A group of musical DC Residents jumped on a bus this week and headed to Walmart in Laurel, Maryland to show their concerns about future plans for Walmart stores in their DC neighborhoods. performed their own "Walmart" rendition of Aretha Franklins "RESPECT" The statement from the Walmart's director of community affairs dismissed the efforts of the flash mob. "Real DC residents know that singing and dancing are not solutions for people who need access to quality jobs and affordable groceries. As we move forward on our planned stores in wards 4, 5, 6 and 7, we’ll continue to look for ways to better serve our customers in the city.” Frankly I disagree and I believe the power of the Internet has the ability to get the message across. Their journey to Laurel is posted on You Tube video and ... 07/28/2011

In preparing your house to sell, ask yourself over and over if your house lookslike someone else's dream house. Houses in move-in condition tendto be inviting to buyers; houses that are in like-new conditiontypically sell fastest and procures the best price because it outshinethe competition. With that in mind, here are a few things to consider as you look overyour house when getting ready to sell: Exterior Remember the sixty-second rule: that's all the time you have tocreate a good first impression! Mow the lawn, rake leaves, trimtrees and shrubs that keep light out of the house, and remove deadplants. It will probably be easier to sell your house if the buyercan see it, outside and in. Pick up tools, garbage cans, hoses,toys, and building materials and store them neatly in a storagear... 06/23/2011

Sellers- STEP 1 - DEFINE NEEDS It is important to set out in writing the reasons that are motivatingyou to sell your current home. You might ask yourself, "Whyam I selling my home and what do I expect to accomplish?" Ifyou have a growing family and you need more space you may be underless pressure to get your house ready to sell than if you were,let's say, moving to a new city due to career opportunity. Explore your short and long term goals and decide how selling your housefits into those goals. Your agent will identify all of the variableswithin your individual goals and how best to achieve them in yourlocal real estate market. Your real estate agent will apply hisor her expert knowledge to your particular needs and set a realistictime frame for the process to proceed. This will help ... 06/15/2011

For most families, selling your home is one of the biggestfinancial decisions they will ever make. The process can be daunting,with many important questions that need to be answered. Choosing thebest Realtor to market and sell your home can make all the difference,turning an otherwise difficult, stressful process into a comfortable,informed experience that you are in control of. As a top area agent, Iwill make sure that you get the best price for your home, in the leastamount of time. I analyze and determine home values in the market every day.As a top real estate expert in this market, I can help you determineexactly what your home is worth in the current market. Then, as anexperienced professional, I'll market your home and negotiate on yourbehalf to sell your home at the best price p... 06/10/2011

You've chosen the best Maryland real estate agent. Can you rely on their loyalty?You might be surprised by the answer! You may not be aware that your Maryland real estate agent, unless they specifically discloseotherwise, represent the seller in any transaction for the saleof a home. It is that Maryland real estate Agent's fiduciary duty (where their loyaltylies) to protect the seller's position at all times. Choosing a Maryland Buyer's Agent, however allows that Agent with whomyou are working to be your representative and to put your interestsabove all others. Work with the Best Maryland Real Estate Agent Here are a couple of examples: You see a house advertised in the newspaper, a home magazine,or the Internet. You contact the Maryland Listing Agent (this is who willbe advertising the... 06/06/2011

Once you've found a house you like, you must decide how much to offer. In putting together your actual offer, consider the followingseven factors: The advertised price of the Laurel Maryland Real Estate listing - Treat this as only a rough estimate of what the seller would like to receive, and recognize that different sellers price houses very differently. Some Maryland Real Estate sellers deliberately overprice, others ask for pretty close to what they hope to get and a few (often the cleverest) underprice their houses in the hope that potential buyers will compete and overbid. Laurel Maryland Real Estate You Can Afford What you can pay for a piece of Laurel Maryland Real Estate will probably depend on how much youalready have in cash and how much you can reasonably borrow in a mortgag... 05/26/2011

Usually, if you can come up with a down payment then buying Maryland real estate is yourbest option. However, this may not apply to everyone. Consider thefollowing: Renters ... Neither gain equity, nor lose it. Despite any improvementsrenters make to their homes - and regardless of any outside influencesthat would cause the property value to increase - renters willnever gain equity. Renters put little money up front. Reap no tax advantages. Any and all tax breaks and other tax-associatedadvantages are enjoyed by landlords. Are often restricted from making modifications such as paintingwalls (some landlords will allow renters to paint their walls onlyif they paint them white again before they vacate their homes). Can merely pack up and leave upon the expiration of their leases.They don't... 05/20/2011

1. Are you a full-time professional Realtor®? How long have you workedfull time serving Maryland real estate clients? How long have you been representing buyers?What professional designations do you have? Knowing whether or not your Realtor® practices real estate on a full-timebasis can give you a piece of the puzzle in foreseeing schedulingconflicts and, overall, his or her commitment to your transaction.As with any profession, the number of years a person has been inthe business does not necessarily reflect the level of service youcan expect, but it is a good starting point for your discussion.The same issue can apply to professional designations. 2. Do you have a personal assistant, team, or staff to handle differentparts of the purchase transaction? What are their names and howwill ... 05/14/2011

Finding the Perfect Maryland Real Estate Investment Finding the perfect house for you and your family can be a great deal of fun when you're armed with realistic expectations, patience, and plenty of research in hand. With just a little preparation, you'll be well on your way. The first few steps include narrowing your choices down to the neighborhoods you like and determining the maximum home price of Laurel Maryland Real Estate you can afford. You may be pre-approved for a loan, but you still need to consider other possible expenses, including retirement and college savings, vacations, and home maintenance and repairs, when you calculate how much you can afford for a monthly payment. And let's not forget homeowners insurance and property taxes. Maryland Real Estate Tips Now that you'v... 05/05/2011

Maryland Real Estate FAQ Why should I use a real estate agent to help me buy myhome?Where do I start looking for a home?How do I find the right agent? What to look for in Maryland Real Estate Listings: How do I find out how much I can afford?How does buying compare to renting?What should I look for in a new neighborhood?Where can I get reports on local schools?How can I find out what homes are selling for in a certain area?How can I find out what my tax bill will be?If I'm relocating, is there any way I can view homes before I arrive?What do all the real estate ad abbreviations mean?When I start seeing homes, what should I look for?How many bedrooms will I need?What's a better value, old or new?What should I bring when looking at homes?What questions should I ask about each home?What sh... 04/26/2011

Maryland Real Estate Investments For Your Family People generally have two kinds of needs during a Maryland Real Estate purchase. First are the transactional needs, such as searching for a home, obtaining financing, negotiating the terms of purchase, completing paperwork and legal documents, and arranging the move. The second are emotional needs that are involved in a home purchase, which can be where the most stress occurs in a home purchase. The following are just a handful of tips to help you and your family ease the stress of moving. · Prepare your children Although you may have lived in your current residence for just a few years, the same few years can be half the lifetime of a seven- or eight-year-old, and can include all the years he or she can remember. Your current residence m... 04/19/2011

First Step of Investing in Maryland Real Estate When considering purchasing your first home, whether you get that mortgage or not, may depend on a network of credit reporting agencies that either share information with, or are owned by, three major credit bureaus. This report is what lenders use to issue Maryland real estate mortgages or other loans. It's a good idea to check your credit report to know where you stand before you get too far in the home buying process, that way you can be aware of problems before they jump up and derail your plans. Copy Your Credit Report For Your Maryland Real Estate Loan Officer Getting copies of your credit reports is easy. You can request a copy from each of the three major national credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Checking your cred... 04/14/2011

What exactly is involved in a Maryland real estate contract? Here's a breakdown of what most Maryland real estate contracts contain, although the exact structure might vary based on your location. What is a Maryland Real Estate Contract: A legal description of the property as well as the street address. How much is the Maryland real estate listing for: The selling price. Maryland Real Estate Mortgage contingency: Subject to obtaining a mortgage (if applicable) and the specifics of the mortgage-amount, rateand term. Application to be made in X number of days. Maryland Real Estate Deposit: How much money accompanies the contract and who will hold it. Closing on your Maryland Home: When and where. Inclusions and exclusions: What is and is not included in the sale of the property. Maryland ... 04/12/2011

Closing Maryland Real Estate Closing is the last step in buying a home. Unless you are payingcash for the piece of Maryland real estate, you cannot buy without backing from a lender,which comes in the form of a commitment letter. The lender willrequire that you have a homeowner's insurance policy on the property,so you will need to arrange this before the closing. At closing you will be asked how you want to hold the title, which basicallyrefers to ownership. If you alone will own the piece of Maryland real estate, it's soleownership; joint tenancy applies when two or more people are purchasing,but each holds the right to dispose of his or her share. Tenancyin common applies when the property is owned jointly with an agreementthat if one owner dies, the share goes to his or her heirs. T... 04/08/2011

Laurel, Maryland is a thriving city boasting wonderful shopping, restaurants and golf courses, award winning health care facilities and exciting cultural attractions. Plus, its ideal proximity to major urban centers including Baltimore, Annapolis and Washington D.C make it a wonderful retirement destination for those in search of a charming Maryland active adult community. Central Parke at Victoria Falls is an intimate sized community for adults age 55 and better. With just 609 homes the community feels like a private oasis for those who call it home. The community opened in 2004 and today offers new construction and resale homes priced from the low $200’s to the low $400’s. Home styles available include traditional single-family ranch homes, attached villas and condominiums. The homes ... 04/03/2011

Recently, I got my teeth cleaned for free.  As a matter of fact, numerous residents of Laurel Md had their teeth cleaned for free.   Some even even received free emergency dental care.   This free dental service was provided by local Dentists Miles and Melnick as a service to the local Laurel community. Dr.s Miles and Melnick are the principles at Laurel Lakes Cosmetic Dentistry.  Their office is located at 13916 Baltimore Ave, in Laurel, Md.  They have been in Laurel Md for over 21 years. This is the first year the Dentist have offered to treat people for free.   This free community service was inspired by Dental Health Month and was a great way to give back to the community.  The Dentist are providing the service again on the 26th of February in the morning hours.  They are also givin... 02/25/2011

Wow!  What a difference between the Absorption Rate between Prince Georges and Howard County home sales! The Absorption rate gives you and idea of how long it will take to sell the current inventory of homes in any given market.   A rate of six months or so is a "balanced" market for both buyers and sellers.  A rate of more than six months tends to be a buyer market.  A rate of four months or less will favor the seller. Currently in Howard County Maryland the Absortion rate is about eight and half months.  That is to say it would take about eight and half months to sell off the current inventory of homes in Howard County. However, in Prince Geroges County Maryland the Absorption rate is much longer. It would take over 13 months to sell off the entire inventory of 6510 homes in Prince Ge... 12/28/2010

I was hours away from going to settlement with my buyers on a home in a gated community in Laurel Maryland.  The buyers were on the phone with their insurance agent setting-up their insurance on the new home. The insurance agent asked my buyers if they knew the property had major water damage to it less than two years ago.  The cost of repair was $21,000! Myself and my buyers had no idea this had occured.  It was not disclosed to us by the listing agent or the sellers. When informed of this, I immediately got the listing agent on the phone.   She claimed she had not been told by the sellers about the water flooding in the basement.  The sellers did explain that a sump pump broke and the basement flooded. My buyers decided not to buy the property. My buyers had an awful experience with a... 12/07/2010

HOMES FOR SALE IN LAUREL, MD, HOME BUYER REBATE - FREE ONE YEAR HOME WARRANTY - JUST FOR YOU  READY TO BUY A HOME IN LAUREL?  Interest rates are at their lowest in memory.  There are some wonderful homes for sale in Laurel and HOMEFINDERS.COM will help you with closing costs and a FREE One Year Home Warranty.  THE HOMEFINDERS.COM HOME BUYER'S REBATE, gives cash to you to use at settlement.   How much money??  HOMES IN THE COMMUNITIES BELOW QUALIFY FOR THE HOMEFINDERS.COM BUYER REBATE:  On a home in Laurel that sells for $475,000, your Buyer REBATE will be - $2,375. On a home in Laurel that sells for $430,000, your Buyer REBATE will be - $2,150. EXAMPLE OF HOMES IN LAUREL IN THE $400,000 PRICE RANGE.   See REBATEamounts for homes for sale in Laurel.  The REBATE will be based on the SOLD ... 12/03/2010

Laurel Savage Jessup Maryland - No Money Down Zero Down Home Mortgage Loans I have a Secret . . . but you have to promise you won't tell anyone . . . I see houses, lots of them, that anyone can purchase right off of the 95 corridor between Washington and Baltimore in Howard County with No Money Down, No Monthly Mortgage Insurance, and when you work with the right Mortgage Lender and Realtor No Out-Of-Pocket Closing Costs.  These house are located everywhere on the Howard County side of Laurel, Savage, or Jessup and can be purchased with no money down financing through the USDA Rural Development Program.  That's "No Money Down Financing" as in No Down Payment, 100% Mortgage Financing, and Zero Down Mortgage Loan. Yet there's more!  In addition to the 100% Mortgage Financing this loan pro... 11/17/2010