About Howard County, MD

Columbia's villages and neighborhoods are a unique design in urban living. The town is divided into ten villages and within each village are several neighborhoods with names drawn from history or literature. Columbia's street names are derived from literary sources and help to make each neighborhood special. When locals recite their address to others, we often get the response, "Oh, that's an unusual address ... you must live in Columbia!".

Each village has its own community association which is an independent, incorporated, nonprofit civic association formed exclusively for the promotion of the common good and welfare of the residents and property owners of that village. Each association has similar but separate Articles of Incorporation, By-laws and Covenants. Columbia's villages and neighborhoods combine to create a close community with a small town feel.

Each village community center has a unique architectural design and personality. Community centers offer classes for residents and space that may be rented for meetings, parties and special events. The community associations often sponsor free seminars, political forums, fairs and holiday parties. Activities sponsored by the various community associations are open to all residents of Columbia regardless of the village in which you live.

SO if it's true, as reported by Carrie Bay, DS News, that Equator (nee REOTrans) has launched a new Short Sale Platform, to be used post-haste by an as-yet-to-be-named (though they then named it! - Bank of America) bank to process - quickly, cleanly, efficiently - their short sales -- THEN will that mark the begining of the end of the professional short sale negotiators who have been collecting fees up front from sellers to negotiate with the sellers' banks, oft times to no avail?

Let's hope that as the process is technologically streamlined, that the best-of-the-best negotiators remain. Here's hoping!

Best regards, Gretchen

The Hayden House, Lilburn, the Patapsco Female Institute, Mt. Ida Visitor Center, Ellicott City's Old Fire Station, Heart Beat Bridge, Hell House at St. Mary's College -- Do you know what each of these locations have in common here in Howard County MD? Here's a clue: We're asking this question on Halloween! They are ALL HAUNTED!

Chills! Thrills! It doesn't get more local than this: Ellicott City, having history, naturally has ghosts -- Lots of them! For the scoop on where to scare yourselves, many thanks to Ellicott City Tourism, a frightening list of local haunts:

http://www.ellicottcity.net/tourism/haunted/

Howard Life brings you up-to-date information on Haunted Howard County Tours!: http://www.howardcountymd.gov/HCT/HCT_GhostTours.htm

Haunted Sites around Maryland, compliments of the Baltimore Sun:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/events/Halloween/bal-hauntedmdsites-pg,0,4572014.photogallery

Haunted Houses around Maryland and Pennsylvania, by HauntedHouse.com:

http://www.hauntedhouse.com/search/Haunted_Attraction_Directory/_USA_,040All_50_States,041/Maryland/

Have a Happy Halloween everyone!

Best regards, Gretchen

As forwarded to me by Internet Compass Solutions, it appears good news may be on the horizon -- Word is the credit will be renewed (read: extended?) allowing not just first time, but also repeat homebuyers the credit, to be gradually reduced, but continued through the end of 2010. Let's keep the market moving!

Following is the text as per Bloomberg News:
Senate Democrats on Board with Credit Extension

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) says Senate Democrats have agreed to extend the first-time home buyer tax credit. The latest version extends the program to home sales signed - not closed - by April 30. Purchasers would have another 60 days to close the sale. The credit will also be expanded to include so-called step-up buyers who have lived in their current home for at least five years.

The credit would be cut slightly to a $7,290 cap. Income eligibility for first-time home buyers would stay the same, but it would rise for step-up buyers to $125,000 for individuals and $250,000 for couples.
Source: Bloomberg News, Dawn Kopecki and Ryan Donmoyer (10/27/2009)

I know there are some out there who believe the homebuyer tax credit was a mistake, and that an extension just compounds the mistake, but listen up -- That's easy to say now, but have we all forgotten the stagnant situation of a year ago, with all the potential homebuyers and homesellers petrified, afraid to do anything? We Americans have such short term memories, housing markets, economic realities, elections...

Best regards, Gretchen

Everyone by now has heard of short sales, but what is a short sales and what are the pros and cons.

I will attempt to answer questions about short sales and the steps that are needed to have a successful short sale.

Stay tune, this series starts October. 31. I call it Short Sales ABC's

See you then.