About Annapolis' Riva Trace

 

A Number of Things – But Here’s Ken’s Video Post About the ONE THING That Takes the Cake

They’ve actually done surveys to get the public’s opinion about how real estate agents measure up against other professionals. The results, I have to tell you, are not pretty if you’re one of us: in the public’s eye, we rank right up there with used car salesmen.

In our defense, being a Realtor is not an easy job. The hours and demands are many. Still, there’s no excuse for certain behaviors, as I mention here. Have a look, and let me know what you think.

 

 

Waiting is Not a Great Strategy if You Plan to Get a Slice of the $8,000 Tax Credit Pie Uncle Sam is Serving

Waiting is human nature. I usually wait too long between dentist appointments, wait to say my prayers until I buy a lottery ticket, wait until I’m pretty fried before I take a vacation. Most of us can relate.

But if you’re waiting to take advantage of the $8,000 tax credit that’s available to eligible first time homebuyers, you need a serious kick in the pants.

If you’re thinking the offer will be extended, don’t count on it. Uncle Sam’s pockets seem to be getting shallower by the day. All that Cash for Clunkers, you know…

If you’re waiting for interest rates to go lower, you’re probably dreaming at this point.

And if you’re waiting because you think there’s plenty of time, think again. The program ends on November 30, 2009. If you haven’t gone to settlement by that day, you’re out of luck.

Say it takes you 30 days to find your dream home. Now you’re in the middle of September. Next, figure 4 to 6 weeks to get to the settlement table. If there are any delays or glitches at all – and there often are, with loan applications, inspections, and agents whose cell phones don’t get service in Tahiti – you’re cutting it very, very close.

So, step lively. And give us a call if you really want to buy your dream home and take advantage of this credit. (Don’t forget, you’re considered a first time homebuyer if you haven’t owned a home in 3 years.)

Not only are we at The Moss Haedrich Team ready for the last minute rush of new clients…we’re offering anyone who buys a new home with us by the end of 2009 a $250 moving expenses credit at settlement. Send us an email at KenHaedrich@gmail.com or call us at 410-507-7222 and we’ll tell you all about it.

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So you’ve been sitting on the fence, waiting for the perfect time to buy a home here in the Annapolis area. But when IS the best time? When home prices appear to have bottomed out? And is it even possible to time the real estate market? As you’ll see in the video here, there’s a little more to the affordability equation than meets the eye. Have a look. And if you’d like to talk me about home affordability, interest rates, buying or selling a home – just send me an email at KenHaedrich@gmail.com, or you can reach me on my cell – 410-507-7222. We’d love to hear from you.

 

 

A Quick Look at How Things are Selling at these Perennially Popular Annapolis Condos

Funny how many people you meet who don't know about the condos in Riva Trace. Perhaps it's because there's only one road in and out - no through traffic.

Or perhaps it's because everyone is distracted by the smart looking townhomes here, too, or the carefully manicured landscaping at every turn.

The Setup: The Riva Trace condo complex is a series of nine, 3-level buildings constructed 20 years ago - though the buildings are so well maintained that they hardly show their age.

The units on the 1st and 2nd levels are a mix of 1- and 2- bedroom homes with about 1,200 square feet. The 3rd floor units are 2- and 3-bedroom homes with lofts, averaging about 1,900 square feet. There are 12 units per building, 6 on each side of two wings.

The Community: The condos are part of the larger Riva Trace community, which has its own community pier and tennis courts. The tree-lined streets and sidewalks are favored by the many residents who enjoy a brisk walk - often with their four-legged companions - almost any hour of the day.

In addition to the condos and townhomes, there are two single family home neighborhoods - Spring Race and Autumn Chase - and a third that Ryan homes is building where the Riva Trace Baptist Church used to stand.

The Condo Market at a Glance

A total of 7 Riva Trace condos have sold in the last year.

Currently there are 5 condos for sale, including a lovely 1 bedroom unit we just listed in building #2706. It's been beautifully updated and has had custom French doors installed between the living room and sunroom, turning the sunroom in multi-function space you could use as a spare bedroom or office. The list price is $285,000.

The most recent sale was a second level 2-bedroom unit that just went for $287,500 on April 30th, with a $500 seller subsidy. You'd have to go back to September 2008 to find a 3rd level unit that sold; they just don't come to market that often. That one sold for $330,000.

If You Would Like a More Detailed Snapshot of the Riva Trace Condo Market...

...send me an email at kenhaedrich@gmail.com. I'll put you on our Riva Trace Condo Hot List. You'll get not only an email with the most recent listings. But each time there's an update - a sale, contract, or new listing - you'll be automatically notified.

Finally, if you're thinking about selling your condo - or buying one here - give us a call or send us an email. We've sold nearly $7,000,000 in property in Riva Trace, so we know the neighborhood quite well.

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In Case You've Been Wondering Who You Are, I Have Some Answers

I imagine it's the same with other bloggers, but I find it quite interesting - and instructive - to keep track of who is reading this blog and what you're reading. For one thing, it helps me figure out what sort of information you want more of. (Just for the record, that's a generic WHO - other than subscribers, I can't tell who you are.)

So I make it my business to keep track of what pages you're landing on when you come here, and the search terms you use to arrive. Often there's little surprise - blogging about particular neighborhoods, like South River Colony, always gets lots of traffic. And sometimes, plenty of surprise: I still can't figure out how the person who Googled "sock monkeys for sale in Target" ended up here, but they did.

You Like To Search For Annapolis Area Homes and You're Smitten With the Fifty Dollar House

Many of you land directly on the home search page of the site, which tells me you've probably bookmarked that page for convenience. I'm glad you're looking, because now's a great time to buy. Is there a home we can show you?

A ton of you have been searching for news about the Fifty Dollar House, which, sadly, you did not win. Somebody else did, and we're selling the home for her. Perhaps you'd like to buy it?

When I do a post about home sales statistics for the Annapolis area, that draws a lot of interest, too - I need to do more posts like this - as well as posts on subjects related to the Naval Academy. A number of you used the search term "Plebes no more," a reference to one long-standing Academy tradition.

Search terms about home staging bring regular traffic because I've written about it often. Some people end up here by searching for our team stager, Linda Donnelly - the best in the business. When you use her services to get your home looking perfect, we reimburse you at settlement.

More than a few of you are using search terms like "trustworthy agent" or "untrustworthy agents" and you're finding us that way since I published this story. Apparently, finding an agent you can trust is in the forefront of your mind, and it's a good thing.

I'm afraid I must have disappointed the people who ended up here after searching for "math's chalkboard", "new home digest" and "bad stockbrokers." Google must have been having a bad night when these poor souls were directed this way.

You Like a Good Laugh...

...which explains why some of you are searching for bad MLS photos. We have some doozies.

Not surprisingly, lots of you found us by searching for Keller Williams Annapolis or Keller Williams Culture, our culture - we believe - being one of the things that sets us apart as a company.

I can't tell who you are, specifically - but I can often tell where you work. Some of you are affiliated with institutions of higher learning, which makes me think we attract a smart crowd. I like that.

And many of you work for large government entities. I won't say which ones, because if you're reading this blog instead of delivering mail, eavesdropping on bad guys or searching for cures to nasty infectious diseases, that's between you and your boss.

As for the person who just yesterday typed "do you like living in Annapolis" into the Google search engine, I - for one - love it.

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