Ellicott City Realtor Catonsville Realtor

Columbia, MD Condos - Near Walking and Biking Paths - Perfect for an Active, Oudoor, Easy Care Lifestyle.  Columbia, MD has much to offer for the person who loves the outdoors - walking and running paths, bike trails, wildlife, lake views, fishing and much more.  For the person who wants access to all of these amenities, but doesn't have the time or interest in maintaining a Single Family Home or Townhome, a Columbia Condo can be a great option.

Halfway between the mountains of Western Maryland and the beaches of the Eastern Shore, and halfway between Baltimore and Washington DC, Columbia has an ideal location for both commuting and recreation.  A Columbia Condo offers both access to this locale, and an easy care lifestyle that will suit the busiest of schedules.  The nicest Columbia Condos are located with immediate access to biking and walking trails, and may even provide lake views or access to fishing and wildlife.

And if you enjoy gardening, you don't have to give it up just because you own a condo.  Some Columbia Condos offer room for patio gardens and even room for a garden of your own.  Complementing the easy care of appeal of a Columbia Condo, the Association may take care of all grounds upkeep, allowing you to simply beautify your area without the work involved in yard maintenance.  Be sure to check with the Condo Association to find out what their policies are regarding grounds maintenance.

Click here to find a current list of Columbia Condos.  And as always, feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

 

New Homes in Catonsville - New Construction - What Do You Have to Choose From?  If you're looking for a new home in Catonsville, first of all - you have to decide - what does ‘new' mean?  For you, does ‘new' mean that the home has never been lived in, or does it mean that a home has been built within the past six months?

It really depends on what matters most to you, but because of what has happened in the Real Estate Market recently, there are many homes that have never been lived in that were built up to two years ago.  So if you are searching for a new homes in Catonsville, and are limiting your search to homes built in 2009 or 2010, you may be missing some great homes!!!

New homes in Catonsville are few and far between - they're a little bit hard to find.  Because Catonsville is an established community with many older homes, it's rare to find a 4 Bedroom home in Catonsville, and even more rare to find one with more than 2 ½ Bathrooms.  Add a garage and/or immediate occupancy, and there are even fewer choices.

Catonsville's proximity to Baltimore and commuter routes to Washington DC, this city is often looked at by those relocating to Maryland.  If you are relocating to Maryland and are looking for new homes in Catonsville, click on the link below for the most current list of what's available.

And, as always, if you have any questions feel free to contact me.

New Homes in Catonsville

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If you have any questions about this report, feel free to give me a call, or click here to request more information.

Baltimore County Market Update, June 2010

Below are this weekend's Open Houses:

Elkridge Open Houses

Ellicott City Open Houses

Columbia Open Houses

Catonsville Open Houses

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

 

Open House information has been provided by the listing agent, and is not guaranteed to be correct.

Featured Listing Friday - Catonsville Home with In Law Suite in Devere Estates

Located on 1/4 Acre in Devere Estates, this updated rancher features a renovated Kitchen with Silestone Counters, New Cabinets, a Cooktop and separate Wall Oven and Ceramic Tile.  The updates continue with a newer roof, gas heater and water heater. The Lower Level features a hard to find In-Law Suite and Huge Family Room, Brick Fireplace with Woodburning Stove, 2nd Kitchen, Full Bath w/Jacuzzi Tub.  Located On A Quiet Cul-De-Sac within walking distance to the Trolley Trail.

• 3 Bedrooms
• 2 Bathrooms
• Lower Level Suite is Licensed by the County for Rental Income.
• Hardwood Floors
• Jacuzzi Tub
• Walk in Closet
• Westchester Elementary
• Catonsville Middle School
• Catonsville High School

 

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Tenant Thursday - Maryland Real Estate Investing Advice.  A Weekly Series on handling Tenant issues when investing in Real Estate in Maryland.

Want to hear a tenant mess?  Two friends who want to be roommates, sign a lease for an apartment.  Shortly after they are settled, Tenant One decides to let his girlfriend move in.  His roommate, Tenant Two, hates the girlfriend and decides to move out.  I continue to get the rent, but then a month later, Tenant One kicks the girlfriend out and is no longer able to afford the apartment.  Tenant One said I could have the security deposit, but that he doesn't want a judgment, bad credit or a bad reference from me.

In the meantime, Tenant Two would like to move back in to the apartment, but would like to have Tenant One's name removed from the lease.  The only problem is that Tenant Two wants to add someone new to the lease - a new roommate - who has bad credit.

As a Landlord, how would you handle this situation?  Email me to find out how it all got resolved.

If you'd like more information on investing in Real Estate in Maryland, feel free to contact me.

 

 

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/umjanedoan/497345293/

I Keep Your Goals in Mind - Even When You Don't.  Everyone knows that when buying a home, Buyers often get carried away with emotion.  But you may not know (until you are in the situation yourself), that the same can be true for Homeowners when they are selling their home.  On the day that their home is listed (nearly) every Seller would like to get the most amount of money possible.  But oh how quickly that can change....

Right now I have 3 Sellers that are all in a similar situation.  They all have been on the market for a reasonable amount of time.  They all have had recent price reductions, and are priced either at or below comparable sales in their neighborhoods.  All of the Sellers need these homes sold yesterday.  As a result, all 3 of these Sellers would like to reduce their prices further.

I learned a long time ago, that in Real Estate, there is nothing wrong with a property that the price can't fix.  And as nice as it is to have Sellers that are willing to reduce their prices, I also have to stick to the pledge I made as their Realtor - to get the most amount of money for their home, in the least amount of time, all the while looking out for their best interests and helping them achieve their goals.

With this in mind, I have told each of these Sellers individually that I cannot advise them to reduce their prices further.  Some might think I'm doing this to get myself a higher commission, or to prove to my Sellers that our initial price positioning was correct.  They would be wrong.

What it's about is how the market conditions have changed.  Property is taking longer to sell than any of us initially believed, and there's a lot more competition.  The best advice I can give my Sellers is to be patient.

As a Seller - you and I are on a Team.  Our Team has a marketing plan in place.  It was a plan we agreed to when we listed the home.  We made the plan and agreement before emotions ran high.  It's a plan that makes sense, accounts for your competition, and takes into consideration your goals.  We need to stick to it.

Market Report Monday - Howard County Real Estate Market Update, June 2010 Click on Full Screen to view this report.
If you have any questions about this report, feel free to give me a call, or click here to request more information.

Howard County Real Estate Market Update, June 2010

Featured Listing Friday - Wonderfully Maintained Former Model Catonsville Brick Front Colonial Home South of Route 40 with Neutral Décor Throughout.

Freshly Painted and Carpeted Second Floor. Large L Shaped Finished Lower Level with Walk Out. Very Nice Rear Yard with Deck and Outdoor Storage.

• 4 Bedrooms
• 2 Full Baths
• 2 Half Baths
• Living Room complete with Bay Window
• Crown Moldings and Chair Rail
• Master Bedroom Suite with Vaulted Ceiling
• Master Bath Tub with Whirlpool Jets
• Separate Shower & Double Sink in Master Bath
• Family Room with Cathedral Ceilings and Wood Burning Fireplace
• Eat in Kitchen and Formal Dining Room
• Currently Districted for Westchester Elementary School, Catonsville Middle School and Catonsville High School
• Located off Rockwell Avenue, close to shopping, Patapsco Valley State Park, and commuter routes 40 and 695.

To see more, visit the property's website.

 

 

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Patapsco Falls Townhomes in Catonsville, MD - Historic Living with Modern Convenience.  Located just over the Howard County line in Baltimore County, Patapsco Falls has a mix of Historic Single Family Homes, Old Mill Renovated Rowhomes, and newer Townhomes.  A hiker's and mountain biker's dream, this location offers endless trails through the Patapsco Valley State Park, and is within easy walking distance to the Trolley Trail and Historic Ellicott City.  This small community is centrally located between Catonsville and Ellicott City, with easy access to local commuter routes as well as less congested back roads.

If you are looking for a Patapsco Falls Home for under $300,000, you will likely find either a smaller Historic Single Family Home or Rowhome, or a larger, newer 3 Bedroom Townhome.  The townhomes have the most to offer when it comes to modern conveniences, and the nicest units will offer a view of the river and/or be within walking distance to the river through the backyard, as well as have 2 full Bathrooms, a Renovated Kitchen, a Deck and other upgrades throughout the home.

Click here to see a current list of Patapsco Falls Townhomes under $300,000.