St Patrick's Day Events in Baltimore

With a name like Bridget McGee, I don't have a choice but to celebrate my family's Irish heritage. Irish or not, Start your St. Patrick's celebrating on March 11th.

The Official Mass of the St. Patrick Parade

Attend mass at The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary before the parade on Sunday, March 11 at 10:45 AM. The Basilica is located at 409 Cathedral St.

Shamrock 5K 1:15 PM

This fun run with 5000 runners of all ages dressed in plenty of Kelly green, costumes, It starts at Charles St and Franklin and ends at the Power Plant Live between Pratt and Lombard. There will be lots of celebrating after the race!

Get your Irish On! Celebrate your Irish Heritage or just join in the fun in Baltimore that's been the happening place to be for over 50 years! All the pomp and circumstance you can handle. There are Bagpipes and Irish dancers, politicians and lepruchan swag. There's music and marchers and plenty of food and fun! There's Kelly Green and Kilts, and flags galore! The parade starts at the Washington Monument on Charles and Center Streets, marches down Charles Street and turns left on Pratt to Market Place at Baltimore's Inner Harbor.








COME ON DOWN TO BALTIMORE AND GET YOUR IRISH ON ON MARCH 11, 2012! EVERYBODY'S IRISH!!

Listen to Who is Following You!

Stop what you are doing! Look at your emails. Listen to your followers.

The title could have been..."How to Get a Featured post."

Yesteday's post got that little gold star! It was giving some basic information about changing your address with the DMV and election board. But it was featured.

The inspiration came through an email from my special sellers who thought it would make a good post.

So I stopped what I was doing, I looked at my email and listened to the people that matter...the special ones who are following me, the people who found me through my blog, the people who bought one of my special contemporary homes and sold their historic home with me.

It is not about the comments, it's not about the traffic, it's not about how many views. It's not about the SEO and it's not about the google juice.

It is about listening. Do You?

Listen to who is following you!

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Seriously, NO Pictures?

I never thought I'd see the day when Ellie McIntire and Maryland Mortgage Mama would be at an event and there would be NO pictures to share! I did want to be sure to tell you about the event though.

Today my brother Tony and I attended the Keller Williams RED (Renew, Energize, Donate) Day Fundraiser at the Outback Steak House in Ellicott City Maryland. It was great to see Ellie McIntire and the whole McIntire Team take part. We were able to meet and greet lots of folks and get out of the office on this beautiful Baltimore day. I got to see Sydney Hawkins, a lovely Keller Williams agent who helped my good friend find the right home. She even brought her mom and her aunt to support the event, such wonderful ladies! I got to meet some folks I have only known as "facebook friends", including Aaron Gartrell, met some more of the great folks of Keller Williams and their partners: lenders, title companies, home inspectors, appraisers, and others. We even got to see the lovely ladies from Maryland Title Works Unlimited...always a pleasure! Unfortunately, time was too short to meet everyone, but I am confident that our paths will cross when they are meant!

It was a fun event organized by Keller Williams Realtor John Hallis (and lots of other helpers). Less than 6 weeks ago, he approached Outback Steakhouse with an idea to have a private luncheon at $25/head, a silent auction and a 50/50 raffle to benefit RED Day to help with repairs and renovations in some of the neediest areas of Baltimore City. Not only did Outback Ellicott City hop on board, so did 4 other Outback's around Maryland. They really get involved in supporting the community! Based on the Ellicott City turnout, I am sure the day was a huge success!

The silent auction included everything from a basket of cheer, sports memorabilia, spa services, restaurant gift certs, even a ghost tour in Ellicott City.

What happens on RED Day in Maryland? According to the press release on www.reddaymd.com:

As part of the RED Day effort this year Keller Williams Select Realtors of Ellicott City, has joined forces with KW Excellence in Towson, KW Baltimore in Canton, and KW Realty Centre in Columbia, MD in partnership with Open Door Baltimore, William Paca and Dr. Bernard Harris Elementary Schools to provide a massive day of service in one of the neediest sections of our city. Starting at 8am and running thru 4pm. These facilities are in dire need of repair and replacement of decaying areas of the structures. We plan to paint hallways and repair auditorium furnishings, among other things, at the schools. In order to perform our work efficiently, Keller Williams and RED Day volunteers will also be treating the 1100+ students from William Paca and Dr. Bernard Harris Elementary Schools to a massive “Field Day” at Patterson Park complete with games, face painting, a picnic and so much more, all while demonstrating the need to love and care for one another! It’s a magnificent thing to see and we hope you can be a small part of it all!

All this takes money, today's event will help to offset some of the costs. The RED DAY event takes place on May 10th. There are still volunteer opportunities available. There is also a huge need for things like a parking area for the volunteers on the day of the event, drinks, snacks and more for the event. If you know anyone who might be able to help, I am sure if you contact John at the Ellicott City office.

The winner of the 50/50 donated their half back to the cause, raising almost $800 for a great cause! Unfortunately I didn't get the name of the generous winner, but I have a feeling they will be blessed many times over!

Hope to see you on May 10th for RED DAY!!

Looking For Ways To Eliminate Inefficiencies...The Rome Way

There was a time in order to go on an appointment, certain files were required, client folders, listing agreements, CMAs and a myriad of other documents.

Now my time is flexible and more productive. For example, I left home for a noon showing appointment. The rest of my day was unplanned. While waiting for buyer, I was taking phone calls and made four spur of the moment appointments, fitting them in without returning to the office. One of these showings will be turning into an offer.

In the past, I would not have been prepared.. but today using my iPad there was no hesitation.

It was a breeze to pull up photos, room dimensions, details and compare what had been sold recently.

What started as one planned showing, turned into four. Thinking I was finished for the day, a text came through notifying me of an offer on one of my very active listings.

Alerting the buyer's agent of competing offers and a time constraint, this Realtor® was on the ball. Within the hour, I had the contract changes and the addenda signed. I noticed that the final changes were DocuSign signatures. Such good timing for this contest!

Without using this technology, one buyer would have lost the "perfect" home.

Hard to compete with a cash offer, proof of funds, a quick settlement and an agent who knows how to get a deal done!

Always Looking For Ways To Eliminate Inefficiencies... the Rome Way

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It is no wonder we had competing offers!

Another HomeRome Baltimore Condo Under Contract.

The Elmont- 6317 Park Heights Ave #516

We have the right buyer for this luxury 2 bedroom 2 full bath condominium located in the Upper Park Heights area of Baltimore.

It is no wonder we had competing offers! Not one, not two, not three but four offers in the same week! Why? Because this one has it all... a new kitchen, new baths, new flooring, a ton of closet space and beautiful views from the 5th level location.

This is a full service elevator condo with reception desk, doorman, elegant lobby and the building sits back off of Park Heights with the quiet feeling of a park. Lots of lush landscaping and pretty views from the balcony and the floor to ceiling windows.

It is no wonder we had competing offers!

Another HomeRome Baltimore Condo Under Contract.