Monthly Archives: May 2012

Where To Eat Blue Crabs In Annapolis Maryland

With the unofficial start of summer upon us, better known as Memorial Day to most of us, the question arises as to where to go to eat Maryland Blue Crabs in Annanpolis Maryland. Living in Annapolis Maryland means piling into the car with family and friends to hunt down steamed Maryland Blue Crab. For many of us it means heading downtown Annapolis to one of several of resturants, for example to Buddies Crabs & Ribs an Annapolis landmark. Other times it means jumping into the boat to go find some hidden crab shack that’s harded to get to by land than by sea, for example to Cantler’s Riverside Inn. But the ultimate place to eat Maryland Blue Crabs is in your own back yard crab shack like the one pictured below. This crab shack is screened in and has a ceiling fan, but, best of all it has an unobstructed view of the Chesapeake Bay from the Bay Bridge to down to Bloody Point on Kent Island on the Eastern Shore.

Crab Shack On The Chesapeake Bay

Trivia Question: Which three states have designated a state crustacean?

Answer: Maryland’s Blue Crab, Louisiana’s Crawfish, and Oregon’s Dungeness Crab. You might have thought that Massachusetts or Maine would have adopted Lobsters as either one’s state crustacean. Or that Mississippi might have adopted Shrimp as their state crustacean.

The scientific name for the Maryland Blue Crab (aka “Callinectes sapidus Rathbun“) translates as “beautiful swimmer that is savory.” Maryland Blue Crab meat is often sweeter than lobster meat. The best Maryland Blue Crabs are steamed hardshells but feasting on softshells when in season can be a delectable treat too. Crabs can be steamed, sauteed, severed as Maryland Crab Cakes, as Crab Imperial, or in soups or dips – all good ways to enjoy fresh Maryland Blue Crabs.

Fresh Maryland Blue Crabs Right Off The Boat

There are many more reasons why I live on the Chesapeake Bay other than just for the pleasure of eating fresh caught Maryland Blue Crabs. If you think you might want to call crab country your home too, there are many excellent waterfront homes to choose from around the Chesapeake Bay.

This is why I live on the water.
This is why I call the Chesapeake Bay home.
And you can too.

How Much Is My Home Worth?

I am Stephen Howell, an Annapolis-area real estate agent, and I know every square foot of Anne Arundel County. Let me know where you’re looking and I’ll make sure you know exactly what street-level market conditions are like right now. Please provide the information below, then click the “Submit” button at the bottom when done.

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Waterfront Homes For Sale With Deep Water In Annapolis Maryland

In Annapolis Maryland, the sailing capital of the world, deep water at the dock of your waterfront home is coveted. Spa Creek, Back Creek, Severn River, and South River are all deep water venues. You can find waterfront homes for sale in Annapolis Maryland with four or more feet of water in all price ranges. Yachts of all kinds need deep water, both sailboats and powerboats can draw more than four feet of water depending on the design of their keel.

Another consideration when searching for a waterfront home are fixed bridges that could limit a vessel’s height above the waterline. It’s not just sailboats that have to worry about the vertical clearance on fixed bridges, but, powerboats with fly-bridges, marlin towers or tuna towers may need ten’s of feet of clearance. There are two fixed bridges on the Severn River, one at Rt. 450 to the West of the United States Naval Academy and one at Rt. 50. There are two fixed bridges on the South River, one at Solomons Island Road (Rt. 2 North/South – pictured below and reported to have a vertical clearance of 53 feet) and the other at Riva Road. Weems Creek has both a fixed bridge (at Rowe Boulevard) and a bascule bridge (at Ridgely Avenue). Spa Creek has a draw bridge (at Compromise Street).

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (or NOAA) Office of Coast Survey has a On-line Nautical Chart Viewer where you can explore coastal navigation charts and research bridge heights and water depths in the waters around Annapolis, on it’s rivers and up it’s creeks. Explore Annapolis using NOAA Chart 12283 Annapolis Harbor. Explore the South River using NOAA Chart 12270 Chesapeake Bay Eastern Bay and South River; Selby Bay. And explore the Severn and Magothy Rivers using NOAA Chart 12282 Chesapeake Bay Severn and Magothy Rivers for detailed information. You can also find other NOAA Charts for the Atlantic Coast and other areas of the country.

Don’t waste any more time start your searching for your ideal Annapolis Maryland waterfront home with deep water today. Contact me to tour any waterfront estate listed in the MLS or to setup a personalized search for your new waterfront dream home in Annapolis Maryland.

May 2012 Baltimore Maryland Metro Region (including Annapolis and Anne Arundel County) MarketWatch

The May 2012 Baltimore Maryland Metro Region (including Annapolis and Anne Arundel County) MarketWatch is now available.

Realestate Business Intelligence (“RBI”) produces 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 for May 2012. The video is about three minutes long and reviews the real estate market statistics for our 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 MarketWatch Posts

April 2012 Baltimore Maryland Metro Region (including Annapolis and Anne Arundel County) MarketWatch

It’s Finally Getting Hot

As the temperature rises, so does the real estate market. For the first time in a very long time, positive headlines dominate real estate news sites. Those of us at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are excited for our clients and customers who are making their home buying and selling goals a reality.

With consumer confidence rising, low interest rates, rising rents, and still modest inventory levels, the general consensus with real estate professionals and industry watchers is that this level of activity should continue.

More good news was announced last month when the Federal Housing Finance Agency issued new guidance requiring servicers of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans to speed responses to short sale requests. The guidelines will help expedite the short sale process and essentially give an extra boost to the housing market.

Regionally, prices remain somewhat steady. However it is important to note that in some communities, prices are starting to rise along with the temperature. Look to the links on the right to see what trends are taking place in the communities that most interest you. Real estate is very local and what is reported regionally can vary town-by-town. To know exactly what is happening in your marketplace, contact me to walk you through the graph and share additional insights about your market.

Overall, this activity indicates that buyers are prevalent and are acting on those opportunities where they perceive value. Additionally, the homes that are in good condition are making the most impression. The message to home sellers is very clear; price your home competitively, follow our Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage marketing plan, and make those improvements to help your home shine.

For those looking to purchase a home, it is important to come prepared with solid financing, be ready to make a purchase decision and most importantly, be honest about the price. For those markets that are moving quickly, a low, unrealistic offer could result in a missed opportunity. Again, feel free to contact me to help you find a property, and assist you throughout the negotiation process.

We at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are very excited by the spring activity we’ve seen so far, and our expectation is that it will continue to heat up.

If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home, now is the time to please call me at (443) 994-8043.

Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Baltimore City, Caroline, Carroll, Cecil, Culpeper, Dorchester, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Montgomery, Prince Georges, Prince William, Queen Anne, Somerset, Stafford, Sussex, Talbot, Washington, Wicomico, Worcester

Waterfront Homes For Sale In Annapolis, Maryland

Are you looking for the perfect waterfront cottage or castle in Annapolis Maryland? If so, then you’ve found the right place to search just the right waterfront setting where your home is as welcoming when your guests arrive by car as they will be when they arrive by boat. Annapolis Maryland waterfront homes are some of the most sought after real estate in the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan area.

Waterfront homes should be welcoming no matter whether
your visitors arrive by water or arrive by land.

Waterfront properties in Annapolis Maryland are located on The Chesapeake Bay, or the Bay as it’s locally referred to. These homes offer boaters and fishermen a vast playground for water oriented recreational activities. Annapolis Maryland waterfront homes are also located on the Severn River, Weems Creek, Spa Creek, Back Creek, and the South River. Many waterfront homes located along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay, rivers and creeks offer unrivaled waterfront vistas, piers (some with deep water), and sandy beaches. You can find castles and cottages among Annapolis Maryland waterfront homes, as well as everything in between.

Don’t waste any more time start your searching for your ideal Annapolis Maryland waterfront home today.

What’s My Home Worth Now?

Has the real estate market stabilized? How do listing prices compare with sold prices? Are homes selling in my neighborhood?

I analyze home values and determine real estate market prices every day. I will provide you with a list homes that recently sold, homes under contract, and home that have not yet sold in your neighborhood. This analysis will help you estimate the value of your home. This is called a “Competitive Market Analysis” or simply “CMA”.

There are no obligations to receive this complimentary CMA for your home. A CMA is not a substitute for an appraisal of your home.