As a homeowner, hiring a contractor can be effortless or a disaster. Below are tips for Annapolis and Davidsonville, MD homeowners who are hiring a contractor:

1. Out of your many options, develop a short list.
   
   
2. Prequalify each and every contractor with a phone call. Make sure they are licensed and insured. Also make sure that they carry workers compensation insurance for their employees. They should also carry liability insurance -- many contractors carry $1,000,000 in liability insurance, but the more, the better. Request references (names and phone numbers) from each contractor for the type of work they are going to perform for you. Call them references and ask pointed and well thought out questions. Also, ask them if you can visit their house to see the contractors work (their answer will likely be based on the rapport you establish with them).
   
   
3. After pre-qualifying the contractors without meeting them, ask for three formal bids from the one's who had the best feedback and are most qualified (licensed, good insurance coverage, etc.)
   
   
4. Be suspicious if one contractors prices are much lower than the others.
   
   
5. Each bid should have the work to be performed laid out in a very detailed matter. The more in-depth the bid, the better. Have any questions or concerns clarified in writing! Also, your name and the address where work is to be performed should be on the bid.
   
   
6. Make sure time lines for completion are spelled out and that the payment (also called "draw") schedule is understood.
   
   
7. Aside from the scope of work that is spelled out, also pay special attention to the additional terms and conditions that are usually included in a contract.
   
   
8. When you are ready to review bids, meet with each contractor and go over the bid. This is the time to get additional items in writing. Also, this is the perfect opportunity to develop a relationship with the contractor. See how they respond to things. Feel them out. Try to determine if they seem honest. Many homeowners do not base their decision on price alone ... if you are one of those homeowners, this meeting will help you determine the best contractor to choose.
   
   
9. In the contract, for materials, make sure that the term "or equal" is used, unless you are required to approve the substitution.
   
   
10. Make sure that you are able to submit a punch list to the contractor for items that need attention and that those items are addressed before signing a statement that all work is complete and/or you make the final payment. Also, if the work has to be inspected, make sure that the inspection takes place before you do either of these.
    
    
11. Protect yourself from sub-contractors who may not be paid and have a right to put a lien on your property for non-payment by adding a "release of lien" clause to your contract and/or asking the contractor to provide you with proof of payment to sub-contractors.

While this is considered a primer for hiring a contractor, there are many other considerations when hiring a contractor to perform work on your Annapolis or Davidsonville, MD home. The information provided is not to be considered legal advice and you should speak with an attorney before signing any contract.

Please be sure to visit our Annapolis and Davidsonville, MD home improvement library at BarronTeam.com.

Are you looking to buy or sell a home in Annapolis, MD or Davidsonville, MD? Be sure to contact The Barron Team, your Anne Arundel County real estate experts! We use the latest in marketing and technology to provide our clients with the best service. The Barron Team: Real Estate Made Easy!

Davidsonville, Maryland is located close to Annapolis and is considered a Washington, DC suburb. DC commuters view it as an ideal location, as it is just minutes from Route 50, which leads directly into Washington, DC.

Davidsonville, MD offers a variety of residential real estate. Homes for sale in Davidsonville, Maryland range in price from $300,000 to almost $1,800,000. At the lower end of the price range, one can guy a nice rancher home requiring some work, that is a bank foreclosure. At the higher end of the price range are many beautiful mansions, boasting up to a total of seven bedrooms.

Due to the variety of real estate for sale in Davidsonville, and the wide price ranges in which you can buy a home, the real estate market statistics are more varied than in most surrounding areas. It is my opinion that the sale of luxury real estate is what skews these numbers so much.

Below are the real estate statistics provided by MRIS for the month of June, 2008 for Davidsonville, MD 21035:

As you see, in the month of June, over $4.4 million in total real estate was sold. Six homes were sold in Davidsonville, Maryland during the month of June, 2008 and there were 12 new listings taken by real estate agents, with two of the existing listings going into contract status. The total dollar volume of homes sold in Davidsonville, Maryland in June 2008, was higher than June, 2007, but the average sale price for each sold home was lower than compared to the prior year. While many zip codes experience declines against all benchmarks, Davidsonville was different, in that more real estate was sold in June, 2008 compared to a year earlier and more homes were sold. The list vs. sold price was down about 1% from the prior year. While more real estate listings were taken in June, 2008 compared to June, 2007 in Davidsonville, Maryland, fewer homes entered contract status.

Below is a list vs. sold price line chart. This charts the list and sold prices for Davidsonville, MD from June, 2006 to present:

As you can see, from month to month over the previous two years, there have been a lot of spikes and declines in both listing and sale price. It is my opinion that these spikes are due to the types of homes that are listed and sold each month in Davidsonville, MD. As a whole though, the Davidsonville real estate market appears to hover around $750,000, give or take.

Below is a chart that shows the average "days on market" for homes for sale in Davidsonville, MD from June, 2006 to June, 2008:

As you see, the average "days on market" for Davidsonville, MD has shifted wildly from month-to-month during the previous two years. In July, 2007, a time when many home sellers throughout Maryland were experiencing difficulting selling their homes, the average days on market for Davidsonville was just 22. If you were to list your home for sale today, expect that it will be on the market for at least 120 days.

Below is a sampling of homes for sale in Davidsonville, MD across the entire pricing spectrum. The details presented below are as of July 12, 2008 and may change. Please consult your real estate agent, or the multiple listing service for updated information!

	List Price	$324,900
	MLS #	AA6805623
	Address	1136 Central Ave., Davidsonville, MD 21035
	Type of Sale	REO / Foreclosure
	Bedrooms	3
	Bathrooms	2
	Lot Size	2 Acres
	Above Grade SF	1,554
	Style	Rancher
	Garage	Detached Garage / Workshop
	Fireplaces	1
	Description	This is a bank foreclosure and is the second least expensive active listing in Davidsonville, MD as of July 12, 2008. There is one listing that is cheaper, but it is a short sale that is subject to bank approval, which may not be accepted. The MLS comments for the listing states that it does need some work.
	Listing Agent	Ruth Williamson
	Listing Company	Long & Foster Real Estate, LLC

	List Price	$549,000
	MLS #	AA6635686
	Address	2528 Cheval Drive, Davidsonville, MD 21035
	Type of Sale	Private Owner
	Bedrooms	3
	Bathrooms	2.5
	Lot Size	1.01 Acres
	Above Grade SF	1,540
	Style	Colonial
	Garage	2 Car Attached Garage
	Fireplaces	1
	Description	This home has been updated with hardwood floors, stainless steel appliances and much more! This home also boasts a family room addition, which may not be included in the square footage indicated above.
	Listing Agent	Norman Lee III
	Listing Company	Anne Arundel Properties, Inc.

	List Price	$879,000
	MLS #	AA6756666
	Address	221 Maple Creek Lane, Davidsonville, MD 21035
	Type of Sale	Private Owner
	Bedrooms	5
	Bathrooms	3.5
	Lot Size	4 Acres
	Above Grade SF	3,368
	Style	Colonial
	Garage	2 Car Attached Garage
	Fireplaces	2
	Description	This fine home boasts a 5th bedroom and an additional 2 full baths in the finished basement. The finished basement includes an in-law suite. A beautiful upgrade is Brazilian hardwood floors on both the main and second levels. The kitchen is outfitted with new granite countertops. This home is professionally landscaped and backs to woods.
	Listing Agent	Jennie Melvin
	Listing Company	Garcia Realty Group

	List Price	$1,895,000
	MLS #	AA635417
	Address	3629 Queen Anne Bridge Rd, Davidsonville, MD 21035
	Type of Sale	Private Owner
	Bedrooms	5
	Bathrooms	5.5
	Lot Size	8.62 Acres
	Above Grade SF	6,806
	Style	Colonial / Mansion / Luxury Home
	Garage	3 Car Attached Garage
	Fireplaces	2
	Description	This beautiful mansion boasts a 6th and 7th bedroom in the finished lower level as well as an additional 2 full baths. This home boasts almost 10,000 SF of finished living space, as well as cherry wood floors, imported tiles, a circular stairway as well as many other designer touches.
	Listing Agent	Donald Shankle
	Listing Company	Coldwell Banker Residential Mortgage

If you a home buyer looking in Davidsonville, Maryland for a home, please contact the Barron Team to learn about how we will put our knowledge and experience to work for you! If you are thinking about selling your Davidsonville, MD home, please contact The Barron Team for a free comparitive market analysis (CMA) and to learn about how we use the latest technology and marketing expertise to sell your home for the most money in the shortest amount of time. Learn more about The Barron Team, Jesse Barron, the technology we emply, our listings and our slogan.

The Barron Team: Real Estate Made Easy™

MRIS -- the MLS for much of Maryland -- has recently released the June, 2008 market statistics for Millersville, Maryland (21108). The report below is based on the real estate trends, including homes for sale, homes sold, days on market, sold to list prices, new contracts, pending contracts and more.

If you live in another part of Maryland, or are interested in receiving a market update for a different city or zip code, please contact The Barron Team for a customized report.

The Barron Team and Jesse Barron of Keats & Co. Real Estate, LLC is your source for Anne Arundel County and Central Maryland real estate needs! The Barron Team is a top producing, multi-million dollar team that is dedicated to our customers and clients. We have summed up what we do into four simple words: Real Estate Made Easy™

Please click here to visit our web site or contact us to learn about how we employ the latest and greatest in both technology and marketing to make the home buying or selling process as stress free as possible!

MRIS -- the MLS for much of Maryland -- has recently released the June, 2008 market statistics for Edgewater, Maryland. The report below is based on the real estate trends, including homes for sale, homes sold, days on market, sold to list prices, new contracts, pending contracts and more.

If you live in another part of Maryland, or are interested in receiving a market update for a different city or zip code, please contact The Barron Team for a customized report.

The Barron Team and Jesse Barron of Keats & Co. Real Estate, LLC is your source for Anne Arundel County and Central Maryland real estate needs! The Barron Team is a top producing, multi-million dollar team that is dedicated to our customers and clients. We have summed up what we do into four simple words: Real Estate Made Easy™

Please click here to visit our web site or contact us to learn about how we employ the latest and greatest in both technology and marketing to make the home buying or selling process as stress free as possible!

MRIS -- the MLS for much of Maryland -- has recently released the June, 2008 market statistics for Annapolis, Maryland. Although Annapolis is comprised of several zip codes, the data presented below is based on the 21401 zip code.

If you live in another part of Maryland, or are interested in receiving a market update for a different city or zip code, please contact The Barron Team for a customized report.

The Barron Team specializes in Anne Arundel County real estate, including homes in Annapolis and hope that you will give us the opportunity to become your real estate consultants for life.

The Barron Team: Real Estate Made Easy

The Fair Housing Act does not protect Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered people from discrimination. Some states, such as Maryland, do have state laws that protect against discrimination for being GLBT. Additionally, a lot of local governments have passed laws that protect against such discrimination.

In addition to Maryland, the District of Columbia has written laws against discriminating against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered home buyers. Virginia has no such state law, although certain localities may have laws protecting GLBT home buyers against discrimination.

If you are a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered person relocating to Maryland, or you are looking for a gay friendly real estate agent, The Barron Team of Keats & Co. Real Estate, LLC is your answer!

Our gay and gay friendly team members can help gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered or gay friend clients buy or sell a home in:

Maryland Counties:

• Anne Arundel County, Maryland
• Baltimore County, Maryland
• Carroll County, Maryland
• Frederick County, Maryland
• Howard County, Maryland
• Harford County, Maryland
• Montgomery County, Maryland

Maryland Towns and Cities:

• Abingdon, MD
• Annapolis, MD
• Baltimore, MD
• Bel Air, MD
• Belcamp, MD
• Bethesda, MD
• Bowie, MD
• Brookeville, MD
• Catonsville, MD
• Chevy Chase, MD
• Churchville, MD
• Cockeysville, MD
• Columbia, MD
• Dayton, MD
• Derwood, MD
• Edgewood, MD
• Elkridge, MD
• Ellicott City, MD
• Fallston, MD
• Forest Hill, MD
• Frederick, MD
• Gaithersburg, MD
• Germantown, MD
• Glen Burnie, MD
• Glyndon, MD
• Hanover, MD
• Hunt Valley, MD
• Joppa, MD
• Kensington, MD
• Lutherville-Timonium, MD
• Middle River, MD
• Millersville, MD
• Montgomery Village, MD
• Owings Mills, MD
• Parkville, MD
• Pasadena, MD
• Perry Hall, MD
• Pikesville, MD
• Potomac, MD
• Reisterstown, MD
• Rockville, MD
• Silver Spring, MD
• Takoma Park, MD
• Towson, MD
• Upper Marlboro, MD
• Westminster, MD

Zip Codes:

20715, 20716, 20717, 20718, 20719, 20720, 20721, 21009, 21014, 21015, 21017, 20128, 21030, 21036, 21040, 21042, 21043, 21044, 21046, 21047, 21050, 21065, 21401, 21402, 21043, 21404, 21405, 21409, 21411, 21412, 21701, 21702, 21703, 21704, 21705, 20772, 20773, 20774, 20775, 20792, 20810, 20811, 20814, 20815, 20816, 20817, 20824, 20825, 20827, 20833, 20847, 20848, 20849, 20850, 20851, 20852, 20853, 20854, 20855, 20857, 20859, 20874, 20875, 20876, 20877, 20878, 20879, 20882, 20883, 20884, 20885, 20886, 20889, 20892, 20894, 20895, 20899, 20901, 20902, 20903, 20904, 20905, 20906, 20907, 20908, 20910, 20911, 20912, 20913, 20914, 20915, 20916, 20918, 20993, 20997, 21031, 21060, 21085, 21093, 21094, 21093, 21108, 21117, 21122, 21128, 21136, 21157, 21158, 21204, 21208, 21220, 21228, 21234, 21250, 21252, 21282, 21284, 21285, 21286, 21708

Please remember, if you or someone you know is gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered and want to work with a real estate agent who can relate, please contact The Barron Team for all of your gay Maryland real estate needs! Of course, we are happy to work with every home buyer or seller, so if you know of ANYONE needing a great real estate agent and team in Maryland, please be sure to contact us!

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ATTN REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS:

If you know a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered person relocating to or moving in Maryland, we will happily pay you a 30% referral if they buy or sell a home through The Barron Team! Having said that, we are also anxious to work with ANY referral you have, so please send your Maryland referrals our way and we will happily pay you a 30% referral fee for those referrals, too!

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Below is a chart to help you visualize list vs. sale price for homes for sale in Millersville, Maryland (zip code: 21108) from the period of June 2006 to June 2008.

Are you considering buying a home in Millersville, Maryland or selling your current home in Millersville, MD? If so, please contact The Barron Team by email or call us at (410) 750-9130. Jesse Barron, the leader of The Barron Team, is a Millersville resident and local expert! Trust your real estate needs to someone who is invested in the neighborhood!

Below is a chart to help you visualize the list vs. sale prices in Howard County, Maryland from June 2006 to June 2008.

Please email The Barron Team or call us at 410-750-9130 if you would like to know the specifics for your community or county.

RealtyTrac has released June foreclosure numbers for Maryland and Virginia.

Below is a summary of those findings in some Maryland and Virginia counties as reported by RealtyTrac:

• In Prince William County, VA, foreclosure filings rose 14.68% from 1,328 in May, 2008 to 1,523 foreclosure filings in June, 2008.
  
• Prince William County has the highest foreclosure rate in Virginia -- 1 out of every 86 households facing foreclosure filings. To compare, the national average is 1 out of every 801 households for June, 2008.
• In Loudon County, VA, there was an increase of 1 foreclosure filing from May, 2008 to June, 2008. That is a 0.20% increase. Loudon County ranks as the second highest county in terms of foreclosure filings, with 1 in every 199 households in Foreclosure.
• Fairfax County, VA foreclosure filings increased only 2.04% from May, 2008 to June, 2008.
• In Alexandria, VA, foreclosure filings rose 7.35%.
• In Arlington, VA, foreclosure filings dropped 6.25%.
• Prince Georges County, MD, the state leader for foreclosures, saw filings jump 28.95% from May, 2008 to June, 2008.

A bit of good news ... in Montgomery County, Maryland, foreclosure filings dropped 46.87%.Overall, in Maryland, foreclosure filings dropped 23.27% from May, 2008 to June, 2008, while in Virginia, they jumped 8.87%.

The above chart plots list price vs. sale price for homes that were for sale in Anne Arundel County, Maryland from May, 2006 to May, 2008.

Please email The Barron Team or call us at (410) 750-9130 if you would like to learn about another county in Maryland or Virginia.

The Barron Team provides stellar real estate services to clients throughout Maryland and Northern Virginia. Please visit our Web site for more information, as well as great tools to help make your home buying or selling experience much easier!

Useful Links:

• Search the MLS for Homes for Sale in Anne Arundel County, Maryland
• View our Listings, Including Homes for Sale in Anne Arundel County, MD
• Learn About Anne Arundel County Neighborhoods with our Free Community Reports
• Learn What Homes For Sale in Anne Arundel County are Listed and Have Sold for with the Free Market Snapshot
• More Maryland Real Estate Market Reports