BEWARE! If you are an owner of a dog that belongs to a 'Dangerous Breed' category

Folks,

Please read! If you are an owner of a dog that belongs to a "dangerous breed" category and you also have a child or a visiting small child please take this as a warning.

Don't leave your dog with a small child unattended under any circumstances!!! 

It only takes a minute for this unfortunate but avoidable situation to occur. 


Warning- the picture below is very graphic!

Which is the Best Season to Sell Your Home?

Realizing the time has come to sell your home can create mass confusion. Timing is everything in real estate; however, some also believe one season is better than another to sell your home.

If you ask a real estate professional when you should sell your home, most will say, "Now is the best time to sell your home".

Real estate today is a year-round business, and most agents will agree that they do nearly as much business in December as in June.

If that is the case, then how do you decide which is the best time of year to list your home? Each season has its own characteristic. Let's review each one.

According to most real estate professionals, spring is the busiest time of the year for buyers and sellers -- spring offers the opportunity to showcase their home at its best. There's always something nice about listing your home when it's not too hot or too cold out and the air is fresh.

If you have a green thumb, summer might prove to be the best time to show off your garden. Potential buyers come through houses looking for such amenities as a well-cared-for garden. Also, if your kids are away for the summer, you might be able to keep their rooms clean from one showing to another. If you have central air, this season is also a great time to show it off. This is also a great time to boast about any access to summer recreational activities such as a beach, a lake, or community tennis courts or swimming pools.

A possible downside to showing a house in the summer is that most kids are home, and you'll have to work harder to ensure their rooms are maintained clean enough for buyers to get through them.

Even though falling leaves could make for extra work in the fall, with children back at school, daytime showings might be easier to accommodate. The tax benefits of home ownership can be a push for homebuyers to get into a new home by December 31.

Fall is historically a shorter selling season. A home that doesn't sell in the fall can be stigmatized as being held over on the market until the New Year. An old listing number in the MLS can give buyers the misleading impression that a home has been on the market for a long time and the seller might be willing to accept a lower offer.

Real estate professionals agree that only the most motivated buyers and sellers are active in the market during the winter season.

If you decide to sell your home in the winter, expect the unexpected. You will come across buyers who want showings at odd hours, or during your family holiday parties. At this time of year, you can expect potential buyers to track mud, snow, and salt through your home

In conclusion, how do you decide which is the best season to sell? As discussed, every season offer some plusses and minuses. If you want to list your home in the spring, you might want to list in mid-January, rather than waiting for February or March. On the other hand, you might get even more attention if you wait until mid-March, when many of the spring houses have already come on the market and buyers are hungry for something new.

Real estate is an industry of immediacy. It's always a good time to sell your home if the price is right, no matter what the season.

Learn more

Should I continue to rent? Or should I buy in 2011?

Many Americans are content to rent after witnessing the crumbling housing market in recent years. But with rents on the rise and home prices continuing to fall, a reversal is in sight.

It wasn’t hard for many homeowners to bid adieu to 2010. It was the year where, in many metropolitan areas across the country, rents surged as home prices fell, leading a growing chorus of skeptics to question the so-called American Dream of homeownership.

Perhaps not surprisingly, it makes more financial sense to rent than buy today in many U.S. cities, according to the latest data from Moody’s Analytics. After declining during the depths of the latest recession, prices for rentals nationwide increased modestly by about 3% in 2010, partly driven by a record number of homeowners looking for new digs after foreclosing on their homes. In Moody’s latest list of rent ratios (which is the price of a typical home divided by the annual cost of renting that home) for 54 U.S. metropolitan areas, 39 fell into the ‘better to rent’ category — roughly the same level it’s been for the past year.

But that may finally be about to change. Moody’s chief economist Mark Zandi expects the trend to reverse this year in many major cities. This would be a positive development, as a healthy housing market typically puts renting and owning at more equal footing.

“By mid 2011 and certainly by end of 2011, buying will be superior to renting in most parts of the country,” Zandi says.

A few factors will be at play. For one, home prices are expected to fall further, with some economists expecting a 15% to 30% drop this year. This might be bad news for household finances and current homeowners fearing that their most prized asset stands to lose more in value. On the flip side, this makes homes more affordable and might finally spur more home sales, especially at a time when the rate of home construction has been the lowest since before the Second World War.

Just last week, the S&P/Case-Shiller index of property values reported a 0.8% fall in prices from October 2009 – the biggest year-over-year drop since December 2009. Eighteen of 20 cities showed a drop in prices in October. This was led by a 2.1% decrease in Atlanta, followed by a 1.8% drop in Chicago and Minneapolis. What’s more, six markets, including Atlanta, Miami, Tampa and Portland, Ore., reached their lowest levels in October since prices started to retreat.

Indeed, the housing market continues to suffer from too much supply. Though rent prices are generally expected to continue rising modestly this year, the overhang will probably help keep prices from rising too much. “Expect more declines in home prices and more rent stability,” Zandi says.

Still, the comparative costs between renting and buying will largely depend on individual market conditions. For instance, cities in Florida and Arizona, which continue to experience high foreclosure rates, falling home prices and widespread unemployment, will be areas where homeownership will likely be more affordable than renting, says Daisy Kong at Trulia, a San Francisco-based real estate data provider. Meanwhile, renting will probably continue to make more financial sense in national and regional job centers such as New York, Omaha and Seattle, she says.

And while it could become more attractive to buy than rent this year, it’s anyone’s guess how long it could take before a flurry of home sales transpires. Household finances have improved only modestly and are still quite a mess. Also, lending standards for new mortgages have tightened considerably and many economists have said a housing rebound will likely fall mercy to the unemployment rate, which is expected to improve some but still hover over 9%.

Will the American Dream return to your town?

Location	Price-Rent Ratio
Atlanta, GA	12.82
Austin, TX	21.08
Boston, MA	17.71
Baltimore, MD	17.42
Charlotte, NC	25.98
Chicago, IL	15.09
Cincinatti, OH	13.74
Cleveland, OH	11.43
Columbus, OH	15.61
Dallas – Fort Worth, TX	16.98
Denver, CO	22.08
Detroit, MI	12.32
East Bay, CA	35.06
Fort Lauderdale, FL	15.19
Hartford, CT	18.52
Honolulu, HI	34.72
Houston, TX	16.01
Indianapolis, IN	14.68
Inland Empire, CA	14.75
Jacksonville, CA	15.12
Kansas City, KS	14.4
Las Vegas, NV	13.89
Long Island, NY	21.09
Los Angeles, CA	14.99
Memphis, TN	17.92
Miami, FL	14.57
Milwaukee, WI	22.36
Minneapolis, MN	14.04
Nashville, TN	23.88
New Orleans, LA	15.66
New York, NY	15.43
Norfolk, VA	19.88
North – Central New Jersey	24.69
Oklahoma City, OK	16.11
Orange County, CA	27.14
Orlando, FL	13.1
Palm Beach County, FL	16.64
Philadelphia, PA	15.94
Phoenix, AZ	12.35
Pittsburg, PA	11.71
Portland, OR	25.74
Raleigh, NC	24.39
Richmond, VA	22.18
Sacramento, CA	15.85
Salt Lake City, UT	18.05
San Antonio, TX	17.77
San Diego, CA	21.75
San Francisco, CA	27.17
San Jose, CA	32.27
Seattle, WA	26.96
Bridgeport, CT	18.49
St. Louis, MO	14.04
Tampa, FL	13.08
Washington – Northern Virginia – Maryland	18.48
Manhattan, NY	28.34
Metropolitan Area Average	14.85
U.S.	10.42

Source: Moody’s Analytics, price-rent ratio for third quarter of 2010. As a general rule of thumb, you should often buy when the ratio is below 15 and rent when it’s above 20. If it’s between 15 and 20, lean toward renting.

Posted by Nin-Hai Tseng, writer-reporter

Search for my New home!

They did what to that house?! Remodel horror stories

http://bit.ly/gpsnoj

You've heard of McMansions, but what about Frankenhouses?

These are homes that have been "renovated" to feature things like pipes running through living rooms, bedrooms strung together like garlic cloves, and fluorescent floors.

 

WATERFRONT-Offered at $1,580,111 205 LIGHTHOUSE VIEW DR Stevensville, MD

Offered at $1,580,111 205 LIGHTHOUSE VIEW DR Stevensville, MD Click Here for More Information

DESCRIPTION

PROPERTY DETAILS •  Single Family Home •  Unspecified lot •  3 bedrooms  •  Built in Unspecified •   sq. ft. living area Area •  3 bathrooms     PROPERTY FEATURES •   Status: Active •  Living room is 20 X 18 •  Call agent for details on association fee info. •   County: QUEEN ANNES •  Dining room is 18 X 15 •  Elementary School: MATAPEAKE •  Subdivision: BLOODY POINT FARM •  Family room is 30 X 23 •  Middle School: MATAPEAKE •  Approximately 2.65 acre(s) •  Kitchen is 24 X 13 •  High School: KENT ISLAND •  2 total full bath(s) •  2 fireplaces •  Dining room •  1 total half bath •  Water view •  Laundry room •  1 stories •  2 car garage(s) •  Hardwood floors •  Type: Detached home, Fee simple •  Attached parking •  MainFloorBedroom •  Family room •  Waterfront property •  Master Bedroom •  Kitchen •  Cooling features: Ceiling Fan(s), Electric, Zoned,Cooling •  LivingRoom •  Master Bedroom is 19 X 18 •  Lot size is between 2 and 5 acres •  MainFloorBathroom

SELLER CONTACT INFO Dina Baxter Rosendale Realty 605 Main St. Suite 100 Stevensville Maryland 21666 (410) 643-2166 dina@dinabaxter.com

Posted: January 22, 2011

Bring a Little Summer Home in Winter

http://bit.ly/eroqgC

In the middle of winter, it can seem like summer is never coming again. For parents of young children cooped inside a house, it can seem even worse.

We can't figure out a way to bring you the beach and the warm summer sun, but we can bring some of the best summer treats into your kitchen. Think soft pretzels and hot dogs, snow cones and ice cream. No you won't be under the boardwalk, enjoying the sun, but on the plus side, your ice cream won't melt!

 

Dina Baxter

Realtor®-Salesperson

Rosendale Realty

605 Main Street, Suite 100

Stevensville, MD 21666

(410) 643-2166 Office

(410) 643-2324 Fax

(410) 507-1936 Cell





My Website



Home Search



My Blog



Dina's Facebook

Single Family Home, 3 beds, 4 baths, 3837 sq ft sq. ft. JUST REDUCED! Your dream home awaits! Huge home boasting over 3,800 square feet, and 1600 sf of multi-level trex decking for endless outdoor entertaining and beautiful views of the Chester River.

Offered at $474,500 647 CHESTER RIVER BEACH RD Grasonville, MD Click Here for More Information

DESCRIPTION JUST REDUCED! Your dream home awaits! Huge home boasting over 3,800 square feet, and 1600 sf of multi-level trex decking for endless outdoor entertaining and beautiful views of the Chester River. The open floor plan showcases all of the upgrades and attention to detail. All of this in the sought after Chester River Beach community with beaches, boat ramp, boat slips, pavilion, and playground.

PROPERTY DETAILS •  Single Family Home •  Unspecified lot •  3 bedrooms  •  Built in Unspecified •  3837 sq ft sq. ft. living area Area •  4 bathrooms     PROPERTY FEATURES •   Status: Active •  Kitchen •  2 car garage(s) •   County: QUEEN ANNES •  River view •  Cooling features: Electric, Heat Pump(s) •  Subdivision: CHESTER RIVER BEACH •  Water view •  Fireplace •  Approximately 0.22 acre(s) •  Parking features: Concrete Driveway, Driveway/Off Street, Garage Door Opener, P •  Dining room •  3 total full bath(s) •  Attached parking •  Den •  1 total half bath •  Community boat facilities •  Laundry room •  3 stories •  Community security features •  Hardwood floors •  Type: Detached home, Fee simple •  Lot size is less than 1/2 acre •  Handicap features •  Family room •  Call agent for details on association fee info. •  MainFloorBathroom

SELLER CONTACT INFO Dina Baxter Rosendale Realty 605 Main St. Suite 100 Stevensville Maryland 21666 (410) 643-2166 dina@dinabaxter.com

Posted: November 21, 2010

Adding Style to a Kitchen

http://on.wsj.com/f2Mm2J

The kitchen is a place often filled with heat and the hard work of chopping and cooking, but that doesn't mean that it shouldn't be stylish and well-designed. Lidia Bastianich, the New York-based restaurateur, cookbook author and TV personality, believes that a visually appealing kitchen can inspire creativity in her cooking and engage her dinner guests. "I want the kitchen to be joyous," she says.

Check out Shug!!! Pit Bull Terrier Mix: An adoptable dog in Queenstown, MD

 

Shug

Pit Bull Terrier Mix: An adoptable dog in Queenstown, MD

Large • Adult • Female

   

Impounded for neglect with her two 3 week old puppies previously, Shug has returned to our shelter to be placed in a home where she can receive the care and love she deserves. She tested positive for Heartworm, a parasite transmitted by mosquitoes, and has been undergoing treatment. Despite her health issues, Shug is one of the sweetest dogs you will meet here. She is desperate for your attention and will crawl into your lap at a moments notice!

More about Shug

Spayed/Neutered • Up-to-date with routine shots • Prefers a home without: children under 5

Shug's Contact Info

Queen Anne's County Dept. of Animal Services, Queenstown, MD

• 410.758.3493
• Email Queen Anne's County Dept. of Animal Services
• See more pets from Queen Anne's County Dept. of Animal Services
• For more information, visit Queen Anne's County Dept. of Animal Services's Web site.

Tips for Single Home Buyers

There are probably few things in life that are as exciting--or as nerve- racking--as the search for a house. With an organized home buying plan, you can minimize a great deal of the emotional impact. By determining your buying power, your wants and needs, and having an organized search plan, your chances of a stress-free experience are much better.

Certain types of homes may appeal a bit more to some single homebuyers. For example, since most of the maintenance will be done by one person rather than two, many single buyers prefer homes such as townhouses and condominiums where some or all of the exterior maintenance, landscaping, snow removal, etc. is handled by the homeowner's association. In addition, some single buyers prefer the community aspect of these types of homes and the sense of safety that may be conveyed by having neighbors close at hand.

Many single homebuyers are single parent families, and a common mistake made is to tailor their purchase too closely to their current needs and not enough to future resale. For example, a one bedroom, two-bath single-family home with a huge great room and kitchen may be perfect for you, but it could be next to impossible to sell. It would be far better to have an additional bedroom or two sit empty (use as an office, exercise room, etc.) than to not have it at all.

Gertrude Singer, a real estate agent with National Realty in Palm Bay suggests that single buyers consider a few issues when preparing for and purchasing a home. According to Singer, the single homebuyer should

· Run before walking. This is easy to do once the decision to buy a home has been made. It means rushing off looking at homes, surfing the web or calling on advertisements before doing some up-front preparation.

· Don't over-buy the first time. A large and beautiful home with little or no furniture tends to be empty and cold. A life where almost every dime of your earnings goes to the support of your house wears thin very quickly and is a frequent cause of family stress. Leave yourself some breathing room!

· Compare mortgages. Don't simply accept the first plan presented to you. Spend time comparing to get the most advantageous plan for your requirements and financial situation

· Get mortgage pre-approval. Pre-qualification and pre-approvals are a necessary part of the home buying process. Not only will it give you an exact price range for your purchase, pre-approval will add a great deal of strength to your offer

· Don't wait for the "perfect" home. Many first time buyers make the mistake that they will, if they look around long enough, find a home that has a full 100% of their needs and wants. Instead, it makes sense to determine the most important of your needs and the most desired of your wants and selecting a home that meets the majority of them.

· The inspection process. This can involve skipping a whole house inspection completely in order to save the relatively small amount of money involved, or it may involve using a friend or relative with limited experience to conduct the inspection. In either case you run the risk of not exposing potentially expensive--or even hazardous--defects in the property. Protect yourself by investing the $200 to $500 for a professional inspection.

John Kuehne, a real estate agent with Pruitt Real Estate, Inc., advised that once the decision to buy a home has been made, you take the time to prepare before you go on your home search.

· Get your financial house in order first!

· Determine what your budget will comfortably allow and stick to it.

· Get pre-approved for a mortgage.

· Get familiar with the different housing types available to narrow your search.

· Determine your minimum requirements as well as any desired additional features-your needs   and wants.

· Take note of any items that you don't want in a house.

· Determine the desired location (schools, work, public transportation, etc.)

· Choose an agent that you feel comfortable with and who understands your needs.

Kuehne also suggests that as you are searching, you use a scorecard to compare homes. "A scorecard is a great tool when it comes time for comparisons (and for remembering which home had which features)."

Facebook Facts,Ownership and History- A Wild Ride!

Folks,
I find the timeline and lineage of FACEBOOK very fascinating. It's hard to believe the exponential growth that has been achieved in such as short period of time. Nevertheless, the charts below tell the story!

Here is the break down of ownership by employees and investment community. The real question from many is when will FACEBOOK decide to go public?

Here are some other interesting FACTS

1. Facebook was originally bankrolled by a co-founder of Paypal for $500,000
2. There is evidence that founder Mark Zuckerberg stole many of the ideas and much of the code from ConnectU. They sued Facebook and settled for an undisclosed amount.
3. 400,000,000 people log into their profile at least once a month
4. Half of those people log in every day.
5. 70% of Facebook users live outside of the US.
6. 44.1% of Denmark has an active Facebook profile.
7. Only Google gets more traffic.
8. Yahoo! tried to buy Facebook in 2006 for $1,000,000,000.
9. 8,300,000,000 hours are spent on Facebook monthly.
10. The fastest growing demographic in America on Facebook: Women 55+.
11. FAD is a mental disorder – Facebook Addiction Disorder. FAD. Ironic.
12. Court notices and summons sent through Facebook are legal and binding in Australia.