Rocky Horror Picture Show comes to Frederick

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It’s just a jump to the left.

And then a step to the right.

With your hands on your hips,

You bring your knees in tight.

But it’s the pelvic thrust

that really drives you insane.

Let’s do the Time Warp again!

If you remember the 80’s when the craze really started…you’re going to want to relive your “hey days” again. Grab the trench coat, the newspaper and a handfull of rice….oh yeah, don’t forget the toilet paper. I can only wait to see what the bars will look like downtown before the show starts. How many Tim Currys (Dr. Frank N Furter) will be walking the streets that night? How many Janets? Keep your trench coat on…Frederick’s finest will intervene! :)

If you want to practice your lines and make sure you get all of you props… stop by the official Rocky Horror Picture Show website.

Here’s the info on the show times at the Weinberg Center for the Arts 301-228-2828

Saturday July 14th - The music starts at 10 PM by local band Still Ill

Costume contest starts at 11:45 and the movie begins at Midnight

Tickets are $6 for adults, $4 for students and seniors

*Photo compliments of flickr - aralbalkan’s photos

Here’s the article as it appear in the Frederick News Post

July 12, 2007 · Filed Under Uncategorized

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Buying a Home in Frederick - Home inspections Part III

Now you have a ratified contract…whew! Alright, what’s next? What did you ask for in your contract? You wanted a home inspection, requested it be completed and reviewed in seven days. I always suggest a home inspection. You never know what you are getting into unless of course you’re a trained professional. You want to make sure your house is a sound purchase. Home Inspectors will check everything in the house. You really need a 3^rd party to look at the house. They don’t care if you buy it or the seller sells it. They just tell you what they see. I know a few good Home Inspectors in Frederick MD. (New law; All Home Inspectors will have to be licensed by the state starting in January 2008) Most, if not all, have a checklist/system that they religiously follow to do the inspection. They will check everything from the roof to the foundation in the basement and everything in between; looking for leaks, suspicious cracks, electrical problems, and code violations…just to name a few things. At the end of the inspection, they will give you a report of their findings. This report is yours…you paid for it when he completed the inspection (remember, I told you this is one expense that you will have)

Now that you have the report, take a look at what he found. Is there anything that scares you? River in the basement, Roof shingles beyond their serviceable life? Aluminum Wiring? There can be many defects or problem areas and there might not be anything wrong at all. This is where you need to decide if you still want the house. You now have three choices; yes, no or I want the seller to fix these items. Most likely you will want some repairs done to the house prior to settlement. So you and I write up some more paperwork (Home Inspection Notice). You now have to give the seller a copy of your home inspection. Depending on the problem, there are certain items that have to be in working condition. According to the contract, paragraph 21;

All electrical, heating, air conditioning, plumbing (including well and septic), and any other mechanical systems and related equipment, appliances and smoke detector(s) included in this Contract shall be in working condition.

Of course this does not apply to a house that is listed “as is”. You will know that upfront. So, we make the list of items and ask the seller to fix them. There is a time limit outlined in your contract that says how long they have to review and respond to our request (usually 2 days). Sometimes they repair everything, sometimes they will just credit you cash back so you can have them fixed and maybe they just say no. You have time to respond also usually a day or two. Fortunately these sellers agreed to fix all of the defects.

Now did you have any other inspections on the contract? You can ask for quite a few different inspections. Let see, there’s Lead Base Paint inspections, Mold inspections, Radon Gas, Septic Inspections, Well Inspections and pool inspections. Your REALTOR® will advise you of suggested inspections based on the property. They all have criteria in which you have to perform the inspection. Remember we are on a timeline according the contract. Everyone wants to get to closing on time.

Next, we head down the stretch toward the closing day… Appraisal, loan commitment all coming up next.

Incase you missed the beginning…

Buying A House in Frederick MD What do you need to know? Part I
Buying a house in Frederick Part two

July 12, 2007 · Filed Under Buyer, frederick real estate

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Market Conditions Frederick MD

Here’s a snap shot of what has been going on the last seven days.

Note the trends…most homes are sold below the asking price. The average days on the market for these homes are 173 days with the average selling price of $360,000.

The fastest mover on this list was 5712 Charstone Ct. This end unit was priced moderately compared to other end units in the neighborhood. There was an $8,000 seller credit on the full price. This home looked like it was ready to sell based on the numerous interior pictures. The slowest mover was the new town house in Urbana. This model was on the market for almost two years. This is not very uncommon with new homes. They tend to market new homes way before they even break ground. What is notable about this home, the orginal list price was $509,000. So, the builder settled for a 17% reduction. I am sure there were other incentives that they used to entice the buyers. Builders always have a package deal to encourage buyers like low interest loans, finished basements and large amounts of seller help. Seller help (subsidy, concession) was given on seven of the 17 homes listed. This is not uncommon in today’s market.

There are currently 123 active listings in the Urbana Development. Ranging in price from $344,999 to $1,198,000. Townhomes to large single family homes. There are currently 2310 active listings in our MLS for Frederick County.

Typically this time of year the market slows down even more with vacations. Somethings to remember about this market… If you are selling in this market, you are also buying in this market. You may have to take a beating on your price now, but so will the seller of your replacement home. If you are buying in this market, there is no time like the present. The homes are prices well and the interest rates are still low. The longer you wait to see if the market turns around, you are going to lose out on some very good deals. Your new home will appreciate over time…

The information provided is from the Metropolitian Regional Information System. The information is deemed accurate but not guarenteed.

July 9, 2007 · Filed Under Buyer, Market Condition, frederick real estate

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Preferred Mortgage Lenders in Frederick MD

I wanted to let you know some of the preferred mortgage lenders that I have used in the past and highly recommend in the future. I can’t speak highly enough about each of them. The service they provide to their customers are far superior to other lenders I have seen in the past. I like to have a few good contacts on hand to provide my clients a choice in financing. I have found that each lending institution has a variety of programs that they offer. If you are looking to buy a new home or refinance one you already have, please don’t hesitate on calling the lenders I have listed below. Make sure you choose one that has the program right for you.