Ramblings of a Baltimore area Realtor

Did you have a big turkey dinner for Christmas?  And, do you have leftovers now?  We had turkey.  Usually we choose a country from whom we adopt a menu and that is the theme of our dinner.  But, I was so busy leading up to Christmas that I didn't get a chance to adopt and plan a menu for Mexico.  So, instead we had appetizers that were a Mexican/Latino theme and a traditional turkey dinner.  And, like most families we had left over turkey. 

One of my favorite websites that I read regularly is A Year of Crockpotting and there are some amazing recipes here for using your crockpot.  I'm sure as busy as we all are we all have a crockpot or covet one!!  I love my crockpot and probably use it at least as much as I use my stove.  I've probably owned 4 or 5 different crockpots (I mostly use them until they die and get a new one).  This one is one of my favorites.  It is a great size and the crock comes out of the element surround.  I remember my Dad using a crockpot a lot to cook when I was growing up, but he mostly made baked beans and beef stew in it.  I use mine for everything from soup to nuts and appetizers to drinks and desserts. 

I found this recipe for Crockpot Chicken Makhani (Indian Butter Chicken) on the Year of Crockpotting about a month ago and adapted it for leftover turkey and it is delicious.  It's very much like Korma.  I'm now making my second crockpot full (by request of my family) and we have no more leftover turkey.  It is delicious.  I did make some changes in the original recipe and it is fabulous.

2 lbs of left over turkey

1 medium onion, chopped

6 garlic cloves, chopped (I used 8)

1 tsp. cardamom

2 tsp. curry

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. garam masala  (you can substitute 1/2 tsp. cumin, 1/2 tsp. paprika, 1/4 tsp. cayenne, 1/4 tsp bay leaves crumbled, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp ground cloves)

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1 can coconut milk

1 can (6 oz) tomato paste

1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes

2 tsp lemon juice

1 c. plain yogurt (add at the end)

Use a 5 qt. crockpot.  Add all ingredients except yogurt, cover and cook on high for 4 hours.  Shred the turkey before serving.  Add yogurt about 15 minutes before serving. 

Serve over rice and garnish with dollop (very technical term) of sour cream.

Everyone in my family loved it and my oldest son was at his friends the night I made it and when my daughter heated up the leftovers in the microwave and ate them he begged me to make it again so he could have some too and the rest of the family was in total agreement. 

Between now and December 31, 2008 Advance Realty Anne Arundel Inc is waving administrative fees active duty military, retired military and the families of fallen military, as well as policemen, firemen and emt's.  If you enter into a contract by the New Year's eve Advance Realty Anne Arundel Inc. will waive the admin fee at settlement.  This is a $350 savings.  If you are thinking about buying or selling a home give Advance Realty Anne Arundel a call and receive full service real estate assistance from an experienced agent.  Our office is open 7 days a week and we can be reached at 410-761-1550.

June Piper-Brandon, Broker - Advance Realty Anne Arundel Inc.

Edgewood Maryland is located in Harford County.  Edgewood is located north of Joppa and east of Bel Air in close proximity to Aberdeen Proving Ground.  Edgewood is conveniently located east of 95 and can also be reached along Rt. 7 and Rt. 40.  It is a convenient commute to Baltimore and also Aberdeen.  It is also served by AMTRAC which makes it easy to commute to DC.  Harford County provides affordable housing for many who seek a more laid back life style.  Harford County offers both rural and town living and something for everyone. 

These figures are taken directly from our MRIS system and are believed to be accurate.

Edgewood

New Listings       1 (decrease 8 from last week)          

Under Contract    5 (increase 2 over last week)

Settled Sales      3 (increase 2 from last week)

Harford County

New Listings         21 (decrease 24 from last week)

Under Contract     17 (decrease of 8 from last week)

Settled Sales        15 (decrease 12 from last week)

Advance Realty Anne Arundel is supporting the Marine Corps Toys for Tots Campaign.  Please bring your donation of a new, unwrapped toy to our office at 1405 Madison Park Dr., Glen Burnie, MD by December 15.  Thanks for helping those less fortunate than ourselves.

Between now and December 31, 2008 Advance Realty Anne Arundel Inc is waving administrative fees active duty military, retired military and the families of fallen military, as well as policemen, firemen and emt's.  If you are thinking about buying or selling a home give Advance Realty Anne Arundel a call and receive full service real estate assistance from an experienced agent.  Our office is open 7 days a week and we can be reached at 410-761-1550.

June Piper-Brandon, Broker - Advance Realty Anne Arundel Inc.

The market remains fairly stable despite the drop in interest rates last week.  Now, imagine what would happen if the media told you the rates would drop more, so you wait.  Check with your lender to see if rates dropped if you would be able to float your rate down to the new rate.  The number of new listings has decreased but we are still seeing a similar number of homes going under contract and settling.  I'm surprised I'm not seeing more individuals making the decision to buy with so many great deals available.  The weather is unseasonably mild this week, with temperatures today reaching 60 degrees.  Many people have put off their home buying for the seasonal activities of Christmas, Hannukah and other festivities.  It will be interesting to see how this all changes with the changes in the FHA and Jumbo loan limits and adjustments in the interest rates.  Overall, there has never been a better time to buy, than right now.

These figures are taken directly from our MRIS system and are believed to be accurate.

Glen Burnie, MD

New Listings       5 (decrease 10 from last week)          

Under Contract    3 (down one over last week)

Settled Sales      3 (decrease 1 from last week)

Anne Arundel County

New Listings         55 (decrease 40 from last week)         

Under Contract     19 (decrease of 40 over last week)

Settled Sales        24 (decrease of 21 over last week)

Glen Burnie offers many affordable housing opportunities for those relocating to Ft. Meade and Annapolis.  Glen Burnie is located north on 97 from rt 50 or north on Rt. 2 from Annapolis Naval Academy and east along 32 and north on 97 from Ft. Meade.  It is a relatively easy commute from either base and only a couple short miles from the Curtis Bay Coast Guard Station too, as well as being commutable to DC whether you ride the MARC from Odenton or drive.

If you are thinking of buying or selling a home give me a call today and we'll talk about the market conditions and what your home could possibly be worth in today's market place if you are thinking of selling.  If you are considering buying a home, there is no better time than now to buy.  The tax savings and wealth building a lone is worth the plunge into todays market.

Between now and December 31, 2008 Advance Realty Anne Arundel Inc is waving administrative fees active duty military, retired military and the families of fallen military, as well as policemen, firemen and emt's.  If you are thinking about buying or selling a home give Advance Realty Anne Arundel a call and receive full service real estate assistance from an experienced agent.  Our office is open 7 days a week and we can be reached at 410-761-1550.

June Piper-Brandon, Broker - Advance Realty - http://www.gb-advancerealtyusa.com/ or http://www.homesdatabase.com/junepiperbrandon

This list is pretty extensive and will continue over several days.  You may want to check out my previous entry on this topic: 

Renovation Mistakes

• Bathrooms and kitchens sell houses and add value.  Why then would you build a bathroom that is too small and awkward to get around in?  And, be sure to use appropriately sized fixtures and fittings.  Don't put a small sink in a huge bathroom, and likewise don't use up small space with over sized vanities, tubs and toilets. 
• Don't ignore the lighting sources in your room.  If you have a small, dimly lit room with small windows or no windows they you won't want to paint the room a dark color. 
• Another mistake a lot of people make is choosing the latest and trendiest products without taking into consideration their longevity.  Have you ever spent a ton of money on something you loved so you would be in style only to wear it once and then it's out of style.  I used to have a pair of suede peter pan boots, platform shoes, 6" stiletto heels and a mini skirt (ok, that was a long long time ago) and I seem to recall spending a lot of money on, at least the boots, but they weren't in style for very long.  The same goes for decorating your home.  Keep in mind how long the style will be around and perhaps accent your room with inexpensive touches rather than spend a lot of money decking out your whole house in something that won't be in style next season.
• When you are planning your door ways be sure you keep in mind the whole floor plan and not just that particular room.  Keep in mind traffic patterns and in high traffic areas that the door ways are wide enough for two way traffic, and rooms have adequate ways to get in and out of them.  Also keep in mind the furniture you have or plan to purchase when you are planning your openings so that your items can be easily moved in and out of rooms. 
• Probably one of the least expected things when you are renovating your home is chaos.  Depending on the level of your renovation you'll have several trades people coming in and out of your home and you may not be able to use certain areas of your house.  A friend of mine recently had a kitchen addition added to his house and they have not been able to use the dishwasher or the stove for three weeks.  Now, for a busy family of 4 that could be a huge deal.  When I had my kitchen renovated in my old house I planned for it to be done while I was on vacation so that I wouldn't have to deal with the chaos.  However, best laid plans didn't go the way I wanted to and when I came home I found the kitchen cabinets in my living room and the kitchen only partially finished because of some other issues that couldn't have been foreseen prior to the renovation starting. 
• That last statement brings us to another mistake people often make and that is not budgeting for contingencies.  Once the old kitchen had been removed and the wall opened to put in new windows the contractors found termite damage.  In fact, the only thing holding up the back wall and roof of my house was some old 1920's clabbord siding (that was too hard for the termite to eat), the window and the asbestos siding.  The entire back wall of my house had to be replaced and treated for termites. 

Stay tuned as I continue the series about renovation mishaps!

Between now and December 31, 2008 Advance Realty Anne Arundel Inc is waving administrative fees active duty military, retired military and the families of fallen military, as well as policemen, firemen and emt's who enter into a contract to purchase a home closing in January to February.  This is a $350 value.  If you are thinking about buying or selling a home give Advance Realty Anne Arundel a call and receive full service real estate assistance from an experienced agent.  Our office is open 7 days a week and we can be reached at 410-761-1550.

June Piper-Brandon, Broker - Advance Realty Anne Arundel Inc.

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Between now and December 31, 2008 Advance Realty Anne Arundel Inc is waving administrative fees active duty military, retired military and the families of fallen military, as well as policemen, firemen and emt's.  If you are thinking about buying or selling a home give Advance Realty Anne Arundel a call and receive full service real estate assistance from an experienced agent.  Our office is open 7 days a week and we can be reached at 410-761-1550.

June Piper-Brandon, Broker - Advance Realty Anne Arundel Inc.

As I was flipping through the television stations tonight looking for something to watch I happened upon the HGTV special on 25 mistakes people make while renovating.  The list is pretty extensive and very important for anyone thinking about renovating their home.  It is things like this that make great food for blogging!!

• Starting a renovation without a plan.  Many people start by peeling off some wallpaper and end up gutting the entire house.   When we bought our house, I came over to the house right after settlement.  The upstairs bedroom that is now our office, had hideous wall paper on the walls and before I knew it I was stripping off the wall paper and part of the plaster underneath.
• Buying cheap and/or inferior materials.  A lot of people have lofty ideas of what they want in a renovation then cut corners by buying the wrong, cheap or inferior materials to save money.  Advice, if you can't afford the right materials then wait and save.
• If it doesn't stay together then use duct tape to hold it together.  I was surprised to read that this was one of the items on the top 25 list.  I know people joke about using duct tape but I didn't think it was so wide spread.
• I am a quilter by hobby and one of my rules is measure twice cut once.  The same is true in renovating.  Be sure to measure everything and check twice while you are in the budgeting phase, that way you won't waste money by wasting materials.
• Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance - properly preparing your renovation job leads for success.  If you are using a 203K loan for your renovation, save yourself some time and heart ache and use a 203K Consultant.  Even if you are using a streamline 203K, having a consultant will help with the planning and help keep you on task and within your budget.  Ask your lender about a consultant.
• Be sure you are using the right tools for the job.  If you are hanging dry wall use a dry wall hammer not a ball peen hammer, use the right saw.  If you use the right tools for the job you are more likely to be successful with the finished product.

Stay tuned as I continue the series about renovation mishaps!

Between now and December 31, 2008 Advance Realty Anne Arundel Inc is waving administrative fees active duty military, retired military and the families of fallen military, as well as policemen, firemen and emt's who enter into a contract to purchase a home closing in January to February.  This is a $350 value.  If you are thinking about buying or selling a home give Advance Realty Anne Arundel a call and receive full service real estate assistance from an experienced agent.  Our office is open 7 days a week and we can be reached at 410-761-1550.

June Piper-Brandon, Broker - Advance Realty Anne Arundel Inc.

As the year draws to a close I am giving thought to the things I hold dear and the many things I am thankful for. 

2008 has seen a lot of upheavel in the real estate market and a lot of my fellow realtors have left the business and gone on to other careers.  I have also seen a lot of former home owners in distress through the year.  I've been involved in the real estate industry since 1986 and I have never seen a market like this one.  I've seen high interest rates and homeowners walk away from their homes but never one that has had to deal with ARM's, huge increases in property taxes and economic upheavel like this past year. 

I am thankful for the clients I have, all the service providers that have provided my clients and I with the best service and best advice throughout the year,  for the people who have touched my life over this past year and thankful that I have a wonderful and loving friends, colleagues and family. 

I am thankful for the safe return of my son Ryan from Iraq.  I am also thankful for those who's children and loved ones have given the ultimate sacrifice so that we can live free in this country.  I wish him continued safety and good health as he recovers from his broken foot.  I also wish him well with the challenges that lay ahead for him and his company as the world around us continues to change. 

I am thankful for my daughter, Kristen, who tries hard to do the right thing and faces challenges every day.  I am thankful for her love and devotion to our family and for being here to help out so that I can do what I need to so.  I wish her success in this coming year as she proceeds with her studies and seeks gainful employment. 

I am also thankful for my youngest son, Liam.  There is not a day that goes by that I don't experience the wonder and awe as he learns and experiences the world around him.  I am thankful for the smiles he gives me and his loving ways.  I wish him well in the coming year as he continues to excel in his studies and learns to play the flute, and as he approaches the time when he will experience the Arrow of Light in passing from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts. 

I am thankful for the children that I accepted as my own who are not here to celebrate this day with us.  I am thankful for life's lessons that they have taught me and for what they have learned in life. 

I am thankful for a wonderful and supporting fiance, Skip, without whom I would not have been able to achieve the things in life that I have over these past few years.  Thank you for being loving and thoughtful and supportive through all life's and real estate's trials and tribulations. 

And, thanks to all of you in Active|Rain.  All you who have commented on my blogs and helped me grow as a Realtor and a person through your experiences and knowledge.

May all the blessings of the season be yours now and through 2009!!  Thanks for everything!!

Between now and December 31, 2008 Advance Realty Anne Arundel Inc is waving administrative fees active duty military, retired military and the families of fallen military, as well as policemen, firemen and emt's who enter into a contract to purchase a home closing in January to February.  This is a $350 value.  If you are thinking about buying or selling a home give Advance Realty Anne Arundel a call and receive full service real estate assistance from an experienced agent.  Our office is open 7 days a week and we can be reached at 410-761-1550.

June Piper-Brandon, Broker - Advance Realty Anne Arundel Inc.

It's not just in Virginia where buyer's should have a "Buyer's Agent", the same goes for Maryland. 

I have a seller who purchased her home from a for sale by owner seller without an agent.  She didn't know she should have had a home inspection.  She also let the seller choose the title company and the mortgage lender.  After she moved in she found the roof wasn't attached to the house, the plumbing didn't work and the bathroom tile was laid incorrectly.  There are also problems with the title and the loan she got ended up being an exploding ARM. 

Caveat Emptor!!

Between now and December 31, 2008 Advance Realty Anne Arundel Inc is waving administrative fees active duty military, retired military and the families of fallen military, as well as policemen, firemen and emt's who enter into a contract to purchase a home closing in January to February.  This is a $350 value.  If you are thinking about buying or selling a home give Advance Realty Anne Arundel a call and receive full service real estate assistance from an experienced agent.  Our office is open 7 days a week and we can be reached at 410-761-1550.

June Piper-Brandon, Broker - Advance Realty Anne Arundel Inc.

I love shortbread cookies.  I learned to make these in home ec class and I've been using this recipe ever since.  They are absolutely delicious with a full butter taste.

1 lb butter, creamed

add 1 c. confectioner's sugar (sifted), mix

1 c. cornstarch

1 tsp. vanilla

3 c. flour

Be careful not to overwork the cookie dough.  Form cookie dough into balls, press down with a fork.  Cookies can be decorated with cherries or colored sugar.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake in preheated oven at 325 degrees for 15 minutes. 

I often make boxes up with baked goods and give them away.  People often love home made gifts. 

Between now and December 31, 2008 Advance Realty Anne Arundel Inc is waving administrative fees active duty military, retired military and the families of fallen military, as well as policemen, firemen and emt's.  If you are thinking about buying or selling a home give Advance Realty Anne Arundel a call and receive full service real estate assistance from an experienced agent.  Our office is open 7 days a week and we can be reached at 410-761-1550.

June Piper-Brandon, Broker - Advance Realty Anne Arundel Inc.