Maryland Real Estate Consultant

This is a fantastic time to do your home shopping. Rates are low and there are great no money down and closing cost assistance programs. Call your local lender or Realtor to obtain more information about the new government back programs.

This is a fantastic time to do your home shopping. Rates are low and there are great no money down and closing cost assistance programs. Call your local lender or Realtor to obtain more information about the new government back programs.

The Towns at Orchard Ridge announces it's Homes for Heroes program.  Are you a City or State government employee?  If so, you are eligible! 

•·       $8,500-$26,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance grants

•·       Brand new 3BR townhomes starting from $233,990

Calling all Baltimore City & Maryland State Employees:

Come home to The Towns at Orchard Ridge!!!

Everyday heroes deserve rewards too! Orchard Ridge isn't just building new townhomes, we're building a new community.  And we want you to be a part of it.  Teachers, Police, Fire fighters, MTA, and all other Government employees are eligible.  Call today for details. 240-472-9008.

This is a remarkable program.

Not a City/State employee? You're still eligible for $6,000+ in closing cost assistance.  First-time homebuyers can get even more! Call for details.

The long awaited Fed decision arrived with a bang! The Fed surprised many economists and traders with a half percent cut in both the Fed Funds and Discount Rates. Stocks soared higher and enjoyed their largest gain since 2003.

What does the Fed cut mean? Rates on consumer debt, car loans, and Home Equity lines will all benefit. But because Home Loan rates are tied more closely to inflation, it is not uncommon to see less of a reaction...or even an opposite reaction in mortgage rates.

The Fed cut also hurts rates of return on investments, which gives foreign investors less incentive to invest in US securities. This has sent the Dollar much lower against the currency of most major foreign countries. This makes foreign goods more expensive for us to buy, which adds to inflation pressures.

Overall, the Fed cut is good news for the economy, but may nudge inflation a bit higher. O f course we will have to wait and see how the market reacts.

Nice to Have  Great Clients

I cannot believe this... Out of all the listing I ever had where the owners had pets, this is one of a few occasions where the seller put forth serious effort to keep the pet out of the home. She arranged to move in with family during the listing period.

After our conversation on selling her home, she agreed and understood that the seller and seller's agent should create a relaxing cordial atmosphere for the buyer and buyer's agent. My client has a very sweet dog that would not harm anyone, but she understands that pets sometimes make home showings an uncomfortable experience. It may not seem like a big deal but in this market, a listing needs a fair chance.

PS... She is even doing handy work around the house...OMG

Kudos to clients that care.

Attention all Home Buyers

Please do not be frightened by the recent mortgage commotion. Rates are still wonderful and guess what for all those who was pushed out of the market in the past three years, here is your chance to purchase a home at a great price. This is also a great time to purchase investment properties. My investor clients are doing great. So get off the fence and into the action, you will be pleasantly surprised.

I am getting really sick of these piece of trash spammers and crooks.

Here is more unwanted mail. This is the first scheme email I have ever received through Active Rain. Has anyone else received a letter as such below, though Active Rain. These letters are really getting out of hand.

Below is actually how I received this letter. Any advice as to how to handle these? I usually just ignore them.

You've received a contact message from your Contact Form on the ActiveRain network.

Message details:
From: Mr. Herry Ofori
Email: herry_ofori030@yahoo.co.uk
Subject: From: Mr. Herry Ofori

From: Mr. Herry Ofori
Manager Ecobank Ghana
Ring road Branch,
Ghana.
www.ecobank.com

My name is Mr.Herry Ofori, I am the regional manager of the Ecobank ring road branch in the Western Region of Ghana. I am 50 years of age and married with 2 lovely kids. It may interest you to hear that I am a man of PEACE and don't want problem, I only hope we can assist each other. If you don't want this business offer kindly forget it as I will not contact you again.

I have packaged a financial transaction that will benefit both of us, as the regional manager of the Ecobank Ghana it is my duty to send in a financial report to my head office in the capital city Accra at the end of each year. On the course of the last year 2006 end of year report, I discovered that my branch in which I am the manager made Four Million five Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars only [$4.550.000.00]. Which my head office are not aware of and will never be aware of. I have since place this fund on what we call SUSPENSE ACCOUNT without any beneficiary.

As an officer of the bank I can not be directly connected to this money, so this informed my contacting you for us to work so that you can assist receive this money into your bank account for us to SHARE. While you will have 30% of the total fund .Note there are practically no risk involved, it will be bank to bank transfer, all I need from you is to stand claim as the original depositor of this fund who made the deposit with our branch so that my Head office can order the transfer to your designated bank account. If you accept this offer to work with me, I will appreciate it very much. As soon as I receive your response I will details you on how we can achieve it successfully.

Best regards,
Mr.Herry Ofori

Email sent from IP: 41.210.3.107

Howard County

Howard County combines the best of the old with the new and is a railroad lover's heaven. The county was founded in 1839 and named for Maryland's fifth governor and officer of the American Revolution, John Eager Howard. I always wondered which whom the County was named. The county's rich history is evident in Ellicott City, a historic mill town founded in 1722. It took its name from the owners of grist and flour mills, John and Andrew Ellicott. The Historical Society is in a pre-1790 building that may be Ellicott City's oldest. Also in Ellicott City are the Firehouse Museum and the County Courthouse atop Mt. Misery.

The history of the men and women who built the railroad can be found at the B&O Railroad Station Museum, once the terminus of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. This station became famous in 1830, when a B&O locomotive, the famous Tom Thumb, raced a horse-drawn carriage from Ellicott City to Baltimore. The horse won, but the railroad had come to stay.

The town of Elkridge quickly made adjustments for these new trains by building the Thomas Viaduct in 1835. It was the first multiple-arch curved railroad bridge in the world and was part of the main railroad between Washington and Baltimore. The Bollman Truss Railroad Bridge in Savage is the only semi-suspension truss bridge remaining in the world. Also in Savage is the renovated Savage Mill, a former textile mill that now offers space for artisans and antiques dealers to sell their wares. This is also the home to the music club "The Rams Head", which features many artist of today.

The Welcome Center in Columbia will bring you right back to the 20th century. It tells the story of how this successful planned community was created in the mid-1960s by developer James Rouse. Many students have studied this planned development in their schools.

 While you're there, visit the Maryland Museum of African Art and the Howard County Center of African-American Culture.  Later I will explore more about what Maryland has to offer and famous and not so famous facts.

I was talking with a friend today about one of my favorite's places, Ocean City. I have not visited my beloved town in two years, how time slips away. I am definitely going to Ocean City before the summer vanishes. Here is a little bit of info on O.C.

Ocean City is a year-round resort in Worcester County that is most popular in the summer. It has 10 miles of white sandy beaches, a famous boardwalk, and many shops and eateries.

The boardwalk, which stretches to 27th Street in the oldest part of Ocean City, is crowded with hotels, some of them dating back to the 1920s. Restaurants, ice cream stands, and shops fill in between. It ends at the fishing pier with amusement rides, including a huge Ferris wheel.

Ocean City is well known as a beach for families with younger children. It has dozens of miniature golf courses with upbeat scenery, water slides, amusement parks, roller coasters, haunted houses, parasailing, kayaking, skateboard parks, laser tag, even indoor ice skating. There are volleyball nets on the beach; soccer, lacrosse and baseball "camps"; batting cages; and a Wild West theme park complete with rodeo and ceremonial dances There is a 100-mile scenic bike trail that circles Worcester County. I have to rent a bike next time I go.

Ocean City is home to the largest white marlin tournament in the country. There are two dozen golf courses nearby, and more under construction. The local outlet mall has more than 60 national-brand stores. Ocean City is a great place to visit.