ONLINE RELOCATION PACKAGE

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 live in Anne Arundel County, you can play a round of golf in Crofton, go crabbing on the Chesapeake Bay near Annapolis, and then attend a concert at the Kennedy Center in Washington or ballgame at Camden Yards in Baltimore - all in the same day.  What an amazing lifestyle we enjoy!

As a newcomer to the Baltimore-Washington area and Anne Arundel County, you'll want to carry a camera with you at all times.  Even though I'm a native Washingtonian, you can still catch me taking photos of our Nation's monuments as we drive past en route to Northern Virginia... stopping to watch the ships in the Baltimore Harbor... taking a deep breath as I close my eyes and imagine being on one of those majestic sailboats on the Chesapeake Bay.  

Commuters to D.C., Northern Virginia, and Baltimore call Anne Arundel County home, as well as people who work right here in our county for the many small business and major employers such as Fort Meade, Northrop Grumman, the U.S. Naval Academy, BWI Airport, and State and local government.  Residents are attracted by the superior school system, low property taxes, county services, recreational opportunities and relatively affordable prices - summed up well in the phrase "QUALITY OF LIFE." 

When you're ready to look for a home in Annapolis, Crofton, Davidsonville, Gambrills, Fort Meade, Odenton or anywhere in Anne Arundel County, I'd like to help.  In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this brief video introduction.

 

Photos:  MWoda and istockphoto.com
Welcome to Anne Arundel County Maryland
Copyright 2008.  Margaret Woda.  All rights reserved.

As I listen to yet another political speech about changing Washington, I'm starting to feel a little defensive.  And I'm not even a government employee! 

As a REALTOR in the Maryland suburbs of D.C., many of my clients ARE government employees, however, and they are hard-working dedicated people who chose public service over a more lucrative career.  And that includes the government contractors and consultants who also put in long hours and bring incredible creativity and commitment to their work - many of them with advanced degrees, and many of them current or former military.  ALL of them qualified for better-paying jobs in the private sector.

Let's be honest... it's politicians coming here from all over the country to "change" Washington who control policies such as those which failed in recent weeks.  The thousands of dedicated Washingtonians and suburbanites who keep our government running on a day-to-day basis do not have the power to change anything.

It may be an understatement to say that Washingtonians don't agree on all issues all the time, but I believe most people traveling the highways and rails to work in our nation's capitol every day are good patriotic people who don't need changing.  Their goal is clear, whatever their political position:  working for the public good.  It's their job to implement policies created by people who come here from all over the country to "change Washington," even though they ay not agree with those policies.

It would be nice to hear a major candidate or career politician from outside D.C. give credit to Washingtonians for their public service - now THAT would be a change! 

I, for one, am PROUD to be a native Washingtonian and have the opportunity to live in the proverbial shadow of our Nation's monuments.  I know my clients and neighbors are doing everything they can every day, within the confines of policies set by politicians, to keep us both solvent and safe.

       

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.

 

This is not your mother's hairdresser or nail salon! 

Robert Andrew Salon & Spa is a 22,000 sq. ft. "Tuscan-themed" day spa located in Gambrills (about 15 minutes from Fort Meade) offering a wide range of hair and nail services, massages, skin treatment, and retail products.  

I could recite the history of Robert Andrew Salon & Spa or provide a detailed list of all the services they offer, but you can find those at RobertAndrew.com.  I could rave about Jennifer, my manicurist, and Lorie, who does my hair.  But their beautiful facility and variety of services are not the only things that set apart Robert Andrew from other salons - in fact, from other businesses in the area.  They're a GREAT neighbor!

Each month, when I walk through their doors, evidence of their community service or health awareness promotion for the month is evident.  For example, one month they may select Go Red For Women to promote women's heart health.  Another month, Breast Cancer Awareness may be their theme.  In September, they're promoting Operation Support the Troops, with retail space set aside to display appropriate items for care packages or Christmas stockings to send deployed soldiers or recuperating veterans at nearby medical facilities, and many staff members are wearing camouflage tee shirts with the Robert Andrew logo emblazoned in silver glitter.  ('Makes me chuckle just to think about them!)  

But that's not all - They treat wounded female soldiers and wives of recuperating military personnel to services at the Robert Andrew Salon & Spa.  And they invited some of our nation's heroes and their families to the company's annual picnic.  This is clearly an effort from the heart and not just a marketing strategy.  I have to applaud owner Bob Zupko for his leadership in these efforts.

Wait, there's more... A Tuscan fountain, which is the centerpiece of the retail area at Robert Andrew, is surrounded by tables and chairs where customers wait for their appointment.  But it's more than a decorating feature - coins tossed into this fountain year round are donated to the Make a Wish Foundation.

If you're new to Fort Meade, Gambrills, Odenton or Crofton and haven't yet found the right place to get your hair and nails done, check out the Robert Andrew Salon & Spa at the Village of Waugh Chapel in Gambrills.  At least go in and pick up one of their brochures and price lists.  And while you're there, toss a coin in the fountain.  It's a great cause!

Thank you Robert Andrew Salon & Spa for being such a good neighbor, and congratulations on repeatedly being named one of the Top 200 salons in North America by Salon Today Magazine.

P.S. - Hey guys... the next time you need a birthday or anniversary present for a lady in your life, stop in to pick up a gift card.  She'll love it.  And who knows... you might get lucky by coinciding your visit with the Washington Redskins or Baltimore Ravens cheerleaders, since Robert Andrew is the "official" salon for both teams.

 PHOTO:  MWoda
Robert Andrew Salon & Spa - Gambrills, Maryland
Copyright 2008.  Margaret Woda.  All rights reserved.

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.

 

If you're a golfer, chances are good that living near a golf course is a priority for you.  I know because that describes my family!

There's no shortage of golf courses in the D.C. - Baltimore area, that's for sure!  In Anne Arundel County alone there are thirteen, including three on military installations (Fort Meade and the U.S. Naval Academy).  But which are located in a "golf course community" where you and your family could walk or bike to the golf course?

To answer that question for you, I compiled this list of Anne Arundel County golf courses along with addresses and links to their websites.  A brief description of each golf course is based on data from golfable.com and information about housing was compiled from listings in the Metropolitan Regional Information Systems, Inc. (MRIS), our regional MLS.  Courses I consider to be located in "golf course communities" are marked with an asterisk (*).

 

ANNAPOLIS AREA -

1.  * Bay Hills Golf Club - 545 Bay Hills Dr, Arnold, MD 21012 

This Par-70 course was built on rolling hills that wind throughout the Bay Hills community. Greens are bent grass and the fairways are zoysia.  Memberships available but not required.

Neighboring Homes in the Bay Hills subdivision line the fairways of Bay Hills Golf Club.   Homes range from about $315,000 to $550,000, including detached homes and townhomes.   Chances are good that your children can walk or bike to Bay Hills Golf Club from home.

2.  Eisenhower Golf Course- 1576 Generals Hwy., Crownsville, MD 21032

This Par-71 hilly course has a seven-acre pond, along with a variety of creeks which come into play on a number of holes. Greens and fairways are bent grass.  Public Access.

3.  * Heritage Harbour Golf Club - 875 Harry S Truman Pkwy., Annapolis, MD 21401

This is a nine hole par 3 course (par 27 total) with generous and hilly Bermuda-grass fairways and bent-grass greens that are are fast and undulating. Yardage for the men's tees ranges between 80 and 172 yards. The ladies' yardage ranges between 67 and 123 yards.  Membership required.

Neighboring Homes in this "over-55" community are priced from about $265,000 to $525,000 including detached homes, townhomes, duplexes and high-rise condos.  

4.  U.S. Naval Academy Golf Club- 64 Greenbury Point Rd., Annapolis, MD 21402

This Par 71 course has sand bunkers scattered throughout the design and a water hazard that comes into play on hole #7. The Bermuda-grass fairways are narrow with most being tree lined. This terrain is very hilly, so you can expect a few uneven lies. The Bermuda-grass greens are small, undulating, sloped, and generally fast.  Access limited to authorized personnel.  

CROFTON -

5.  * Crofton Country Club - 1691 Crofton Pkwy., Crofton, MD 21114

Bring your long game to this 7211-yard Par 72 course.  Bent grass greens are larger than they look and fairways (also bent grass) are lined with homes.  It's a beautiful course, with two creeks and two ponds that come into play on several holes.  Membership required.

Neighboring homes include detached homes, townhomes and apartments in "Old" Crofton, Crofton Commons, Crofton Park, Crofton Town, and Lake Louise.  Most homes range from the mid $200,000's to mid $600,000's.

6.  * Walden Golf Club- 1500 Riedel Rd., Crofton, MD 21114

This Par-71 course has sloped bent-grass greens and winter-rye fairways that are lined with homes. Water hazards come into play on fifteen holes.  Semi-private.

Neighboring homes in Chapman Farms, Walden and Crofton Meadows (Townhomes, condos and detached homes) are priced from the $200,000's to $800,000's.

PASADENA -

7.  Compass Pointe - 9010 Fort Smallwood Road, Pasadena, MD 21122 (Public)

This is Anne Arundel County's newest and only 36-hole public golf course.  The "four nines" - North, South, East and West - cover more than 800 acres of diverse woodland and provide a wide variety of golf terrains and challenges for golfers of all skill levels. Bent grass greens and fairways.  Public access.

SEVERNA PARK -

8.  * Chartwell Golf & Country Club - 1 Chartwell Dr., Severna Park, MD 21146

Large bent-grass greens, so three-putting is a common occurrence. Located in a heavily wooded area, featuring several moderate elevation changes.  This is a Par-72 course with bent-grass fairways often lined by homes.  Membership required.

Neighboring homes are located in a mature community of detached homes that line the fairways of Chartwell Country Club.  Price range from the mid $500,000's to mid-$700,000's. 

FORT MEADE

9.  Fort Meade, Applewood Course - 6800 Taylor Ave., Fort Meade, MD 20755

A very-tight course with small and fast bent-grass greens, Bermuda-grass fairways, and water hazards on four holes.  Access limited to authorized personnel.

10. Fort Meade, Parkwood Course - 6800 Taylor Ave., Fort Meade, MD 20755

Par-72 course with a wide-open front nine, large open bent-grass greens, and Bermuda-grass fairways. Access limited to authorized personnel.

SOUTH COUNTY  

11. * Old South Country Club- 699 Marlboro Rd., Lothian, MD 20711

Bring your best putting to these quick bent-grass sloped greens. The Bermuda-grass fairways have moderate speed, and out-of-bounds markers come into play on two holes of this Par-72 course. The signature hole is #18, a 480-yard, par 5, providing some of the most breathtaking scenery the course has to offer. Membership required.

Neighboring homes in the Old South Country Club community are few, and their prices are usually over a million dollars.  There are six on the market at this time ranging from $987,500 to $1,395,000. 

12.  Renditions- 1364 W. Central Ave., Davidsonville, MD 21035

Renditions is a collection of golf holes inspired by famous courses around the world.  This Par-72 course re-claimed land that had been a sand-mining operation, and was re-developed under the watchful eye of the Maryland Departent of the Environment.  Public access.  (No information on golfable.com)

13.  * South River Golf Links- 3451 Soloman's Island Rd., Edgewater, MD 21037

More than 165 acres with eight lakes and fourteen environmentally protected areas scattered throughout the course. The course is cut through a hardwood forest with fourteen bridges over the water and valleys. Wildlife is abundant on the course, with bald eagles flying overhead from time to time.  Public access for this Par-72 course with bent grass greens and fairways.  

Neighboring homes in South River Colony tend to be in the $800,000's, although some are priced at nearly double that.  Other homes in South River Colony that are not as close to the golf course include townhomes starting in the $300,000's. 

 

RELATED POSTS:

A Bird's-Eye View of the Golf Course Near You - 03/07/08  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

For Golfers Relocating to Anne Arundel County Maryland - 02/24/08 As a golfer, I'm sure you're familiar with the customary RED TEES for women, WHITE TEES for men, and BLUE TEES for Championship play.  This system ...

Crofton Real Estate - Tee it up!- 07/30/07 My dad always said that a golf course is the best place to raise children, and I have to echo his sentiment.   A child who runs home from...

SOURCES:  www.golfable.com
PHOTOS: MWoda
Metropolitan Regional Information Symptoms, Inc. (MRIS)

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY GOLF COURSE COMMUNITIES
Copyright 2008.  Margaret Woda.  All rights reserved.

MARC Rail Stations at BWI and Odenton

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.

 

Commuting from Anne Arundel County to Washington, D.C. or Baltimore is not limited to driving your car or taking METRO.  In fact, MARC Rail is the commuting method of choice for many Anne Arundel County residents who live near BWI or in the greater Odenton area including Crofton, Gambrills, Fort Meade and other nearby communities.

The history of Odenton as a railroad town dates back to 1840 when the Annapolis & Elkridge Railroad was built across this sparsely populated area of Anne Arundel County.  Then, when the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad was constructed in 1868 to connect Baltimore and Washington, a train station was built in Anne Arundel County and named in honor of Oden Bowie - a former governor of Maryland and the railroad's president.  A telegraph office, church, school, post office and two stores followed and tomato canning became the first industry in the area, several decades before the Federal Government acquired land to build Fort George G. Meade nearby.  From a population of about 100 people in those early days, Odenton has grown to well over 20,000 residents today - and most of those who aren't employed at neighboring Fort Meade or NSA are commuters.

That same Odenton rail station is now a busy stop on the Penn Line of the "Maryland Area Regional Commuter Train Service" (MARC), operating on weekdays and a few holidays to transport those commuters to Washington's Union Station or Baltimore's Penn Station.  Other stops on the MARC Line that runs through Odenton include New Carrollton, Seabrook, Bowie State University, BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport (also in Anne Arundel County), Halethorpe, West Baltimore, Martin Airport, Edgewood, Aberdeen and Perryville. 

Commuters who board at the BWI or Odenton MARC Rail stations in Anne Arundel County can transfer to METRO's Orange Line at New Carrollton or they can transfer to the Red Line at Washington's Union Station; the Red Line then intercepts with Metro's Green/Yellow Lines at Gallery Place and the Orange/Blue Lines at Metro Center.  In Baltimore, Anne Arundel County MARC riders can transfer to Amtrak at Penn Station and continue on to Philadelphia, New York, and Boston.

MARC reports that "The Penn line is the most traveled of all three MARC Lines, boasting an average daily ridership of approximately 20,000 commuters (Oct 2007)."  I'm guessing that has something to do with the fact it's the only MARC line which runs throughout the day, whereas the Brunswick and Camden Lines operate only during morning and evening commuting hours.  (For a map of all three MARC lines, you can click on this link.) 

PARKING:  Free parking is one of the benefits enjoyed by Odenton MARC train commuters.  I often drive through the parking lot with clients to show them this commuting option, and we've always found empty parking spaces.   In fact, this photo was taken in that parking lot during the middle of a business day.

The BWI MARC Rail station could be more convenient for some Anne Arundel County commuters, who also enjoy free parking if they participate in the Ticket By Mail Program.  For more information, visit www.commuterdirect.com.

COST:  For a complete chart of MARC fares on the Penn Line, check their fare schedule online.  As of today, 9/7/08, the one-way fare from the Odenton MARC Station to either Union Station in Washington or Penn Station in Baltimore is $5.00.  When you consider today's cost of gasoline (and parking once you arrive downtown) or the cost of Metro AND parking, it's easy to see why so many Anne Arundel County residents choose the MARC train for their commuting option.

Whether you're relocating to Anne Arundel County for a second career, or trading in your current home for an "active adult" lifestyle,  you have many nearby options. 

You'll find that Anne Arundel County Rolls out the Red Carpet for Active Adults, and there is no shortage of options.  To help narrow down the list and focus on the communities that are right for you, I suggest these five steps:

1.  Select a location or area to focus your search.  What do you want to be near?  Work... friends or family... shopping?

2.  Make a list of your "wants" - the features and amenities you would have in your next home and community if price were no object.  For example, how many bedrooms and baths?  Fireplace?  Garage?  Community facilities and activities? 

3.  Separate your "needs" from your "wants" by identifying the features and amenities you can't live without.  Focus on "needs" first!   Ask yourself, could you live without a third bedroom or fireplace?  How important is a community fitness center and pool?

4.  Determine your price range based on cash investment up front, monthly mortgage payment, and community fees.  Do you plan to sell your home or cash in some investments?  What's included in the community fee(s)?

5.  What will you do about your current home?  Sell it, keep it as an investment to rent out, live in it part time (if you're a "snowbird," for example). 

Since I recently listed a beautiful 3-bedroom penthouse condo in the active adult community of Cedar Ridge at Piney Orchard, you can look forward to a future blog with all the details about it.  In the meantime, here's a 30-second video about the community:

I just learned about a hearing that's going on right now before Anne Arundel County Council in Annapolis.  Even if these bills don't affect you directly, they do affect you indirectly if you own property here. 

Bill 66-08 chips away at private property ownership rights in this county, and your property could be next!  It takes 50 feet off EVERY property that backs to a park or trail - without any compensation.

Bill 71-08 is a HUGE increase in Impact Fees - those are the fees that builders, developers, (their buyers... maybe you...) and homeowners building an addition to their home pay for County infrastructure improvements.  In a down market, when home sellers and owners, plus the entire construction industry in this county, are suffering financially, this is no time to impose new fees.

County residents should contact the office of their council member: 

Cathleen M. Vitale - District 5 (Chairman)
Assistant - Diane Jennings
44 Calvert Street, 1st Floor
Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 222-1401
Email: cvitale@aacounty.org
Email: d.jennings@aacounty.org

Edward R. Reilly - District 7 (Vice Chairman)
Assistant - Joyce Maloney
44 Calvert Street, 1st Floor
Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 222-1401
Email: ereilly@aacounty.org
Email: jmaloney@aacounty.org

Daryl Jones - District 1
Assistant - Linda Harris
44 Calvert Street, 1st Floor
Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 222-1401
Email: daryl.jones@aacounty.org
Email:  linda.harris@aacounty.org

C. Edward Middlebrooks - District 2
Assistant - Rose Brooks
44 Calvert Street, 1st Floor
Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 222-1401
Email: emiddlebrooks@aacounty.org
Email: rbrooks@aacounty.org

Ronald C. Dillon - District 3
Assistant - Beth Jones
44 Calvert Street, 1st Floor
Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 222-1401
Email: rdillon@aacounty.org
Email: beth.jones@aacounty.org

James Benoit - District 4
Assistant - Veronica Jagoe
44 Calvert Street, 1st Floor
Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 222-1401
Email: james.benoit@aacounty.org
Email: veronica.jagoe@aacounty.org

Joshua J. Cohen - District 6
Assistant - Gail Smith
44 Calvert Street, 1st Floor
Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 222-1401
Email: joshua.cohen@aacounty.org
Email: gail.smith@aacounty.org

Please do this tonight or tomorrow.  Let your council member know you oppose both of these bills which negatively impact Anne Arundel County private property rights and property values.  It's important!