Ramblings of a Baltimore area Realtor

Leakin Park in Baltimore hosts live steam trains every year.  The steam trains run from April through November on the second Sunday from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. 

It's a great day out for the family.  Bring a picnic lunch, blankets and spend the day.

Leakin Park is located off  WINDSOR MILL ROAD, two blocks east of FOREST PARK AVENUE.  Look for two, eagle-topped, stone gate posts and turn into the park. The Station canopy will be seen on your right. A free parking lot is on your left on the other side of the stone wall after you pass the station.

Everyone can now discover the lost age of steam railroading. You will find a railroad station and a two track main line. Our large scale steam trains carry passengers with ease. The trains are 1/8th full size and are mostly pulled with coal burning live steam locomotives. As you ride through the park our trains will carry you around both our Northern and Southern Divisions and past our yards and buildings. This is a great day out for the family.  We go regularly.  Even the older kids like to ride the rails.  Rides are free, but donations are welcome.

The steam trains are run by the Chesapeake and Allegheny Steam Preservation Society. The railroad is part of a privately financed, operated and maintained miniature steam power museum.

For more information about the steam society you can visit their website:  http://calslivesteam.org

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.

During 2009 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.

Just a reminder that it's winter Restaurant Week in Baltimore this week.  I posted about it a few weeks ago, and you can read about it here. 

There are restaurants all over the Baltimore area that appeal to everyone's taste buds.  And, you can make your reservations online. 

If you are in the mood for Greek food, The Acropolis is a great place to get authentic greek cuisine.  It is located in Greektown on Eastern Ave. 

Babalu's Grill is great for Cuban food, it's located near the Inner Harbor and in warmer weather has a patio.  And, right next door is Ruth Chris Steakhouse. 

Cafe Hon is located in Hampden and serves great American style food.

Della Notte in Little Italy is a great place to have lunch.  This is one of my favorites on the list.

G & M Seafood has some of the best seafood in the area. 

There are so many great restaurants on the list, you could try a different one every day for lunch and another every night for dinner!!  And, what a great way to get to know what the Baltimore has to offer.

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.

During 2009 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.

The new year is upon us and I have seen an increase in the number of phone calls our office is receiving from buyers looking for homes and investment properties.  Every day since New Year's Eve has provided us with at least one good solid call from a new buyer.  The market remains fairly stable despite the drop in interest rates.  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       26 (increase 5 from last week)          

Under Contract    7 (increase of 1 from last week)

Settled Sales      3 (decrease 3 from last week)

Anne Arundel County

New Listings         146 (decrease 21 from last week)         

Under Contract     79 (no change  over last week)

Settled Sales        20 (decrease of 22 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.

During 2009 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       5 (no change from last week)          

Under Contract    4 (no change over last week)

Settled Sales      1 (increase 1 from last week)

Harford County

New Listings         79 (decrease 12 from last week)

Under Contract     24 (no change 1 from last week)

Settled Sales        10 (decrease 7 from last week)

During 2009 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.

Wouldn't it be nice if you could get Real Estate training from the comfort of your own home.  Well you can with Advance Realty University. 

Achieving success in real estate as in any area is dependent upon having the right tools for the job. With Advance Realty University, you will be provided with the most advanced technology and training in the industry. Advance Realty University serves as a living resource to new and seasoned agents alike with an ever-growing library of relevant and timely learning tools that can serve to enhance your career at any level.

"Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death" --- Albert Einstein

Learn :

Prospecting

Lead generation

Objection handling

Sales scripts

Business planning

How to approach FSBO's, Expireds, Withdrawn

How to present yourself in front of clients to close the deal

and much, much more

Advance Realty Anne Arundel is seeking new and experienced agents to join our growing team.  If you are thinking about making a change give June Piper-Brandon a call today at 410-761-1550 and see how Advance Realty can advance your real estate career to the next level. 

During 2009 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.

What has your website done for you lately?  Read closely and see what you can do to improve it.

Advance Realty Anne Arundel is seeking new and experienced agents to join our growing team.  If you are thinking about making a change give June Piper-Brandon a call today at 410-761-1550 and see how Advance Realty can advance your real estate career to the next level. 

During 2009 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.

Is your website working for you? 

Advance Realty Anne Arundel is seeking new and experienced agents to join our growing team.  If you are thinking about making a change give June Piper-Brandon a call today at 410-761-1550 and see how Advance Realty can advance your real estate career to the next level. 

During 2009 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       5 (deincrease 5 from last week)          

Under Contract    4 (no change over last week)

Settled Sales      0 (decrease 1 fromlast week)

Harford County

New Listings         92 (decrease 4 from last week)

Under Contract     24 (decrease of 1 from last week)

Settled Sales        17 (increase 6 from last week)

During 2009 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.

The new year is upon us and I have seen an increase in the number of phone calls our office is receiving from buyers looking for homes and investment properties.  Every day since New Year's Eve has provided us with at least one good solid call from a new buyer.  The market remains fairly stable despite the drop in interest rates.  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       21 (decrease 7 from last week)          

Under Contract    6 (no change from last week)

Settled Sales      6 (decrease 1 from last week)

Anne Arundel County

New Listings         167 (decrease 26 from last week)         

Under Contract     79 (increase of 15 over last week)

Settled Sales        42 (increase of 3 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.

During 2009 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.

When you live in Maryland you can't help but notice that a lot of activities are centered around the water and boating.  Waterfront property is at a premium and a lot of people own boats or wish they did.  Every January people flock to the Baltimore Convention Center on Pratt Street and Howard Street across from Camden Yard to see what's new in boating and to dream about summer activities on the water. 

The 2009 Baltimore Boat Show, Maryland's largest and longest running indoor boating event, is running this week from January 21-25, 2009, filling the Baltimore Convention Center with hundreds of boats and boating equipment and marine accessories at the best deals of the year.  The Show offers visitors lots of ideas for family boating fun and there is something for everyone.  Even if you aren't in the market for a boat, it's a fun thing to take your family to for the day and enjoy everything boating life has to offer.  You can't live along the Eastern Seaboard in Maryland not be just a little bit intrigued by boating and water life.   

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS: 

Affordability Pavilion - This too is a new area for 2009.  Boating is very affordable compared to other family leisure activities.  See just how affordable boating and water sports can be compared to some other leisure activities.  Visitors can check out this special selection of boats that can be owned for less than $250 a month.

Green Boating Zone - This is a new exhibit in 2009.  Visitors can learn about the latest green boating products and practices to protect the environment and preserve our waterways and boating fun for the future.

Daily boating and fishing seminars - The Show features daily seminars with boating experts offering advice on everything from fishing to financing.

Discover Boating Center - From the beginner to the seasoned boater, visitors of all interests and skill levels can take advantage of advice from the experts at the Discover Boating Center. 

Ravens Appearances - Meet Linebacker Jarret Johnson and members of the Raven's cheerleaders.  Fans can win a day long fishing trip with Jarret at BaltimoreBoatShow.com

Take me Fishing - Watch live freshwater fishing demonstrations. Fishing pros will be on hand to teach you the tricks of casting, lure action, and offer expert advice and show you the best methods to land those lunkers from atop an impressive 40' long, 4,000 gallon fish tank.  I don't know about you but my 10 year old will love this.  There's nothing he likes better than putting a line in the water on weekends. 

TICKET PRICES:
$10 for adults
$5 for youth 13-15 years old
FREE for kids 12 years old and under