ONLINE RELOCATION PACKAGE

WELCOME TO BOWIE, MARYLAND, and congratulations on your new job in the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan area!  Bowie is an excellent match for you and your family, based on its location, community lifestyle, and affordability - the top three reasons to choose Bowie for your next home.

1.  LOCATION 
      Bowie is 30 minutes to everywhere you want to go. 

You know what they say about the most important things in real estate - Location, Location, and Location!

When the traffic gods are smiling, Bowie, Maryland, is less than 30 minutes from "everywhere" - just 12 miles from Washington, D.C., 15 miles from Annapolis, 20 miles from Baltimore, and only 15 miles from BWI Airport.  

Access to Bowie by Highway couldn't be easier:

• East - US 50, MD 450
• South -US 301, MD 450, MD 3
• West - I495/95, US 50, MD 193, MD 450, MD 214
• North - Baltimore/Washington Parkway, MD 197, MD 3

If you're active duty or retired military, you and your family will enjoy the resources of several nearby military installations:  Andrews AFB, Fort George G. Meade, the U.S. Naval Academy, National Naval Medical Center Bethesda, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and even the Pentagon. 

Public transportation:  If your job is in D.C. or Baltimore, you will have the option of taking the MARC train from Bowie, or take the METRO-Rail to D.C. from nearby New Carrollton. In fact, there's even a park 'n ride for commuting by bus from Bowie to New Carrollton.  And, if your job requires travel to anywhere Amtrak goes, you can hop on board in New Carrollton, just 5 miles from Bowie.

Aside from a manageable commute, you'll appreciate Bowie's location for its convenience to the museums, monuments, professional sports teams, and arts venues in Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Annapolis,Maryland - not to mention sailing on the Chesapeake Bay.   If you've never lived on the East Coast, your kids will probably be thrilled to learn that the Atlantic Ocean is only about 2 hours east of Bowie - close enough for frequent day trips or weekend getaways.  

2.  COMMUNITY 
      Bowie is poised for the future and proud of its heritage. 

The City of Bowie is home to more than 50,000 residents in an area covering about 16 square miles, including 2,000 acres set aside as parks or open space.   There are dozens of ball fields in Bowie, several community centers, swimming pools, an ice arena, theatrical playhouse, performing arts center, public golf course (6 more golf courses within 10 minutes), public library, four museums, and a gymnasium. 

While shopping centers dot the entire community, Bowie New Town Shopping Mall and Gateway Center are regional shopping meccas for the entire area, and Annapolis Mall is just 15 minutes away.  Restaurants range from fast-food to franchise to uniquely Bowie. And there's a multi-screen movie theater, the Regal Bowie Stadium 14, to keep you entertained.

If those options aren't enough, you can watch Bowie's own minor league baseball team play at the beautiful new Bowie Baysox stadium, visit Six Flags amusement park in nearby Kettering or take advantage of all that Baltimore, Washington, and Annapolis have to offer.

A little Bowie history:

Bowie is an old railroad town, dating back to the mid-1800's when a rail line was constructed between Baltimore and Southern Maryland, where large tobacco plantations dotted the area.  A spur to Washington, D.C. was soon added, and the town around the railroad junction known as Huntington was chartered as Bowie in 1880. 

This railroad access from Baltimore and Washington was a contributing factor to the selection of Bowie as the site for America's first thoroughbred race track in the early 1900's.  Nearby Belair Stable was part of the famous "Belair Stud," one of the premier racing stables in the 30's, 40's and 50's, and it has been restored now to operate as a museum for 250 years of history.

The Bowie Race Track has been closed for several years, but the train station is now a busy commuter hub.  Both the railroad and racing roots of Bowie are still celebrated each year at Heritage Day. 

In 1957, New Jersey developer Levitt and Sons acquired the original colonial plantation of Provincial Governor of Maryland, Samuel Ogle, and developed the residential community of Belair at Bowie. Two years later the town of Bowie annexed the Levitt properties and re-incorporated the now-larger area as a city in 1963.  While many of Bowie's residents live in this 60's-built community, Bowie now includes many other neighborhoods built more recently, including condos, townhomes, and even a few "McMansions".

Prince George's County Public Schools in Bowie include several elementary and middle schools and award-winning Bowie Senior High.  Pius X Regional Parochial School, other private schools and many day care centers are located in Bowie, so your family has many choices.  It's possible your children will be within walking distance of school, but they could have a short bus ride.  

3.  AFFORDABILITY
      Yes, you can afford a Bowie home.

While home prices are higher in the D.C. area than many other parts of the country, Bowie is lower than most other communities in the D.C. area.   I think you'll be pleasantly surprised to discover older 4-bedroom detached homes (like the one picture to the right) priced in the low $300,000's; a larger home, or one that is completely updated and "like new" could be closer to $400,000.  Or, if larger, newer, and higher-priced homes are your preference, there are plenty of them, as well.

I think many of those sticker-shock stories about the D.C. area are based on Northern Virginia home prices.  Bowie is a neighborhood where families can choose either a detached home or townhome and, in most cases, not have the expense of a mandatory Home Owner's Association. There's a large inventory of homes available right now, and this is a perfect time to buy a Bowie home.

Here are three Bowie homes I plan to show you, assuming they're still available when you arrive. 

• BEST MATCH:   Kavanaugh Lane - $329,950.  This one-level home in the popular "K" section of Bowie is located within walking distance of Kenilworth Elementary, a blue-ribbon school that makes this neighborhood a popular one for families with children.  The home features a screened porch, updated baths and kitchen, and beautiful 11,482 sq. ft. treed lot.
  
• BEST VALUE:   Starlight Lane- $355,5000.  No mortgage payments for the first three months on this awesome designer-decorated home, just reduced $12,000.  This colonial style 2-story home features 4 bedroom, 2.5 baths, wood floors, upgrades everywhere, tile flooring in baths, family room with brick fireplace and slider to the patio, and a large 9,957 sq. foot treed level lot.  
  
• BEST PRICE:   Yorktown Drive - $310,000.  This popular 4-bedroom 2 bath cape cod style home, situated on a 7,176 sq. ft. lot, features an above-ground pool and a Loi pond.  It needs a little TLC, but expensive updates are all done for you:  recent HVAC, roof, windows and siding.  Don't miss this opportunity for a real bargain!

Click on this link for a sneak preview of homes for sale in Bowie, including photos, prices and brief descriptions. 

As I mentioned on the phone, it is essential for you to have mortgage loan approval from a local lender in hand before arriving for your house-hunting trip.   You will find several listed under "Real Estate Partners" on the Area Guide page of my website.  Please let me know if you have any questions about this process.

You mentioned that you want an agent who knows Bowie, knows real estate, and is tech-savvy.  The easiest way for you to determine if I'm an agent who satisfies those criteria is probably to check out my ActiveRain Blog, featuring "how-to" articles for consumers and other real estate professionals, local information for relocation home buyers, and a few random topics ranging from family to gardening.  You can count on me to work hard for you, to be an effective advisor and advocate during your relocation and home purchase, as I have done for Bowie home buyers and sellers since the 70's.

Again, welcome to Bowie!  I look forward to talking with you again and meeting you personally.

Sincerely,

Margaret Woda
Associate Broker, RE/MAX Vision

P.S.  I almost forgot to mention the "BRAC Factor" - 

Thanks to the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Report, 22,000 new jobs are expected in the next five years in the Ft. Meade and BWI areas.  This is great news for your Bowie home's future property value, since there will be huge demand for a limited supply of nearby homes!

Although Bowie is located in Prince George's County, it literally adjoins Anne Arundel County.  For that reason, I think you'll find most of the articles in Your Relocation Package for Anne Arundel County, Maryland to be equally relevant for anyone buying a home in Bowie.  I'm still working on building a similar relo package for Bowie!

______________________________________

Find a Home and learn about Real Estate Market Conditions in Bowie, 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 - 410-451-1900 

There's more to Crofton than the subdivision you find inside the front gates. 

That community was the brain-child of Hamilton Crawford, a Louisiana developer who purchased the property in 1962 from the housekeeper who inherited the 1600 acres from her boss, E.L. Shaw.  A year later, Crawford announced plans to build a new community on the site, farmed for three centuries by Jesuit priests, slaves, sharecroppers and two prominent area families, the Duvalls and Chaneys.

Other nearby farms sold to developers after that, and Crofton soon evolved from being a subdivision inside those landmark front gates to a postal zipcode.  The greater Crofton area now includes many subdivisions as well as churches, schools, restaurants, stores, parks and even another golf course.  In fact, since Crofton is only a half hour from D.C. and Baltimore, and Annapolis is practically in our back yard, the restaurants, businesses, sports and recreation opportunities of those cities are very much a part of life for Crofton residents.

Now, to see photos of Crofton Maryland Beyond the Front Gates, click on this illustration: 

Other Crofton photo slide shows:

• Crofton Maryland:  Inside the Front Gates
• Crofton Maryland:  Homes Throughout the Area (coming soon)

______________________________________

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

Crofton Maryland real estate is not just about houses - it's about the community and people.  When you live in Crofton, it's a package deal!

As you drive through the front gate of "Old Crofton", located along MD Route 3 at Crawford Boulevard, you'll see Places of Worship, Crofton Country Club's Championship Golf Course, a Village Green that houses a tavern and offices for physicians, dentists and small businesses - and, of course, Crofton's beautiful homes.  Crofton is an established community with mature trees and a flag-lined street that could be a movie set for "Anywhere USA".

Crofton, Maryland, is a place where residents line the streets to watch the annual Tour de Crofton bike race, shop at the Spring and Fall Crafts Fairs, walk with their kids in the annual Halloween Parade, and participate in organized kids sports.  The people who make Crofton home tend to be involved citizens who volunteer in the community as scout leaders and coaches, and beyond the Crofton gates as advocates for responsible development in the area; they work in or near Baltimore or Washington, or right here in Anne Arundel County; they range from singles to families to retired folks - and there's an organization in Crofton for anyone who wants to "get involved".

To see a slide show of photos taken "Inside the Front Gates", click on this photo:

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

Daffodils are popping up inside the Naval Academy gates, buds are appearing on the dogwood and cherry trees, and azaleas will soon be in bloom.  If you've never toured the U.S. Naval Academy grounds in Annapolis, Maryland, there's no more beautiful time of year to do so. 

While you're in Annapolis, you might want to visit some of the Historic Homes Outside the Naval Academy Gates and these magnificent public gardens in and near Annapolis:

• Helen Avalynne Tawes Garden  
  580 Taylor Ave., Tawes State Office Building, Annapolis, MD

www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/tawesgarden.html

This award-winning five-acre garden represents geographic features from across the state, including everything from forested Western Maryland mountains to sandy Eastern Shore beaches.  It was created by and is named for the wife of a former governor, and its located on the property of the state office building that houses Maryland's Department of Natural Resources.

• London Town House and Gardens  
  839, Londontown Road, Edgewater, MD 21037

http://www.historiclondontown.com/

Built in 1760, this one-time tavern and inn overlooks the South River.  Now it is a museum sounded by eight acres of woodland gardens.  The house itself is a National Historic Landmark and appears on the National Register of Historic Places. 

• William Paca House and Garden
  186 Prince George Street, Annapolis, MD 21108

http://www.annapolis.org/

William Paca, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and former Maryland Governor, built this Georgian mansion between 1763 and 1765.  The two-acre pleasure garden features a Chinese trellis bridge, domed pavilion and fish-shaped pond.  This site is in a National Historic District and on the National Register of Historic Places..

 

Hanging baskets, such as this one next to the Annapolis Harbour, decorate many streets in Annapolis during the late Spring and throughout the summer. 

For more information about Public Gardens in Maryland, visit the Maryland Office of Tourism website.

For help with your own garden, the go-to place in Anne Arundel County is Homestead Gardens.  Another favorite of mine is Behnke's in Beltsville in nearby Prince George's County and just a half hour of Crofton.  Check out the Behnke's Blog. 

Here's a complete list of all Anne Arundel County Nurseries, Licensed Plant Dealers and Plant Brokers for you.

This post is included in the Andrews Air Force Base Relocation Package.

______________________________________

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 

In 1981, Maryland's own Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) and Sen.Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) sponsored a joint Congressional resolution proclaiming a national Women's History Week. 

In 1987, Congress expanded the celebration to a month, and March was declared Women's History Month. 

The role of women in American history was seldom discussed before the '70's - a situation that changed in 1978 when the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women initiated a "Women's History Week"  The rest, as they say, is history!  You can learn about Natonal Women's History Month by visiting the National Women's History Project.

The University of Maryland has made it easy for us to learn about MARYLAND women who have made a difference, so I'm going to highlight a few here in honor of Women in Hstory Month:

 

 

CARMEN BALTHROP - World-class soprano whose voice is described as "pure silver." She enjoys an internationally acclaimed vocal career spanning both modern and classical repertoire. 

 

SUSAN BRAUN - (M.A. - Health Sciences, UMD) Former Chairman and CEO of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

 

EUGENIE CLARK - Known as the "Shark Lady", Pofessor Emeritus Eugenie Clark is famous for her world-renowned shark research.

 

JANE HENSON - She and husband Jim Henson developed the Muppets into a world-wide entertainment powerhouse.  Henson serves on the board of directors of the Jim Henson Foundation. In 1992 she established the Jim Henson Legacy to preserve and present Jim Henson's lifework. 

 

KATHLEEN MAGEE - Operation Smile.   Magee is both a nurse and a philanthropist. Since 1982, she has brought smiles to the faces of more than 50,000 children and adolescents around the world though Operation Smile, an organization that funds and performs oral surgery. 

 

JOSEPHINE "JODY" OLSEN  - Deputy Director of the U.S. Peace Corps. She has visited more than 80 countries around the world as a tireless advocate for the mission of the Peace Corps and the work of Volunteers, speaking at dozens of domestic and international events each year. 

 

MARY YOUNG PICKERSGILL - Flagmaker of the famous banner hoisted over Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812. Major George Armistead, commander of the forces at Fort McHenry, commissioned Mrs. Pickersgill to sew a flag "so large that the British will have no difficulty seeing it from a distance."

 

JUDITH A. RESNICK - NASA astronaut.  Judith Resnik was killed in the Challenger explosion of 1986. After receiving her doctorate in Electrical Engineering from Maryland in 1977, Resnik began working for NASA. She spent six days in space in 1984 on the maiden flight of the orbiter Discovery. Hall of Fame inductee.

 

BERNICE SANDLER - "The Godmother of Title IX."  She is the third recipient of the Thomas M. Magoon Distinguished Alumni Award at The University of Maryland for her outstanding work as an educator, advocate and change agent in the college experience for women of all ages. She has won numerous awards, and in 1988 was named one of the nation's 100 most important women by Ladies Home Journal. Dr. Sandler received her doctorate from CAPS in 1969.

 

MARY SHORB - Discovered a microbe which led to the commercial development of Vitamin B-12. She served as a research professor at Maryland from 1949 to 1972 in poultry husbandry.

 

HARRIET TUBMAN - Born into slavery in Maryland, Harriet Tubman freed herself, and the played a major role in freeing the remaining millions. After the Civil War, she joined her family in Auburn, NY, where she founded the Harriet Tubman Home.

 

SOURCE: University of Maryland Newsdesk:  Women's History
Maryland Women's Heritage Center
 

I find it a little curious that the same Legislature which banned cigarettes in restaurants and work places statewide rejected proposed legislation requiring some "fixes" for fly ash contamination.  Do they really feel an hour or two of second hand exposure to cigarette smoke (by choice, since no one has to go into a restaurant where smoking takes place) is a greater hazard to one's health and well-being than contaminated water for drinking, cooking, laundering and bathing?  After all, a family with contaminated well water has no choice - they are affected 24/7.

Yet the Fly Ash Bill proposed by Delegate Mary Rosso which would have required owners of coal-burning power plants to follow strict guidelines for fly ash disposal was voted down 16-2 by the Maryland House Environmental Matters Committee earlier this month.  Apparently the Energy Lobby was very persuasive with its report about award-winning fly ash recycling!  Or...

Perhaps this matter just doesn't concern lawmakers who live in other areas, since they and their families are presumably not at risk.  On the other hand, it certainly DOES concern anyone using well water which could be contaminated by BGE/Constellation Energy's 12-year practice of discarding waste in unlined pits in Gambrills, Maryland. 

According to a study released in January, fly ash was also found in dust at homes in Gambrills.  This raises additional questions about the impact of fly ash on residents who don't rely on well water, especially since the samples were taken a month after operations ceased at the plant. 

I don't know anything more than what appears in the newspapers, and we all have our own doubts about reliability of the press.  Presumably I'm not affected because my home has public water, yet the name "Erin Brokavich" comes to mind.  Is the sequel to that unfolding in nearby Gambrills?

Constellation Energy was sued in this water contamination controversy by seven Gambrills homeowners, claiming their water supplies have been damaged.  I will be following this case to see where the evidence goes because I'm concerned about property values, as well as the people at risk.  I can't help wondering if there is any link between the fly ash issue and remarkably lower sales statistics in Gambrills than neighboring areas.  Could it be mere coincidence?  I won't draw any conclusions - just present the statistical data (does not include any new construction, unless it was listed and reported on mls):

Odenton and Gambrills are adjacent to Gambrills; also of interest may be the overall County sales statistics for February:

Emergency legislation was enacted in Anne Arundel County to ban fly ash disposal a few months ago, but it is a short-term measure.  Let's hope serious discussions are ongoing to resolve this in a manner which will protect the residents of Gambrills and their property values.  Who knows, I might actually be inspired by this issue to get more involved in ecology and the environment!  Up til now, I've left that to someone else.

SOURCE:  www.FocusOnCrofton.com

______________________________________

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 

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.

Relocating to a new area always presents many other challenges besides "just" finding a home.  I understand that, after a few of my own PCS moves  - often handling everything while my husband was deployed and my family was on the opposite coast.  

I relied upon that experience while creating this Relocation Package for you, trying to address issues such as commuting, schools, shopping, communities, and things to do for recreation.  There are so many other unknowns you face, and I'll do my best to help. 

If finding the "right" place to worship is one of your concerns, maybe this list will get you started:

PHOTO:  First Baptist Church of Crofton, By Mwoda

DIRECTORY FOR CROFTON PLACES OF WORSHIP:

• Bell Branch Seventh Day Adventist Church
• Community United Methodist Church
• Faith Community Church
• First Baptist Church of Crofton
• Harvest Assembly of God
• Middle Atlantic Community Church
• Nevey Shalom - The Jewish Congregation of Belair 
• Prince of Peace Presbyterian Church 
• St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church 
• St. Paul's Lutheran Church of Crofton
• St. Stephen's Episcopal Church

PHOTO:  U.S. Naval Academy Chapel, Istockphoto.com

There are a few smaller congregations, as well, and some people in Crofton choose to go outside the community, at least occasionally, to worship at The National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., or one of these historic churches in Annapolis:  The U.S. Naval Academy Chapel, Saint Mary's or St. Anne's.

________________________________________

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 

Whether you're relocating to a new area, going on a vacation trip, or just trying out a new course in your local community - this is something you'll want to check out!

Local entrepreneurs in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, recently launched Golf Flyover to provide a virtual tour of golf courses all over the country.  While their goal is to offer flyovers for every course in America on their website, they launched with about 5,000 of the estimated 18,000 courses.  Eventually, they hope to go worldwide.

Aerial views of golf courses have been available for some time, using Google Earth, yet it wasn't possible to know which hole was which when viewing it.  Now, you'll be able to see each tee and green, the terrain and the numbered holes.

Golf Flyover revenues will come from advertising and special services, such as viewing screens installed on golf carts to display the virtual tour; right now, it's free to consumers.  The company's target audience is golfers who travel to golf destinations, but I believe it will be very helpful for real estate:

HOME SELLERS -  Those who back to a golf course, and others living in golf course communities;  

HOME BUYERS - Those who may be golfers, and others who enjoy open space in their community and near their home.

For a bird's-eye view of a golf course near you, check out Golf Flyover.  If you don't see it listed, check back again soon because more golf courses will be added in the coming weeks and months.

Now, here is a link to flyovers for Maryland Golf Courses, including several in Anne Arundel County.

______________________________________

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.