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Gretchen Conley - Howard County MD Real Estate

Longfellow Elementary Rocks!

Nothing like the youth of today to put us all to shame! What a fine job by the 5th graders of Longfellow Elementary, celebrating technology! Watch, and then vote for them! Longfellow Elementary

Here's the news, directly from Longfellow's PTA President:

Longfellow Elementary's 5th graders in Howard County created a music video and entered Interwrite's eMakeover contest again this year. But this year Longfellow has been chosen as one of 5 finalists out of approximately 100 nationwide and Canadian entries!! We are the only school from Maryland selected.

The final winner is decided by a panel of judges and by YOUR VOTES. We need you (and everyone you know) to vote! There can be one vote per e-mail address, so if you have more then one you can vote more then once! Please vote and forward this information to friends and family. We are also asking that you post it to Facebook, MySpace, any site you may have that lots of people will see. Voting closes on December 4, 2009.
This link to our video and voting -
http://eimakeover09.shycast.com/submission/show/377/
I don't know how much I can stress the importance of getting the word out. Votes can make or break us in the competition. We have many ideas of ways to get votes in the next 2 weeks, but would love any ideas or suggestions you might have.
Thanks for all your support! We are very proud and excited and can't wait to WIN!
Eric Solomon
President
Longfellow Elementary School PTA

So if you love it, love it, love it, VOTE! Voting for our kids, Longfellow Elementary, and Columbia MD!!

Best regards, Gretchen, PTA Vice President, Mayfield Woods Middle School

Triple Run Luncheon!

What an awesome luncheon! What luncheon, you ask? The Howard County Million Dollar Club monthly luncheon, a very high caliber of realtors meeting regularly, endeavoring to increase professionalism, networking, and of course, doing good restaurant-research! Sweet Potato Soup

First run: The MARVELOUS SWEET POTATO SOUP at Bistro Blanc (recently voted TOP RESTAURANT in HOWARD COUNTY!). I would have been very very happy with just that, imagining warm cracking fires, fall pumpkins in the farmers' fields through the fog, sheep grazing nearby... but I digress! Then a lovely salmon dish to top it off!!

Second run: Discovering that HCAR (our very own Howard County Association of Realtors) last year provided, through cash and food donations, 450 Thanksgiving dinners for hungry local folks -- And this year, will feed 500! Sometimes, when our hearts are in the right pllace, we're doing the right thing even if we don't know it!

Third run: Was able to hear from Kathleen Hetherington, President, Howard Community College, as she spoke at our luncheon to the great accomplishments thus far of HCC, along with the upcoming plans for the future. Ms. Hetherington is also one of the recipients of our organization's community charitable donations this year, and graciously accepted a check on behalf of the College. One of the top community colleges in the country!

Awesome day, and that was just lunch!

Best regards, Gretchen, Treasurer, Howard County Million Dollar Club

Short Sale Negotiators - Driving Me Batty

Bat House - Driving Me BattyWell, I'm crossing my fingers AND my toes on 2 different short sales right now, both of which I have NO control over now (Having done everything possibly necessary already!)

Scenario #1 - My Sellers - Under contract waiting for third party approval for almost 6 months - approval from both lenders now, inconsistencies between the two still needing to be worked out (we're waiting) and meanwhile, the buyer's now asking for the sellers' furniture. OMG, as my 12-year old would text! Not like she's not already getting a lovely home, a great deal, and a great school district! Still crossing the fingers...

Scenario #2 - My Buyer - Waiting 2 months already for third party approval, first time homebuyer credit extended - luckily, or my buyer would have been out already. Negotiator has accidentally closed and then reopened the account. Negotiator has now admitted (yes, admitted) twice that he actually does have everything he needs - twice - but has then gone on to request further documentation. So where are we today? He has everything he needs again; we're just waiting to hear back... Still crossing the fingers...

This is a very interesting way to do business, awkward though, with my hands tied behind my back all the time!

Best regards, Gretchen

Is there Short Sale Relief in Sight?

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 aSolds-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

Hauntings in Howard County MD

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 Ghosts in Howard County MDon 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