November 17th, 2008 was scheduled to be a decision on the fate of the proposed Cross County Connector. As it turns out, the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) has requested another 60 day extension from the Charles County Comissioners.
Essentially this means we get to sit on our hands and wait until January before we get any sort of a decision. I'll keep posting more information as it comes up.
~Jonathan Benya- Realtor
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000
301-653-8116
Charles County Real Estate Blog
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Lots of people are looking to become more "green" and reduce their carbon footprint. Here's an exciting (and under used) way of doing your part to help the environment, and it won't cost you a dime!
The Maryland Department of the environment (MDE) has a program where they are offering free septic system upgrades to Maryland residents. The goal is to reduce nitrogen emissions into the Chesapeake Bay, and not only will they cover all of the costs for replacing your septic system, they will also cover all of the maintenance costs for the first five years.
For more information on how to apply for the program, here's a link to the MDE website:
http://www.mde.state.md.us/Water/CBWRF/osds/
~Jonathan Benya- Realtor
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000
301-653-8116
Charles County Real Estate Blog
This really sweet guitar shop called Island Music Company opened in La Plata, over on Charles Street. They specialize in vintage stuff, but sell new as well. They also sell amps, drums, and pretty much you name it. Support your small town businesses and check them out!
~Jonathan Benya- Realtor
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000
301-653-8116
Charles County Real Estate Blog
Lennar Homes is responsible for several new construction developments in Charles County, and could be considered one of the regions largest builders. Among their projects is the 55+ community known as the Heritage at St. Charles, and the Fairway Village Subdivision.
The Fairway Village Subdivision is really quite impressive. The townhomes are in the $200k-$300k price range, and their single family homes are in the $300k+ range. One of the things that I like about the subdivision is the fact that they are building more than just homes, they're building a community.
Community Features
In addition to the walking and jogging trails, they're building playgrounds, a community center (complete with pool and clubhouse), and they're working to make the area an attractive place to live.
Their floor plans are also interesting, and in addition to having models ranging from 1633 s.f. to 2800+ s.f., they are giving home buyers a wide range of options to choose from.
If you're looking to buy a new home in Charles County, I highly recommend you check them out. Also, if you're looking for an agent with experience negotiating low prices on great homes, give me a call!
~Jonathan Benya- Realtor
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000 -office
301-653-8116 -cell
Charles County Real Estate Blog
Related Links:
Fairway Village (Lennar) Photos
Autumn Hills Subdivision by Ryan Homes
Are New Construction Prices Negotiable?
How Much Are New Home Prices Falling?
Adventures in New Home Buying
There's been a huge increase in Southern Maryland Short Sales over the last year thanks to the ongoing housing crisis. More often than not, they end up as foreclosures, many times because the path to negotiating is at best, murky. When working with a lender to get a short sale agreement, there are several things that they are going to ask for, including tax returns, financial statements, investment records, etc. They're also going to ask for a hardship letter.
It's essentially a personal letter to the bank explaining why you can't possibly afford to pay the mortgage anymore. The thing to remember about the hardship letter is this: The sadder, the better! This is really where you want to work closely with your Realtor to brainstorm on all the reasons why you can't pay the mortgage. Sick mother? Kids with serious medical bills? Devastating car accident? Job lost due to faltering economy? This is your time to say so!! Whatever you do, don't lie about it, but make sure you are maximizing the hardship you are experiencing. The banks are willing to work with people, but excuses such as admitting you falsified loan docs to get the house aren't exactly going to make the bank jump for joy.
The banks can only work with the information they are given, and the more hardship they can establish, the better off your chances of getting the short sale approved are. Questions about how to survive a short sale or get your hardship letter written? Send me an email to jonbenya@mac.com and I'll be more than happy to help!
~Jonathan Benya- Realtor
Century 21 New Millennium
301-653-8116
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I work as part of Team Benya At Century 21 New Millennium in Southern Maryland. We make it our primary goal to work hard and provide the most honest information available in today's changing market.
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