ONLINE RELOCATION PACKAGE

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

Any time of year is beautiful, along the water.

Now, when you see reflections of the beautiful fall colors on the water, it's especially lovely!  If you enjoy fishing, boating or even driving along the miles of shoreline in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, you may be more tempted than ever to "jump in" and buy a waterfront property.

There are several on the market now - 200 listed for sale under $1 million dollars, and another 196 homes priced over $1 million dollars.  That is an exceptionally large inventory for any given time, thanks to today's buyer's market.  You are probably more likely to get "a deal" on waterfront today than any time in the past decade or more.

Before you buy waterfront property, however, I recommend you become familiar with Maryland's critical area laws to make sure you understand them.  In fact, they affect some properties that are near, but not on, the water, as well. 

You will find answers to these 20 frequently-asked questions on the Maryland Department of Natural Resources website:

1. What is the Critical Area?
2. Who and What does the Critical Area Act affect?
3. What is the Critical Area Commission and how does it affect me?
4. How do I know whether my property is in the Critical Area?
5. Can I give a building lot to my son or daughter if my property is in the Critical Area and designated Resource Conservation Area (RCA)?
6. What is a "grandfathered lot"? If my lot is grandfathered, am I exempt from the Critical Area regulations?
7. Are farmers exempt from the Critical Area regulations? Is logging and timber harvesting allowed in the Critical Area?
8. If I buy a lot in the Critical Area, may I build a house on it?
9. What is the difference between the local zoning ordinances and the State's Critical Area Law?
10. What is growth allocation and how do I obtain it?
11. Do I need to obtain the approval of the Critical Area Commission to build or develop in the Critical Area?
12. If my home is in the Critical Area will I be able to make a simple addition such as a swimming pool, deck or garage?
13. What is "impervious surface" and what are the impervious surface requirements in the Critical Area?
14. What is the Buffer and how does it differ from the rest of the Critical Area?
15. Exactly what can and can't I do in the Critical Area Buffer? If I think I see a violation near the water, who do I call?
16. What are FIDS?
17. Can I remove trees from my property if it is in the Critical Area?
18. Can I take measures to stabilize my shoreline?
19. What do I do if I have a stormwater problem in my neighborhood?
20. Who can I contact if I need more information?

Information that is specific to Anne Arundel County waterfront is available at the Anne Arundel County Planning & Zoning office on Riva Road in Annapolis.  For a shortcut to information about critical areas provided online by the county, CLICK HERE.

Buildable waterfront property that is still undeveloped in Anne Arundel County is a rarity - and an excellent investment.   Existing waterfront communities, homes and condos are always in high demand.  If you have ever considered purchasing waterfront property, now is an ideal time to get serious about it.  Today's low interest rates and the current buyer's market create an opportunity that may not be available again for years, if ever!

To search for Anne Arundel County property on the market now AND subscribe to updates about new listings or price reductions, CLICK HERE.  Feel free to browse through the listings at your own pace, and contact me to see any that interest you.  Contact information is under my photo on this page.

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Find a Home and learn about Real Estate Market Conditions in Crofton and Anne Arundel County, Maryland.  Check out Today's Rates, use the free Mortgage Calculator, and watch a brief video about the Power of RE/MAX.  These consumer-friendly real estate tools are provided by Margaret Woda for you to use at your own pace. 

When you're ready to go from "just browsing" to "let's get serious", contact Margaret online or call her at RE/MAX Vision in Crofton Maryland. 410-451-1900 

Do you remember this big NO button on my post last month titled Consumer Tax on Real Estate Services?  No Way!?  I reported that Maryland's Governor Martin O'Malley had called a special legislative session to railroad through several tax increases without the usual citizen safeguards in place during a regular session - including a tax on property management fees. 

Unfortunately, the Governor's strategy was effective in increasing the sales tax 20% from 5% to 6% and returning slots to Maryland for the first time since 1968, when they were outlawed.

Maryland Realtors were very effective in opposing several other bills, however, so our "NO" was heard! 

Following are excerpts from the Maryland Association of Realtors (MAR) press release, after the final vote on November 19, with a few editorial comments added by me.  (Photo on the right is the Maryland State House)

1.  TAX ON SERVICES:  The proposed tax on real estate property management services was removed from the final bill.  This is considered a huge victory because the tax was seen as a "trial balloon" for a far-reaching tax-on-services bill, ultimately taxing consumers on ALL real estate commissions and fees. 

2.  GREEN FUND:  Real estate was removed as a funding source for the Chesapeake Bay 2010 Trust Fund, which would have imposed an annual fee on residential and commercial property.  Instead, the General Assembly approved general fund appropriations, and dedicated revenue from the motor fuel tax and rental car tax as the funding sources.

3.  MARYLAND RESIDENT REAL ESTATE WITHHOLDING TAX:  MAR successfully opposed legislation before the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee that would have created a Maryland Resident Real Estate Withholding Tax, subjecting all Maryland residents to a 4.75% withholding tax when net proceeds of sale exceed $250,000 or $500,000, based on the seller's tax filing status.

4.  CHANGE OR RESIDENCY FROM 6 MONTHS TO 3 MONTHS:  A bill introduced in the Senate would have required a nonresident of Maryland to file Maryland taxes if that person resided in Maryland for more than 3 months (in order to capture revenue from "snowbirds" who live in low-tax states like Florida yet keep Maryland property).  The House did not include a similar provision in its version of the Tax Reform Act, and the provision was removed from the final bill.

5.  CONTROLLING INTERESTS:  The Tax Reform Act did include "controlling interests" legislation which levies real estate recordation and transfer taxes on the transfer of a "controlling interest" in a real property.  However, an amendment supported by MAR delayed the effective date until July 1, 2008 - after the regular legislative session, January-April,  Hopefully, this will be overturned then. 

Maryland Realtors can be very proud of their effectiveness in dealing with the Governor's strategy of calling a special session to avoid accountability.  We did a pretty good job for ourselves and on behalf of Maryland property owners.  Congratulations to our State Legislative Committee and lobbyists, and many thanks to all who attended the REALTOR rally on November 1.

Source of Information:  Maryland Association of REALTORS

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Find a Home and learn about Real Estate Market Conditions in Crofton and Anne Arundel County, Maryland.  Check out Today's Rates, use the free Mortgage Calculator, and watch a brief video about the Power of RE/MAX.  These consumer-friendly real estate tools are provided by Margaret Woda for you to use at your own pace. 

When you're ready to go from "just browsing" to "let's get serious", contact Margaret online or call her at RE/MAX Vision in Crofton Maryland. 410-451-1900 

As you drive around your neighborhood, do you get tired of seeing FOR SALE signs?  I do.  Some days, it seems like they just don't make SOLD signs any more. 

I came across a website today called FunnyChill, featuring funny candid photos of people and places.  I thought it might be fun to go through them and create a list of 20 funny signs, since we don't have many SOLD signs making us smile in this market.  'It would take a LOT of room to show these here, so I will just provided you with links instead. 

Enjoy these funny signs!

1. Road Closed
2. Do Not Disturb
3. Octopus Warning
4. Caution
5. Skiing / Hospital
6. Crocodile Warning
7. Rock Climbing
8. Thin Ice
9. Protected by Pit Bull
10. Showgirls
11. Sharp Edges
12. Beware
13. Nudist Beach
14. Tree in Road
15. Flying Lessons 
16. Copy Hiding
17. No Dancing
18. Penguin Warning
19. On Break
20. Beware of the Dog

In case you may have forgotten what a SOLD sign looks like, here's one.  Now THAT is something to smile about!

List compiled by Margart Woda, Crofton Maryland Real Estate

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Find a Home and learn about Real Estate Market Conditions in Crofton and Anne Arundel County, Maryland.  Check out Today's Rates, use the free Mortgage Calculator, and watch a brief video about the Power of RE/MAX.  These consumer-friendly real estate tools are provided by Margaret Woda for you to use at your own pace. 

When you're ready to go from "just browsing" to "let's get serious", contact Margaret online or call her at RE/MAX Vision in Crofton Maryland. 410-451-1900 

Crofton loves Ledo's at Eddie's Place, that's for sure! 

Several months ago, I held a pizza contest on another website and invited people to post a comment about their favorite place for pizza in Crofton.  Ledo's won, hands down over Dominoe's, Pizza Hut, and Papa John's.  Louise Lear was the lucky winner of a drawing for pizza at her favorite pizza restaurant or carryout, and she just happened to be a Ledo's fan.

Many of us have enjoyed a long love affair with Ledo's, having fond memories of our late-night visits to the original restaurant in Adelphi, near The University of Maryland. 

Even if you have enjoyed Ledo Pizza for several years, though, you may not know these interesting facts:

* Ledo's slogan, "We're square because we don't cut corners!" comes from the use of rectangular pans, which were more readily available and less expensive than round ones when Ledo Pizza opened in 1955.  Customers seemed to like their rectangular pizza, so Ledo's still serves them even though round pizzas are the norm for most pizza restaurants and carry-outs! 

* Fresh handmade pizza dough is hand-rolled when you order your pizza - not tossed, like most pizza dough.  Ledo's pizza dough is made fresh every two hours, and never frozen.

* Thick slices of locally-made pepperoni are another trademark of Ledo Pizza.  Cooks cut the pepperoni slices by hand in the beginning, so slices were thicker than machine-cut pepperoni.  Again, customers really loved their pepperoni pizzas at Ledo's, so you can still get them just the way they were served in the 50's at the original family restaurant.

* Smoked provolone cheese is used on Ledo Pizza, rather than mozzarella.  That's why there is a saltiness to it, enhancing the flavor of pizza at Ledo's and making it unique.

* The Marcos family, one of the founding families of Ledo Pizza, still owns and manages the original restaurant in Adelphi, Maryland.

* Ledo's Pizza System, under Bob Beall (grandson of the other founder of the restaurant), now owns the Ledo brand and franchise rights and, since 1989, Ledo Pizza has spread to Washington, D.C., Delaware, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and, of course, throughout Maryland.

* In November 2006, Oprah Winfrey featured Ledo Pizza on her show as one of the best pizzas in America.  Her friend, Gayle King, attended the University of Maryland during the 70's, and never forgot her Ledo's Pizza at the original restaurant.

A lot of people in Crofton feel the same way.  The voting in my pizza contest proved it! 

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Relocating to the Baltimore-Washington area?  Check out Your Relocation Package for Anne Arundel County, Maryland.

Find a Home and learn about Real Estate Market Conditions in Odenton and Anne Arundel County, Maryland.  Check out Today's Rates, use the free Mortgage Calculator, and watch a brief video about the Power of RE/MAX.  These consumer-friendly real estate tools are provided by Margaret Woda for you to use at your own pace. 

When you're ready to go from "just browsing" to "let's get serious", contact Margaret online or call her at RE/MAX Vision in Crofton Maryland. 410-451-1900 

Even people over 30 know what it means when we see RSVP or BYOB.  The language of text messaging is really not much different from that. 

Entire phrases are reduced to a few letters so people can type quickly with their thumbs on cell phones and other electronic devices, using minimal text to communicate. 

I highly recommend A Guide to Understanding Online Chat if you need help reading text messages or if you want to start sending them.  In fact, you may want to print out the entire guide for reference.  There are 100 or more phrases, plus a guide for abbreviations used in online auctions and emoticons.

Text messages are a great way to keep in touch with your children (and won't they be blown away that you know the lingo?). 

I'm also finding more and more home buyers and sellers prefer texting as a way of communicating with me about Crofton real estate.  

Here are a few text message abbreviations to get you started:

Some children and teens feel very confident communicating via text messages because they think of it as a secret language, not understood by adults.  I'm not too old to learn, are you? 

Besides, text messaging is one more tool that sets me apart from other real estate agents in Maryland. 

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Find a Home and learn about Real Estate Market Conditions in Crofton and Anne Arundel County, Maryland.  Check out Today's Rates, use the free Mortgage Calculator, and watch a brief video about the Power of RE/MAX.  These consumer-friendly real estate tools are provided by Margaret Woda for you to use at your own pace. 

When you're ready to go from "just browsing" to "let's get serious", contact Margaret online or call her at RE/MAX Vision in Crofton Maryland. 410-451-1900 

On this Veteran's Day, there are many ways that people all over the country are reaching out to say "thank you" to veterans.  The Crofton Village Garden Club uses flowers.

Instead of having a speaker at the November meeting, we hold a workshop to create red, white and blue flower arrangements for wounded veterans who are recuperating at the Veterans Affairs Rehabilitation and Extended Care Center nearby in Baltimore. 

120 arrangements were created by club members, this year, and delivered to in-patients at the Center, which also provides medical treatment and rehabilitation on an out-patient basis.

There is a lot of "heart" in this project, since many garden club members are spouses or widows of military personnel who fought for our country during World War II, Korea or Vietnam.  Others have children who have served or currently serve in the military. 

It is just a small gesture of thanks, but the young recipients were very pleased to receive them.

Thank you to Sally Moore for the photo.  Click here for more information about this project.

By Margaret Woda, Crofton Maryland REALTOR

If you're interested in a real estate career here in Maryland, you have several options including real estate sales, appraisals, title, mortgage loan officer, and home inspector.  Following is a list of the required coursework, along with links to Anne Arundel Community College classes that will satisfy those requirements.

1.  Real Estate Salesperson License - The Maryland Real Estate Commission requires 60 clock hours of approved training and a licensing exam.  Salesperson license renewal requirements vary, depending upon how long an agent has been licensed.  Additional coursework, a licensing exam, and three years experience are required to obtain a broker's license. 

2.  Appraiser License - NOTE:  New requirements, effective January 2008.  Six appraisal courses totaling 150 hours of classroom study are required, along with course exams and 2,000 documented hours of appraisal experience within 24 months before taking the state exam.  Appraiser License Renewal requires 42 hours of continuing education approved by the Commission of Maryland Real Estate Appraisers and the 7-hour national USPAP update course or its equivalent at least once every two calendar years.

3.  Title Certification - This license requires 20 hours of classroom instruction and 10 hours of independent study as well as passing the Maryland State Title Licensing exam.

4.  Mortgage Loan Officer Certification- 40 hours of coursework approved by the Maryland Commission of Financial Regulation and an exam are required for New Loan Officers to become licensed or renew their license.

5.  Home Inspector - NOTE:  New requirements, effective January 2008.  Home inspectors are required to take either a 48-hour or 16-hour course, depending on their previous experience and training, and pass a licensing exam. 

If you have any questions about licensing requirements, contact the Maryland State Department of Licensing and Labor Relations (DLLR) at 410-230-6379.  The above information is believed to be correct, but it is subject to change and is not guaranteed.  Updated (AACC): 10/9/07

The required coursework generally familiarizes students only with federal and state laws impacting licensees in that field.  However, they are not "how-to" classes, and additional practical training will be an important next step, after licensing.  Typically, this can be obtained from the company with which new licensees affiliate.

 Crofton real estate and homes for sale

If you use the School Locator on my website, you’ll only get part of the story. 

Today’s school assignments may or may not be an accurate reflection of which Crofton-area school your child will attend in 2008–2009.  With the construction of a new elementary school on Nantucket Road (now referred to as Gambrills Elementary, although the school is located in Crofton), you can expect to see shuffling in some school boundaries next year. 

Redistricting is a lengthy process that takes into account many factors including overcrowding in existing schools, neighborhood boundaries, and assignments for middle and high schools.  While a final decision will not be made until Spring, a Redistricting Committee of parents with children in the affected schools voted earlier this week to approve this plan for recommendation to the School Superintendent:  

• Children who live on the east side of Route 3 that now attend Four Seasons Elementary will shift to the new school.
• Children who live in the Walden subdivision will attend the new school.
• All children who attend the new school will go to Crofton Middle School and Arundel Senior High School.

Other changes to neighboring schools:

• Some students on the west side of Route 3 who currently attend Piney Orchard Elementary will attend Four Seasons Elementary. 
• Elementary students who live on streets off of Strawberry Lake Way between Waugh Chapel Road and Porcelain Tile Court in the Piney Orchard neighborhood and 32 students from the North Patuxent area will go to Four Seasons Elementary.

This redistricting puts Crofton Middle just over 100 percent capacity, which means that new housing developments cannot be built anywhere inside the boundary lines of the middle school or any of the elementary schools that feed into it, unless the developments are exclusively for people who are 55 or older.  This will not please area developers and builders who hope to benefit from the 22,000 new jobs anticipated in this area due to BRAC 2005. 

The next step in the process, after committee's recommendation is reviewed by the Superintendent, will be for the Superintendent to make a recommendation to the School Board, at or before the December 5 School Board meeting.  The Superintendent's recommendation may be the committee's plan, a revised version of the committee's plan, or an entirely different plan. 

Then, at the January Board of Education meeting, the Board will vote on the Superintendent's recommendation and may accept or modify it. or even make an entirely different proposal.  The Board will hold briefings throughout February to explain the proposal to citizens in the affected areas, and a hearing will be held to accept public testimony about the plan.  The Board will vote and, if the recommendation on the table is not accepted, the proposal, briefing and hearing processes will be repeated, with a final vote by the Board of Education in April.

Over the years, since we moved to Crofton in the 70’s, there have been other school boundary changes – some more controversial than others.  Frankly, all the schools in this area are excellent, and there isn’t any public school in the Crofton area where I would hesitate to send my children or grandchildren. 

For more information about this re-districting, contact Chuck Yocum, Anne Arundel County Public Schools, Specialist in Demographic Planning (410-439-5695). 

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Relocating to the Baltimore-Washington area?  Check out Your Relocation Package for Anne Arundel County, Maryland.

Find a Home and learn about Real Estate Market Conditions in Odenton and Anne Arundel County, Maryland.  Check out Today's Rates, use the free Mortgage Calculator, and watch a brief video about the Power of RE/MAX.  These consumer-friendly real estate tools are provided by Margaret Woda for you to use at your own pace. 

When you're ready to go from "just browsing" to "let's get serious", contact Margaret online or call her at RE/MAX Vision in Crofton Maryland. 410-451-1900