I Am Insulted By Your Offer Buyers see a house that they like and they wish to make an offer to purchase it.  However, the offer that they wish to make is far below that of what the seller is asking for the house. Most people do not want to make an offer that will insult the other side for fear that it will stop, or at least hinder, negotiations before they even get started.  At the same time, most people do not want to go into a transaction with an unfair price. Typically, it is the buyer who is expressing these concerns about their potential offer, but there is a question as to whether or not they should be the one showing such concern. If the house is reasonably priced in the first place and the buyer still wishes to make a low offer, then they should not be worried about insulting a... 07/15/2011

I Am Not Going To Offer Full Price This is a popular statement and negotiating strategy for many real estate buyers. Questions arise as to what is the rationale for this thinking and as to whether or not it is valid. Generally, two answers are given as to the rationale. One, the sellers always list high knowing that the buyers are going to make a low offer.   Two, the buyers want to get a good deal so they make a lower offer than the listed price. It makes sense that sellers would want to get as much as possible for their home, even more than it is worth.  This would seem to give them an incentive to price the house above its market value. However, statistics will show that an overpriced home will sit on the market for a longer number of days and if not adjusted in price quickly will ev... 07/14/2011

Have Property Values Returned To Normal? Up to about the year 2000, the value of homes tended to equal that of inflation when it was measured over a long period of time. There were peaks and valleys along the way, but generally the long term average was relatively predictable. After the year 2000, values started to appreciate at unusually high rates, like 20 percent per year. However, true to the law of averages, the resultant drop in value was just as severe. There was a question as to how high values would go and now there is the alternative question of how low values will go. Can this low point be predicted based upon historical appreciation rates or should current factors be considered? Current factors such as a slowly growing economy, unemployment numbers which are almost stagnant ... 07/10/2011

The Irony of Mortgage Interest Rates Over the last year, and even still today, mortgage interest rates have been at historically low rates.  One large lender has indicated that their rates are in the low 4 percent range. However, in spite of these incredibly low rates, the boost to the real estate market, which one would expect, has hardly occurred. The irony is related to the reason for the low rates.  When the economy is not performing as well as investors would like, then, instead of investing in the economy directly through stocks, they change to what is considered a lower risk investment, which is bonds. The bond market supports the mortgages, hence leading to the lower rates for mortgage interest rates. However, since this occurs at a time when the economy is not performing well, ... 07/05/2011

Many Were Upside Down on Their Mortgage Ten Years Ago We have frequently been hearing reports about the numerous people who owe more on their houses than their houses are worth. The implication is that the market will see still more distressed sales such as foreclosures and short sales. Further the implication is that these distressed sales will drive the value of real estate down to a bottom which it has supposedly not yet reached. Of course, it is an implication that this will happen and not a fact, however, the more that something is spoken the more likely it is that it will actually happen since this constant message tends to influence the actions of people. But is this constant reporting of the continuing decline of real estate simply a convenient news story for the always cry wolf... 06/13/2011

I Still Want To See The Outside Almost everyone has a camera, even if only on their cell phone, especially real estate agents. Of course, this is important, because nobody would dream of listing a house without lots of pictures. The Multiple Listing Systems are programmed to allow for easy uploading of many photos for a listing.  In fact, the MLS is generous enough such that on some listings, it is difficult to use the full allowance of photos. This is great for Sellers who can now show off all aspects of their property.  Now they can boast in picture style, that drop dead gorgeous kitchen, their fully finished lower level, including the theater room, the beautiful new deck which overlooks a pleasantly landscaped yard, and so on. The search for buyers is much easier as they can do so mu... 05/16/2011

DO YOU OWE TOO MUCH ON YOUR NOTTINGHAM, MARYLAND HOME BUT HAVE TO SELL IT?   HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF SELLING YOUR NOTTINGHAM, MARYLAND HOME THROUGH A SHORT SALE?   Mike Klijanowicz is an experienced Short Sale Real Estate agent servicing your local Nottingham, Maryland community area.  Mike Klijanowicz is an expert real estate short sale specialist agent who has the right network of contacts and systems in place to get your short sale real estate transaction on your Nottingham, Maryland home closed quickly!  If you are in a situation where you are contemplating selling your Nottingham, Maryland home going through a short sale or know anyone else who is in that same  situation, Mike Klijanowicz wants you to know that he is here as a FREE resource for you and all of your referrals!  Simply... 05/14/2011

Available Financing Shown below are two financing options available from a lender in the Greater Baltimore region. Conforming Fixed Rate 97% Conventional Program highlights are as follows:  Owner-occupied primary residence only.  Minimum 720 FICO score          3% down payment must come from the borrower's own funds.  1 unit single family residences (attached and detached) and PUDs (attached and detached).  Purchase and Rate/Term Transactions  Maximum DTI 41%.                        No Upfront MIP / Ann ual MIP rate of 0.88%!   FHA Fixed Rate 96.5% Program highlights are as follows:  Owner-occupied primary residence only.  Minimum 640 FICO score  3.5% down payment may be from borrower's own funds, bona fide gift, or settlement assistance program  1 unit single family residenc... 05/13/2011

Move Closer to Work The price of gas has gone to the $4.00 mark give or take depending upon your area and any given station. Even with predictions that the price of gas will decrease by about $0.50 over the next month, the price will still be very high, such that it is making it hard to spend money on other things, many of which are necessities. However, this negative news about the economy has a positive side.  Investors are putting much of their money into the bond market, which is helping to keep mortgage interest rates low. Additionally the number of foreclosures and short sales on the market is still heavily influencing real estate values to keep them depressed. With these low interest rates and these low property values, this is an ideal time to purchase a home closer to work. Als... 05/10/2011

My House Is Not Ready To Sell Means I Am Embarrassed You want to sell your house and find something for your changing needs and desires, but you think that your house is not ready to put on the market.  In other words, you are too embarrassed to let people see how you have been living. You are embarrassed that over the last 10 years you have not: trimmed and pruned the bushes and trees on your lot or edged along the fence or along the sidewalks; maintained the fence in your yard which is rotting and starting to fall over; reattached the drain spouts which have detached at the midway point or cleaned the gutters to allow for a free flow of rain water from your roof; caulked around the windows and doorways or even around the flashing at the chimney, which is now leaving a water stain on t... 05/05/2011

Unemployment Falls as Business Confidence Increases With an improving economy, many employers are starting to hire. Per statistics from the Labor Department from late April 2011, the unemployment rate fell in 34 of the nation's states.  Washington DC and 9 states showed no change. The unemployment rate, nationally, fell in March to a two-year low of 8.8 percent, and private employers added more than 200,000 jobs for the second consecutive month.  That is the largest two month hiring total in four years. The biggest declines were in the states of New Mexico, Florida, Oklahoma, Indiana, Missouri, and Ohio. Texas alone added 37,200 jobs followed by substantial job gains in Missouri and Florida. The unemployment rate in Nevada, which has the highest rate, dropped by 4 basis points. North Da... 05/01/2011

No Wonder They Sign Up For More Than One Tour Of Duty One out of five veterans (20.9 percent), under the age of 25, of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, was unemployed in 2010. This is a difficult age for non-veterans, also, to find a job.  Their unemployment rate for the same period was 17.3 percent. The State of Maryland has created a job web site designed to match the military qualifications with the skills needed in non-military positions. On average, each one of the veterans' military occupational codes can be matched to seven federal occupations, and 80 percent of federal occupations can be matched to at least one military occupational code, according to state officials. Maryland Workforce Exchange "With the positions coming to our state through the Base Realignment and Closure pr... 04/29/2011

4120 Slater Avenue Nottingham, MD 21236 BALTIMORE COUNTY HOMES FOR SALE  MORE PICTURES OF 4120 SLATER AVENUE By Mike Klijanowicz - Your #1 Local Realtor CLICK HERE ANOTHER BRAND NEW SINGLE FAMILY HOME LISTING IN NOTTINGHAM, MARYLAND! THIS ONE IS UNBELIEVABLY UPDATED INSIDE & OUT! IT IS A TRUE 5 BEDROOM 3 FULL BATH HOME FEATURING: KITCHEN WITH GRANITE COUNTERS, BRAND NEW OAK CABINETS, 14X14 CERAMIC TILED FLOORS, & SS APPLIANCES, GLEAMING HARDWOOD FLOORS, 3 BRAND NEW FULL BATHROOMS WITH 14X14 CERAMIC TILED FLOORS & WALLS, DOUBLE VANITY WITH GRAINTE, 19 NEW WINDOWS, NEW A/C UNIT, NEW HOT WATER HEATER, NEW 4 CAR DRIVEWAY, NEW FULLY FINISHED BASEMENT, NEW ELECTRIC, NEW PLUMBING, FLAT REAR YARD NEWLY SEEDED, ALL PERRY HALL SCHOOLS & TOO MUCH MORE TO LIST HERE! FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS PRO... 04/24/2011

Home Available Again; The Buyer Just Walked Away . . . . Wait A Minute I have been seeing this phrase or something similar to it on several listings recently. "The Buyer Just Walked Away". I have had some of these buyers and they did not just walk away. Here are some examples: On a short sale, my buyer did not have forever to wait for the bank to say yes or no, so we gave them a time limit for giving their approval, a time limit of a very reasonable 60 days.  The approval did not come within 60 days, so the contract was considered null and void.  If anything, it looks like the sellers did not live up to their end of the deal.   On another short sale, my client's offer was within 10 percent of the list price and within 15 percent of what the seller owed on the house.  The offer was accep... 03/27/2011

Affordable Housing: Belmont Neighborhood of Baltimore County Belmont is a neighborhood of townhouses located in the Nottingham area of Baltimore County. Currently, there are about 20 homes on the market in this affordable neighborhood, most of which are in move in condition and several of which have been fully renovated. Nottingham, which is located in the Northeast region of Baltimore County is a highly desirable neighborhood, which boasts some of the best schools in the nation. In addtion to great schools, the neighborhood is very accessible to Interstates I-95 and I-695 as well as to Commuter Rail Lines making it convenient to Downtown Baltimore, Washington DC, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Fort Meade, and other destinations. This is one of the safest and most pleasant regions in the Grea... 03/17/2011

Maryland: Buyers and Sellers: Real Estate Agents Must Provide This Notice -------------------------------- Understanding Whom Real Estate Agents Represent At the Time of the First Scheduled Face to Face Contact with You, the Real Estate Licensee Who is Assisting You is Required by Law to Provide this Notice to You. This Notice is Not a Contract or Agreement and Creates No Obligation on Your Part. Before you decide to sell or buy or rent a home you need to consider the following information. In this form "seller" includes "landlord"; "buyer" includes "tenant"; and "purchase" or "sale" includes "lease" Agents Who Represent the SellerSeller's Agent: A seller's agent works for the real estate company that lists and markets the property for the sellers and exclusively represents the sellers.... 03/11/2011

Four Financial Reasons To Purchase Reason 1: Interest Rate Incentive Interest rates have fallen substantially such that they are at a 50 year low. This has been fueled by investors placing their money in the secure bond market, which supports the mortgage industry instead of in the more risky stock market. On a mortgage for $250,000, the principal and interest portion of the payment is about $112.50 less than what it would have been a year ago. Over a five year period this equates to $6,750. Reason 2: Appreciation Incentive Over the historical long run, the value of real estate has appreciated in value by about 4 percent per year. This increase accounts for slow and negative periods of appreciation such as that which occurred during the recent recession.  If you have lived through other... 03/09/2011

Smart Growth and Home Values With the concept of Smart Growth, which has been a major priority in Maryland, certain areas are designated as higher density areas. Basically, by allowing higher densities in certain areas and lower densities in other areas for the construction of properties, it forces more homes to be built in the designated areas. By doing this, it can allow for more efficient infrastructure systems such as water supplies and sewerage and for the necessary transportation. Regarding transportation, the more clustered that people are, the more cost effective it can be to allow for mass transit, which helps to keep down on emissions. Also, the closer that people live together, then the more cost effective it becomes for stores and other business establishments to locate near... 02/24/2011

$7500 Available For First Time Buyers --------------------------------------------------------- The Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta (FHLB) 1st Time Buyer Grant funds are now available to 1st time buyers. ---------------------------------------------------------- Key Features: • 5:1 Match on Borrower's funds up to $7500 • Minimum borrower contribution of $500 • Must meet the first-time buyer requirement as defined by the Cranston-Gonzales National Affordable Housing Act • Household income must not exceed 80% Area Median Income • Home-buying education required • Funds are first-come, first-served ------------------------------------------------------------ A first-time homebuyer is an individual who meets any one of the following criteria:     An individual who has had no ownership in a... 02/19/2011

Northrop Grumman is now accepting applications for the engineering scholarship competition. Every year for the past nine years, Northrop Grumman has awarded one scholarship to a student in each of Maryland's 24 school systems. These scholarships are presented in support of promising high school seniors who will be pursuing careers in engineering related fields. The student must plan to attend an engineering program at a four-year accredited university. The application deadline is March 31, 2011.  If you would like additional information, please contact Marie Osborne from Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems Community Outreach at (410) 765-9983 or via email atmarie.osborne@ngc.com . You may also go to the following website: http://www.es.northropgrumman.com/community/engscholars Question... 02/19/2011