Moving is Not Child's Play

"Adults are used to changes in their lives, starting over in new places, making job moves, but children are not. Children thrive in routine and security. Making a move can upset the family dynamics, at least temporarily"......plus: 1. Hold a family meeting – Sometimes we get caught up in “adult talk” and do not realize that little ears are picking up everything we are saying and not saying. Once you know the move is imminent, sit down with the children to have an open family discussion. Present the move to them as a positive thing and that you are looking forward to the adventure as a family. 2. Explain the absence of one parent – If one of the parents has to move before the family, discuss this transition with the children as well. The absence of one parent can really upset younger children because they may not fully comprehend where that person has gone. Try to set up family calls through Skype regularly so the children can visually see and talk to the absent parent. Meanwhile, ensure they understand that it is a temporary situation. 3. Make the unknown known – Children can be very scared of the unknown or what they do not understand. If it is possible, take the children to the new area and show them around. Oftentimes, you can schedule a tour of the school and meet the teachers. Ask the teacher to introduce them to a future classmate. With any luck, they will be fast friends later. If you have already selected a home to purchase, show pictures to the children and let them pick out the paint colors and the décor of their room. This will engage them more in the move and give them something to look forward to. 4. Maintain organization and consistency – There are so many things to do before a move that it is easy to forget "family pizza night", bedtime stories and play dates. However, children will be more stressed by the situation if the family routine is not maintained. Make every attempt to eat dinner as a family and participate in the neighborhood events until you move. This will help with the family dynamics and also give the children the additional feeling of security that they need. Moving can be stressful for the whole family, but with a good plan, it can also be an adventure that everyone can look forward to. Edited from information provided by MOVEADVOCATE.com.

What a difference ....

Market news in June:

Clear Capital reports that national home prices rose 8.2% in the year ended in May. CoreLogic reports that home prices, including distressed sales, rose 12.1% from April 2012 to April 2013.

Non-farm payrolls rise to 175K in May, above the 159K expected. Revisions for March and April were -12K. ADP reports that private employers added 135K new jobs in May, below the 157K expected. The Labor Force Participation Rate rises a tenth to 63.4. Fitch reports that the May jobs report supports continued monetary easing. Challenger, Gray & Christmas reports that planned layoffs at companies across the nation fell by 4.5% in May for the third month in a row.

Freddie Mac reports that the 30-yr fixed is at 3.91% when paying a 0.7 point. If no point is paid, the rate is 4.09%. The refi index plunged by 15% with home loan rates jumping.

I am thrilled to see a healthier residential home market!

Happy Fourth of July everyone!

Happy Fourth of July All!

It has been such a busy real estate market that I have had no time to add anything here. The best real estate market in about 7 or 8 years! I want to thank the many buyers and sellers who are currently working with me for participating in the best year I have ever experienced in 29 years in real estate!  And to those who referred many of these friends and family to me this year and over the past few years, I also want to extend many thanks and my most humble appreciation for your trust in me. For those still looking and thinking about moving you have probably heard that rates have started to rise.  This is true but I would like to mention that everything is relative.  Your buying power is greater at lower interest rates and for those who have bought with interest rates below 4%, isn't it great!  For those who are facing possibly higher rates please bear in mind as I have told so many young people recently, my first purchase was a VA mortgage at 8% and we were thrilled!  It happened as a sudden drop below 8.5% the week we bought in a market where most everyone else had double digit interest rates.  It is still a fabulous way to have a stake in your home and your life.  For those who prefer to rent or must rent for other reasons, start putting a little away every month in the fund to start saving for your down-payment.  Owning is so much better than renting if you want more say in how and where you live. It isn't for everybody, but if you or anyone you know would like to discuss the merits of owning over renting, let's get coffee!  Have a safe and Happy Fourth everyone!

Office Moved Back to the Lake Kittimaqundi side of the Columbia Mall!

My new address is :  5575 Sterrett Place, Suite 100, Columbia,MD 21044 which means I am on the ground floor once again and that I am the closest I have been to the Lakefront Office where I first began my real estate career back in 1984.  Melbourne, Feagin and Hammersmith, Better Homes and Gardens was located where the Tomato Palace now stands adjacent to Clyde's.  My phone numbers have not changed! Congratulations to all the high school and college graduates!
Best wishes,
Linda

Phone Charger Wise

Street Smarts Essential Chargers, Unexpected Hazards

Charging your cell phone too long can be a hazard. Technically speaking, it's not possible to overcharge a battery to the point of explosion, since the adapter limits power going into the cell phone's battery. However, leaving a phone plugged in longer than the time it takes to get a full charge can cause it to overheat, presenting a fire hazard to anything it may be in contact with–not to mention shortening battery life. Phone chargers also warm up and may overheat without adequate ventilation. Keeping a "rats nest" tangle of cords, plugs and multiple connected devices only exacerbates the hazard–even if the charger is disconnected from the phone but still plugged into the wall socket. Chargers still pull a current whether they are connected to a cell phone or not. Here are some tips to reduce the chances of causing a fire with your cell phone: Make sure you charge the phone on a solid surface away from fabric or other flammable material. Don't leave your cell phone connected to any charger for longer than it takes to get a full charge and never more than 24 hours. Make sure your chargers have adequate ventilation and, if possible, unplug them or turn off the switch when not in use. Don't carry your cell phone inside pockets, especially highly flammable clothing. Use a purse or backpack. Avoid after-market chargers and batteries. They have a much higher incidence of failure and fire than the manufacturer's version.

Housing Statistics: March 2013

Housing Statistics: March 2013

	Units			Average Price			Median Price			Pending Units		Active Inventory		Months of Inventory*
	2013	2012	% Chg	2013	2012	% Chg	2013	2012	% Chg	2013	2012	2013	2012	2013	2012
Allegany	31	29	6.9%	$106,956	$83,367	28.3%	$108,000	$60,000	80.0%	51	48	489	474	15.8	16.3
Anne Arundel	425	430	-1.2%	$344,278	$329,120	4.6%	$290,000	$283,850	2.2%	797	706	2,136	2,650	5.0	6.2
Baltimore City	444	417	6.5%	$156,412	$136,604	14.5%	$115,000	$91,000	26.4%	723	668	2,769	3,288	6.2	7.9
Baltimore County	561	562	-0.2%	$230,997	$219,799	5.1%	$195,000	$180,000	8.3%	929	883	2,189	2,999	3.9	5.3
Calvert	82	57	43.9%	$310,607	$293,608	5.8%	$284,188	$279,900	1.5%	103	123	578	624	7.0	10.9
Caroline	23	13	76.9%	$148,231	$110,954	33.6%	$163,000	$113,000	44.2%	34	22	250	283	10.9	21.8
Carroll	115	103	11.7%	$283,718	$274,399	3.4%	$260,000	$255,000	2.0%	169	180	699	880	6.1	8.5
Cecil	64	58	10.3%	$215,773	$191,729	12.5%	$197,750	$169,950	16.4%	83	94	711	721	11.1	12.4
Charles	155	120	29.2%	$239,119	$239,144	0.0%	$226,900	$235,000	-3.4%	233	218	618	736	4.0	6.1
Dorchester	29	24	20.8%	$180,342	$107,317	68.0%	$137,000	$101,500	35.0%	28	35	332	411	11.4	17.1
Frederick	221	206	7.3%	$277,818	$260,743	6.5%	$242,500	$227,500	6.6%	324	336	691	849	3.1	4.1
Garrett	23	20	15.0%	$236,804	$293,150	-19.2%	$200,000	$273,000	-26.7%	25	23	442	542	19.2	27.1
Harford	189	165	14.5%	$258,532	$245,610	5.3%	$241,000	$220,000	9.5%	281	238	1,130	1,257	6.0	7.6
Howard	223	217	2.8%	$390,952	$391,068	0.0%	$352,000	$349,900	0.6%	371	423	706	1,115	3.2	5.1
Kent	15	11	36.4%	$324,100	$302,090	7.3%	$220,000	$273,000	-19.4%	17	21	360	356	24.0	32.4
Montgomery	826	730	13.2%	$484,775	$436,849	11.0%	$375,000	$345,000	8.7%	1,211	1,255	1,632	2,630	2.0	3.6
Prince George's	665	653	1.8%	$192,375	$173,584	10.8%	$176,500	$158,000	11.7%	1,113	1,279	1,506	2,647	2.3	4.1
Queen Anne's	43	41	4.9%	$375,337	$275,357	36.3%	$265,000	$259,000	2.3%	84	73	519	539	12.1	13.1
Somerset	15	12	25.0%	$79,980	$103,250	-22.5%	$56,900	$77,500	-26.6%	15	11	228	249	15.2	20.8
St. Mary's	82	68	20.6%	$260,233	$266,199	-2.2%	$254,400	$236,700	7.5%	87	115	597	597	7.3	8.8
Talbot	33	29	13.8%	$537,758	$518,948	3.6%	$295,000	$410,000	-28.0%	54	36	488	552	14.8	19.0
Washington	104	97	7.2%	$147,631	$145,771	1.3%	$139,950	$125,000	12.0%	153	138	603	642	5.8	6.6
Wicomico	67	67	0.0%	$145,403	$137,687	5.6%	$136,400	$142,000	-3.9%	87	67	570	744	8.5	11.1
Worcester	138	141	-2.1%	$244,002	$285,538	-14.5%	$210,000	$242,500	-13.4%	162	152	1,691	2,039	12.3	14.5
MARYLAND	4,573	4,270	7.1%	$288,121	$267,706	7.6%	$241,413	$226,002	6.8%	7,134	7,144	21,934	27,824	4.8	6.5

 

Reported by MRIS and Coastal Association of Realtors.  NOTE: UNITS ARE THE “UNITS” SOLD, PENDING ARE UNDER CONTRACT

 

*Months of inventory based on current active inventory and monthly sales for the corresponding month;  Data are revised on a regular basis.  Readers of these reports should note that older reports have not been adjusted to reflect these revised data.  This report, however, contains the latest reliable data to date.