Vacation time: Where to stay in Frederick

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Ah, the open roads…even with the gas prices as high as they are, everyone needs to get away once in awhile and maybe that place happens to be Frederick, Maryland. Whether just passing by or staying for the weekend, you are going to need a handful of hotels on hand to make reservations. Yes, reservations! With over 1500 hotel rooms available, you will need to call first. Frederick is the crossroads to a couple major areas; Baltimore and Washington DC. It also has a few attractions of its own to draw visitors like the battlefields; Antietam and Monocacy. On top of that, Frederick, MD seems to be a popular stopping point for northerners heading to the beach like Ocean City, MD, Virginia Beach, VA and even the Outer Banks, NC. So, if you plan on staying in Frederick over the summer, you might want to call first.

Where to stay in Frederick, MD…

Frederick Hotels

Hotel	Phone Number	Address	Website	Rooms
Best Western	301-695-6200	420 Prospect Boulevard	Click Here	118
Comfort Inn Red Horse	301-662-0281	998 W. Patrick St	Click Here	69
Comfort Inn Rt 85	301-668-7272	7300 Executive Way	Click Here	73
Extended Stay	301-668-0808	5240 Westview Dr	Click Here	101
Hampton Inn	301-698-2500	5311 Buckeystown Pike	Click Here	161
Hampton Inn & Suites	301-696-1565	1565 Opossumtown Pike	Click Here	104
Hilton Garden	240-566-1500	7226 Corporate Court	Click Here	143
Holiday Inn Express	301-695-2881	5579 Spectrum Drive	Click Here	100
Holiday Inn Holidome	301-694-7500	5400 Holiday Dr	Click Here	155
Holiday Inn Rt 40	301-662-5141	999 W. Patrick St.	Click Here	158
MainStay	301-668-4600	7310 Executive Way	Click Here	73
Sleep Inn	301-668-4260	5361 Spectrum Drive	Click Here	84
Courtyard	301-631-9030	5225 Westview Drive	Click Here	90
Fairfield Inn	301-631-2000	5220 Westview Drive	Click Here	105
Residence Inn	301-360-0010	5230 Westview Drive	Click Here	90

Reasons to visit Frederick in 2008…

• Jazzed in June, Frederick, MD, June 21-22, 2008
• What Ails You? Medical History of 18th & 19th Century, Frederick, MD, June 28, 2008
• Frederick’s 4th - An Independence Day Celebration, Frederick, MD, July 4, 2008
• Frederick County Corvette Club Car Show, Frederick, MD, July 5, 2008
• First Saturday - Great American Main Street, Frederick, MD, July 5, 2008
• Civil War Encampment, Frederick, MD, July 12-13, 2008
• 144th Anniversary of the Battle of Monocacy, Frederick, MD, July 12-13, 2008
• Frederick Blues Festival, Frederick, MD, July 19, 2008
• Reggae Wine Festival, Frederick, MD, July 19-20, 2008
• 50/60s Days, Frederick, MD, July 26, 2008
• Jefferson Ruritan Community Carnival, Frederick, MD, August 1-2, 2008
• The Confederate Occupation of Frederick in 1862, Frederick, MD, August 2-3, 2008
• First Saturday - Dog Days of Summer, Frederick, MD, August 2, 2008
• Swingin’ Blues Wine Festival, Frederick, MD, August 9-10, 2008
• Rose Hill Day; Antique Car Show and Ice Cream Socail, Frederick, MD, August 17, 2008
• Golden Gears Club Car Show, Frederick, MD, September 6, 2008
• First Saturday - Around the World in 15 Blocks, Frederick, MD, September 6, 2008
• Great Frederick Fair, Frederick, MD, September 12-20, 2008
• Frederick Fashion Week 2008, Frederick, MD, September 18-20, 2008

If you decide to make the Frederick area your new home…call me. I will gladly help you find your new home.

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June 21, 2008 · Filed Under Frederick MD Real Estate

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Good News for Buyers of Foreclosed Properties and FHA Loans

With the increase popularity of the FHA loan in today’s mortgage market, the FHA has been slighted with all the vacant foreclosed homes. Due to previous abuses of house flipping problems, the government adopted the idea that they wouldn’t allow funding on a property that was recently purchased. Purchaser had to wait 90 days before FHA would approve the loan. That has since changed with this press release from HUD. This is good news for those that qualify and have found the right home.

FHA EXTENDS FINANCING FOR IMMEDIATE PURCHASE OF FORECLOSED HOMES
Measure seen to bring stability to home values and accelerate sale of vacant properties

WASHINGTON - In an effort to stabilize declining home values in certain neighborhoods, the Bush Administration today announced a temporary policy that will extend government-backed mortgage insurance and allow for the immediate sale of vacant foreclosed properties.

For one year, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) will insure foreclosed properties marketed and sold by property disposition firms on behalf of lenders. The properties, which must purchased by owner-occupants, will no longer be subject to the customary 90-day waiting period.

“A glut of foreclosed and abandoned homes harms neighborhoods, frustrates homebuyers and delays a community’s recovery,” said Brian D. Montgomery, Assistant Secretary of Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner. “The action we take today will allow homebuyers to purchase these homes in much greater numbers and ease the excess supply of unsold homes in neighborhoods across the country.”

FHA’s new temporary policy will help stabilize neighborhoods experiencing high rates of foreclosure by reducing the inventory of unsold properties. Many foreclosed properties remain vacant for months, inviting vandalism and reducing values of surrounding homes. To address that sizeable inventory, lenders have hired companies that specialize in the marketing and disposition of foreclosed homes. It’s reasonable and appropriate that these firms have the ability to sell the properties to borrowers using FHA financing.

With certain exceptions, FHA currently prohibits insuring a mortgage on a home owned by the seller for less than 90 days. This prohibition is intended to prevent property “flipping,” a predatory practice that strips a home of its equity before being quickly resold at an inflated price to an unsuspecting buyer. FHA’s new policy will permit the immediate sale of foreclosed properties to legitimate borrowers wishing to use FHA-insured financing.

To read the full text of this new temporary policy, visit FHA’s website.

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You can find out more information on the HUD website.

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June 17, 2008 · Filed Under Frederick MD Real Estate

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May Housing Market Update

The monthly housing report is finally out for May. I am glad to see the inventory lower than last year. This is one item that has to be inline for the market to return to normal. Hopefully we will continue to see this trend in the market. Looking at the prices, we are below 2005 prices. This is very unfortunate for everyone that has bought at the top of the market in 2005-2006.

Now, for those homeowners that have purchased prior to 2004; Don’t cry too much… you are still seeing approximately 14% appreciation. Fourteen percent!!! That falls inline with normal appreciation or 4-6% a year. Unfortunately, some homeowners took advantage of the steep appreciation and cashed out on Home Equity line of credit. So in this case, you over spent your appreciation.

Just remember, in a normal market, homes will appreciate at very similar rate as your income. When they don’t parallel each other…you’re gonna have problems.

Have a great day…things are really picking up around here.

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June 16, 2008 · Filed Under Frederick Market Conditions, Market Condition

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This Wednesday is about Meme.

If you are not familiar with this whole “Meme” thing, it goes a little like this… First someone annoys you by picking you to talk about yourself. They usually have a format of questions to answer and then you have to pick on someone else that has not already been “memed”. It’s much worse than a Chain Letter. In the Blogosphere, people want to know more and more about you. It help build bridges across cyberspace without actually traveling to meet the person. One of the great things about the Real Estate Blogosphere…the people are great and I always look forward to meeting them outside of my monitor. So in a way, this is a great way to find out more about the person, but I really hate talking about myself, I don’t really try to boast or brag. So, I do find it painful, but a necessary evil of the whole Social Network Web 2.0 thingie. In real estate it is about building relations, a blog in a sense is a peek into someone life…if they let it.

But anyways here we go…

1. Who is your favorite musical artist? (post a YouTube video)

This one’s tough (as are all these questions.) But for now, I am stuck on Nickelback Rockstar

2. Who is your favorite artist?

I really don’t get into the Arts much, but it would have to be a toss up between Ansel Adams and Andy Warhol. I truly enjoy Ansel’s perspective on Black and White photos. In fact, I tried to mimic his talent with a shot of a farm in Jefferson, MD.

My Ansel Adams wannabe shot

And then there is Andy Warhol… He’s from Pittsburgh, so he had an impact on things when growing up. I always liked his simple abstract vision of normal items.

3. Who is your favorite blogger?

Oh geez, why don’t you just throw everyone under the bus on this one? You might offend someone if you don’t pick their blog. But I have quite a few that I read on a regular basis; Linda Davis, Sarah Cooper, Chris Griffith, Jim Duncan, Jeff Turner’s nine thousand blogs, Chris Brogan, Agent Genius and the list goes on. I have over 200 in my reader, which by the way has been very neglected. But, I will say my most favorite is the one that truly has been the catalyst for my own blog is Teresa Boardman at St Paul Real Estate Blog. Her post are always from the street level and never over your head. She talks from the heart and is very local. That has appealed to me from the beginning.

4. If you could meet anyone (alive or dead), who would it be and what is the most interesting thing about them?

I don’t know about this one. I really just enjoy meeting people on a day to day basis. Everyone has a unique perspective on life. I find it very interesting and try to understand what makes people tick. People are the best spectator sport around. I never really idolized one particular person.

5. What did you want to be when you grew up?

I had visions of being an Aeronautical Engineer…boy that would be boring.

6. What is the most interesting piece of trivia you know?

Haha…I have been called the book of most useless trivia. For some reason the more asinine the topic the more I retain it…in the old days, the “rule of thumb” was the widest the object could be to used to beat your wife…told you…the more asinine!!!

7. If you could live in any point in history what would it be and why?

The year before Google was invented. I’d be a janitor in the building and retire rich and famous by now.

8. What is the most interesting job you have ever held?

I would have to say I am holding it now. I enjoyed being an MP in the Army back in the day, but nothing beats the feeling you get when a first time home buyer gets their first home. There are so many facets to the Real Estate industry that it is always interesting. Back to point number 4…I get to meet a lot of interesting people.

If that wasn’t enough for you, you can read the other painful Memes in my life below;

painful: I was a victim of a drive by MeMe…thanks Chris

painful: 8 Random Things About Me…I Have Been Meme’d

Not sure who to pick that hasn’t already been put through the torture…but here’s my short list by picking at random RE Bloggers on my Twitter Stream.