Do you know the dollar value of your house—or how much of that value belongs to you? A number of key decisions can be more wisely made with the benefit of this knowledge.
• Is your home adequately insured?
If disaster were to strike, would your insurance cover the losses? In California, a state known for wild real estate escalations and wild fires, many devastated homeowners have learned the hard way that their homes were underinsured.
• Is your estate plan based on a realistic estimate of your home’s worth?
Assuming you have provided a means for your assets to be distributed upon your death, will your plan minimize the tax burden your heirs may face? Underestimating home equity could force loved ones to sell the family homestead to cover inheritance taxes.
• Could your home mean more to your family than safety and warmth?
Could home equity be put to use in financing your children’s college education? Funding a business? A more active retirement plan? Home improvements?
• Do you know how to measure the value of your home?
A Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) is the only tool that provides current pricing of homes in your style in your area. With a recent CMA and knowledge of your home’s condition relative to others that have tested the market, you can know an accurate dollar amount for your home.
Join us for a delicious BBQ Pork Dinner, hosted by the Ladies Auxiliary! Don’t feel like cooking? No problem, we’ll do the cooking for you. Bring your family, friends and associates for a DELICIOUS BBQ Pork Sandwich Dinner. Dinners include a BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich (Regular or Carolina Style), fries and coleslaw for a bargain price of $6.00 per dinner. Eat In or Take it to go! Everyone’s welcome and Thank you for your patronage!! Proceeds from this event will benefit Cancer Aid and Research (a Ladies Auxiliary sponsored program); to learn more about this program, go to: www.ladiesauxvfw.org/eWeb/StartPage.aspx
When/Where: VFW in California, MD - 8/21/08@5PM
Family fun with entertainment and live music, fire truck hose-downs, sand volleyball play, classic cars, jump rope and hula-hoop contests, face painting, games, prizes, crafts, food, & more! Sponsored by Leonardtown Business Association & Commissioners of Leonardtown. 301-475-9791.
When/Where: Leonardtown Square - 8/9/08 @ 4Pm
Free family concert, fun for all ages, with dancing on the boardwalk, under the stars, beside the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!
When/Where: 8/9/08 @ 9PM - North Beach public beach/bandstand: 5th & Bay Avenue
The Boot Scooters of Southern Maryland are offering FREE Line Dance Lessons from 7:00 pm - 7:30 pm at the American Legion Post #238 located 6265 Brandywine Road in Hughesville, MD (near the corner of Routes 231 and 381). The lessons will be followed by the regular weekly practice session for team members. Anyone interested in obtaining more information about these lessons or interested joining the Boot Scooters of Southern Maryland can contact us through link on our website at: http://www.bootscootersofsomd.com/
When/Where: 8/6/08 @ 7PM
Take a bite out of crime at this memorable community night out where police, firefighters, and paramedics show how they protect us around the clock, every day! Learn how speed radar guns work and clock how fast you can throw a baseball! Meet K-9 units and learn how officers train their dogs to do things officers can't. Kids get to see inside of a real fire truck and learn from real firefighters about fire safety! It's an educational and fun night out by the Chesapeake Bay for the entire family!
When/Where: 8/5/08 @ 6:30PM
July 29, 6:45 p.m., Leonardtown Campus, 22950 Hollywood Road, Leonardtown, Md. Barnstormers will perform at the Leonardtown Campus of CSM as part of the Twilight Performance Series. Prior to the show at 6 p.m. Barnstormers will offer a free music workshop. The Barnstormers will be the final performers of the weekly summer series that featured a different performance on each campus. Bring a picnic with a lawn chair or a blanket (no alcoholic beverages permitted). In the event of bad weather the performance will be moved into the A building auditorium. The Twilight Performance Series is sponsored in part by Comcast, CSM Foundation, Raley, Watts & O’Neill, Computer Sciences Corporation, M & T Bank, Bayside Toyota, Community Bank of Tri-County, W.M. Davis, McDonald and Eudy Printers, St. Mary’s Hospital and partially sponsored by a grant from Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour and sponsored in part by an award from St. Mary’s County Arts Council. This award was made possible in part by a grant from the St. Mary’s County Arts Council, awarded by the Maryland State Arts Council. Free. 301-934-7861, 240-725-5499, 443-550-6199, 301-870-2309, Ext. 7861 or www.csmd.edu/FineArts.
When/Where: College of Southern Maryland, Leonardtown Campus - 7/29/08 @ 6:30PM
Enjoy a visit to the most historical site in Maryland! St. Clement's Island is the site of the first colonial landing in 1634. It hosted the orogoma; Blackistone Lighthouse for over 100 years, hotel, cottages, farmstead, tomato cannery, and steamboat landing! Just completed! The replica of the Blackistone Island Lighthouse on St. Clement's Island will be open to the public for viewing and tours by volunteers for the Blackistone Lighthouse Foundation. Transportation to the Island is available from the St. Clement's Island Museum in Colton's Point, MD via water taxi. Tickets for the water taxi may be purchased inside the museum and the cost is $5 per person. Water taxi service begins at 12:30 weather permitting. High winds, rain, and/or choppy water will cancel service. Please call ahead. Bring the family and a picnic lunch and eat at the covered picnic pavillion or picnic table along the waterside. Grills are available! Enjoy the scenic vistas, the walking trail, or a stroll along the beach. Bring water, sunscreen and wear comfortable walking shoes. Visit the St. Clement's Island Museum and receive a reduced admission with your water taxi ticket purchase! Don't miss the Crab Claw Museum store with an array of unique gift items and souvenirs! For more information, call the St. Clement's Island Museum at 301-769-2222.
When/Where: St. Clement's Island Museum - Colton's Point, MD
July 23, 6:45 p.m., La Plata Campus, 8730 Mitchell Road, La Plata, Md. Salsamba Latin Jazz will perform at the La Plata Campus of CSM as part of the Twilight Performance Series. Prior to the show at 6 p.m. Salsamba will offer a free music workshop. Each week the series will feature a different performance on each campus. Bring a picnic with a lawn chair or a blanket (no alcoholic beverages permitted). In the event of bad weather the performance will be moved into the Fine Arts building. The Twilight Performance Series is sponsored in part by Comcast, Charles County Arts Alliance, Charles County Economic Development, CSM Foundation, Raley, Watts & O’Neill, Computer Sciences Corporation, M & T Bank, Bayside Toyota, Community Bank of Tri-County, W.M. Davis, McDonald and Eudy Printers, and partially sponsored by a grant from Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour. Free. 301-934-7861, 240-725-5499, 443-550-6199, 301-870-2309, Ext. 7861 or www.csmd.edu/FineArts.
When/Where: CSM La Plata Campus - July 23 at 6:45PM
July 23, 6:45 p.m., La Plata Campus, 8730 Mitchell Road, La Plata, Md. Salsamba Latin Jazz will perform at the La Plata Campus of CSM as part of the Twilight Performance Series. Prior to the show at 6 p.m. Salsamba will offer a free music workshop. Each week the series will feature a different performance on each campus. Bring a picnic with a lawn chair or a blanket (no alcoholic beverages permitted). In the event of bad weather the performance will be moved into the Fine Arts building. The Twilight Performance Series is sponsored in part by Comcast, Charles County Arts Alliance, Charles County Economic Development, CSM Foundation, Raley, Watts & O’Neill, Computer Sciences Corporation, M & T Bank, Bayside Toyota, Community Bank of Tri-County, W.M. Davis, McDonald and Eudy Printers, and partially sponsored by a grant from Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour. Free. 301-934-7861, 240-725-5499, 443-550-6199, 301-870-2309, Ext. 7861 or www.csmd.edu/FineArts.
When/Where: CSM La Plata Campus - July 23 at 6:45PM
Should you paint?
There are many factors involved in marketing and selling your home.
You can't control most of them. The curb appeal of your home plays a big role in the sales process, and it's one of the things you can have direct control over. You'll never get another chance to make a first impression of how your home looks from the street.
If your home exterior needs new paint, potential buyers might not even get out of their car to come in and look.
Putting fresh paint on your home, both on the outside and the inside, is usually the one thing you can do that pays off the fastest. You'll get more buyers looking, and they'll like what they see more, translating into a better chance for a quick offer at a higher price.
Try to stick with light, neutral colors. These seem to resonate best with buyers.
A fresh coat of light beige on interior walls will freshen up your home and make it more marketable.
Simply put, new paint is usually the most profitable improvement you can make when getting your home ready for sale.
So unless your paint is already in “like new” condition,
You probably should paint…
Beautiful Home in Park Like Setting
• 2,868 sq. ft., 4 bath, 4 bdrm 2 story - 
MLS® $369,900 - Priced to Sell Fast!
Wildewood Community, California - Park-Like Living! Beautiful home in sought after Wildewood community. Peaceful wooded lot, fresh carpet and paint, jenn-air cooktop, formal dining room, breakfast room with multiple bay windows, wood floors on main level, large master suite with attached sitting room, finished basement, cozy family room with wood burning fireplace which opens to private 2 level deck that backs to trees. Walk to park, running trails, shopping. This home has it all!
Property information
The condition of your home will have a huge impact on how fast it sells, and its eventual selling price. Preparing your home for sale can pay you huge dividends. Many fix ups cost very little and consist mostly of time and some elbow grease. Here are some simple tips to help your home show its best.
INDOORS:
1. Clean the entire home thoroughly. Shampoo carpets, wash walls, clean sills, window screens and blinds. Clean out light fixtures and dust shelving. Get detailed here.
2. Clean the clutter from all closets, cupboards and cabinets.
3. Make your rooms look as spacious as possible. Store unnecessary furnishing items that make your home look crowded.
4. Arrange furnishing so that it is easy to walk through your home.
5. Scale down the number of photos, pictures, portraits and posters hanging on walls. Make sure you patch all nail and screw holes.
6. Keep your curtains and draperies open as a rule. You will want your home to show very light and bright. Find ways to screen any unappealing views.
7. Make your kitchen shine. Remove clutter from counter tops and cabinets and store it. Keep your sink clean and clear of any dirty dishes.
8. Clean your refrigerator, inside and out. Make sure that you do the simple things like putting an open box of baking soda in your fridge. Also, remove unnecessary clutter from the door.
9. Clean your oven. Degrease it and keep it looking as good as possible.
10. Keep scented candles burning in the kitchen and bathrooms. Pleasant fragrances will entice buyers to stay longer in your home.
11. Keep bathrooms scrubbed and tidy with fresh soap and neatly hung towels. Try to color coordinate your bathrooms.
12. Keep all sinks in the home clean and repair leaks or slow drains.
13. Go through your entire home and touch up paint. Pay close attention to corners where there is traffic wear. Touch up baseboards, trim and cabinets and cupboards.
14. Place plants or flower arrangements in strategic parts of the home. A splash of color from plants, flowers, pillows or small rugs can give your home some real flair.
15. Make sure that your home is well lit. Put higher wattage bulbs in dark areas or corners. Keep all lights on during showings, even in mid day.
16. Use mirrors on walls if necessary to reflect light and make rooms look larger.
17.Make sure that all door knobs and keyed entries are working. Replace any worn knobs or handles.
OUTDOORS:
1. Clean up all around the house. Remove any debris piles such as wood, firewood and landscape trimmings. Trim all hedges, bushes and shrubbery away from the house. Keep all garden beds weeded and mulched.
2.Put some color by your home's entrance with potted flowers. Keep them watered and looking attractive.
3. Keep all walkways clear, clean and in good repair. This includes your driveways and any parking areas.
4. Keep all outdoor furniture clean and in good repair.
5. Clean your gutters and roof. Keep moss or algae from growing on, in or around them.
6. Keep your yard and lawn areas clean and in good health. A green lawn makes a home look great. Keep your lawn edged and free from weeds.
7. Repair any broken windows, screens, shutter or awnings.
8. Clean your garage area. Remove clutter and make it look organized and as spacious as possible. Try to have nothing in your garage but cars.
By following these 25 fix up tips, you can do a lot to increase the perceived value of your home and make it stand out above the competition!
For more information, contact me at CindyHartman@Remax.net
Marshall Hall, Accokeek - Announcing a price reduction on 2905 Accokeek Road W, a 1 bath, 3 bdrm single story. Now MLS® $289,000 - Price Reduced!!!.
Property information
Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Chesapeake Garden Club at the Calvert County Library. See beautiful horticulture from local gardens and fabulous floral designs. www.chesapeakegardenclub.org or 410-586-9572.
When/Where: June 6 - 12 Noon at Calvert County Library