Happy Groundhog Day

Well, Punxsutawney Phil emerged to make his yearly Groundhog Day prediction in Gobblers Knob.

“As the sky shines bright above me, my shadow I see beside me, six more weeks of winter it will be,” announced his handlers, dampening the hopes of an early spring.

Oh well – hopefully they will be mild.

Plus, It is only 47 days until the first Official Day of Spring!

A “Minimalist’s” Tool Kit

Many manufacturers now offer prepackaged tool kits designed to fit into kitchen drawers where everything is easily accessible. This way you can find what you need quickly instead of searching through boxes and drawers in your basement or garage to make a repair or tighten a screw.

Whether you are experienced and well-equipped or “all thumbs” when it comes to home repairs, keeping the basic tools nearby will help keep things together around your home.

I hope you find this information useful. Please feel free to email or call me if I can help you with any of your real estate needs.

Happy New Year 2010!

I would like to wish all my readers, clients, friends, and family a Happy New Year. I hope that you have a very safe and prosperous 2010.

I look forward to being a part of your success!

Happy Holidays 2009!!

There is no better time than the Holidays to say thank you for your business, service, and friendship during the past year. May all the joys of the season be yours!

I look forward to continuing to serve your real estate needs during the next year.

If you have any questions please feel free contact me.

Happy Holidays!

Wishing you and yours the very best,

Phill Cross
443.677.7114

REALTOR Christmas Carol (and Sue)

I know that many have seen this before but it certainly worth the sharing…

Realtor Christmas Carol (and Sue)
Rather enjoyable song that is not only entertaining but certainly hints of the truth!

Happy Holidays to all.

Baltimore Metro #4 overpriced area

In a recent Forbes article, Baltimore metro area was ranked as the fourth most overpriced area in the United States. Francesca Levy of Forbes wrote a piece titled “Where U.S. homes are most overpriced.”

According to the December 3rd, 2009 Forbes article, the top ten overpriced metro areas in the U.S. are:

1. Orlando-Kissimmee, Florida
2. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, Florida
3. Jacksonville, Florida
4. Baltimore-Towson, Maryland
5. Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, Illinois-Indiana-Wisconsin
6. San Antonio, Texas
7. Denver-Aurora, Colorado (tied)
7. Tampa-St. Petersburg and Clearwater, Florida (tied)
9. Indianapolis-Carmel, Indiana
10. Austin-Round Rock, Texas (tied)
10. Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, Tennessee (tied)

To read the original Forbes article and view the full list of the 40 most overpriced metro areas in the U.S. go here Forbes.com.

The table in the article goes on to rank the Baltimore metro area:

ninth (9th) when looking at Properties with Price Reductions
eight (8th) when considering List Price versus Absorbed Price
tenth (10th) in Days On Market
twenty-first (21st) on the Five Year Price Forecast

Basically, this determined that homes, here in Baltimore, were on the market longer and sold for less than the original list price. I am uncertain if that should or would be an accurate measure of how to be ranked. It is, however, certainly interesting information and could help explain quite a bit about our current market.

FOR SALE: 801 Angel Valley Ct, Edgewood, MD 21040

MOVE RIGHT IN TO THIS WOODBRIDGE END OF GROUP 2 BED 1.5 BATH TOWNHOME. LARGE EAT IN KITCHEN WITH SLIDER LEADING TO DECK & FENCED PRIVATE BACKYARD. ALL APPLIANCES CONVEY. 2 LARGE BEDROOMS. PLENTY OF CLOSET SPACE. FULLY FINISHED LOWER LEVEL REC ROOM, LAUNDRY & HALF BATH. – SEE TODAY AND BRING OFFERS

FOR SALE: 8729 Yvonne Court Way, Parkville, MD 21234

Tremendous Value 3 Bed/2.5 bath Townhome built in 1992. NEW Windows & Front Bay window w/seat. 12×9 Deck and Fenced backyard. Two Car off-street parking pad off alley. Large Living Room Eat In Kitchen and unfinished basement with Rough-in. Plus a 1 Year Home Warranty. Conveniently Located near Shopping & Interstates.

Happy Thanksgiving

I would like to wish you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving!

This year I have a lot to be thankful for; the good friends I have made, the tremendously successful year I have had thus far, and the wonderful blessings that I have attained by helping my clients acheive their dreams.

Enjoy the Holiday but don’t eat too much

I look forward to assiting all your real estate needs during the coming year.

Homebuyer Tax Credit Extended!

The much-anticipated extension to the home buyer tax credit has finally been approved. The Senate’s vote yesterday resulted in a 98-0 win and today it was passed in the house. The bill now moves to the President’s desk for a final signature.

First-time home buyers have been eligible for tax credits of up to $8,000 since last January as part of this year’s economic stimulus package. The newly backed program will expand the credit to include existing home owners.

Under the revised program, those who have owned a home for at least five years will be able to apply for tax credits of up to $6,500 when they purchase their next home. To qualify, buyers will have to sign a purchase agreement by April 30, 2010 and close by June 30.

The maximum purchase price on a home will be $800,000 with vacation homes not eligible. Income limitations are $125,000 for single tax payers and $225,000 for joint filers.

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) have been lobbying hard for the extension and expansion of the tax credit. NAR claims that so far, about 1.4 million first-time homebuyers have qualified for the program and they estimated that 350,000 of these buyers would not have otherwise purchased.

The tax credit is also set to be extended for another year for military personnel serving outside of the United States until June 30, 2011.