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  Your Maryland Homes Resource... 

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Cindy Hartman, REALTOR®, e-PRO ®, AHS™
Cell: (240) 346-9097
   Jobin Office: (301) 373-6257x234
Cindy@HomesBuddy.com

 Check here for real estate information, Maryland homes for sale,  services and resources - serving you in Calvert County, Charles County, Prince Georges County and Saint Mary's County, Maryland.  Are you relocating to NAS Patuxent River? Then search here for homes in Lexington Park, Maryland, California, Maryland and Leonardtown, Maryland, Solomons, Maryland, Lusby, Maryland, Prince Frederick, Maryland, Mechanicsville, Maryland and more.  Email for your free relocation information.  Ask me about Maryland foreclosures, bank owned properties, short sale information and financing. Whether you are ready to buy a home, sell a home, relocate, invest or just need real estate information, please feel free to browse this site . 

 Community Events - What to do this Weekend...

"450 IDEAS to SELL YOUR HOME FASTER"

    "Moving With Your Pets" 

 "Moving With Your Children"   

Let me know if I can be assistance in your move...and please give my name and contact information to your friends, coworkers and family members if they have need of real estate services or information...

I'll take great care of them for you! 

My business is built on referrals from satisfied clients ...

Preparing Your Home For Sale...

First impressions make a significant impact on a buyer's decision-making process!  Once your home goes on the market, it becomes a product. Home Styling or Staging simply allows you to highlight the best of your home and de-emphasize its flaws. It's not about decorating, but actually turning your home into a model, to appeal to the broadest range of prospective buyers. The goal is to make people feel like they could live there, and the best way to do this is to "neutralize" the surroundings.

Try out these helpful styling tips taken from Setting the Stage - REALTOR® Magazine Online. They've compiled the best tips from stagers and real estate pros—things you can do for little or no expense—to put a home in prime showing shape.

• Clear out closets and clutter—sellers can give away or pack up toys, linens, and small kitchen appliances to store offsite. Buyers are also forgiving of storage boxes neatly tucked away in a garage or basement.
• Focus most on the most visible areas—the foyer, kitchen, living room, master bedroom, and family room.
• De-personalize the home by removing photos, mementos, and dated items.
• Use plants in colorful pots or inexpensive wicker baskets to fill in empty spaces.
• Look to home catalogs for little details on beautifying the home. For instance, group books, pictures, and objets d’art appealingly on bookcases.
• Try angling one or two pieces of furniture slightly and move furniture 4 inches to 6 inches from the wall to create more interesting room spaces.
• Put away large collections— porcelains, plates, and so on.
• Remove valuables, prescription medicine, collectibles, and breakables.
• Trim trees, prune shrubs, and make sure the lawn is mowed and watered regularly.
• In summer, turn on the sprinklers for five minutes, 30 minutes before the open house. It makes the lawn and driveway sparkle.
• Refrain from cooking anything that leaves a distinctive odor, such as fish, garlic, or cabbage.
• Hire a professional service to clean the home, including the carpets and the windows.
• Set the dining room table with attractive linens, dishes, and stemware.
• Arrange fresh or silk flowers throughout the home.
• Light a fire in the fireplace in fall and winter.
• A mirror in a pretty frame can make a small room feel more open.
• Use as much natural light as possible. Add extra lamps in dark rooms or corners.
• Make functional repairs—fix dripping faucets, sticking doors, and broken fences.
• Bring in another pair of eyes—even if it’s not a professional stylist. The person may see problems you and have missed.

 450 Ideas to Sell Your Home Faster  

Looking to move to Wildewood?  Check here for info! Wildewood

SEVERE WEATHER : Have a Plan!

The time to prepare for severe weather is when there isn't a clould in the sky.  Take a few minutes and put together a family survival plan.  It will help keep your loved ones and your home safe.

What you can do right now:

• Familiarize yourself with the kinds of severe weather that can occur in your area.
• Create a Storm Readiness Kit.
• Gather your family and talk about where to go for safety.
• Choose one emergency contact person.
• Prepare your home.
• Evaluate your homeowners insurance.
• Determine what you would do with your pets in an emergency.
• Know how to turn off your water, electricity and gas.
• Visit www.redcross.org or www.fema.gov for a wealth of detailed information and recommendations for how to prepare for severe weather and other emergencies. 

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 Tips on Reading an Inspection Report 

When interviewing a home inspector, ask the inspector what type of report format he or she provides. There are many styles of reports used by property inspectors, including the checklist, computer generated using inspection programs, and the narrative style.

Some reports are delivered on site and some may take as long as 4 - 6 days for delivery. All reporting systems have pros and cons.

The most important issue with an inspection report is the descriptions given for each item or component. A report that indicates the condition as "Good", "Fair" or "Poor" without a detailed explanation is vague and can be easily misinterpreted. An example of a vague condition would be:

Kitchen Sink: Condition - Good, Fair, or Poor.

None of these descriptions gives the homeowner an idea what is wrong. Does the sink have a cosmetic problem? Does the home have a plumbing problem? A good report should supply you with descriptive information on the condition of the site and home. An example of a descriptive condition is:

Kitchen sink: Condition - Minor wear, heavy wear, damaged, rust stains, or chips in enamel finish. Recommend sealing sink at counter top.

As you can see, this narrative description includes a recommendation for repair. Narrative reports without recommendations for repairing deficient items may be difficult to comprehend, should your knowledge of construction be limited.

Take the time and become familiar with your report. Should the report have a legend, key, symbols or icons, read and understand them thoroughly. The more information provided about the site and home, the easier to understand the overall condition.

At the end of the inspection your inspector may provide a summary with a question and answer period. Use this opportunity to ask questions regarding terms or conditions that you may not be familiar with. A good inspector should be able to explain the answers to your questions. If for some reason a question cannot be answered at the time of the inspection, the inspector should research the question and obtain the answer for you. For instance, if the inspector's report states that the concrete foundation has common cracks, be sure to ask, "Why are they common?" The answer you should receive will be along these lines: common cracks are usually due to normal concrete curing and or shrinkage. The inspector's knowledge and experience is how the size and characteristics of the cracking is determined.

We recommend that you accompany your inspector through the entire inspection if possible. This helps you to understand the condition of the home and the details of the report.

Read the report completely and understand the condition of the home you are about to purchase. After all, it is most likely one of the largest investments you will ever make.

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 Now is the Time to Buy!

Motivated Sellers and Inventory

Now is an ideal time to buy, in most markets prices won’t go any lower and there is an abundance of inventory. A modest recovery for existing-home sales was seen in 2009 and is expected to continue through 2010. There are many options out there for many buyers and many sellers who are willing to negotiate and work towards a win-win situation that works for both parties.

The Market is Getting Stronger and

Every Market is Different

The Home Buyer Tax Credit Has Been Extended and

Expanded.

As part of its plan to stimulate the US housing market and address the economic challenges facing our nation, Congress has passed new legislation that:

Extends the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit of up to $8,000 to first-time buyers until April 30, 2010.

—        Expands the credit to grant up to $6,500 to home owners, who have lived in their primary residence for 5 of the last 8 years,  purchasing a new or existing home between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010—

Other factors affect the size of the credit and purchaser eligibility so talk to your realtor, visit realtor.org/home_buyers_and_sellers, and consult a tax expert for full details.

 A modest recovery for existing-home sales is expectedin 2009. Pent-up demand, coupled with an abundance of safer mortgage products, will lead to near-term market improvements.

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Welcome to Southern Maryland!  

Nestled between the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay, Southern Maryland real estate is only a short drive from major cities like Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. As a result, the region boasts an appealing blend of rural history, maritime culture, and big city amenities. Southern Maryland is made up of the tri-county area of Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s, although two additional counties, Anne Arundel and Prince George’s, can also be considered part of the region. The counties are divided by the PatuxentRiver, a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay, with St. Mary’s, Charles, and Prince George’s Counties on the west and Calvert and AnneArundelCounties on the east.

Southern Maryland real estate in Calvert County, one of Maryland’s smallest, has recently experienced a surge in popularity among busy commuters attracted to its location less than 50 miles from Washington, D.C. However, while communities like Prince Frederick, the county seat, and Dunkirk have experienced an increase in residential development, most of the county has managed to retain its rural charm. Nowhere is this more apparent than on SolomonsIsland, a small harbor village located at the mouth of the PatuxentRiver. Just over a mile long, this quaint resort town offers plenty of attractions, including the Solomons Riverwalk, the CalvertMarineMuseum, and the historic J.C. Lore & Sons Oyster House.

Like CalvertCounty, Southern Maryland real estate in CharlesCounty and St. Mary’s County have also grown in popularity over the past few years. Waldorf, in CharlesCounty, is home to St. Charles, a 10,000-acre planned community anchored by the St. CharlesTownCenter, a 160-acre retail hub. The College of Southern Maryland, a community college serving the tri-county area, is located in nearby La Plata, the county seat of CharlesCounty. LexingtonPark and Charlotte Hall, in St. Mary’s County, have recently welcomed a number of high-tech and aerospace jobs. The Patuxent Naval Air Station alone supports over 17,000 people, making it an economic mainstay of the area.

North of the tri-county area is AnneArundelCounty. The county, which is home to Baltimore-WashingtonInternationalAirport, is situated on the Chesapeake Bay and offers 500 miles of shoreline as well as charming waterfront communities like Deale. Its county seat, Annapolis, is also the capital of Maryland. Known as “America’s Sailing Capital,” Annapolis is a port city located on the Severn River, a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. St. John’sCollege, the nation’s third-oldest college, and the U.S. Naval Academy can be found in Annapolis, which is replete with colonial-era buildings.

To the west of AnneArundelCounty and abutting Washington, D.C. is Prince George’s County. The county’s communities, like Mitchellville and Camp Springs, are accessible by the green, orange, and blue lines of the Metro and are popular among people buying Southern Maryland real estate. Maryland’s flagship university, the University of Maryland, College Park, is also located in Prince George’s County.

To find homes for sale in this popular part of Maryland near the nation’s capital, search on line now!    Check here and check back often for Southern Maryland Real Estate information. Find information on Charles County Maryland real estate, Calvert County Maryland real estate, St Marys County Maryland real estate, Prince Georges County Maryland real estate, Fort Washington Maryland homes,Waldorf Maryland homes, St Charles community homes,Indian Head Maryland real estate, Patuxent River NAS homes, Great Mills maryland real estate, Mechanicsville Maryland homes, Charlotte Hall Maryland Homes, Hughesville Maryland real estate, Piney Point Maryland homes, St Georges Island waterfront homes, Lexington Park Maryland Homes, Hollywood Maryland real estate and California Maryland homes for sale, Wildewood homes, Town Creek homes, Scotland Beach homes, St James homes, Hickory Hills Townhomes, Laurel Glen homes, Golden Beach homes, Prince Frederick real estate, Cobb Island waterfront homes, Solomons Island real estate , Solomons Island Maryland Waterfront homes, Swan Point in Issue Maryland real estate, Chesapeake Bay waterfront properties, Patuxent River Waterfront Properties, Potomac River Waterfront properties, La Plata Maryland Real Estate,  New homes for sale, New construction in Maryland, Condos for sale in Maryland, Maryland townhomes for sale, Real Estate updates, Home Buyer ToolKit, home buyer reports, home seller toolkit, home seller reports, market evaluationss, find out what your home is worth, mortgage information and more - informative reports for home buyers and home sellers! 

Cindy Hartman, REALTOR®, e-PRO® AHS™
Jobin Realty
Home-Staging Specialist™
Senior Housing Specialist ™
Certified Property Management Specialist

                                        MailTo:Cindy@Homesbuddy.com & Cindy_Hartman@verizon.net    

      Cell: (240) 346-9097       Jobin Office: (301) 373-6257

All information contained herein is deemed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed.

Licensed in Maryland and Virginia

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