Lanette Branch, Bel Air, MD REALTOR

Good Morning, World!

Good Morning, America!

Good Morning, Maryland!

Good Morning, Harford County!

Good Morning, Bel Air!

Woke up this morning and felt something in the air. Not talking about the chill...41 degrees...brrrr!

Talking about the electricity. Can you feel it?

Today is the first day of the rest of my life.

Don't care about The News. Life does not revolve around the dismal reports of the housing market axis...at least mine doesn't. It revolves around family, friends, and faith.

So, when I kissed my daughters goodbye at the bus stop this morning and we did our little hand wave ritual, I knew today would be a day like no other.

It's a new day and I'm ready to roll.

How about you?

The MAR (Maryland Association of Realtors) recently updated its Residential Contract of sale and I've already gone awry; the revised contract was effective October 1st and I've had to re-write a couple that were in process.

Although there were several notable changes, one item remained the same. It's on the very first page, regarding the balance of the sales price (minus deposit(s)) being paid at the settlement table by means of certified check, wired funds, bank funds, or just plain ole cash. I'm paraphrasing.

Interesting that this one is clearly stated and unchanged. Perhaps others have experienced a buyer arriving at the closing table without certified funds? It never really stood out to me before recently. I must admit, I've been helping Marylanders buy and sell real estate for many-a-year and this was the first year that I (and my seller) sat at the table waiting patiently for the buyer and her agent (who were significantly late BTW) to arrive only to have the buyer exclaim -

"I'll be right back. I have to go to the Wachovia around the corner."

I kid you not.

Granted, to fully explain how we all got here (me at the settlement table with my mouth hanging open), I'd need to take a very convoluted path, indeed (and you know how I endeavor to keep it short, sweet, and to the point-LOL!) -- but the bottom line is, up until an hour before settlement, the buyer had no idea that certified funds were needed to settle on her home that day.

So, I'll throw this one out to you guys -- Who do you think is responsible for this oversight? The buyer, her agent, the lender...it's your call.

Last week in Bel Air, Maryland...a total of $5.1 million in real estate was SOLD!

• 17 Houses SOLD
• Average Days on the Market (DOM) for houses sold - 136
• Average Sales Price for houses sold - $302,305

Highest Sales Price - $505,000

• 13 yr-old Brick-Front Colonial on 1/4 acre
• 4 Beds/3.5 Baths

Lowest Sales Price - $187,500

• 7 yr-old Condo
• 2 Beds/2 Full Baths

Above data is for week beginning Sunday, September, 28th and ending Saturday, October 4th for zip codes 21014 and 21015.

Interested in more information on what's happening in Bel Air or looking to buy or sell some real estate of your own? Contact Lanette and let's get started.

 Information is obtained from our local MLS and is believed to be accurate, but is not guaranteed.

Is there a rule that I don't know about regarding marketing REOs?

I have not seen one REO marketed with a virtual tour.

I have yet to see more than 1 photo on an REO in the MLS.

Many REOs have no picture in the MLS at all.

Many REOs have little more in the comments field than "bank-owned" or something to that effect.

I can't remember the last time I saw a complete listing in the MLS. Many REOs have no rooms at all and/or no heating/air systems if you rely on the info (or lack thereof) provided in the MLS by the listing agent.

Is this some unwritten rule of marketing REOs that I know nothing about? If so, please school me.

Perhaps the listing agents of these foreclosed properties feel that there is no need to spend marketing dollars, time, or effort since they know they're going to get the listing regardless. They appear pretty confident in the gravy deal they have in place with the banks' asset managers.

Maybe the bank spells out very clearly in their paperwork to the listing agent that there will be absolutely no more than 1 photo used in marketing of the property (and preferably no photos at all...)?

Could it be that it's extremely difficult to take a photo of a listing you haven't ever physically set foot in. Interesting factoid: none of the listing agents of the REOs my buyers bought this year had ever even seen the properties in person.

I understand that buying a bank-owned/REO/Foreclosure properties is strictly an AS IS-WHERE IS type of deal, but, dang...

I'm just wondering why the listing agents don't seem to be concerned with doing whatever is needed to actually SELL the listing?

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Call me to buy or sell in Bel Air

Lanette Branch, RE/MAX 1st Advantage Realty - Bel Air

Harford County Schools are awesome.

O.K. so I'm a little biased since both of my girls are enrolled in Harford County Schools. Did I mention how pleased I was w/the full-day Kindergarten?

I just found out that my 10 yr-old will take part in the 5th grade outdoor environmental education program held at Harford Glen in November.

Harford Glen Environmental Education Center is conveniently located in Bel Air, Maryland just off Route 24 at the end of Wheel Road. The program's mission is nicely summarized in just one sentence found in their literature sent home to parents:

Using the theme of Environmental Stewardship, fifth graders learn about the world they live in and their role in protecting, conserving and improving natural resources.

Who knew?

We had the opportunity as a family to go to the orientation on-site and we're all just too excited now. Syd's especially excited because it's a residential program and she'll be sleeping in one of the many lodges, away from home, with all the other 5th-graders (the upper classmen!), for a couple days. Their teacher gets to camp out w/them and they're in class each of those 3 1/2 days just like regular school.

While exploring the grounds, we checked out the lodges. They reminded me of military barracks with rows of neatly arranged bunk beds. We explored the grounds. There's a stone-covered mansion house where the offices are currently located. There are campsites all around. Check out that pic of the cool half-buried shed.

We saw the themed classrooms, each dedicated to a different learning area of the environment, where the students will be during a good portion of the day. We gathered in the dining hall where the students will eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and snacks each day.

Amazingly, the only expense to the students/family is the cost of meals, and that's just the nominal amount charged by Harford County Schools for breakfast and lunch.

I was impressed w/the experience that awaits my 5th grader.

Wait until she realizes there's no TV, Wii, Nintendo DS, Hannah Montana, Jonas Brothers, backyard trampoline, Webkinz.com, Club Penguin, Mp3 player, 5 Below , piano lesson w/Ms. Basham, basketball practice, or manicures for nearly 4 days!

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The author is a proud resident of Harford County and would love to help you find the perfect home in or around Bel Air (located in the Harford County School district!) for your family. Call me, I'm...

Lanette Branch, RE/MAX 1st Advantage - Bel Air