The BrazzelDazzle Blog: January 2010

IS YOUR CAR A PHONE BOOTH?

HELP SAVE 6.000 LIVES YEARLY ...

I publicly admit ... I am as guilty as many others.  When I get into my car my first thought is, "Who can I call?  I can save time and be more efficient if I make that call right now!"  Not anymore ... my car is no longer my phone booth.  Oprah Winfrey aired a program last week that was a much needed "wake-up" call for me and I hope for many others.   

She interviewed one drunk distracted driver (just as guilty!) who had killed two others when he was texting while driving.  He was 18 at the time and said that he used to text while driving 100% of the time - as did most of his friends!!  He's 23 now, looks 43, and his life is consumed with guilt and shame.  The widow of one of the men he killed and the daughter of another were on the show, too.  Two lives tragically lost while the young man was distracted for a few seconds ... heart-wrenching to see.  And this was just one of the 6,000 similar stories that unfolded last year.

CHILLING, SOBERING, & DISGUSTING STATISTICS:

• 6,000 lives were lost last year due to "distracted drivers"
• A driver is 8 times more likely to have an accident if driving while texting!
• A driver is 4 times more likely to have an accident if driving while speaking on a telephone!

Oprah's show is a MUST for everyone to see - send it to your loved ones - let's start a new "culture" of safe driving!

www.DriveSafe.ly. com is a great program (FREE!) that will "give voice" to your texts and emails if you MUST know about an email immediately!  So, when you're driving, you'll never have to look at your phone again!  You'll HEAR your messages without doing anything!  And, the system will automatically send a reply email. It's easy to turn off and on, so you can just use it when necessary.

SO, WHO WILL TAKE THE PLEDGE TO ELIMINATE TEXTING & PHONING WHILE DRIVING?

Columbia, MD 21044 - The Trails at Woodlot - House Values - January 2009

The Trails at Woodlot Neighborhood is located in Columbia, Md, but is not subject to the Columbia Association assessment.  It is a beautiful and unique "outparcel" with its own covenants and bylaws. The Trails at Woodlot is comprised of about 120 houses and townhomes which were built in the late 1990's by Williamsburg, Patriot, and Ryland Home Builders. 

The area is surrounded by the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area with thousands of acres of woodlands, streams, and walking paths - making it a wonderful neighborhood for those who enjoy the outdoors.  Many of the homes in The Trails at Woodlot Neighborhood are adjacent to the parkland and pathways.  The neighborhood is only one mile from The Columbia Mall and is within a short walk to the Columbia Athletic Club and Harper's Choice Neighborhood Center with convenient shops and restaurants such as Safeway Food Store, Subway, McDonald's, Rita's Ices, Tuesday Morning, Maiwand Kabob, Dunkin Donuts, Hunan Diamond, Zapata's Mexican, and Papa John's. 

This Trails at Woodlot House Values Update is the first of our Neighborhood Update Blogs to go "on line". Dipper and I can update this information easily and quickly.  So, any time you're curious about our neighborhood house values statistics, just send us and email or post a comment to this blog.  We'll update it for you.  And, if you're reading this blog, but live elsewhere, we'd love to update you on YOUR neighborhood house values by request.

TRAILS AT WOODLOT HOME SALES STATISTICS UPDATE:

(Active listings and Sold since 5/15/2008)

 Trails at Woodlot HOA

Trails at Woodlot Property Search

COLUMBIA, MD 21044 - HOBBIT'S GLEN - COLUMBIA, MD HOME SALES - JANUARY 2010

Hobbit's Glen is a neighborhood in the Village of Harper's Choice in Columbia, Md.  It is one of the older neighborhoods in Columbia ... the homes were built in the 60's through the early 1980's.  Certainly not "old" by most city standards, but for Columbia, the Hobbit's Glen Neighborhood is one of the "oldie but goodies".  The Hobbit's Glen Columbia home sales statistics are in the chart below. 

Hobbit's Glen is a beautiful neighborhood compised of townhomes and single family houses.  This Columbia neighborhood is unique because most of the houses are custom one-of-a-kind architecture.  Most of the homes are Contemporary designs with open floor plans, lofty ceilings, and lots of windows.  Many of the homes back to the scenic Hobbit's Glen Golf Course.  The area is adjacent to the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area with thousands of acres of parkland, streams, walking paths and verdant woodlands.  Joggers, bikers, dog walkers, and Sunday strollers will all find  the Hobbit's Glen Neighborhood a delightful place to call home!

Howard County public schools are ranked among the best schools in the State of Maryland. The children who live in the Hobbit's Glen neighborhood are districted to attend Longfellow Elementary, Harper's Choice  Middle, and Wilde Lake High Schools.

This Hobbit's Glen Columbia, MD update with home sales statistics will be regularly featured in this blog.  With this new format, there are no limits to the neighborhoods we can update with home sales statistics. Just post a comment or send us an email with your neighborhood and we will be happy to start updating your neighborhood for you.

21044 Single Family Property Search

THE HOBBIT'S GLEN COLUMBIA, MD HOME SALES STATISTICS:

(Since 4/30/2008)

Clarksville, MD 21029 - Open House Sunday January 24th- Ashleigh Knolls -7213 Wolverton Court

Join the Sue Wettstein Brazzel Real Estate Team at an Open House this Sunday January 24th from 1 to 2:30pm. 

This is an elegant, quality-built 5 bedroom, 4 1/2 bath home constructed by Mitchell and Best Homes on a level, fenced .77 acre lot in the Ashleigh Knolls neighborhood of Clarksville.  It features almost 6,000 finished square feet with gorgeous sanded-in-place oak flooring on the main and upper levels, fabulous built-ins, a main level library, second level office, masonry fireplace, two tray ceilings, over-sized moldings, a Prince/Princess Suite, Sunroom, and fully finished lower level with walk-out and possible private suite.

Ashleigh Knolls in Clarksville is a great communting location to D.C., Annapolis, and Baltimore.  Routes 29, 32 and 95 are all within minutes away. The JHU Applied Physics Lab and one of the oldest Ledo's Restaurants (home of the rectangular pizza!) are around the corner!  And the public schools are rated among the best in the state!!

Offered at $875,000

Directions: Rt. 216 to Brown's Bridge Road to Moorland Drive to 7213 Wolverton Court - 1-2:30pm

Ask Dipper about the FREE GIVE-AWAY when you come to visit...!

HOWARD COUNTY WINTER RESTAURANT WEEKS ARE HERE!

1/18/2010 - 1/31/2010

Twenty five of Howard County's finest restaurants will be offering
fixed price menus beginning tomorrow until the end of the month.

For savings and new local dining experiences with an international twist,
come out and support our local restaurants!

Click the following link to see the list of participating restaurants:

Howard County Restaurant Week

Imagine coming home to this fabulous, professionally decorated 5,898 square foot "Mitchell and Best" home located in the Ashleigh Knolls neighborhood ... JUST LISTED FOR $875,000!


You'd drive up to the side loading two-car garage and approach your front door as you walk on a brick paver sidewalk.  The rain won't bother you as you stand at your front door on the covered portico entryway.  Upon entering, you'd find yourself in a gracious 2-story foyer with over-sized custom 3-piece moldings, gleaming hardwood flooring throughout both main levels, an oak split staircase, and a library with custom built-ins and French doors off the foyer.


The amazing Chef's kitchen would entice you to cook your favorite recipes on the granite counters as you overlook the glorious sun/breakfast room and the adjacent family room with masonry fireplace and wall of built-ins.

Thinking of having family and friends over for dinner?  This banquet sized dining room will be the perfect venue for entertaining them!

The private Owner's Suite awaits you upstairs and features a sumptuous garden bathroom with hand-painted walls that look like custom wallpaper!  The 4 1/2 bathrooms in this home all have brass fixtures and ceramic flooring.

There is a Prince/Princess suite for your precious little one as well as an office with two built-in desks, cabinets & shelving ...

And downstairs, you'll find a huge clubroom with French door walk-out, and an Au Pair Suite with the 5th bedroom and 4th full bathroom.

The .77 Acre lot is fully fenced in the back, has a storage shed, deck, and plenty of room for a future pool!

Columbia, MD 21044 - The Trails at Woodlot - House Values - January 2009

The Trails at Woodlot Neighborhood is located in Columbia, Md, but is not subject to the Columbia Association assessment.  It is a beautiful and unique "outparcel" with its own covenants and bylaws. The Trails at Woodlot is comprised of about 120 houses and townhomes which were built in the late 1990's by Williamsburg, Patriot, and Ryland Home Builders. 

The area is surrounded by the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area with thousands of acres of woodlands, streams, and walking paths - making it a wonderful neighborhood for those who enjoy the outdoors.  Many of the homes in The Trails at Woodlot Neighborhood are adjacent to the parkland and pathways.  The neighborhood is only one mile from The Columbia Mall and is within a short walk to the Columbia Athletic Club and Harper's Choice Neighborhood Center with convenient shops and restaurants such as Safeway Food Store, Subway, McDonald's, Rita's Ices, Tuesday Morning, Maiwand Kabob, Dunkin Donuts, Hunan Diamond, Zapata's Mexican, and Papa John's. 

This Columbia MD Trails at Woodlot House Values Update is the first of our Neighborhood Update Blogs to go "on line". Dipper and I can update this information easily and quickly.  So, any time you're curious about our neighborhood house values statistics, just send us and email or post a comment to this blog.  We'll update it for you.  And, if you're reading this blog, but live elsewhere, we'd love to update you on YOUR neighborhood house values by request.

TRAILS AT WOODLOT HOUSE VALUES:

(Since 5/15/2008)

I was planning on writing a blog with information about the Federal Tax Credits, but found Debe Maxwell's presentation so perfect, I don't need to!

COLUMBIA, MD 21044 - HOBBIT'S GLEN - COLUMBIA, MD HOME SALES - JANUARY 2010

Hobbit's Glen is a neighborhood in the Village of Harper's Choice in Columbia, Md.  It is one of the older neighborhoods in Columbia ... the homes were built in the 1960's through the early 1980's.  Certainly not "old" by most city standards, but for Columbia, the Hobbit's Glen Neighborhood is one of the "oldie but goodies".  The Hobbit's Glen Columbia MD home sales statistics are in the chart below. 

Hobbit's Glen is a beautiful neighborhood compised of townhomes and single family houses.  This Columbia neighborhood is unique because most of the houses are custom one-of-a-kind architecture.  Most of the homes are Contemporary designs with open floor plans, lofty ceilings, and lots of windows.  Many of the homes back to the scenic Hobbit's Glen Golf Course.  The area is adjacent to the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area with thousands of acres of parkland, streams, walking paths and verdant woodlands.  Joggers, bikers, dog walkers, and Sunday strollers will all find  the Hobbit's Glen Neighborhood a delightful place to call home!

Howard County public schools are ranked among the best schools in the State of Maryland. The children who live in the Hobbit's Glen neighborhood are districted to attend Longfellow Elementary, Harper's Choice  Middle, and Wilde Lake High Schools.

This Hobbit's Glen Columbia, MD home sales update with home sales statistics will be regularly featured in this blog.  With this new format, there are no limits to the neighborhoods we can update with home sales statistics. Just post a comment or send us an email with your neighborhood and we will be happy to start updating your neighborhood for you.

21044 Single Family Property Search

THE HOBBIT'S GLEN COLUMBIA, MD HOME SALES STATISTICS:

(Since 4/30/2008)

Howard County MD - You may be hearing that "the market is dead" ...

You may be hearing that

 "the real estate market is dead" ...

but it is "alive and well" in Howard County MD!

In the past month, the Sue Wettstein Brazzel Real Estate Team sold four of their recent listings!  The time it took from listing to contract for these homes was 33, 43, 68, and 181 days.  (The house that took 181 days to market had a contract on it early on that "fell through" because the Buyer could not obtain the financing they needed.  We then had to re-list it - and that contributed to the long time on the market.)  Our average days on market for 2009 (the time from listing a property until we get an acceptable contract) has been 58 days.

You may be hearing that "the real estate market is dead" ... but it is "alive and well" in Howard County MD!  The sellers of these four homes took the NECESSARY STEPS to get their houses SOLD. 

They ...

• Priced their homes competitively and reasonably for the current market (if they "tested the market" it was only for a short period of time before they "responded to the market")
• Staged their homes for maximum appeal to the Buyers (painted, re-carpeted, de-cluttered, cleaned, and de-personalized)
• Made their homes readily available for showings to Buyers
• Responded positively (with action) to "feedback" comments and suggestions from Buyers and their agents
• Hired a Real Estate Team who marketed their home extensively on the worldwide web and target marketed to appropriate audiences

To find out what we could do for you to help you get your house SOLD, please give Sue or Dipper a call or email - we'd love to help.