Monthly Archives: August 2011

Market Update – Windgate, Annapolis, Maryland, 21401 – September 2011

Market Update – Windgate, Annapolis, Maryland, 21401 – September 2011

Windgate is located in Annapolis Maryland in the Bestgate Corridor.  The community, built by Pulte in the late 90′s, consists of townhomes and garden units (condominiums).  Centrally located in Annapolis, Windgate is well located and is about “five minutes” from downtown and City Dock, shopping, dinning, nightlife, the USNA, St. John’s College, Anne Arundel County Medical Center, and the major highways of Rts. 50 and 97.

Windgate Townhomes in Annapolis Maryland

There are 6 Windgate townhomes for sale today. The average asking price is $345,683 and they have been on the market for an average of 49 days. The minimum asking price for active listings is $329,900, with a maximum asking price of $369,900, and the median asking price is $344,700. For the list of Windgate townhomes for sale click here.

There is 1 townhome under contract in Windgate today. The asking price is $319,900 and it has been on the market 83 days. For the list of townhomes under contract in Windgate click here.

In the last 90 days there were 3 townhomes sold in Windgate. The average asking price was $347,967 and they were on the market an average of 60 days. The minimum asking price for sold listings was $335,000, with a maximum asking price of $359,000, and the median asking price was $349,900.

The average sold price for Windgate townhomes was $334,333 for a 92.5% sold-to-list ratio off their original list price. The minimum sold price was $320,000, with a maximum sold price of $348,000, and the median sold price was $335,000. For the list of townhomes sold in the last 90 days in Windgate click here.

Windgate Condominiums in Annapolis Maryland

There are 3 Windgate garden units (condominiums known as garden units in our area) for sale today. The average asking price is $254,633 and they have been on the market an average of 274 days. The minimum asking price for condominium unit listings is $240,000, with a maximum asking price of $274,000, and the median asking price is $249,900. For the list of Windgate garden units for sale click here.

There are no condominium unit under contract in Windgate today.

In the last 90 days there were 3 garden units sold in Windgate. The average asking price was $222,167 and they were on the market for an average of 155 days. The minimum asking price for sold listings was $209,000, with a maximum asking of $239,000, and the median asking price was $281,500.

The average sold price for Windgate condominium units was $220,667 for a 91.8% sold-to-list ratio off their original list price. The minimum sold price was $212,000, with a maximum sold price of $230,000, and the median sold price was $220,000. For the list of condominium units sold in the last 90 days in Windgate click here.

With about 1 townhome selling each month in Windgate in Annapolis Maryland, there is a 6 month inventory for sale. With about 1 garden unit selling each month in Windgate, there is a 3 month inventory for sale. This really is a remarkable time for highly qualified buyers to consider purchasing their first townhome or condominium or an additional property because:

  • Windgate townhomes and condominiums are very affordable right now
  • Interest rates are low even on jumbo mortgages
  • Excellent financing options are available for qualifying buyers
  • Timing is everything when it comes to finding just the right Windgate townhomes and condominiums
  • Owning a home is everyone’s dream

If you have a townhouse or garden unit to sell in Windgate and want a professional consultation on current market conditions or if you are interested in purchasing your next townhome or garden apartment in Windgate and want to tour any of the homes currently on the market, please contact me at 410-923-3217 or e-mail me at showell@cbmove.com.

NOTE: All data as of August 31, 2011.

Market Update – Tidewater Colony, Annapolis, Maryland, 21401 – September 2011

Market Update – Tidewater Colony, Annapolis, Maryland, 21401 – September 2011

Tidewater Colony is located in Annapolis Maryland in the Bestgate Corridor.  The community, built by Sturbridge Builders in the late 90′s, consists of townhomes and garden units (condominiums).  Tidewater Colony is one of two Bestgate Corridor neighborhoods that feature community amenities including a swimming pool, tennis courts, and clubhouse with workout room.  Centrally located in Annapolis, Tidewater Colony is well located and is about “five minutes” from downtown and City Dock, shopping, dinning, nightlife, the USNA, St. John’s College, Anne Arundel County Medical Center, and the major highways of Rts. 50 and 97.

Tidewater Colony Townhomes in Annapolis Maryland

There is 1 Tidewater Colony townhome for sale today. The asking price is $369,000 and has been on the market an for 42 days. For the list of Tidewater Colony townhomes for sale click here.

There is 1 townhome under contract in Tidewater Colony today. The asking price is $379,000 and has been on the market 42 days. For the list of townhomes under contract in Tidewater Colony click here.

In the last 90 days there were 2 townhomes sold in Tidewater Colony. The average asking price was $359,000 and were on the market an average of 310 days. The minimum asking price for sold listings was $349,000, with a maximum asking price of $369,000, and the median asking price was $359,000.

The average sold price for Tidewater Colony townhomes was $348,500 for a 89.0% sold-to-list ratio off their original list price. The minimum sold price was $337,000, with a maximum sold price of $360,000, and the median sold price was $348,500. For the list of townhomes sold in the last 90 days in Tidewater Colony click here.

Tidewater Colony Condominiums in Annapolis Maryland

There are 4 Tidewater Colony garden units (condominiums known as garden units in our area) for sale today. The average asking price is $253,475 and they have been on the market an average of 194 days. The minimum asking price for condominium unit listings is $229,900, with a maximum asking price of $279,000, and the median asking price is $252,500. For the list of Tidewater Colony garden units for sale click here.

There is 1 condominium unit under contract in Tidewater Colony today. The asking price is $230,000 and it has been on the market 8 days. For the list of garden units under contract in Tidewater Colony click here.

In the last 90 days there were 2 condominium units sold in Tidewater Colony. The average asking price was $244,500 and were on the market an average of 95 days. The minimum asking price for sold listings was $219,000, with a maximum asking of $270,000, and the median asking price was $244,500.

The average sold price for Tidewater Colony condominium units was $236,000 for a 88.2% sold-to-list ratio off their original list price. The minimum sold price was $212,000, with a maximum sold price of $260,000, and the median sold price was $236,000. For the list of condominium units sold in the last 90 days in Tidewater Colony click here.

Tidewater Colony Community Amenities in Annapolis Maryland

With less than 1 townhome or condo selling each month Tidewater Colony in Annapolis Maryland, there is little inventory for sale. This really is a remarkable time for highly qualified buyers to consider purchasing their first townhome or condominium or an additional property because:

  • Tidewater Colony townhomes and condominiums are very affordable right now
  • Interest rates are low even on jumbo mortgages
  • Excellent financing options are available for qualifying buyers
  • Timing is everything when it comes to finding just the right Tidewater Colony townhomes and condominiums
  • Owning a home is everyone’s dream

If you have a townhouse or garden unit to sell in Tidewater Colony and want a professional consultation on current market conditions or if you are interested in purchasing your next townhome or garden apartment in Tidewater Colony and want to tour any of the homes currently on the market, please contact me at 410-923-3217 or e-mail me at showell@cbmove.com.

NOTE: All data as of August 31, 2011.

July 2011 Baltimore Maryland Metro Region (including Annapolis and Anne Arundel County) MarketWatch

July 2011 Baltimore Maryland Metro Region (including Annapolis and Anne Arundel County) MarketWatch

Realestate Business Intelligence (“RBI”) is now putting out a monthly video covering local real estate market conditions. The one below is for the Balitmore Maryland metro region, which includes Annapolis and Anne Arundel County. The video is about three minutes long and reviews the basic statistics about the region.

Real estate trends can be very local, one subdivision or neigborhood trending up in price while another one is trending down in price, and the very next month it could flip-flop.

When selling a home, knowing the current trends that might affect the sale of you home is critical information to proper price positioning. Without knowing the trends, you could easily overprice your home and scare buyers away or underprice your home and give it away. Either way, you’ll miss the market and possibly loose money along the way.

When buying a home, knowing which way home prices are trending offers critical guidance so that you don’t over pay for your next home. While “timing the market” is very difficult, knowing the current real estate trends will help you know just where a home fits into todays market.

Related Posts

June 2011 Baltimore Maryland Metro Region (including Annapolis and Anne Arundel County) MarketWatch

Crystal Spring Annapolis – City of Annapolis Ponders $200M Development Project

Crystal Spring Annapolis - City of Annapolis Ponders $200M Development Project

According to an article published in The Capital on August 18, 2001 reporting on an economic analysis presented to Annapolis officials the day before, Anirban Basu, Chairman and CEO of Sage Policy Group Inc., said that the Crystal Spring development project could bring 1,100 permanent jobs and will generate more than $900,000 in net fiscal benefits for the City of Annapolis and more than $1.3 million for Anne Arundel County.  At the heart of Crystal Spring is a planned continuing care retirement community run by Rockville-based National Lutheran Communities and Services.  According The Capital article:

The project’s focal point is the Village at Crystal Spring, a planned continuing care retirement community [... ] will include apartments, one-story houses and duplexes for seniors.

But Crystal Spring won’t be limited to retirement homes. Another 125 townhouses will not be restricted by age. Plans for Crystal Spring also include shops and restaurants, a grocery store, a boutique inn and day spa, and a cultural arts center, plus shuttle service to downtown Annapolis.

Is the future for Crystal Spring Annapolis secure?

The area has a long history of failed development efforts. Initially in 1987 there was approval for Steeplegate, a housing subdivision with 600-plus homes. The recession of the early 90′s stalled development and a new developer took over. By 1996 the new developer’s contingency on the main parcel of property forming the backbone to the subdivision expired. That’s when Janet (now Richardson-Pearson) and David Richardson started acquiring property on Crystal Spring Farm Road.  Multiple parcels of land purchased over the years by Ms. Richardson-Pearson have been combined into her vision for Annapolis’s first community-integrated retirement living option.

After the lengthy peacetime expansion of the 1980s, inflation began to increase and the Federal Reserve responded by raising interest rates from 1986 to 1989. This weakened but did not stop growth, but some combination of the subsequent 1990 oil price shock, the debt accumulation of the 1980s, and growing consumer pessimism combined with the weakened economy to produce a brief recession.

[Between December 2007 and June 2009, the Late 2000 Recession was trigger by t]he subprime mortgage crisis [that] led to the collapse of the United States housing bubble. Falling housing-related assets contributed to a global financial crisis, even as oil and food prices soared. The crisis led to the failure or collapse of many of the United States’ largest financial institutions [...]. The government responded with an unprecedented $700 billion bank bailout and $787 billion fiscal stimulus package.

SOURCE: Wikipedia: List of recessions in the United States

While the recession of the early 90′s lasted only 8 months, the most recent recession lasted about 1 year and 6 months.  The recession still affects the U.S. economy and continues to stunt economic growth in Maryland.  The burst housing bubble resulted in an unprecedented decline in local house values almost equal to 30% off the real estate market’s peak in late 2005 and early 2006.  Annapolis and Anne Arundel County have weathered the storm well.  The economic shake down which resulted in short-sales and foreclosures has been minimal in Annapolis when compared to other parts of the Maryland and the U.S. as a whole.  Overall, Annapolis, as well as Anne Arundel County, would benefit from the creation of new jobs and an influx of additional revenue.

The audience for development of the area has changed over the last three decades.  The area’s population has aged and their needs are now different.  Developers historically wanted to attract growning families to the site with a single-family home development plan.  Now developers are looking to seniors as the most desirable consumer market segment for site.

Annapolis Maryland is a wonderful place to retire.  Steeped in history, host to two prestigious colleges (St. John’s College and the U.S. Naval Academy), located along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay, possessing a vibrant historic downtown with shopping and dining options for residents and visitors alike, and enjoying a true four-season climate all combined together to make Annapolis Maryland an attractive place to retire.

The Project Background 

Plans were unveiled in November 2010 for the project.  As reported in an article posted on Citybiz Real Estate:

The land is known as Mas-Que Farm and Crystal Spring Farm, and the plans for a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) to be developed, subject to Maryland Department of Aging approval, will reflect the vision of Janet K. Richardson-Pearson, an ASID-certified interior designer, and her husband, retired Rear Adm. William “Bill” Pearson.

Led by its Master Developer, Crystal Spring Development LLC, and Annapolis Attorney Alan J. Hyatt of Hyatt & Weber P.A., the team includes, Forest Drive LLC, Annapolis, as retail/commercial developers, FreemanWhite, Charlotte, N.C., as project architects, and Streetsense, Bethesda, Md., as retail planners/marketers.

When and if the project received all necessary approvals, construction could begin as soon as 2013.

What is Crystal Spring Annapolis?

According to the Crystal Spring Annapolis website, their vision is:

[...] To be Annapolis’s first ‘community-integrated’ retirement living option centered around a world class Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC*).

The CCRC will offer well-appointed residences for seniors along with access to an array of first-class amenities, wellness and health care services.

* Proposed Continuing Care Retirement Community is subject to approval by the Maryland Department of Aging.

The project will be located off Forest Drive, between Crystal Spring Road and Spa Road, encompassing about 180 acres well known to Annapolitans by the names of the farms long located on the properties.  The project’s goal is to retain about seventy percent of the overall area as open space, thus preserving the natural and agriculture flavor of the location.

Crystal Spring Annapolis - Main Entrance to Shopping Area - Rendering

What is the National Lutheran Communities & Services?

According to the National Lutheran Communities & Services website, NLCS was known as the National Lutheran Home for the Aged and is now moving forward as National Lutheran Communities & Services to fulfill a vision of thriving retirement communities and new senior services.  From their website:

More than a service provider, every program of NLCS is part of a ministry, designed to meet a family’s spiritual, social, emotional and physical needs. NLCS was founded as a serving agency of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and is supported by the Delaware-Maryland, Virginia and Metropolitan D.C. Synods. Our services are open to people of all faiths. More than 55 percent of our family members are non-Lutheran.

Who is Anirban Basu?

According to the Sage Policy Group website, he is:

One of the Mid-Atlantic region’s most recognizable economist, in part because of his consulting work on behalf of numerous clients, including prominent developers, bankers, brokerage houses, energy supplies [...] law firms [...] government agencies and non-profit organizations [...].

Ten Year Anne Arundel County Pending Home Sales Index

Ten Year Anne Arundel County Pending Home Sales Index

From Miller Samuel, Real Estate Appraisers and Consultants, comes an important metro Washington DC ten year overview of pending sales.  You can clearly see the boom years (2001 to 2006) as well as the bust years (2007 to 2011).

Miller Samuel's RBI Pending Home Sales Index TM

I was curious to compare Anne Arundel County with the Washington DC metro area.  See the chart below for a ten year overview of pending home sales in Anne Arundel County Maryland.  The local pattern for the county isn’t much different than Washington.  You can see the same bump the Federal Homebuyers Tax Credit gave to the market in both charts.  You might also note this year’s pending home sales cycle is similar to that of 2007.

Pending Homes Sales - 2001 to 2011 - Anne Arundel County Maryland

Important time periods are highlighted in both charts.  The February seasonal reset before spring is evident in both charts, as are the September and December seasonal troughs.  The May and October seasonal peaks are also easily seen.  Currently we’re in the summer drift, as well as we’re below 600 pending sales – which puts Anne Arundel County still in a bust cycle.  Sellers can expect declining sales for the remainder of the year.  It is not clear how deep the September season pre-fall mini-trough will be, but, once September figures are in we’ll have a better idea about what will happen during the last quarter of this year.

Homes Near Boating – Arnold Maryland – August 2011

432 Colonial Ridge Lane, Arnold Maryland 21012

Tip Top Townhome – You won’t be disappointed – it’s move-in ready – all that’s missing is you! Enjoy the view of the woods while you relax or entertain in the living room or bar-b-que on the deck. Cook up a storm in the galley kitchen for family or formal dinners in the separate dining room. Well located on the Broadneck Peninsula a short distance from many of Annapolis finest area attractions and major highways.

432 Colonial Ridge Lane, Arnold, Maryland 21012

Sail and Boat:  The Annapolis Yacht Club is about 15 minutes (about 7 miles) away.

Shop:  Short drive or quick walk to the Super Fresh Store.

Today’s Weather Forecast:  Scattered Thunderstoms High of 81 – Click here for current weather details.

View FULL DETAILS and additional PHOTOS here:

http://www.cbmove.com/property/details/557782/MLS-AA7664071/432-Colonial-Ridge-Lane-Arnold-MD-21012.aspx?IsBranded=1&AgentID=2248

From the Daily Show Comes “The Forecloser”

From the Daily Show Comes “The Forecloser”

Coming soon to a theater near you “The Forecloser” features bankers as bad guys and unwitting homeowners as good guys.  What happens when a novice attorney takes on the all powerful Bank of America?  Watch the trailer to see for yourself.

According to the ABC News story:

As to how the situation arose in the first place, [Todd] Allen [of Conrad WIllkomm, P.A.] says the home’s prior owner had defaulted, and that [Bank of America] had taken back the house. “My clients purchased the property directly from Bank of America. If they [the bank] had taken 15 minutes to review their records on the property, they would have seen the details of the transaction.” In his view the Nyerges’ story is “symptomatic of a larger problem: banks just aren’t doing their due diligence before they start foreclosings.”

You can read the more about this story at Fox News here or at ABC News here.

Which Tablet To Take? Is One Easier to Swallow Than Another?

Which Tablet To Take?  Is One Easier to Swallow Than Another?

Power your performance - BlackBerry PlayBookThe title of a Wall Street Journal article – “Sprint Abandons Plans for 4G Playbook” – caught my attention this morning.  If the three largest wireless carriers don’t want to back a BlackBerry PlayBook then why should I?  The range of choices in tablets runs from the gold standard iPad from Apple to the uber cool Barnes & Nobles Nook.

The decision, four months after Research In Motion Ltd. released its iPad rival, comes at a difficult time for the company. RIM has seen its stock price tumble 58% this year as sales of its signature phones have been losing ground to competitors.

Maybe the BlackBerry PlayBook is nothing more than an BlackBerry Storm on steroids.  I’ve asked around a bit, but nobody seems to have one to try – in real life anyway.  By the way, I have Storm II and I’m pretty happy with it.

I was accused the other day of being a technological dinosaur.  You see, I’m still using my Palm Tungsten e2 to access TopProducer, my contact management database.  I had gotten the BlackBerry Storm II with the idea that I’d be able to access TopProducer on my BlackBerry.  That didn’t exactly work out too well.  It turns out that TopProducer didn’t change the architecture when they ported (technical term for moving an application across different platforms) their mobile app to a wireless phone platform.  It still has a limitation that doesn’t allow you to access all the contacts in your TP8i database.  This is a huge deficiency in the TopProducer mobility line of software.  TopProducer’s response when I asked them why I couldn’t access all 10 thousand-plus contacts in my database, they said “why would you want to do that?”.  So, I think I could barely get more than about 2,500 contacts onto the BlackBerry Storm II.  What I really wanted was to be able to access the full database of contacts – including prospects, clients, agents, vendors – totaling alittle more than 10,000 names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses accumulated over 10-plus years in the real estate business.  TopProducer has always been arrogant – do it our way or its the highway – when it comes to enhancing their application.

So I ditched TopProducer for the BlackBerry and reverted to using my Palm (why pay extra for something that I didn’t like and the link to the Palm was bundled with my original TopProducer account).  With the explosion of table options, I was hopeful that I could find a table that would give me web access to all of TopProducer’s features and finally access all my contracts if I wanted to.  Just when I thought I had made up my mind to purchase a BlackBerry Playbook, based on the WSJ article, now I’m not so sure that I want to dash out to buy one.

I had to chuckle because there was a web ad for the BlackBerry PlayBook to the right of the WSJ article – ironic placement or what?  So, now I don’t know what to do.

Deale Waterfront Home For Sale (AA7608022)

Deale Waterfront Home For Sale (AA7608022)

When you wake up at Bay View you’ll see nothing but an expansive SE view of the Chesapeake Bay. Crab from your private pier – it’s supposed to be a very good season. Watch osprey in the summer and swans in the winter. Front row seat for West River sailboat races! Built from a single run of 40,000 bricks to withstand any weather. All this and more located about 30 min. from the heart of Washington.

View FULL DETAILS and additional PHOTOS here:

http://www.cbmove.com/property/details/498073/MLS-AA7608022/809-Bay-View-Drive-Deale-MD-20751.aspx?IsBranded=1&AgentID=2248

Deale Waterfront Home For Sale (AA7608022)

Pasadena Waterfront Home For Sale (AA7541154)

Pasadena Waterfront Home For Sale (AA7541154)

Private setting that truly stands alone. It is unlikely you have ever seen a setting like this before. If you were an eagle this might be the place you’ve been looking to land. There’s room for everyone and everything. Workshop and private boat ramp. About 2.9 AC of gated secluded grounds close-in to Baltimore. The house (AA7541331) or the adjacent lots (AA7541125) may be purchase separately.

http://www.cbmove.com/property/details/427653/MLS-AA7541154/7760-Glen-Avenue-Pasadena-MD-21122.aspx?IsBranded=1&AgentID=2248

Pasadena Waterfront Home For Sale (AA7541154)