaper, (in the Annapolis Real Estate Market, that will likely be "The Washington Post" or "The Capital"), you'll learn that despite the month over month rise, new home sales are down 10.2 percent from July of last year.  And if you were listening to the TV or radio news really closely, you may have heard that while new home sales were up nationally, they were down in the northeast.Confusing as that may be to all of us, how do you think your clients interpret this information and what it means when listing and selling or purchasing a new home?  What does it really mean at the local market level?  In order to understand that, you need to dig deeper and ... 08/25/2007

Hi Folks,As many of you probably know the city of Annapolis is the county seat of Anne Arundel County. The county on the whole is in a neutral position and trending towards a slight sellers edge.  I'll be curious to see how the 2nd quarter closes.  The job market in Anne Arundel County remains strong and with low mortgage rates, home sales should continue at a steady pace.                                                            HOUSING MARKET ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY                                                                     Fourth Quarter 06                                First Quarter 07                              Second Quarter ForecastAverage Price                                              $410,300                                                  $412,400                ... 07/20/2007

ANNAPOLIS MD 21401, 21403, 21409 April was NOT good for home sellers in Annapolis (21401, 21403, 21409)!GREAT NEWS FOR BUYERS!  If you're smart, you'll take advantage of the situation.Let's take a look at the facts, comparing real estate statistics in April 2007 with April 2006:21401 zipcode    2007     2006 Total Sold Dollar Volume: $ 18,414,000 $ 28,403,399      - 35.17 % Average Sold Price: $ 438,429 $ 498,305 - 12.02 % Median Sold Price: $ 327,450 $ 449,500 - 27.15 % Total Units Sold: 42 57 - 26.32 % Average Days on Market: 91 71 28.17 % Average List Price for Solds: $ 464,554 $ 518,538 - 10.41 % Avg Sale Price as a percentage of Avg List Price: 94.38 % 96.10 %  21403 zipcode    2007    2006Total Sold Dollar Volume: $ 16,287,550 $ 31,061,842      - 47.56 % Average Sold Price: $ 479,... 05/20/2007