HERITAGE HARBOUR, a Retirement Community Near Crofton Maryland, provides an opportunity for you to stay near the kids and grandkids, shop in your favorite stores, see your old friends and, yes, enjoy the four seasons - all without the responsibilities of home and yard maintenance.  Instead, you can choose to enjoy community amenities like the pool, clubhouse, and a golf course in right here in Maryland.   Thee's no need for you to relocate to Florida or anywhere else to enjoy the "good life" when you have the option to live in HERITAGE HARBOUR, a Retirement Community Near Crofton Maryland. Golf is the "magic word" in my family, so let me tell you about HERITAGE HARBOUR - the only retirement community near Crofton with a golf course.  It's located about half way between Crofton and Annap... 07/27/2009

Crofton, MD is comprised of a diverse selection of housing in many great sub-divisions, spread throughout the entire Crofton, MD real estate area. Crofton homes are some of the most sought after in the area. Crofton Commons is one of the townhouse communities located inside the "Crofton Triangle." The "Crofton Triangle" is that area bounded by Rt. 3, Rt. 424, and Rt. 450. The growth of Crofton over the years has spread well beyond the original Crofton Triangle boundaries. Crofton Commons comprises a sub-division of 92 townhouses, build in the mid-1970's. Most of the units are three level but there are some two level's tucked into the community as well. Crofton Commons can be accessed directly off of Crofton Parkway, between Farnborn St. and Jordan Ave. There is also an entrance to Croft... 07/26/2009

DETACHED HOMES IN OLD CROFTON were constructed in the 60's and 70's, with few exceptions. "Old Crofton" is considered by most people to be the triangle bordered by Rt. 3 to the West, Rt. 450 to the South, and Rt. 424 to the North, although there are some newer homes within that area, as well.  (Routes 450 and 424 intersect to the East of Crofton.) The first Detached Homes in Crofton were built by Hamilton Crawford, the Louisiana developer who planned this community along with his friend Howard Davis, an engineer who accompanied him from Louisiana.  Howard's wife, Louise, sold hundreds of townhouses and Detached Homes in Old Crofton - many of them with little more than drawings on paper and her southern charm, long before construction even began on the first model home.   Their vision wa... 07/24/2009

SCHOOLS IN CROFTON MARYLAND are the Number One reason home buyers give for choosing this area to live, among many communities throughout the D.C.-Baltimore area.  They're among the best in Maryland... and Maryland schools are ranked FIRST in the nation according to the Quality Counts 2009 Report for Education Week Magazine, moving up from third last year, and also by Newsweek Magazine in its report on Mid-Atlantic Excellence.  Additionally, the College Board ranks Md. AP performance and participation No. 1.  Chances are excellent that Schools in Crofton and throughout Maryland are better than the schools you're leaving behind in other parts of the country.   When you first relocated to the D.C.-Baltimore area, chances are good that "How are schools in Crofton Maryland?" was the first qu... 07/23/2009

Introducing the Crofton School of Music, which opened recently at the Crofton Village Green. As a musician myself (with a degree in Music Education and Piano), I am very excited to welcome the school’s owners, Crofton residents Keith and Leigh Ann Hinton and Virginia residents Matt and Dallis Byrne.  Their qualifications are impressive, and I can’t imagine anyone living nearby with school age children interested in music who wouldn’t be eager to meet them:  Keith is a senior chief musician and chief of concert productions with the U.S. Navy Band; Leigh Ann is a Sergeant First Class and soprano soloist with the U.S. Army Concert Band; Matt is a Staff Sergeant and trumpeter with the U.S. Army Ceremonial Band; and Dallas is the choral director at a private school in Virginia. There are 32... 07/16/2009

11 fewer homes sold in Crofton, MD in June, when compared with June of last year. As you can see, the most robust price range for Crofton home sales continues to be the $200,000 - $299,999 price range. This is the price range favored by most first time homebuyers. This year, and until November 30th, first time homebuyers may be eligible for an $8,000 first time homebuyers tax credit from the government. In order to qualify the home must be purchased and settled by November 30, 2009. The year is half over so don't miss this opportunity. Crofton has also settled four homes in the $500,000 - $599,999 price range in June 2009. This is a price range that has been hard hit by the current housing downturn. We'll have to watch these numbers as this can be a great indication for the future of t... 07/13/2009

The first single family home new construction to hit the Crofton, MD real estate market in a long time, is available at Chaney's Grant. The Chaney's Grant site is home to 15 building lots right in the middle of Crofton, MD. Crofton, MD is an ideal location for families relocating into the area because of it's proximity to Washington, DC, Baltimore and Annapolis, MD.  Prices at Chaney's Grant start at $550,000 for the Potomac I model and scale up to $675,000 for the 3,276 square foot Chester model. The actual model house, The Severn, shown below is available for $675,000. This model is 3,182 square feet above ground. Granite counter-tops and a finshed basement are only two of the many upgrades in this home. Call Rich at 443-995-9595 to view the model, or any other home in the area. If yo... 07/06/2009

From the National Mall in Washington, D.C. to the Baltimore Harbour, from Bowie to Fort Meade and Annapolis, Crofton residents have many options for celebrating July 4 beyond their back yard picnics: BOWIE BAYSOX STADIUMFriday, July 3  Fireworks Immediately following the 6:15 p.m. game against the Akron Aeros FIREWORKS CRUISEFriday, July 3, 7:30 - 10:30 p.m.($40 Adults / $20 Children 3-11 / 2 & under free. Reservations Required).410-268-7601 X111 ALLEN POND, BowieSaturday, July 4, 3-10:30 p.m.Entertainment, food and fireworks PACA HOUSE & GARDEN, AnnapolisSaturday, July 4, 9:30 – 10:00 a.m. Naturalization Ceremony10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Open HouseWilliam Paca House and Garden, 186 Prince George Street, Annapolis ANNAPOLIS HISTORIC DISTRICTSaturday, July 4Parade 6 p.m.  Concert by the USN... 07/01/2009

This post is included in Your Online Relocation Package for Anne Arundel County, Maryland - Home of Fort George G. Meade, NSA, Northrop Grumman, BWI, and the U.S. Naval Academy.   With GPS and Mapquest, who needs a map to get around in the Greater Crofton area?  If your answer is “I do!”, you’re in luck because I just happen to have a box of Crofton area maps in my office.  Simply ask, and you shall receive.  I also have a limited number of full-color maps for the area between Baltimore and Washington, which are ideal for anyone relocating to work at Northrup Grumman, Fort Meade, BWI or anywhere in this area. Since you’re reading this online, the easiest way to get your map is probably to click on Contact Margaret Woda and type your request into the message box.  If you prefer, just cal... 06/23/2009

Take a look at the chart below and you'll see that the under $300,000 price range in Crofton is pretty robust, accounting for 58% of Crofton home sales in May. This makes sense, as first time homebuyers rush to take advantage of low interest rates and the $8,000 tax credit, available from the IRS until December 1, 2009. Also, we're seeing decent, affordable homes in this price range for the first time in a while. With inventories high in Anne Arundel County, sellers are getting pretty good at correctly pricing their homes for sale. 24 Crofton homes went to settlement during May, 2009. This figure is 5 less than went to settlement in May of 2008. Interestingly, the days on the market for Crofton properties had a reduction of 13.5% and now stands at 83 days, on average. The average sale p... 06/11/2009

Well attended is probably an understatement when it comes to describing last night's Community Safety Meeting at the Walden Country Club in Crofton, MD. Some estimate the audience at being around 500. I don't know how many were actually there, but I do know that it was standing room only, and there were a lot of people listening to the meeting from the outside deck as well. Even the rain that showed up during the meeting didn't deter the Greater Crofton Area residents from hearing what County representatives had to say. The impetus for the meeting was the unnecessary death of a Crofton teen, Christopher Jones, last Saturday. Chris died from injuries sustained as a result of a beating he received from individuals in his neighborhood. The room at the Walden Country Club got quickly heated... 06/04/2009

Did you know that June is National Tennis Month?  It’s also… Dairy Month Great Outdoors Month National Adopt-a-Cat Month National Drive Safe Month National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month National Rose Month National Safety Month Potty Training Awareness Month Turkey Lovers Month Zoo and Aquarium Month Week-long observations include: National Fishing Week (1st week) National Clay Week (2nd week) National Camping Week (4th week) Crofton Area Events during June:  3 – Crofton Kiwanis Meeting (Every Wednesday at Waugh Chapel Village Community Center), 7:30 p.m.  3 – Mount Vernon Bus Trip, Crofton Village Garden Club, 8:15 a.m. – 2 p.m. 5 – Little Italy Film Festival, Baltimore  Fridays through August 28, Corner of Stiles and High Streets, 9 p.m.  Entertainment begins at 7 p.m. 6 – RV and Bo... 06/02/2009

Flags fly over Crofton's "main street" year round, not just on holiday weekends like Memorial Day and July 4.  This beautiful tradition was the brainchild of former Crofton Civic Association President Ed Dosek, a retired Brigadier General in the U.S. Army who knew how to get things done.  Crofton community organizations, businesses and other individuals contributed to the effort and continue it now, a decade later.     Honoring our country comes easy to Crofton residents... many of them are civilian employees and military personnel, both active duty and retired.  We're literally surrounded by the U.S. Naval Academy, Fort Meade and the National Security Agency, and Andrews AFB - all within 30 minutes.  NASA-Goddard and the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Beltsville are also about a hal... 05/23/2009

It’s that time of year here in Crofton, MD. Itchy eyes, runny nose and coughing. No, not the swine flu, just common tree pollen. Every year at this time we end up with the same thing. Before becoming the stately oaks of summer, which we love, they have to shed the pollen. Not only people suffer for the couple of weeks, but everything outside as well. I’m sure the car wash’s are doing a booming business trying to de-pollinate. Driveways and sidewalks will be swept and re-swept for weeks to come. Allergy sufferers will be the first to notice the effects, particularly on dry days. The good news is that they’re predicting rain for the next couple of days so that should keep the pollen down somewhat. If you don’t see your Crofton neighbors for a while its’ because they’re indoors, trying to ... 05/01/2009

The March results are in and it sure looks like first time homebuyers are fueling the homebuying activity in Crofton, MD.  Last month, 25 homes sold in the 21114 (Crofton) zip code. Of the 25, half (13) of these were in the price range from $200,000 - $250,000 range. This is a range typically associated with first time homebuyers in this real estate area. First time homebuyers should be aware that they may qualify for an $8,000 tax credit if they purchase a home before December 1st. Some restrictions apply so talk to your agent, or give me a call, to learn more about the $8,000 first time homebuyers tax credit. Back to Crofton, MD real estate. Another indicator that activity is picking up is that the number of days a property was on the market for sale decreased by 24%. While total sale... 04/11/2009

The number of "days on market" for homes sold in Crofton during March was DOWN 24% from the same month in 2008 and 40% from last month.  How's that for good news!?! Two adjacent zipcodes have different results to report, however, proving again that all real estate is local.  In Odenton, "days on market" went UP 43% from March 2008 and, in Gambrills, the number went DOWN 58% in March 2009 from the same month last year.  That's quite a swing for three adjacent zipcodes that many people consider to be the "Greater Crofton Area." I've been collecting statistics about Crofton real estate from MRIS, the regional MLS, and put together this table so you can see the trends from year to year:   For my analysis, just click through to Crofton Real Estate Market Update - March 2009 at FocusOnCrofton... 04/11/2009

I can't wait for Spring to finally arrive - it has to be just around the corner, doesn't it?  That's because lunch with friends under an umbrella outside the Sly Horse Tavern on the Village Green is one of my favorite things about living in Crofton.  It has been for years... no, decades. Some people go to the Sly Horse for their food, but I like this restaurant more for its ambiance.  There's really no place else like it nearby.  And I can usually find something on the menu that's tempting. In Winter, Sly Horse is the place I go for my "fireplace fix" since I live in a home without a fireplace now.  But I enjoy the relaxing environment of dining outside in such pleasant surrounds when the weather is nice.  Even when I opt for air conditioning on a blistering hot summer's day, the view o... 04/08/2009

This is a great time of year to live on Crofton Parkway in Crofton, Maryland. Starting in March, the blossoms come out on the Cherry Blossoms and Dogwoods that surround the Parkway’s 3.5 mile loop. For many residents it is the best time of year. As a resident of Crofton Parkway, I can attest to the fact that it's better than when the stately oaks start to drop their leaves in the fall. The blossoms last for a couple of weeks and than they're gone for another year. Replaced by the green leaves of Spring and Summer. While they're here the view is magnificent. When I'm driving in from anywhere I take the longest route around the parkway so I can enjoy the blossoms while they're still around. If you find yourself in or around Crofton, MD at the end of March, or the first week of April, tak... 04/08/2009

When people see Lake Louise along Route 3, between Routes 50 to the South and I-97 to the North, they know they've arrived at Crofton. Lake Louise was named after Louise Davis, married to engineer Howard Davis who designed the original Crofton subdivision in the middle of nowhere.   Louise was also the community's first sales person, selling dozens of homes off of drawings and dreams, without any models.  Louise and Howard had followed their friend, developer Hamilton Crawford, from Louisianna to create this community where I've had the privilege of living and working for over 35 years. Crofton was to be a very exclusive gated community, where homebuyers were expected to join the planned Country Club and send their children to private schools.  After all, there were no schools anywhere ... 04/04/2009

If you’re a first time homebuyer in Crofton, MD or any of the surrounding communities, now is the time for action. · Interest rates are low and sellers are willing to negotiate in this “buyers” market. · The federal government has an $8,000 Tax Credit which may apply. The great thing about this credit is that it doesn’t have to be paid back. Check with your agent, or give me a call at 443-995-9595, for more information. · Inventory levels are high right now and there are plenty of homes to choose from. In the recent past, Crofton, MD has been priced out of reach for many first time homebuyers. The inventory today, March 31st, shows 33 homes listed that are under $250,000. Four homes are actually under $200,000. It’s time to stop thinking about buying a house and take action. Call your a... 03/31/2009