The Dollar Tree is not a place where anyone shops with the expectation of good service.   Their offering is really quite simple - everything in the store is $1... no more, no less - and no mention of customer service.  Employees are usually competent but impersonal and completely forgettable.  Yet the service I had today was so helpful that it's worth mentioning. Let me give you a little background:  Agents and staff in the Long & Foster Crofton office have been buying out the Crofton Dollar Tree for the past several days, purchasing goodies to fill holiday gift bags for the troops. We ended up with about 50 2-packs of playing cards and some other items left over after filling 80 gift bags and setting aside many other items to fill 28 more.  However, we needed more bags and puzzle books... 10/14/2010

Yes, of course rely on it, BUT only as part of an overall plan. As you know, sellers are required to provide a Disclosure, or a Disclaimer, as part of the Contract of Sale for residential property in Maryland. Many sellers do disclose, which basically means they fill out a series of yes and no questions about the operation of systems in the house. The forms are standard and mandated by the State. There are exceptions from filling out the forms for estates and banks who never lived in the property. It’s important to remember that sellers are answering questions based on whether they’re aware of any issues. Houses are big, and there could absolutely be issues going on that they aren’t aware of. Let me give you an example. I live in a decent size house and I’m probably only using about on... 10/10/2010

It’s a beautiful weekend to tour Open Houses here in Crofton, MD. Saturday, October 9th there are two Open Houses being held in Crofton. Both are single family homes with 4 bedrooms with one listed at $379,000 and the other at $545,000. Sunday, October 10th, four Open Houses will be hosted. A nice selection, including two single family homes, a townhouse and a condo can be seen on Sunday. The times and addresses you can see on the graphic below. The map shows the locations and just click on any of the icons for detailed information on the listing. If you’re not already working with an agent to look for a home in Crofton, MD or the surrounding area, I can help. Call Rich at 443-995-9595. Just a word of caution going into Open Houses. The agent there is representing the seller in any tra... 10/09/2010

The Crofton, MD real estate market was pretty busy last week all around. You always have to remember the maxim, “all real estate is local,” when you read the newspaper, and listen to real estate stories on TV. On the rental side, three new rental listings were added, making a total of 17 rentals now available in Crofton, MD. All three that came on the market were townhouse condo style units, ranging in price from $1,325 to $1,700. Three applications were registered on existing rentals, and six units were rented. The rental market in Crofton is still pretty robust. Eleven new listings came on the market, making the total homes for sale in the Crofton, MD inventory 154. The new listings ranged from a 2/1 condo listed for $142,500 to a 4/3/1 single family detached listed for $545,000. In ... 10/04/2010

  Are you planning on driving thru Crofton, MD this weekend? If you are, there are a couple of Open Houses for you to consider. Seems like this is a Townhouse Open House weekend if you look at the available listings that are scheduled in the MLS. You can click on the link below for the dates and times. Two on Saturday, October 2nd, and two on Sunday, October 3rd. http://mrislistings.mris.com/Matrix/Public/Portal.aspx?ID=38800809849 The map below shows the location of each of the houses and if you click on any of the icons it will bring up a detailed sheet on each of the listings. REMEMBER: The agent you meet at the Open House is representing the seller in any potential transaction. You should have your own free Buyer Representation. If you’re not already working with an agent to purcha... 10/01/2010

The Crofton, MD rental market seems to have slowed somewhat. During the summer months it was difficult to find a decent rental, at a decent price. Most of the military PCS moves to Ft. Meade are in place, and I suspect that as the main reason that the rental market is taking a bit of a breather. Unlike the summer months, right now there is a very nice selection of rental units available in Crofton, MD. Twenty one on the market is more than we’ve seen in a while. The prices range from $1,285 for a 2 BR, 1BA condo, to $2,800 for a 5 BR, 2.5 BA detached home. Eighteen of the rentals are townhouse/condo types and three are single family detached. If you’re looking for a rental in the Crofton, MD area, and you’re not already working with an agent, I can help. Call Rich at 443-995-9595. You ... 09/30/2010

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, and the American Red Cross, will be conducting a Community Blood Drive on October 5, 2010. Tuesday, October 5, 2010 2 PM to 8 PM 1800 Seton Drive Crofton, MD 21114 If you’re able to donate blood, please call 1-800-RED-CROSS (733-2767) to schedule your donation time. View Larger Map Richard Iarossi, REALTOR®Long and Foster® Real Estate, Inc.Crofton, MD 21114 410-451-6255 Office443-995-9595 CellWeb: http://www.RichSellsHomes.comeMail: Rich@RichSellsHomes.com Annapolis MD Real EstateBowie MD Real EstateCrofton MD Real Estate ©2009 - RichSellsHomes, All Rights Reserved 09/28/2010

Every penny of profit earned by Chili's restaurant today will go to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, as well as the money raised throughout September with their Create-a-Pepper campaign. Chili's has raised millions of dollars for St. Jude over the past few years - enough to build the Chili's Care Center.  This facility, which opened in 2007, houses the major treatment and research programs for brain tumor and bone marrow transplant patients.  The brain tumor program at St. Jude is the largest protocol-based pediatric brain tumor program in the country. If you're not familiar with St. Jude Children's Research Center, you should know that their mission is to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Consistent with th... 09/27/2010

Crofton Children's Centre is hosting an event next Saturday, Oct. 2, to support one of their teachers in her battle against breast cancer.  This will not be a bake sale, and it's not a “run”… it's something MUCH more spectacular. They're bringing    to Anne Arundel County for a benefit concert and they're calling it Juice Box @ The Whiskey. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Rocknoceros (pronounced like rhinoceros) has dominated the Washington, DC children's scene since its inception in 2005, winning four Whammies (Washington Area Music Awards), landing an on-going Video-on-Demand offering through Cox Cable, and producing 3 CD's of original music.If there are kids in your family, you probably already know that Rocknoceros is a group of three guys:  Coach Cotton is the ring-leader, frequently immersed in a ... 09/26/2010

The real estate market in Crofton, Maryland, is alive and well, even though the tax credit has ended. The median sold price in Crofton, last month ($335,000) was the highest we’ve seen all year, except for June when most tax-credit properties closed.  In other words, half the homes which sold were higher-priced and half were lower-priced. 27 homes sold in Crofton during August, up two from the previous month and up one from August 2009. The average sold price ($343.167), was relatively stable - only 1.65% less than last year. The inventory of homes for sale (169) is down 15 homes from last month and down 1 from August 2009. Unfortunately, it did take longer for homes to sell (89 days) than any month since February, and the average days on market are much higher than they were in August ... 09/26/2010

Driving around looking for Open Houses on a Sunday is pretty standard fare for home buyers looking in the Crofton, MD market area. Brokerages receive calls on Sunday morning from customers looking for open houses that are scheduled. Now, all you have to do is click here and you will see the Open Houses that are scheduled in the MLS by agents. This Sunday, September 26, 2010, there are three. Remember though, when you enter an open house, the agent you see will be representing the seller in the transaction. You should have your own FREE buyer representation before visiting an open house. If you’re not already working with an agent, I can help. Call Rich at 443-995-9595.   Richard Iarossi, REALTOR®Long and Foster® Real Estate, Inc.Crofton, MD 21114 410-451-6255 Office443-995-9595 CellWeb... 09/26/2010

Chapman Farm, located just off of Reidel Ave., in Crofton, MD offers some outstanding opportunities for single family home ownership in the area. If you’re looking for a home in the Crofton, MD area, Chapman Farm should be high on your list of sub-divisions to visit. Homes for sale in Chapman Farm are attractive because they were built in the mid-90’s, and most have finished basements, nine foot ceilings and maintenance free exteriors. Homes in Chapman Farm, Crofton, MD can generally be purchased in the price range from mid $400’s to about $600K. Chapman Farm also has one rental property listed for rent at $2,800/month. Today, there are four homes for sale in Chapman Farm. All of them can be viewed on the map below. Just click on the icon and you can see a detailed view of the home for... 09/23/2010

It should be mostly sunny and 80 degrees on Saturday for the Crofton Craft Fair at Crofton Country Club, in the heart of Old Crofton. The event is held twice a year by the Crofton Town Club (formerly the Crofton Newcomers Club) on the last Saturday of September and April.  It's a long-standing community tradition that you don't want to miss.  Come on down and check out the local community organizations and crafters between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., rain or shine. If you happen to notice the aroma of barbeque chicken, just follow your nose to the north parking lot of the Crofton Village Green, on the other side of Crofton Parkway.  Chances are there will be some scouts and parents there, cooking chicken and boxing it with rolls for you to take home.  Yummy!   09/22/2010

Crossing the Chesapeake Bay by ferry boat was always the highlight of my early childhood vacations to Ocean City, Maryland.  By the time I was in second grade, however, that fun (but slow) ferry boat ride was replaced with a drive across the newly opened Chesapeake Bay Bridge from Sandy Point in Anne Arundel County to Maryland's Eastern Shore. Fast forward 50+ years, and now we have two parallel spans carrying traffic high above the Chesapeake Bay via Rt. 301/50 - five lanes altogether.  On many days, five lanes are still not enough.  Traffic is expected to be very heavy this weekend, for example, due to the Sunfest Celebration in Ocean City and NASCAR in Dover, Delaware. To check on Bay Bridge traffic before you leave home, you can view a live webcam here.  Or, if you want to do some a... 09/21/2010

Crofton MD Bowling Center -Exit Advance Realty's 70's Bowling Party! Everybody is invited to Exit Advance Realty's 70's Bowling Party! When: It is going to be on September 24,2010 Friday from 10pm-UNTIL. Where: Crofton Bowling Center             2115 Priest Bridge Drive             Crofton,MD            (301) 261-6670 or (410) 721-2401 So if you know anyone looking to have some fun and a good time on a Friday night or looking for somewhere to spend some of that big commission check that you are about to receive at closing this week? Come on and bowl with us. And if you know anyone who might be interested,please let don't know also. Now if I can get find a place where I will get some bell bottom slacks and a Afro-LOL. And click on this link for more information on Crofton MD Bowling Cent... 09/21/2010

Crofton, MD added 5 new listings to the current inventory of 154 homes for sale last week. A nice combination of townhouses and single family homes priced from $219,000 to $449,000. You can see these new listings on the map below. Just click on the icon for a detailed listing. Four houses went to settlement, having been sold, and two went under contract without kickouts. Three additional homes entered the full contract status, where all contingencies have been removed. Three homes were withdrawn from the market. On the Crofton, MD rental side, 3 new rentals became active last week. Two townhouses and one single family detached home. Applications were registered on four others and one rental was completed. Last week was indicative of what seems to be a slowing real estate market in Crof... 09/20/2010

One of the best things about living in Crofton, Maryland, is its convenience to both D.C. and Baltimore.  There is always something going on, and usually MANY somethings going on in both cities. This coming week, The Rotunda of the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C. will house an exhibit of photographs taken this past summer across the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.  This is the culmination of a summer-long project in which the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) partnered with the International League of Conservation Photographers (iLCP) to highlight the Chesapeake Clean Water Act (CCWA) through photographs, video, and stories.  The project was called "The Chesapeake Bay - Something to R.A.V.E. About."  (R.A.V.E. = Rapid Assessment Visual Expedition.) Anyone interested in photog... 09/19/2010

Don't get frustrated driving around Crofton, MD this weekend looking for Open Houses to tour. Not all Open Houses are advertised in the newspaper. The MLS allows agents to schedule open houses. All you have to do is click here to view the 10 Open Houses scheduled for Crofton, MD this weekend. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and you can view all Crofton, MD Open Houses on a map. Remember, when you visit an Open House, the agent in the property is representing the seller. I can provide you with FREE Buyer Representation to protect your interests. Call me at 443-995-9595. If you see something that might interest you when touring Open Houses, give me a call...I can help. Richard Iarossi, REALTOR®Long and Foster® Real Estate, Inc.Crofton, MD 21114 410-451-6255 Office443-995-9595 CellW... 09/18/2010

Since the beginning of the year 199 homes have sold in the 21114 zip code, Crofton, MD. Of these, 17 have been bank owned properties, commonly referred to as foreclosures. This rate is low for the area compared to Bowie, MD for instance, which has a foreclosure rate for homes sold of about 38%. Foreclosures can be a good deal for home buyers or investors. Crofton, MD currently has 11 foreclosures for sale in an inventory of 154 homes. All of the foreclosures in Crofton, MD can be viewed on the map below. Just click on any icon and see detailed information on all Crofton, MD foreclosures. If you would like to see preview any of the homes for sale in Crofton, MD, or the surrounding area, I can help. Richard Iarossi, REALTOR®Long and Foster® Real Estate, Inc.Crofton, MD 21114 410-451-6255... 09/16/2010

Four races in Anne Arundel County were too close to call in the Maryland primary election, held Tuesday.  One of these is for State Delegate representing District 33A, including Crofton, where only 140 votes separate three candidates. According to the Annapolis Capitol, incumbent Cathy Vitale is the winner for one of the two State Delegate slots representing the district, but the other delegate won't be decided until absentee and provisional ballots are counted.  Businessman Sid Saab has 2,932 votes, school board member Vic Bernson has 2.976, and incumbent Tony McConkey has 3,072 votes. "Some numbers are going to go up, some will go down," said the director of Anne Arundel County's Board of Election, regarding absentee and provisional ballots. "They are very important in a close race." ... 09/16/2010