Margaret Woda, Maryland Real Estate

J&D Contracting may be the answer to your prayers if your Crofton home needs a face-lift or a complete makeover - or anything in between.

Let's face it... Crofton is an "established neighborhood" - code for "older" (and better). Most of us have a list of projects on our wish-list, ranging from an exterior paint job to building a new deck, from kitchen and bath updating to finishing (or re-finishing) the basement.

In my household, we have always been do-it-yourselfers - My husband Larry has been known to build a screened-in porch, fireplace, attic bedroom, and more. Frankly, one of the reasons for NOT hiring a contractor was the fact that we didn't know who to call, and couldn't imagine how expensive it might be to have the work done.

That was before we got to know Jimmy Furr and Dave Ramsey, the principals at J&D Contracting. Now that we do know who to call, we have them on speed-dial.

My daughter Susan is the one who discovered J&D Contracting when she was the House Director for Delta Delta Delta at the University of Maryland, College Park. The house was a 1930-era home that had been band-aided together for decades. As a Tri-Delta member, Susan had a special love for the house and spent five years there working with the Executive Office and local House Corps members to fix years of neglect. J&D Contracting oversaw most of that work, and we never ceased to be amazed at the quality of their workmanship, their professionalism, and their fair pricing.

It wasn't long before I began referring Jimmy & Dave to my real estate clients - Sellers hired them for home-inspection repairs and buyers chose them for both major and minor improvements. Over the past 7 or 8 years, I've never heard anything but rave reviews for J&D Contracting.

I'd hire J&D Contracting again for any work in my home, and I'm happy to provide a reference for them. At left is a picture of the updated bath they completed at my house in May. This wasn't a simple case of replacing fixtures - we utilized hall and closet space to expand the bathroom, removed decades of old wallpaper, installed new tile, etc., and I couldn't be happier with the results. A few weeks later we called them again to strip wallpaper from our stairway and install a new railing (see above photo). Before they moved on to their next job, for another homeowner in Crofton, they installed new crown molding in our living room.

Jimmy and Dave and their crew are so pleasant to have around, we really missed them when the work was complete. But I think we'll find something else... we always do!

To contact J&D Contracting, call Jimmy at (301)440-8581. He'll come out to talk to you and see what you want or need and get back to you promptly with a detailed written proposal.

What are you waiting for?

CROFTON COMMONS in CROFTON, MD is ideally located for anyone working on post at Fort Meade or anywhere in the D.C.-Baltimore area... and it's only about a half hour to either the D.C. or Baltimore beltways.

CROFTON COMMONS is a community of about 90 homes built in the '70's. Like other townhomes in the area at the time, they originally sold around $60,000. All of the homes have a basement, as far as I know, and most are 3 bedroom homes with about 1400 sq. ft. There are also a number of 4-bedroom end units with nearly 1650 square feet - equal to or larger than many detached homes in nearby Crofton Meadows and Four Seasons Estates.

Location, location, location "rules", when it comes to choosing a home in CROFTON COMMONS because it is located within the "Crofton Triangle" and Crofton Special Taxing District. The "Crofton Triangle" is bounded by Rt. 3 on the West, Rt. 424 on the north, and Rt. 450 on the south, with Routes 424 and 450 intersecting at (more or less) the eastern point of the triangle. Most homes within this area, including those in CROFTON COMMONS, are part of the Crofton Special Taxing District which has its own community police force and maintenance services to keep the public areas of the community looking beautiful.

Four homes have sold in CROFTON COMMONS since the first of this year, listed between $314,500 and $345,000; they sold between $290,000 and $334,250. The two end units sold over $330,000, and both interior units sold close to $300,000. During the same period last year, only two homes sold, and the price disparity was huge for those two similar-size interior units... $289,500-$339,900.

There is one active listing in CROFTON COMMONS now, an interior unit priced at $330,000. Based on the description, it is a lovely home backing to woods.

Community amenites for anyone living in the Crofton Triangle include two nearby parks, public tennis courts, and two membership opportunities for a nearby pool (Crofton Country Club and Crofton Swim & Tennis). It's a very active community, with annual traditions that include a Halloween Parade, Armed Forces Day Parade, Spring and Fall Crafts Fairs, and Santa's arrival on a firetruck for a community party at Crofton Country Club. There are scout troops, senior groups, garden clubs, and every kind of organization you could want to join. And Crofton Country Club golf course runs through the heart of the triangle, within walking distance of CROFTON COMMONS.

If you're looking for an affordable home near Fort Meade, you'll want to check out what's on the market in CROFTON COMMONS.

Affordable Homes Near Fort Meade - CROFTON COMMONS in CROFTON

• Homes for sale in CROFTON COMMONS
• Search All Homes, Townhomes and Condos for Sale in Crofton
• Create Your Own Custom Home Search
• Schools in Crofton
• Focus on Crofton (Blog)

Must-read information for anyone relocating to the Fort Meade area in Maryland:

• Fort Meade - What to Expect When You Arrive - 02/10/08
  Families of civilian employees and military personnel relocating to Fort Meade will find a post that covers 5,415 acres, with nearly 70 miles of roads ...
  
  
• Commuting Guide for Fort George G. Meade and NSA - 04/24/09
  If you have PCS orders to Fort George G. Meade in Maryland, a map of the huge D.C. – Baltimore area may seem a bit overwhelming as you try to decide where to look for a home when you arrive.
  

• Welcome to Fort Meade! - 12/12/07
  I'm sure you have already checked out the website for Fort Meade, so I won't attempt to tell you about the base or its services. Instead, let me tell you about the surrounding area and five critical steps for Fort Meade-area home buyers.

To view other posts tagged "Fort Meade" just click on this link: Relocating to Fort George G. Meade Maryland

_________________________________________________

Thank you for your service to our country!
I look forward to having an opportunity to serve you and your family.

As a Navy wife, I experienced several PCS moves myself - not to mention finding, buying and moving my family into a new home while my husband was deployed. I "get" military pay and how the various allowances impact your qualifying to buy a home. And I know how to help military families move into their own home without any cash "up front" - something you cannot do as a renter.

I serve military families throughout the, D.C. - Baltimore - Annapolis area, specializing in Anne Arundel, Howard and Prince George's Counties, Maryland. You can contact me online or by cell/text at 301-346-2923 to help your family relocate to Fort Meade, Andrews AFB, the U.S. Naval Academy, or any other military installation in D.C. or Maryland.

RITA'S ICE in Crofton, Maryland - It must be good, because there's always a line outside, day or night, whenever they're open.

What's All the Fuss About?

That's a question I asked myself for many months as I drove past their location on Defense Highway, about 50' east of my office at Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. There is such a huge crowd of people outside and so many cars driving in and out of there whenever they're open, that you might think RITA'S ICE is giving away something for free.

That many people... they must know something I don't. Finally, I had to try it!

Well, Rita's Ice may not be giving away anything for free, but what they sell is "refreshing" and "darn good". That pretty much summarizes what the people waiting in line will tell you when asked why they like Rita's Ice. A few folks will mention how healthy it is (fat-free, cholesterol-free, trans-fat free and sometimes sugar-free), but that's usually an after-thought... a way of justifying their addiction to Rita's Ice in the summer.

Whether you're a fan of Italian Ice or Frozen Custard - or you prefer some combination of both (a Mistro, Blendini, coffee-flavored Ritaccino, or Gelati) - Rita's Ice is a neighborhood gathering place for Crofton and Gambrills residents. I like that almost as much as my favorite, the sugar-free Italian Ice!

If you haven't tried Rita's Ice in Crofton yet, you just don't know what you're missing.

CREATE YOUR OWN CUSTOM HOME SEARCH

A HEALTHY STEP is located in The Village of Waugh Chapel at 1300 Main Chapel Way in Gambrills - just 5 minutes from Crofton, MD.

I pictured "grandma" shoes or "nun" shoes, for some reason, when a store called "A HEALTHY STEP" opened near retirement condos in the Village at Waugh Chapel. I had absolutely zero desire to visit that store. My mistake! Now I have to laugh at that misconception.

Their shoes may be "fine-quality men's and women's American and European comfort footwear," as their website claims, but they're really good looking, as well - at least some of them are. These red shoes have become my uniform shoes... I wear them or a matching pair in brown nearly every day, with slacks or summer dresses.

I might never have discovered A HEALTHY STEP had I not walked past the window while killing time before my nail appointment at nearby Robert Andrews a few weeks ago. My plan was to get some exercise by walking to the other end of the shopping center and back, but I spotted so many cute shoes in the window at A HEALTHY STEP - I never finished that walk. Curious about prices, I stepped inside to check out the prices and left with two pairs of shoes. Since then, I've been back to buy more of the same shoes in other colors. They were THAT comfortable!

If you live near Fort Meade (Crofton, Gambrills, Odenton) and haven't visited A HEALTHY STEP yet, I encourage you to check it out. You'll find high quality footwear. friendly knowledgeable customer service, custom orthotics, and, oh yes, "cute" and "trendy" shoes for women.

(They do have men's shoes, too, but I didn't pay much attention to them. Sorry, guys, you'll have to visit there and let us know what you think.)

Fall is just around the corner, and I'll be visiting A HEALTHY STEP for more cute shoes that just happen to be practical, too. It's located just about midway between Robert Andrews Salon and Home Goods.

Thank you, David Lewis, for founding A HEALTHY STEP and opening it right here in the Crofton area. I'm sorry it took me so long to step inside and find out that you sell cute and trendy shoes, too - not just practical ones.

P.S. If you're looking for an excuse to visit A HEALTHY STEP, remember that August is "Foot Health Month" and August 6 is "National Wiggle Your Toes Day." Seriously!

NAVAL BAGELS near The U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis is our early-morning destination most Saturdays. Not that we couldn't get a bagel or other breakfast treat closer to home... it's just that their bagels are amazing and worth the 15-minute weekly drive.

We first discovered NAVAL BAGELS when it was a carryout location for Bagels And..., owned by Charlie and Eileen Cerniglia. The Cerniglia's always had a plate of bagels out when I stopped by their house during the sale of their Crofton home - and those were the best bagels I'd ever eaten. My family became regulars at Bagels And... after that.

Eventually the Cerniglas sold their business to two different buyers, but we remained regular customers at the one near the U.S. Naval Academy in West Annapolis - now known as NAVAL BAGELS.

The purchasers of both locations still serve the Cerniglias' recipes for authentic N.Y. City Bagels, and one of them has the same community ambiance that we enjoy as much as the bagels. We always check out the big white board that fills the entire wall on the left when we walk in. It's covered with information that includes a Quote of the Day, birthdays of their customers, daily specials, and announcements of local events.

On another board mounted above the two metal tables to the right of the door, they post the front page and sports page of The Washington Post for customers to read while they wait or eat.

NAVAL BAGELS has a great system for keeping the flow of people and bagels on track: When customers place an order, they receive a playing card... that card and their order are written directly on a brown bag. Customers help themselves to drinks and then pay for both their bagels and drinks when the order is "up". With this system NAVAL BAGELS is able to handle a huge volume of people and sales with very low overhead and minimal delay.

The best testimonial for NAVAL BAGELS is probably the many people in and outside the store on weekends. If you live anywhere within a half hour of there, why not join the crowd and exit Rt. 50 on Rowe Boulevard to try it out someday. You'll find this locally owned business at the corner of Taylor and Ridgely Avenues, on the opposite end of the shopping center from Graul's Market, about two blocks from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis.

Headed to Ocean City from D.C., Baltimore, and their surrounding areas? NAVAL BAGELS is only about a minute off Rt. 50 East, so stop for a carryout breakfast or lunch on your way.