This Sunday, October 2, at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Crofton Maryland, the annual ceremony of Blessing of Pets will happen. For those of you not familiar, the church is located at 1800 Seton Drive, Crofton, MD. Located directly off Rt. 424. The Blessing of the Animals ceremony is associated with the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, a Catholic saint, held on October 4th.The blessing will occur, rain or shine, after the 11 AM mass. Actual time then would be around noon. All participants are encouraged to bring along a pet food donation, which will be given to the ASPCA. Don't forget to bring your cameras. Watching all these animals in line is a real hoot.Dogs, cats, birds, hamsters...bring them all. The lineup and sprinkling of holy water will occur outside, at the rear of the ... 09/27/2011

The Crofton, MD rental market continues to show strength, even after the normal rental season. With only 15 rental units available, renters can't wait around too long before making a decision. The strong rental market still seems to be a result of many employees being transferred into Ft. Meade. A significant portion of these relocating employees are electing to rent, rather than purchase. That may change as BRAC continues over the next few years. In the meantime, rental units are down, and rental prices are up. The least expensive rental unit available in Crofton today is a 2 BR/2 BA, one level condo, listed for $1,550/month. The most expensive rental is a 5 BR/3 BA, single family detached home, listed for $2,800. Details on all of the Crofton, MD rentals can be seen on the map below.... 09/26/2011

The threatening rain hung off all day, allowing the Fall Crofton Craft Fair to go off without a hitch. The sponsor for this year's event was the Greater Crofton Chamber of Commerce. As usual, for the last couple of years anyway, the event was held in the parking lot of the Crofton Country Club.  Vendors started setting up early this morning, not really knowing whether the crowds would show up...or the incessant rain we've been having. My wife and I stopped by around lunch time, and it seemed to be pretty well attended. Whether you're there for the crafts, the food, or the entertainment...the Crofton Craft Fair has something for everyone. BTW...if you stop by for the Spring Craft Fair, you'll find me at the same spot...the pit beef stand ;-) 09/24/2011

Crofton Attached Homes Market Report for August 2011   Crofton is one of those ideally situated communities nestled in the Annapolis, Washington and Baltimore triangle. Offering treed line streets, golf, swimming, tennis, community events and close by shopping, Crofton is a sought after community to call home in and around Annapolis.   Just like the single family home sales, attached homes (townhouses, condos, etc) saw a decline in sales. Compared to July sales of 20; August sales were 15. But unlike the single family home market which saw a 50% decline, the attached home market only saw a 25% decline. The average sale price saw a jump from $217,411 to $254,950.    The Crofton attached home market went from a Sellers market to a Nuetral/Normal market.   The following report is for the m... 09/24/2011

Crofton Single Family Market Report for August 2011   Crofton is one of those ideally situated communities nestled in the Annapolis, Washington and Baltimore triangle. Offering treed line streets, golf, swimming, tennis, community events and close by shopping, Crofton is a sought after community to call home in and around Annapolis.     After a robust July, August showed a decline in the number of closed sales. (7) compared to July (16). There are 12 homes currently under contract with some settling this month. Home prices are holding steady with just a slight decline overall.Crofton has moved from a Buyers Market to a neutra/normal market as of this report.    The following numbers are for the month of August 2011 42    # of Active Crofton Single Family Homes For Sale as of  this repor... 09/24/2011

Texas is having a dought, and we're drowning here in Crofton, Maryland. Another home football game for the Maryland Terps (4 in a row, this year), and a 3rd rainy game. I'll be the first to admit that I'm a fair-weather football game.  When it rains, I prefer to stay home and watch it on TV, even though that means I'm gonna miss a great tailgate party. So much going on in this area today, in addition to the Terps game: The Renaissance Festival, Crofton Crafts Fair, solar homes on the National Mall, etc., etc., etc.  But, what's a fair-weather gal like me to do when it rains? Oh yes, I almost forgot. Show homes, because that's what REALTORS do on weekends.  Well, it's a slow market, so I don't have any clients. Instead... I'll do what it takes to generate some buyer-clients! Prospect, pr... 09/23/2011

The Crofton Craft Fair is a long-standing tradition in this community, and many people look forward to it on the last Saturday of September and April each year. The Greater Crofton Chamber of Commerce will sponsor this event for the first time, on Saturday, and their enthusiasm for this project is showing. If the weather gods smile on that day, it should be more fun than ever. But don't let a little rain keep you away... the event is "on" even if it's rainy out there. The craft fair will be held at Crofton Country Club parking lot from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. In addition to craft vendors, several community organizations will be represented including the Crofton Regional Community Center (CRCC). The CRCC will be located at the north end of the parking lot, and volunteers will be selling raffle... 09/23/2011

While Crofton, MD overall isn't considered in the front running for first time homebuyers to choose, there are several sub-divisions where this is possible. Cedar Grove is one of those affordable sub-divisions. Located off Rt. 3 North, just ahead of the KMart/Sears shopping center, sits Cedar Grove.  Cedar Grove consista of 260 condo units. All of the units in Cedar Grove are piggy back style, a two level unit above ground and a condo underneath. Right now there are five units for sale in Cedar Grove. 1 lower level unit, and 4 upper level units. All of them are two bedroom, and either two, or two and a half baths. The map below shows all the homes for sale in Cedar Grove. If you're not already working with an agent, I can help you purchase a home in Cedar Grove, Crofton, or anywhere in... 09/22/2011

The fall meeting of the Crofton CCA was held last night at the Crofton elementary school. There were only about 20 residents in attendance. That is more likely a testament to how well things are run at the Crofton CCA. State Sen. Ed Reilly, a Crofton resident, spoke to the group for about a half-hour, and then answered questions from the attendees. Mr. Reilly spoke about the upcoming political redistricting that will be happening, at the Federal, State, and Local levels. Since the state is heavily controlled by the Democratic Party, it is more than likely that any redistricting will attempt to favor that party, over their Republican counterparts. Nothing unusual here, that's the way politics is run in Maryland, and everywhere else. Mr. Reilly also spoke at length about the Tolson rubbl... 09/20/2011

For the week of 9/11/11 to 9/17/11, Crofton, MD real estate continued to show a strong rental market and a slowing in the residential real estate side. Most of the activity was already in the pipeline, and was just coming to closure. The rental market in Crofton continues to be very strong, primarily due to BRAC employees who have decided not to move at the present time. While five new rentals came on the market, 2 applications were registered on existing rentals. Three units rented and are now off the market. New, Active coming on the market were seven. The total Crofton, MD real estate inventory remains pretty low. A good indicator of future settlements are new pending contracts. Last week only one home went under contract with a status of Cont/No Kickout. That's actually pretty low ... 09/19/2011

As I was driving around the other day here in the Crofton/Gambrills area, it dawned on me why I can't get rid of the extra weight I'm carrying around. We have a plethora of fast food outlets dotting the landscape. Not every one in existence, but darn close. My favorite is Five Guy's. Since they don't have a drive thru...I can get in my daily exercise, and my lunch at the same time ;-)   09/17/2011

Besides the Festivals that are springing up all over the County, there are four Open Houses scheduled for Crofton tomorrow, Saturday, September 17, 2011. A cautions REMINDER for anyone attending an Open House without an agent. The agent at the property is representing the SELLER, and not any potential BUYER. Also, they are not allowed to solicit your business for any other property while you are at the Open House. If you're interested in any property in Crofton, MD, or the surrounding area...I can help. Call Rich for Buyer Representation at 443-995-9595. You can view details of any of the properties on the map below. If the map doesn't display...just refresh your browser.   09/16/2011

Build a better dry cleaners and people will come. Dry cleaning is dry cleaning, right? Sure, but the business model that Zips Dry Cleaners uses is different than competing dry cleaners in the Crofton/Gambrills, MD area. I believe its one of the things that is contributing to their success. Zips Dry Cleaners is located in the Princess Shopping Center, 2510 Conway Road, Gambrills, MD 21054, just over the Crofton border. What makes Zips Dry Cleaners different? They accept only one form of payment, and its up front. Cash is king at Zips. They even have an ATM machine in the lobby if you need cash. When you bring your laundry or dry cleaning in, you pay up front, and you pay in cash. Since they only accept cash, they don't have to worry about paying a certain percentage to a credit card comp... 09/15/2011

If you live in the section of Crofton, MD that is governed by the Crofton Civic Association, you are invited to attend the Fall General Membership Meeting on September 19, 2011 at 7:30 PM. The meeting will be held at the Crofton Elementary School, at 1405 Duke of Kent Drive. View Larger Map State Senator "Big" Ed Reilly, a Crofton resident, will be the guest speaker. Also on the agenda, and of interest to many Crofton residents, is a report on redevelopment plans for Lake Louise, the Gateway to our community. This is a great opportunity to meet and greet other Crofton residents, renew past friendships, learn about what our elected officials are doing, and have an input. Yes, have an input. I have found that the CCA elected officials actually listen. A rarity in 2011. Join other Crofton... 09/13/2011

Crofton, MD real estate sales were on an increasing trajectory since the beginning of the year...that is, until the August results were released today. The monthly volume drop in sales was -41.72%, and the year over year drop was -30.16%. This was not unanticipated, and I mentioned it last month. I also track pending contracts, which are a reflection of future business, and are a forward indicator of future settlements. As you can see from the chart below, the pending contract line was declining in July, and that decline showed up in reduced sales in August. Looking forward, September will probably not see a significant increase in real estate sales over August.  The medium sold price was up in August, reflecting sales in the higher price ranges. THE SKINNY: End of the real estate world... 09/12/2011

Wikipedia defines Evolution as the change over time in one or more inherited traits found in populations of individuals. When I woke up this morning I swear that I'm growing gills on both sides of my neck. Evolving to better handle the weather we've had here in Crofton, MD. Unfortunately, some basements around here have evolved too...into indoor pools. I can't remember the last time we didn't have a rainy day here. Oh yeah...it was the day we had the earthquake a couple of weeks ago. Sunny, clear with just a hint of ground movement. Finally, late this afternoon a giant orange orb finally peeked through the clouds. Someone mentioned that they remember it's called the Sun. Go figure, they actually have a name for that thing. Crofton residents...my iPhone tells me that big orange orb will ... 09/09/2011

When your house is listed for sale in Crofton, MD, or anywhere else for that matter, you want possible buyers to spend as much time in it as possible during a showing. The more buyer that look at it, the better, and the more time they spend in it, the better too. There are some things that sellers unfortunately do that causes buyers from spending the time necessary to give your house an adequate review: UNSECURED PETS - I can't stress this one too much, especially as it related to dogs. If they even go in at all, buyers will not spend as much time in a house when there is an unsecured pet. I know you love your pet, but it needs to be crated, or removed from the house during a showing. SELLER PRESENT - I'm pretty sure your agent recommended that you not be present during a showing. I've ... 09/09/2011

What do you expect of your real estate agent? It's okay for you to blurt out an un-edited list of demands that will make your agent just about fall out of the chair, thinking "Why did I open this can of worms?" Or you may hesitate to answer because you know what you want, but you don't know if it's reasonable to expect. Canton, Massachusetts, Buyer Agent and Attorney Christine Smith summed up her customer service philosophy in a post on Activerain yesterday, Put the Client First and the Rest Will Take Care of Itself, and that probably sums up what you want as a home seller or buyer:  Always put me first! This means different things to different people, but here's a short list that I've gleaned over the years from asking prospective clients what they expect in their agent: Listen to me..... 09/09/2011

Several new members of Crofton Village Garden Club got together in late August for an informal workshop hosted by Sunny Frank in her back yard.  Sunny and Bernie Robertson shared basic information about flower preparation with the novice floral designers, and guided them through the creation of three different arrangements. Participants paid for their flowers and containers and brought a bag lunch, so there was no cost to the club.  It was a beautiful way to enjoy the calm before the storm, as Hurricane Irene headed up the coast for arrival the next day.  At least one of the participants was heard saying she had never created her own flower arrangement before, and others were grateful to learn new ideas from some of the best flower designers in the club.   If you're interested in learni... 09/08/2011

No small community likes to lose a business that has been an anchor for so many years. Last year, the local Blockbuster store, located at Rt. 3 and Cronson Blvd., closed its doors. Long time employees were let go, and a valuable space, and tax resource, was left empty. A couple of months ago, construction activity started, and new signs were up and running at the location. Advance Auto Parts, a large corporate business, opened a branch in Crofton. Officially called, Store 8849, it's now a favorite of many Crofton residents.  Admittedly, not everyone who goes into Advance Auto is doing their own car repairs, there is also a large selection of cleaning products, and accessories. You don't need to be a mechanic to love Advance Auto Parts. Advance Auto Parts1268 Rt. 3 SCrofton, MD 21114410-... 09/08/2011