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... 03/07/2008

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.  Anne Arundel County is located about equidistant from Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, MD - and all the world-class higher education institutions of the two cities.  And the flagship campus of the University of Maryland is just a half hour away, in nearby Prince George's County.  Anne Arundel County itself is home to St. Johns College, the United States Naval Academy, and Anne Arundel Community College.If you're thinking about taking some classes yourself, or you have children approaching college age, there certainly is no shortage of options for you to consider.  Two of my children attended the University of Maryland, Colle... 02/28/2008

Home of Fort George G. Meade, NSA, Northrop Grumman, BWI, the U.S. Naval Academy, and Maryland's State Capitol.   When you relocate to Maryland, you will fall in love with Anne Arundel County's stunning scenery, laid-back atmosphere, and local feasts from the Chesapeake Bay.  Anne Arundel County's convenient location, less than an hour from Baltimore, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., may attract residents and businesses alike - but it's not the only reason they stay.  You'll see why residents love it here, as you explore the pages of this ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY RELOCATION PACKAGE and read some of my blog posts about communities, things to do, and the quality of life in this area.  There's no substitute for a personal visit, of course, and I hope you'll contact me soon to schedule your first... 02/28/2008

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.  Since Maryland Schools ranked #3 in the Nation, chances are your children will be attending a better school here than the one they left.  Only New York and Massachusetts rank higher.Anne Arundel County Public Schools seem to have another award or accomplishment to announce nearly every time I visit their website.  I usually take the published information and boil it down to just what will interest folks living in my immediate market area, Crofton and the nearby communities of Crownsville, Davidsonville, Gambrills, and Odenton.Following are links to some of those articles, which may interest you:'Crofton Schools Improve on MS... 02/28/2008

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.   PEACE OF MIND - the #1 Reason for you to get a home inspection! Whether you'r relocating to Anne Arundel County from another part of the country, or just moving across the street, a home inspection is always a good idea for any homebuyer.  However, when you move to a new area, where you're unfamiliar with local home improvement stores and contractors, it's more important than ever.   While a home inspection is no guarantee that "nothing" will go wrong, it does help you anticipate LIKELY problems so you can negotiate with the seller to have them repaired before your settlement.   Joseph Lang, a home inspector in Cucumonga, ... 02/28/2008

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.   There's more to relocating than finding a home.  If you're anything like me, finding nearby shopping is pretty high on the priority list, once your boxes are unpacked.  Even though you moved all your household goods here, there will probably be things you need - perhaps new window coverings, shelving, closet organizers, and maybe you'll even make an unplanned purchase or two...   You'll be happy to know the two largest shopping malls in Maryland are located right here in Anne Arundel County!  If shopping is a sport for you, or you just want a convenient resource for your annual holiday shopping, this is the place to live! ... 02/28/2008

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.     First a little golf trivia...  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 was actually the brainchild of Frank Emmet, Director of the District of Columbia Golf Association's junior activities in the 1920's and a member of the USGA Junior Championship Committee.  But Frank Emmet's legacy reached beyond this to many generations of golfers in this area with his mantra On the links, and off the streets*.  My entire family still benefits today from this philosophy and his passion for encouraging children to learn the game o... 02/24/2008

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, Maryland, world-class medical care is just an hour away. Johns Hopkins is the "Best of the Best" in U.S. News & World Report's most recent Honor Roll of America's Hospitals for the 17th consecutive year.  The Baltimore medical facility also ranked among the nation's best in all 16 specialties, and #1 in Maryland in every specialty. Of the 5,462 medical centers evaluated, only 173 hospitals made it into the rankings, and just eighteen ranked high enough with at least six specialties to qualify for the Honor Roll.  Hopkins topped such world-renowned medical centers as the Mayo Clinic, UCLA... 02/17/2008

Crofton real estate statistics for January 2008 were released yesterday by the Metropolitan Regional Information Systems, Inc. (MRIS).  As you know from my past reports, I feel this information is an important piece of the puzzle that faces home buyers and sellers today and in the coming months - How to price your home, if you're a seller; what to offer, if you're a buyer. That's why I take the time to review the data and create user-friendly charts for you.   Interest rates are a factor in analyzing market trends, as well, so I'm adding a new feature to my blog - a link at the bottom of each market study to Mortgage Rate Watch, a chart created by MarketWatch101 which displays the interest rate today, last week, and last month.  Your interest rate and choice of loan programs may vary, ... 02/11/2008

Crofton is a wealthy community and it's not often you hear of people that are really struggling, but there is a very nice family in our neighborhood who has had some very bad luck and is in need of our help.  The family consists of a single Dad (Mom left years ago), 2 young girls and a boy.  The Dad has worked in construction and has struggled for years just to cover regular bills for his family.  In December, he was in a car accident and is now a quadraplegic.  The doctors don't think he'll ever walk again.  Fortunately for the children, their grandmother was able to move up here and stay with them, but financially they are really in a bind.  At our school, there are families that are taking turns bringing over dinners and we could use many more volunteers.  HOW YOU CAN HELPThis is a w... 02/07/2008

As you get dressed for work today, remember that Friday February 1, 2008 is National Wear Red Day.   Go Red For Women is the American Heart Association's nationwide campaign to wipe out heart disease, the #1 killer of women.One in three women gets heart disease, according to their website.   I have no doubt that I'm very much at risk, so this really caught my attention.  The goal of Go Red For Women is a 25% reduction in coronary heart disease and stroke risk by the year 2010. I learned about National Wear Red Day at Macy's in Annapolis Mall when I saw a sign indicating that shoppers wearing RED on Friday, February 1, will get an extra 15% off their purchases of apparel and accessories.  Geoffrey Beene, like Macy's, is supporting the Go Red For Women movement by donating 10% of the pric... 01/31/2008

  If you're a Crofton or Anne Arundel County resident and behind in your mortgage payments, the #1 piece of advice I have for you is this:  OPEN YOUR MAIL!  Avoiding notices from your lender is one of the surest ways to find yourself in foreclosure, because you may overlook proposals from your lender for alternative solutions to your delinquent payments or notices of pending action against you, which you should be aware of. Please don't "give up" and assume that foreclosure is inevitable if your payments have been late recently or the amount of your loan balance is greater than today's market value.   If you're 30 days or more behind in your mortgage payment on your Anne Arundel County home, CONTACT YOUR LENDER with your account number in hand and ask about these possible ways of avoid... 01/29/2008

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. Anne Arundel County, Maryland, located on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay about a half hour from both Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland, is home to Maryland's capitol city of Annapolis, the United States Naval Academy, the National Security Agency and Fort George G. Meade. When you relocate to Anne Arundel County, you'll find fabulous shopping malls such as Westfield Shopping and Arundel Mills Mall and quaint one-of-a-kind shops on the historic streets of downtown Annapolis.  Dining options range from Ledo Pizza in Crofton to Carroll Creek Cafe and Phillips Seafood overlooking the Annapolis Harbor. You'll enjo... 01/16/2008

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 facing relocation to the Washington, D.C. area, or even if you're a current Maryland homeowner contemplating another home purchase, choosing where to live may seem overwhelming in such a vast area!  The first step is probably to choose between living in Maryland, Virginia and D.C. - and that choice may have gotten easier with today's release of Education Weekly's 12th Annual Quality Counts report. MARYLAND SCHOOLS ARE RANKED #3 IN THE NATION! Only three states earned a "B" in this report:  Maryland, Massachusetts and New York.  Under the leadership of Maryland's State Superintendent of Schools Nancy Grasmick, Maryl... 01/10/2008

Who wants to move to Florida?That's a question I'm asking Crofton Maryland residents throughout this month and next.  Many people in the Crofton area arrived 20 or 30 years ago for a government, consulting, or other white-collar career position in Washington or Baltimore.  Now they're either retired or on the brink of retirement, with secure financial futures and lots of home equity.Spending the cold winter months in Florida is a realistic option for them - in fact, moving to Florida altogether is on the minds of some.That's why I have declared (drum roll please)...F is for FLORIDA in FEBRUARY! To continue reading and find out more about this event, please follow this link to Focus On Crofton: Crofton to Florida Snowbird Express  ________________________________________Find a Home and l... 01/08/2008

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.   You probably already know that Crofton, Maryland, was named one of Money Magazine's Top 100 Best Places to live last year, based on its location, amenities, affordability and other criteria.  But why buy a Crofton townhouse, rather than a detached house?  There are many reasons that I can think of, and here are five of them: 1.  Crofton townhouses appeal to young and old. 2.  There are more than 20 townhouse communities in Crofton. 3.  Crofton townhouses come in many price ranges. 4.  Crofton townhouses are close to schools and community amenities.   5.  Fees for Homeowner Associations and Condo Associations are relatively ... 01/05/2008

Choosing a real estate agent is a lot easier than it was a year ago.  There's a new criteria, and not many agents qualify.TECH-SAVVY is now just as important - maybe even more important - than the qualifications you looked for in a real estate agent just a year ago!  And you have a totally objective resource for determining just how tech-savvy a real estate agent is - the Internet.Start by identifying agents who are knowledgeable, successful, and experienced in your area - the "old" criteria for choosing an agent.  Then enter each agent's name in any search engine (google, yahoo, msn) to determine the extent of their Internet presence.  After all, that's where most buyers are starting their home search, these days.  (At the risk of stating the obvious, you're reading this on the Interne... 01/02/2008

Crofton MD is a wonderful place to live and, whether you're new to Crofton or a long-time resident, you'll find plenty to do thoughout January.  Please contact the sponsoring organization for the time and locations.  Remember, all events are subject to change without notice.If your organization in the greater-Crofton area would like to include meetings and events on the February calendar of events, please let me know by January 25.                       AACC - Anne Arundel Community College CAC - Crofton Athletic CouncilCCC - Crofton Chamber of CommercsCCA - Crofton Civic AssociationGCC - Greater Crofton CouncilMD - Maryland FairgroundsTerps - Univeristy of Maryland Men's Basketball TeamUMD - University of MarylandRemember, let me know by January 25 if you want your organization's event... 01/01/2008

Your real estate connection for Anne Arundel County, Maryland - Home of Fort George G. Meade, Northrop Grumman, BWI and the U.S. Naval Academy   Maryland home buyers, this is one of those lessons learned from The School of Hard Knocks:  Find and set aside important paperwork and financial information BEFORE you start packing to move!  I've seen firsthand the unnecessary pressure and tension some of my relocating clients experienced when they failed to do this.Yes, financing a home is so much easier today than it was a decade ago.  In many cases, through an automated underwriting process, home buyers receive their "ok" within hours of making application.  Sometimes, however, this loan approval requires follow-up with hard copies of documentation before the loan is actually funded.  You d... 12/29/2007

 Anne Arundel County Public Schools recently announced that thirty-four county teachers received National Board Certification this year from The National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), double the number who achieved this status in 2006.  Ten of the 2007 teachers are in Crofton-area schools, including Odenton and Davidsonville...  To see a list of Crofton area teachers who received their certification and the schools where they teach, please follow this link to:Ten Crofton Teachers Earn Certification   ________________________________________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-... 12/21/2007