In the past, I've shared statistics with you from MRIS, the regional multiple listing service, so you would have a realistic picture of real estate activity in Maryland. There's nothing like real data, when it comes to dispelling rumors (and media reports, which tend to be rumors), so that is why I usually go with the facts. Yet there is also a place for informed opinions about property values, and that's what I have to offer you today.This change of direction was inspired by a phone call yesterday from Andre, one of my blog readers who is relocating from Georgia to Maryland.  He asked my informed opinion on whether property values will continue to rise.  So here goes:It is my opinion that home values are relatively safe, at least in the Crofton area and Anne Arundel County. They have ... 06/18/2007

CROFTON MD 21114 Each month, when new sales statistics are published by the Metropolitan Regional Information Systems, Inc. (MRIS) - the multiple listing service for Crofton (21114) - the first thing I look at is the Total New Listings (76) and the Total New Contracts (41).  If these numbers are not close, then I can predict the future.  How, you might ask?  Well, it's a case of Supply and Demand.If 76 property owners in Crofton put their homes on the market in a month when only 41 homebuyers elect to purchase a home, the inventory of homes for sale continues to grow.  Under these circumstances, the number of sold units and $ averages will continue to decline, while days on market will continue to increase as we move forward into the summer of 2007.Here is a look at the "official" sales... 06/10/2007

CROFTON MD 21114 Yikes!  93 new listings and 31 listings sold!  Three times as many new listings as sales in the month of April in the Crofton (21114) zipcode.  Now THAT is something to be concerned about.  During my 33 years in Crofton real estate, it has never been more important for home sellers to choose an experienced real estate agent who knows how to get results in a "buyer's market".Okay, let's be more objective now and look at the facts (comparing April 2007 with April 2006):Total sold dollar volume:  DOWN 16.29%Average sold price:  UP .12%Median sold price:  DOWN 5.05%Total units sold:  DOWN 16.39%Average days on market:  UP 50%Something we didn't see much during the past few years:  Contingent contracts.  In April, we saw 21 contingent contracts, in addition to the 31 sales. ... 05/19/2007

Visit us on-line for the latest Crofton Maryland Real Estate information at www.TheRoskellyTeam.com  05/09/2007

Crofton, Maryland - It's a Wonderful Place to Live! Crofton residents enjoy the cherry tree-lined streets in Spring, a crafts fair and Boy Scout-sponsored chicken barbeque at the Village Green in Fall, the annual Christmas tree lighting in front of Crofton Country Club, plus lots of organizations and year-round activities for every age group from kids to seniors. It's a wonderful place to live, and conveniently located about a half hour from Annapolis, Baltimore, and the Nation's Capital. You will find homes ranging from condos in the $200,000's to large detached homes topping $1,000,000 - but most are priced in between.  While some Crofton homes and condos were built in the 60's and 70's, many were built in the last decade and new construction is ongoing nearby.  Crofton schools rank a... 05/01/2007

Seasonal real estate for Maryland.  I can remember friends and agents from other areas asking me about the Crofton market and how it was affected by "moving season" and the "slow season" in Winter and thinking, that's just not us.  For the past 7 years we've had a very steady stream of buyers vying for a limited amount of homes for sale.  But, 2006 and now 2007 appear to be bringing Maryland and Anne Arundel County real estate back around to reality.   There are fewer buyers out there and by golly they have increased with the Spring season.  You have to take advantage of this seasonal influx by being over prepared when you go on the market.  Your home must be sparkling clean.  If your carpet is worn, replace it.  If your appliances are more than 10 years old replace them.  If your paint... 04/29/2007

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY MD MRIS, the regional multiple listing service for 25 local Associations/Boards of Realtors in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, D.C. and West Virginia, has just released sales statistics for March 2007.  It's not surprising to anyone working in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, to see that everything is down EXCEPT days on market, when compared with last year.  What is surprising is the fact that it's barely down - the sales figures are really almost stable.  I'm certain that agents in other markets around the country would be very pleased to have numbers like these:Total sold dollar volume is down 2.91% from March 2006 to $ 250,453,279Average sold price is down 1.08% from March 2006 to $ 395,037Median sold price is down 3.96% from March 2006 to $ 326,000Total units so... 04/11/2007

 Crofton Maryland Real Estate and Homes for Sale   It's 9 a.m.  The phone rings with a warning that prospective buyers are coming between 10 and 12.  You rush the kids through their cereal and send them to perform their assigned chores.  Mary makes all the beds; Jerry loads the dishwasher, takes out the trash, and wipes down the kitchen; you check all the bathrooms to make sure no one left yesterday's clothes on the floor and quickly polish the faucets with Windex.  Your spouse closes the closet doors, pulls open the drapes and blinds, turns on all the lights, turns off the TV, and changes the radio station from talk radio to soft rock.  There is barely enough time for everyone to grab their sweaters and get out the door by 10.  Oh - don't forget to confine the pets.  Whew!  You can onl... 04/08/2007

Your real estate connection for Anne Arundel County, Maryland - Home of Fort George G. Meade, Northrop Grumman, BWI and the U.S. Naval Academy   Why Real Estate Agents Don't Always Answer Your QuestionsThis is the topic addressed in an article appearing on MSN's homepage today, and I opened it with the expectation of reading yet another attack on professional real estate agents. As it turns out, the article gave a relatively fair and honest analysis: "Fair-housing laws prevent agents from talking about neighborhood demographics, and they often don't want to discuss other details, such as crime stats. Luckily, the Web picks up where agents leave off."   The fact is that your agent probably DOES know "who" lives in the neighborhood - the demographic mix, crime statistics, and the school's... 03/26/2007

Is "Invest in Real Estate" one of your New Years Resolutions?I'm not referring to experienced investors who already have several transactions under their belts, who recognize that they are still learning, and who soak up all the information they can from experienced real estate agents and other experts. These real estate investors are probably already on the right track, although it never hurts to go back to the basics.I am addressing this to folks who have decided to purchase a property for investment yet never done so, who do not comprehend the difficulties they face, and who consider themselves expert because they attended a seminar or read an article or two. If this describes you, be sure to continue reading...   1. Walk before you run.You probably wouldn't run a marathon without tr... 03/15/2007

CROFTON MD REAL ESTATE MARKET SHOWS IMPROVEMENT The real estate market in Crofton (21114) was looking up for home sellers in February, compared to the two previous months.  I consider the best indicator of local market trend to be total new listings compared to total new sales.  When new listings significantly outnumber new sales, it is a sign of growing inventory.  Based on the law of supply and demand, a growing inventory means falling prices and more days on the market.  In February there were 59 new sales, 3 more than the new listings (56) in the 21114 zipcode.  Yay!!!!  Let's hope this turns into a trend.   Other data from MRIS (the local multiple listing service) for February 2007, comparing them with February 2006: Average "sold" price - DOWN 4.45% Median "sold" price - DOWN 6.3%... 03/13/2007