Trying to buy one of the multiple foreclosures (REO, or Real Estate Owned) for sale in Waldorf, MD or Charles County MD? Most folks who are trying to buy a foreclosure are looking for a great deal, and while there are some deals to be had, it seems like there is just as much overpriced junk that needs to be reduced in order to sell.  In comes the concept of the low-ball offer. Low-balling is where you offer considerably less than the asking price on a home. It's easy enough to write (You always have the right to offer as much as you think is fair), but writing the offer and getting the bank to accept the offer are two very different things! So how do you convince the banks to accept less than they want for a foreclosure? Well, there's a couple of ways to increase your chances of getting... 08/20/2008

I have a real estate client who happened to find me through this blog. He and his lovely future wife were starting their new home search, and happened across my little piece of the world wide web, specifically through a blog post that I wrote called: "Are New Home Construction Prices Negotiable?" They already owned a townhouse, but as the story often goes, there comes a time where you need to look at moving up, so a single family home was the goal. We managed to find a lovely model home in Upper Marlboro, just a few short miles from the area they already live in and love so much, and construction was not going to be completed until September, which was several months away. We put his townhouse on the market, studied the average marketing time for his area and came up with an intelligent... 08/19/2008

What's Happening The Waldorf, Maryland housing market may be slow, but there seems to be a ton of buzz being generated by the local foreclosure real estate sales market! A quick check of the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) shows that there are currently 31 vacant, bank owned (REO, or Real Estate Owned) homes for sale in Waldorf. Here's what's unique about the Waldorf market: 5 of those 31 homes have been listed in the last 31 days. In that same 31 day period, 7 foreclosed homes in Waldorf were sold by banks. This means that more foreclosures were sold than were put on the market! A Tipping Of The Scales? It's a concept of supply and demand, and for the first time in over a year, demand is outstripping supply. Indicators like this are the early signs that we *might* be looking at the begi... 08/11/2008

    It's hard to NOT be aware of REO Speedwagon's upcoming show at the Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf, MD.  They've got signs up for it all over the place, if it was legal they'd probably tattoo the foreheads of the Blue Crab's Baseball Team!     If you haven't gotten your tickets already, Hurry up!  I've got mine ordered, and I didn't think about it until today, but the concert is only 5 days away (August 11th!).  Thank god for the fact that I write all of my appointments down! Here's the link to the website to buy tickets: http://www.somdbluecrabs.com/ 08/06/2008

    What a show!  The Charles County Cross County Connector (CCC) Meeting and Presentation with the Army Core of Engineers was this evening, and I just got home from the meeting. Sensitive Subject     Supporters claim it is a necessary project to support the growing region, mentioning concerns about safety on Billingsley Road (I agree, it's unsafe), The need to relieve congestion (I agree, congestion is a problem in the area), and the necessity to support local growth.     The opponents of the highway claim that it is going to be too damaging to the Mattawoman Creek Watershed (an environmental impact study, or EIS is needed), too expensive ($60 Million), and too frivolous (Is another road connecting 301 and 210 needed with 228 already built?).     Both sides have valid points and concer... 08/05/2008

    "As-is" seems to be a very maligned term in real estate these days.  A quick search for homes in Waldorf and Charles County shows a slew of properties being sold "as-is".  On the surface, the concept is simple; the owner is not making any claims regarding the condition of the property.     In reality, it's a bit more complex than that.  It seems that everybody wants a home that needs little to no work, and often those "as-is" properties seem to need something, but the seller isn't interested in addressing those concerns. Am I Allowed To Get an Inspection?      Rule #5 of buying a home:  ALWAYS GET AN INSPECTION! "As-is" does not necessarily mean the house is in terrible shape, nor does it mean you cannot have the house inspected.  Think of it this way:  What would happen if you boug... 07/28/2008

Could it be? Is the real estate market in Charles County Maryland actually looking up? It's to early to tell right now, and the pressure caused by recent interest rate increases has pushed loan applications down 6% over the last week, and pending sales are down right now as well. I know what you're thinking: if rates are rising and pending sales have fallen, what the heck is the good news, right? well, there's a few early indicators here that might just be good news for struggling sellers! Sales Volume First off, Sales are up. Not by much, but we are seeing a few more sales each month, and that number is slowly (VERY SLOWLY) rising, but it's going up none the less, which is a start. Inventory Second, the number of available home has stopped rising over the last 3 months. It's even (Dare... 07/24/2008

    You may or may not be surprised to find out there are quite a few foreclosures on the market in Charles County, Prince George's County, and Southern Maryland that are suffering from mold problems.  I've found myself walking into homes on more than one occasion that had serious mold growths that were not mentioned when I made the appointment to view the home.  Perhaps agents don't realize the health/legal risk they are putting themselves in, and the risk to other agents, buyers, etc.; or perhaps they don't care.      Because I work with foreclosure buyers on a regular basis, I see homes with mold every week.  Often times my clients will ask me what to do about mold growth because they REALLY like the house and the price it's listed at.     The answer is simple:  They REALLY like the ... 07/11/2008

    Market Update Report by Karen Y. Copeland               Associate Broker, Realtor, RE/MAX Specialists             For more information, please contact me at (240) 765-1339                           The report below summarizes listings sold as well as active/pending listings for Charles Crossing considered to represent good pricing comparables. Listings summarized in the following table for the time period noted are based on information provided by the  Metropolitan Regional Information System Inc. MLS (All rights reserved). These properties are not all listed by RE/MAX Specialists, but by various MLS participating offices. Non-MLS properties are not included.                                                 6 months of Sold MLS Listings From:             6 months of Sold MLS Listing... 07/01/2008

For all those people looking for the bottom of the real estate market,, its here. Interest rates will rise soon. When they do people will begin to realize monthly payments will increase. Now is the time! have you seen the price of rent lately. Its cheaper to buy than rent 06/16/2008

Old-Timers and Life-Long residents can remember fondly the old Wigwam bakery (Walls Bakery) on Rt. 301 in Waldorf, MD.  I grew up in the area myself, and I dearly miss the old place!      They had the BEST eclairs in Maryland, the kind you just can't help yourself when you saw them.  I'm a sugar junkie, and the Wigwam fed my habit.  The building has been closed up for years, and it's future seems uncertain at this point.     What's fascinating about this building is that it typifies what Waldorf once was:  A roadside stop for truckers  traveling up and down the east coast.  It's a shame that old places like the Stardust Motel and Ballroom (where Sinatra and Elvis once played) are gone, because they beckon to a bygone era.  Perhaps another bakery with tasty eclairs will open there again... 05/22/2008

Vist www.klotzwarehouse.com menu click on Data sheets. Their you can down load technical information on products.   International Exporting look to us for you need in Synthetic Lubricants! www.klotzwarehouse.com  What is an MSDS? An MSDS is a document containing important information about a hazardous substance and must state: a hazardous substance's product name the chemical and generic name of certain ingredients the chemical and physical properties of the hazardous substance health hazard information precautions for safe use and handling the manufacturer's or importer's name, Australian address and telephone number. The MSDS provides employers, self-employed persons, workers and other health and safety representatives with the necessary information to safely manage the risk from haza... 05/22/2008

     Waldorf, MD has a lot of new home construction developments, and one of them is the Autumn Hills Subdivision, located off of Smallwood Drive, just a stone's throw from the St. Charles Towne Center Mall.      There are two different builders in that community:  Ryan Homes, who has subdivisions and developments all over the Southern Maryland region, and Craftmark Homes.      The Ryan Homes there are starting at $340k, and the Craftmark Homes are starting at $550k.  What's nice about this community (aside from the proximity to the mall and shopping) is that all of the homes here are brick or stone front.       Some of the lots are a little tight, but the homes are gorgeous!  I currently have a home listed in this subdivision, and the property is stunning!  Between the hardwood floors,... 05/20/2008

    Buying a home in Waldorf, MD has a lot of great possibilities!  From townhouses to duplexes to single family homes, there are a lot of potential locations for you and your family.  Part of the fun in helping people buy a home is putting all the pieces together to find them that perfect property!      It's a good idea to consider what it is that you want and need out of your next home, and go from there.  Are you looking for a house with lots of land?  A quick search of the MLS shows that there are currently  55 Homes in Waldorf that meet that criteria, ranging from $245k-$1.7 Million.  That's a huge range, and it shows that your choices are really only limited by your desired price range.     Another popular option is to consider searching by location.  If you're looking for conveni... 05/15/2008

    Charles County welcomed the new Southern Maryland Blue Crabs to the area on Friday, and local residents can now officially enjoy the national past-time right here in Waldorf!     The Regency Furniture Stadium itself is gorgeous, and really captures the essence and flavor of the region perfectly!  I was on the fence about participating personally, but I have to say that I love how the new ball park looks and feels!  This is an excellent recreational destination, and team owner Brooks Robinson has already announced that REO Speedwagon will be playing a concert there this summer on August 11th!     It sounds like I'm going to be heading to the stadium quite a bit this summer......  SOMD Blue Crabs Team Homepage ~Marsha Benya Century 21 New Millennium 9405-A Chesapeake St La Plata, MD ... 05/05/2008

April 9, 2008 - Riverview Builders and Exit Landmark Realty makes a splash at the Business to Business Expo at the Waldorf Jaycees sponsored by the Charles County Chamber of Commerce. Riverview and Exit Landmark were awarded best booth and presentation for the event. The theme of the Expo was baseball given the exciting news of the upcoming May 2nd opening day for the Maryland Blue Crabs here in Waldorf, MD. We donated two autographed baseballs by Brooks Robinson to the attendees of the event. Given the events participants Riverview Builders focused on the ground breaking of our new Simpler Times Office Condos and our pre-construction price specials. Overall we thought it was a successful event and we would like to offer a special thanks to the Charles County Chamber of Commerce for spo... 04/24/2008

January 29, 2008 - Riverivew Builders caters Long & Foster's Sales Meeting. Andie Corby the Branch Manager at the Waldorf Long & Foster office and their agents were extremely gracious hosts and the meeting was a lot of fun. The Omelette Chefs did a great job with the food and everyone had lots of questions and we talked about our Broker Protection Program that allowed Buyer's Agents to get paid at construction close rather than at Use & Occupancy. No more waiting to get paid on New Construction! 3% commission paid and protected if your buyers come and visit our model home without you. Riverview is trying to get the message out that the relationship we have with Southern Maryland's real estate professionals is very important to our success in this region. Beyond the Broker Protection Pro... 04/24/2008

February 5, 2008 - Riverview Builders caters Coldwell Banker Sales Meeting. Jay Lilly the Manager of the Coldwell Banker and their agents were gracious hosts and we had a fun and informative meeting with the agents of his office. Jay was currently running for King Rex in the Civista Health Foundation's Mardi Gras Ball and I am happy to report ended up raising the most money of all of the King Candidates and was announced King of the 2008 Mardi Gras Ball. Congratulations to Jay and thank you for working so hard to raise money for our local hospital. Thanks again to Jay and the agents of Coldwell Banker, Waldorf for allowing us to introduce ourselves at there sales meeting. We look forward to working with agents from that office and all over the Southern Maryland Region for a long time to... 04/24/2008

Riverview Builder attends the Affordable Housing Fair at North Point High School in Waldorf, MD. Sponsored by the Board of Education the fair was open to all Board of Education, County, and Sheriff's Department's employees. There was a strong showing from the Real Estate professional community (Realtors, Title Companies, Mortgage Companies, etc.) Riverview Builders who currently is associated with Exit Landmark Realty of White Plains, MD made a big splash with a tent and video for the fair visitors. The fair drew approximately 100 visitors over a 3 hour period and Riverview Builders is still working with several couples we met at the fair. Riverview Builders concentrated our efforts on making sure the visitors knew about their financing options, mainly the many government loan options t... 04/24/2008

Team Benya's Monthly Market Report-  Charles County, Maryland What's Happened:     For the first time in 7 months, home sales in Charles County, MD have actually seen some growth!  Earlier this year we were looking at home sales in the range of 50-60 units per month, and now that number is closer to 100!     Pending Settlements, the number of homes currently under contract, have gone up as well, so there is a bit of bright news in the market this month.  We've also seen the number of homes available on the market level off as well, so now we'll have to wait and see if the trend continues.     Between February and March we have also seen that the average price of a home in Charles County (roughly $312,000) didn't fall, the average number of days on market (158 days) has leveled off as we... 04/21/2008