Featured News
Surplus Property For Sale By Charles County Commissioners
by Team Benya
Avoiding Foreclosure, Why it Matters and How To Do It!
by Jon Benya, Former Member of Century 21 New Millennium & Team BenyaSurplus Property For Sale By Charles County Commissioners
by Team Benya
Buying»
Surplus Property For Sale By Charles County Commissioners
August 27th, 2010 at 09:08 am-
Your Next Home Will Be Bought or Sold Online!It’s true! I’m not talking about a few clicks of the mouse to sign the settlement papers (not yet,...by Jon Benya, Former Member of Century 21 New Millennium & Team Benya on April 16th, 2008 at 09:04 am
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Charles County Perc Season 2008 is open!As of 9am this morning, the county health department has announced that perc season is officially open. They...by Jon Benya, Former Member of Century 21 New Millennium & Team Benya on April 1st, 2008 at 08:04 am
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Buyers Are Still Holding All The AcesTrying to decipher the current real estate market can be monumental task! It’s not just about the market...by Jon Benya, Former Member of Century 21 New Millennium & Team Benya on March 21st, 2008 at 09:03 am
Selling»
Avoiding Foreclosure, Why it Matters and How To Do It!
July 10th, 2009 at 09:07 am-
Considering A Short SaleA lot of people are facing some very hard decisions right now. Being Foreclosed on is a process that can be embarrassing,...by Jon Benya, Former Member of Century 21 New Millennium & Team Benya on June 29th, 2009 at 09:06 am
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Your Next Home Will Be Bought or Sold Online!It’s true! I’m not talking about a few clicks of the mouse to sign the settlement papers (not yet,...by Jon Benya, Former Member of Century 21 New Millennium & Team Benya on April 16th, 2008 at 09:04 am
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Chasing The Market…. How DO I Get My Home To Sell?I was chatting on City-Data recently about the Concept of “chasing the market”, and what it means...by Jon Benya, Former Member of Century 21 New Millennium & Team Benya on March 24th, 2008 at 09:03 am
Real Estate»
Surplus Property For Sale By Charles County Commissioners
August 27th, 2010 at 09:08 am-
Avoiding Foreclosure, Why it Matters and How To Do It!Are you falling behind on your mortgage payments? Are you at risk of losing your home because that pesky arm...by Jon Benya, Former Member of Century 21 New Millennium & Team Benya on July 10th, 2009 at 09:07 am
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Countrywide, You have got a lot of explaing to do!Oh boy…. I just ran across a doozy of an article that’s DEFINITELY made my list of loony real estate...by Jon Benya, Former Member of Century 21 New Millennium & Team Benya on July 10th, 2008 at 10:07 am
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Prince George’s County, MD, Real Estate Market Report, April 2008Team Benya’s Monthly Market Report- P.G. County, Maryland What’s Happened: The Prince George’s...by Jon Benya, Former Member of Century 21 New Millennium & Team Benya on April 18th, 2008 at 09:04 am
Community»
Waldorf West Library Ground Breaking
August 27th, 2010 at 09:08 am-
St. Charles Town Center Mall Improvements!I digress, I haven’t been impressed with the mall here in Charles County recently. One of the reasons...by Jon Benya, Former Member of Century 21 New Millennium & Team Benya on March 27th, 2010 at 09:03 am
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Horsepower and Burning Rubber on Display in Hughesville, MDThe Southern Knights celebrated their 21st annual Coming Out car show this past weekend in Hughesville, MD. ...by Jon Benya, Former Member of Century 21 New Millennium & Team Benya on April 14th, 2009 at 09:04 am
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Swan Point TIF Bond is approvedLooks like Swan Point will be getting it’s fancy new hotel after all! The Charles County Commissioners...by Jon Benya, Former Member of Century 21 New Millennium & Team Benya on April 4th, 2008 at 09:04 am
Recent Articles
Waldorf West Library Ground Breaking
At 10:00 AM in Waldorf off Smallwood Dr, the New Waldorf West Library begin Breaking Ground. All the County Commissioners will be there in celebration.
Surplus Property For Sale By Charles County Commissioners
Working in the Southern Maryland Real Estate Market and Working allot with land, i take note of properties for sale in the area. I was driving down Middletown Rd close to where i have listed land before and noticed this sign. Now i know the Charles County Commissioners own allot of land in Charles County, [...]
St. Charles Town Center Mall Improvements!
I digress, I haven’t been impressed with the mall here in Charles County recently. One of the reasons is because they have been doing a lot of renovation work on it, and navigating through a maze of cones and equipment isn’t exactly my cup of tea. It looks like they’re getting close to finishing their work, [...]
Avoiding Foreclosure, Why it Matters and How To Do It!
Are you falling behind on your mortgage payments? Are you at risk of losing your home because that pesky arm has made your payments impossible? There IS hope for people out that who are at risk of losing their home. If you’re worried about foreclosure, here’s a few important things to do to help you [...]
Considering A Short Sale
A lot of people are facing some very hard decisions right now. Being Foreclosed on is a process that can be embarrassing, humiliating, it destroys good credit records, and is often a very traumatic experience for good people swallowed up by bad loans. There are options to avoid situations like this if you find you are behind on [...]
Horsepower and Burning Rubber on Display in Hughesville, MD
The Southern Knights celebrated their 21st annual Coming Out car show this past weekend in Hughesville, MD. It was a spectacular show, to say the least, and there was about 450 cars on the field this year! The rain held out until the afternoon, and it made for a very nice day to get out and [...]
Who the Heck is Jonathan Benya, Anyways?
I was recently tagged to write a personal bio, also known as a MeMe, on Activerain.com, and I thought it would be nice to post the MeMe here as well. If you’re not interested in hearing how I came to be a Realtor, this would be a good post to pass on. If you’d like to [...]
Countrywide, You have got a lot of explaing to do!
Oh boy…. I just ran across a doozy of an article that’s DEFINITELY made my list of loony real estate news! According to the NY Times, the lender has admitted to “recreating” letters to a Pennsylvania homeowner involved in a bankruptcy case. What exactly does that mean? Well it means that Countrywide submitted letters to the [...]
Prince George’s County, MD, Real Estate Market Report, April 2008
Team Benya’s Monthly Market Report- P.G. County, Maryland What’s Happened: The Prince George’s County Market is without a doubt slanting more and more heavily towards buyers. Sellers are finding it increasingly difficult to sell and inventory of available homes is steadily growing. March 2008 saw roughly 400 homes sold in P.G., and more than 7,000homes on the market! There [...]
Your Next Home Will Be Bought or Sold Online!
It’s true! I’m not talking about a few clicks of the mouse to sign the settlement papers (not yet, anyways), but the home buying process has become less about flipping through the newspaper and driving around to open houses, and more about surfing the net to see what’s available instead. Even as a Realtor, it can [...]
Team Benya in the news again!
We’ve been quoted for another news article, this time from the Maryland Independent! Their article yesterday, “Home Builder Pulling Out Of Region”, Has a brief quote from us, and interestingly enough this article is an expanded version of my brief blog post last month about KB leaving the region! Thanks to Kayleigh Kulp for the great article, [...]
Sounds Like Another Liability for Realtors
Google is being sued. Nothing to shocking there….. Big companies get sued every day, right? Well in this case it’s because they took a photo. That’s right, they took a photo, and now they’re being sued. Ordinarily I wouldn’t care one bit about another corporate lawsuit, but this one is because a photo of a house [...]
Swan Point TIF Bond is approved
Looks like Swan Point will be getting it’s fancy new hotel after all! The Charles County Commissioners voted to approve the Tax Incremental Finance (TIF) Bond recently, which will pave the way for the development infrastructure there. Under the tax incremental financing, agreement, the county will issue $26 million in public bonds to fund the [...]
Charles County Perc Season 2008 is open!
As of 9am this morning, the county health department has announced that perc season is officially open. They don’t anticipate that it will be open for long, however, so if you’re scheduled to get a perc done this year, make sure you find out when you can get your testing done! If you’ve got any [...]
Chasing The Market…. How DO I Get My Home To Sell?
I was chatting on City-Data recently about the Concept of “chasing the market”, and what it means and how to avoid it. Someone made the comment about it being an “emotional result” of unhappiness with the market, and I think it brings up an interesting concept about how and why homes are priced the way they [...]
Buyers Are Still Holding All The Aces
Trying to decipher the current real estate market can be monumental task! It’s not just about the market reports, it’s about you as an individual. Who’s side are you on? Are you a seller trying to beat the market, or a buyer looking to cash in on a golden opportunity? Today I’m here to talk about buyers. Markets have [...]
Charles County Maryland Real Estate Market Report, March 2008
It’s slow, but I’m happy to say that we are seeing movement in the real estate market here again! Typically mid-March to the end of June is the busiest time of year for real estate sales, so it’s great to see the shift towards an increase in sales. We’ve seen an increase in not only [...]
KB Homes Pulls out of Charles County
Actually, KB Homes has pulled out of Charles County and the entire Mid-Atlantic Region, it seems. In addition to MD, DC, and Virginia, they have also shuttered operations in Chicago, IL, and Albuquerque as well. This is in addition to a previous announcement that they have decided to cease operations in California. What does this mean [...]
Work, and Reward
I admit, I’m not a big fan of the cold weather (why I ever lived further north is beyond me!). I like summer, I like warm sunny weather, and I’m ready to enjoy said climate again. I realized this morning that we are already in the middle of March! Now, you would think this would be [...]
Why Do You Love Southern Maryland? Budds Creek Drag Strip!
very rarely manage to get time off. From the time I turn my phone on at 9am until I finally call it quits around 9pm, my phone is more or less off the hook all day. Needless to say, none of us enjoy much time off. When I do see the occasional window of opportunity, [...]
Charles County Perc Testing 2008
I’ve had a lot of people asking about the perc season this year. It’s been incredibly delayed, largely due to the low water tables that the Charles County is experiencing. I am hoping to have word on if there will be a perc season by 5pm this afternoon, and I will post the info as [...]
Maryland Foreclosure Prevention Event!
If you’re currently at risk of foreclosure in the state of Maryland, there’s a big event that you should be at! March 5th is the date, and the Showplace Arena in Upper Marlboro, MD is the location! Here’s the skinny: Prince George’s County is sponsoring the event, along with HUD and a bunch of other [...]
Understanding the Foreclosure Auctions
The Washington Post just posted an article titled: “Foreclosure Auctioneer’s Lonely Task“. It’s an interesting read, even if it’s a bit theatrical. There was a quote in there that I found particularly striking: “Banks don’t want your house; they want your money. They want to work with you so you can keep your house. With [...]
Charles County Foreclosure Update March 2008
I’m seeing more and more foreclosures, and none of the government assistance programs seem to be helping stem the tide of foreclosures that we’re currently seeing. Do Foreclosures Affect My Home’s Value? In Charles County in the last 60 days, there have been 12 foreclosures that have been sold, and a total of 135 (resale AND REO) homes listed and [...]
Credit Score Defined for you
Everyone’s at least heard of a credit score, but for a lot of folks the concept seems to be confusing (let’s face it, it IS confusing), but a basic understanding of what is being computed can go a long way in trying to ensure that you maintain a happy, healthy credit report! What Is It? [...]
Photos of La Plata Maryland, La Plata Town Hall, Etc.
Thomas took some really great photos this morning in La Plata! I always leave the photo taking to him, he’s got a great eye and his photos always manage to turn out a bit better than my own (I wish I could take photos with as great a composition as his)! Here’s what he shot, [...]
Where is the market going?
I really wish there was some sort of easy solution to the deteriorating market that we’re seeing, but I seriously doubt we’ve hit the bottom just yet. I have a couple of points to make in this post, and they are very closely related, so I’d like to apologize in advance if this gets too [...]
Solution to the mortgage crisis: Project Lifeline
Project Lifeline has been formally announced, and it’s being touted as another way for homeowners to avoid foreclosure. Like it’s counterpart, Hope Now, Project Lifeline is another “relief” program designed to soften the economic impact of the sub-prime mortgage crisis. Here’s what was announced on the AP News Wire: Homeowners threatened with foreclosure would in [...]
Maryland Undervalued Properties For Sale
This was actually one of the search terms that someone used on yahoo! search this evening. The search led them to this blog. I had to think about this for a bit because I think everyone would love to be able to punch in a search term such as this to find fantastic real estate [...]
Metro Dream Homes- How Many People are Involved? and Auction Re-Cap
The Real Estate Market in Southern Maryland has been incredibly busy so far this year, so I have been unable to post updates to this blog about Metro Dream Homes. I have heard quite a bit recently, however, so I’d like to briefly catch everyone up on what I can. First off, there was a [...]
Dogs and Real Estate
As some of you may know, I’m a very big supporter of rescuing dogs from shelters, and I have 3 rescues myself. January has been a very busy month for me (and I hope it has for you, too!), and the biggest downside to the increased business is the decreased time I have to spend [...]
Swan Point Development Online
I’ve established a page for the latest info and updates on the Swan Point Development Project. If you’re curious as to what is going on, bookmark the page and you’ll be able to get the latest news and information! Swan Point Development Info Page
Charles County Maryland Foreclosure Report February 2008
harles County has seen an upswing in Bank Owned (REO) properties for sale in the past month. In my last report, I indicated that there were 55 current foreclosures on the market in Charles County. That number has now crept up to 69. Increasing Foreclosures REO properties are rising because of the fallout from the credit crunch, [...]
Dogs Abandoned in the Foreclosure Fallout
Foreclosure Dogs are becoming big news. Man’s best friend is quickly becoming an expendable commodity to some as people are losing their homes to the credit crunch. Regardless of what the circumstances were for the foreclosure, it’s not the pet’s fault, and now many of them are finding themselves facing euthanization. The Washington Post recently [...]
New Listing! This Quailwood Rambler is Gorgeous!
I recently listed a fantastic, spacious rambler in the Quailwood Subdivision of La Plata, MD! I simply cannot say enough good things about this home! The floor plan is well laid out, the home is in immaculate condition, the hardwood floors are gorgeous, and the rooms are spacious, with wide doorways in the living, dining, [...]
Commercial Development and La Plata, Maryland Real Estate Values
As many of you know, I have been watching new development in La Plata, Maryland very closely, and more than a few people have voiced concern about how commercial development will impact their home’s value. Obviously, this is a sensitive subject, and I don’t want to be the one that yells “FIRE!” in a crowded [...]
Kohl’s in La Plata? Town Hall Meeting Recap
I attended the La Plata town hall meeting last night to see what exactly was being proposed with the new proposed Kohl’s department store in La Plata, MD. Let me say that I was some kind of impressed! It was the biggest crowd I have ever seen at a town hall meeting, It was literally standing-room [...]
La Plata Town Hall Meeting Recap (1/22/2008)
Thomas and I just got back from the La Plata town hall meeting, and the council voted to send a letter to the State Highway Administration (SHA) recommending AGAINST a traffic light at 301 and Oriole Lane in La Plata, MD. There was a very large crowd of people in attendance, mostly residents of the [...]
Southern Maryland Mortgage Meltdown Seminar (1/22/2008)
Century 21 New Millennium in La Plata, MD will be holding a seminar on the current Mortgage Meltdown here in Southern Maryland and how it affects you! Steve Combs, regional vice-president for First County Mortgage will be on hand to talk about what is happening in the mortgage market and will discuss some of the recent changes to the lending industry [...]
Metro Dream Homes Auction Scheduled (1/23/2008)
Just a quick update for all of you keeping track of what’s happening with Metro Dream Homes and Metropolitan Grapevine…. There’s going to be an auction of MDH assets this Wednesday, January 23rd, at 11am. Included in the list of items up for sale: Large Screen TVs, AVAYA phone systems, printers, copiers, monitors, Redskin memorabilia, (3) [...]
Hilton Comes to Waldorf
Hilton is coming to Waldorf! No, not the whining airheaded blond bimbo with more money than sense, but the Hilton Hotel Chain has plans to build their first hotel in Charles County. Specifically, they’re planning on settling in Waldorf, Maryland, near the St. Charles Town Center Mall. The land was purchased for $1.95 Million Dollars, and Hilton [...]
La Plata Development; How Much Is TOO MUCH?
I refuse to let this be a rant about rapid over-development here in Charles County and specifically, La Plata, MD. I’m not against growth, development, and modernization (I know, I’m a Realtor, isn’t it my job to promote growth and development?), in fact I think that Charles County, Saint Mary’s County, and Calvert County are [...]
Kohl’s in La Plata? Town Hall Meeting Tonight!
The proposal for a Kohl’s Department Store in La Plata, MD will be discussed tonight at the La Plata Town Hall Meeting. La Plata Town Hall is the location for a meeting at 7 p.m. Jan. 14 between representatives of Kohl’s department store and members of the Quailwood, Hawthorne Greene and Jamestown communities to discuss [...]
La Plata Lions Club Charity Basketball Game on 1/13/2008!
This just came to me from Gregory Floberg, and it sounds like a lot of fun! I want to share this in hopes that you, your family and friends may be interested in taking advantage of some unforgettable family entertainment on Sunday afternoon, January 13, 2008. The game will be at the La Plata High [...]
Prince George’s County Real Estate Market Update
What a year 2007 has been! The real estate market has changed dramatically, and 2008 is shaping up to be a year of continued adjustment! Looking Back Currently, Prince George’s County Sales Statistics show that homes sales aredown a little over 55% from where it was a year ago (934 homes sold 11/06 vs 418 homes sold [...]
Scope of Receivership is expanded
Just as a quick update to the Metropolitan Dream Homes situation, California has granted a receivership order for and Invotex representative to take control of California based assets of Metropolitan Grapevine and related companies. The order came at the end of December (December 21st), which leads me to ask this: Just how deeply buried is [...]
For Sale By Owner Marketing Tips
I’ve heard some outrageous horror stories from people trying to FSBO in Southern Maryland. I’ve heard rumors of real estate agents telling homeowners “There’s no way you’re going to sell your home without me” or “Selling FSBO is the stupidest thing you can do”, or “*insert your own snooty Realtor comment here*” Let me first [...]
Charles County Maryland Real Estate Market Report, December 2007
Here’s the latest on the current Charles County real estate market! Sluggish sales trends are continuing to force prices down while making it increasingly difficult to get a home sold due to the market pressure. What’s Good: The number of active, available homes on the market has fallen for the third consecutive month. As fewer and [...]
Southern Maryland Foreclosures are Big News
I recently contributed a bit of commentary to the Maryland Independent for an article they were writing on foreclosures in the region. I was excited to find this morning that the story was in fact FRONT PAGE news and the remarks I made featured prominently. Self promotional remarks aside, I am very grateful that the paper [...]
Charles County Foreclosure Statistics
Foreclosures are rapidly changing our local real estate market here in Charles County. The more foreclosures we see, the more home values are impacted, and the red hot foreclosure market is showing no signs of slowing down. County Update In 2006, we saw a total of 19 foreclosures sold through Realtors. In 2007, that number has jumped [...]
Rescued Dogs Make Great Pets!
It’s been a looong week….. so here’s something utterly random and fuzzy, too! Her name is Piper, and she’s a rescued shelter rat! She’s a little mouthy when dinner’s due, but she’s a completely adorable, well mannered mutt! C’mon, how can you not smile when you see a pup as cute as this! Not only that, [...]
Christmas Stinks! Cries the Man in the Septic Tank!
Talk about losing your Christmas Spirit! And appetite….. and lunch…. you get the idea. Robert Schoff, of Des Moines, Iowa, has officially claimed 2007 to be the worse Christmas he ever had. You can’t really blame him for feeling so grinchy, though. After all, he did spend part of Christmas Eve in his Septic Tank. By [...]
Worried About Short Sale? Good News!
Are you in the midst of a short sale, or about to do one, and worried about the associated tax burden that goes along with it? There’s so good news for you, thanks to a bill signed yesterday, the first GENUINE relief for homeowners trying to avoid foreclosure. Yesterday, President Bush signed H.R. 3648, The Mortgage [...]
Considering Short Sale?
A lot of people are facing some very hard decisions right now. Being Foreclosed on is a process that can be embarrassing, humiliating, it destroys good credit records, and is often a very traumatic experience for good people swallowed up by bad loans. There are options to avoid situations like this if you find you are behind on [...]
Don’t Ask Him How to Save on Your Heating Bill
Sad to say, there are less than reputable agents out there…. I am a firm believer in innocence until proven guilty, but there’s an agent in Naperville, IL who has been arrested and charged with setting a series of fires to different homes in the area over the last 18 months. Richard Knapp, 49 has [...]
Swan Point TIF Proposal Meeting
I attended the county hearing on the Swan Point Tax Proposal on 12/11/2007, and the commissioners did not make a decision on the application just yet, but the response both positive and negative, was outstanding. It’s wonderful to see county residents wanting to take an active part in the future of their county! I did [...]
Swan Point Site Plan and Tax News
I found an aerial view of the proposed swan point site plan which should give a better idea of what exactly they are planning to build out there. Feel free to click on the photo for a larger image. It sounds like area residents are still concerned about the expansion (I would be too!), and [...]
A Father’s Christmas Wish Comes True Thanks to The Washington Ballet!
I love seeing genuinely touch moments, and last night I was witness to a heartfelt moment I’d like to share with you all. I was at the opening night of the Washington National Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker, currently playing at the Warner Theatre, and prior to the start of the performance the artistic director, Septime [...]
Homeowners See Possible Relief
The cat is out of the bag, and it looks like there may be help for people who are facing unmanageable ARM’s. Now *some* people with these sub-prime mortgages can get their teaser rate frozen for 5 years in order to avoid impossible payments. The New York Times has a good article discussing the widely varying [...]
Swan Point Info
Curious about what’s happening down in Issue, MD regarding the Swan Point Development Project being proposed by U.S. Steel and Brookfield Homes? Here’s a brief description of what they’re proposing what the status of the project is. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me! Swan Point Cuckold Creek Marina Proposal- 112 slips [...]
Baseball Swings into Waldorf
Further proof that Waldorf is not as remote as some people seem to think it is: We’re getting our own Atlantic League Baseball Team (*insert cheering here*)! I know, it’s not THAT exciting, but I am pretty happy that it’s happening, nonetheless. I’ve known it was in the works for years, but I refused to [...]
Metro Dream Homes 12/2 Update
I’m so relieved to see this story making national news!! It seems that Joy Jackson, aka “Night Rider” to all her friends back at the strip club, was recently featured on MSNBC Nightly News (video link). For those of you who need a quick update on the back story, click here. In addition, there seems to be a [...]
Charles County Maryland Sales Statistics November 2007
Charles County has been impacted heavily during the recent market downturn (although not as badly as PG County). Sales are down roughly 33% from this time last year, average days on market is up over 85% to 132, and average sales prices have fallen as well. Prices are down roughly 3% from November of 2006, [...]
St. Mary’s County Maryland Sales Statistics November 2007
St. Mary’s County, Maryland has a few interesting points to make note of when looking at the overall market health. First, the average and median sales price of a home here has gone up. While this is a very good sign, it is not the only indication that the local market is performing as well [...]
Pound Puppies Bring Many Happy Returns
I am a firm believer that shelter dogs can make the best potential canine companions(nothing against cats, I just prefer pets that don’t cough up hairballs). I’d like to share with everyone my own personal story about my mutts to illustrate how rewarding dogs can really be! I’m sick and tired of hearing about animal [...]
Foreclosure Buying Tips Part 2
This is part 2 of a 3 part series on how foreclosures work and how to find the best home to fit your needs at the best price. There’s really no great mystery to it, but there is a process to it and I’m here to do my best explaining how each step works and [...]
Foreclosure Buying Tips Part 1
Foreclosure was once that dirty word that nobody talked about, but with the recent market changes everybody who’s looking to buy a home is at least curious about how the process of buying a foreclosure works. There’s really no great mystery to it, but there is a process to it and I’m here to do [...]
La Plata Rabbler 3 Bed/2Bath $425k
I simply can’t say enough good things about this home! This home was built in 2003 and still looks new, inside and out! This property is located right in the heart of La Plata, within walking distance of nearby shopping. The Kitchen is fantastic, with granite counter tops a center island, and an eat-in breakfast [...]
Looking for a good pork sandwich? Fuhgeddaboutit!
Thinking about the good old days, when mobsters came and went freely, meeting their FBI contacts and enjoying a good pork sandwich? Well it looks like that time has gone. Yes, I know The Sopranos has been off the air for awhile now. I have to admit I loved watching each week waiting to see [...]
California Mobile Home Trailer Park to be Re-Developed
Looks like a bit of bad news for residents of a local trailer park in California, Maryland. The trailer park, located near route 4 and route 235, also known as Burkes, has been scheduled for Demolition, with 115,000 square feet of commercial space to be raised in it’s place. According to a commissioners report, 61% [...]
Calvert County Maryland Market Statistics November 2007
Calvert County, much like Southern Maryland, is currently working through downward sales trends and coping with lackluster sales in the real estate market. Although sales volume is only down by roughly 10% county wide, a look at the bigger picture gives a much better indication of what the local market is actually facing. Prices are [...]
St. Mary’s County MD Foreclosures
ust a quick update for everyone keeping an eye on St. Mary’s County, MD Foreclosure Information. Here is a list of the current stats. Number of Foreclosures for sale in St. Mary’s County: 20 Number of Pre-Foreclosures for sale in St. Mary’s County: 18 If anyone wants to be added to the current foreclosure or [...]
Charles County Real Estate Market Report – November 2007
Wow, this has been an incredibly difficult year to try selling a home! As I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, Countrywide Home Loans was the first to take action to help ease consumer strain and keep people from being foreclosed on. It may be to early to tell, but it looks like we’re starting to see [...]
Metropolitan Dream Homes quick update
I just received a copy of an email sent to investors from Metropolitan Dream Homes (MDH). Included in my post is a copy of that email: On October 29, 2007, in the Circuit Court for Prince George ’s County, Judge Smith ordered that the Motion for Freeze of the Assets of POS DH, LLC, Metropolitan [...]
Homeowners who need to get out!
I’ve gotten a few calls this week about Metro Dream Homes and here at Team Benya we are working with homeowners involved in this scandal to help them get out from under their inflated mortgage payments by negotiating short sales with the banks directly to get their homes sold before they go to foreclosure. The [...]
Parent Company POS in receivership
I want to make sure I keep you guys updated on the unfolding Metro Dream Homes scandal; It seems a company named Invotex has taken temporary receivership of POS, which is the parent company for Metro Dream Homes. They have set up a website where interested people can view copies of the court documents as [...]
Swan Point Development Moving Forward
I’ve got some news for all you Charles County residents out there… The development project in Issue, MD at Swan Point may finally been moving forward! For you golfers out there, you know how challenging the par 72 course there can be, and now it looks like they’re getting ready to begin the second half [...]
Black Friday 2007 Success!
I swore I would never do it. I was certain the last thing I wanted to do was go out on Black Friday to go Christmas shopping. Why on Earth would anyone in their right mind want to deal with shoulder to shoulder crowds the day after Thanksgiving? I’ve spent years teasing devout bargain hunters who [...]
October 2007 Foreclosure List
Here it is, the up to date list of active foreclosures for sale in Charles County. If anyone would like lists for other counties, please let me know and I will be more than happy to send them your way! Download 1024Foreclosures.pdf
Hats Off To Countrywide
I gotta say, they really stepped up to the plate and did what makes sense in my mind. If you haven’t already heard, here’s a link to the article: http://www.inman.com/inmanstories.aspx?ID=64991 It’s a huge relief to lot of people that are looking at a terrifying possibility of foreclosure. While it’s certainly not a final answer to [...]
Free Steak Dinner
Sounds appealing right? but the reality of it is that I showed a property earlier this year and(although unadvertised, and most likely unintentional) apparently it had just such an offer included. The property was a rehab potential and I got a call out of the blue from some investors who were interested in taking a [...]
Investment Time
It seems to me like the number of clients looking to purchase a primary residence right now are outnumbered by investors looking at the current market as the perfect opportunity to find long term investments. Although I have a few people interested in picking up renovation projects, more of my investment clients are looking for [...]
Consumer Home Show This Weekend!
I wanted to let everyone know that the American Consumer Home Show is this weekend October 26th, 27th, and 28that the showplace arena in Upper Marlboro, MD. Details are included in the link, but this is a great place to look at the latest tips and products for home improvement! It’s a must see show for [...]
Sometimes a warning may be in order….
Reading through the blog reports on activerain.com today I came across a blog talking about finding abandoned pit bulls in a foreclosed property and the shock that the Realtor got when he walked in on them! As bad as it could have been, it reminded me of an incident not too long ago where we [...]
Foreclosures Everywhere
Foreclosure rates are up everywhere, not just in Charles County. The question on a lot of my clients minds is what exactly is available foreclosure-wise in the area? I’ve put together a list of some of the local properties that have been foreclosed on and there is a link available here: Foreclosure List in PDF Format
PG County MD Foreclosures
Just a quick update for everyone keeping an eye on Prince George’s County, MD Foreclosure Information. Here is a list of the current stats. Number of Foreclosures for sale in PG County: 250 Number of Pre-Foreclosures for sale in PG County: 489 If anyone wants to be added to the current foreclosure or pre-foreclosure mailing [...]
Michael Vick’s Home Fails to Sell
Now here’s a surprise…. Michael Vick’s Virginia Home, where his now infamous dog fighting compound was located, failed to sell at auction this week. Turns out that people weren’t interested in running up the price because of it’s notoriety. Here’s the back story: Vick sold the home for $450,000 to a real estate investor shortly after [...]
Understanding the Housing Slump in Maryland
There was an interesting news piece this morning on NBC 4, talking about how the Maryland housing market is going to continue like this for the next year. The report was based off of anticipated loss of tax revenues due to the housing slump, and stated that the market is not about to improve in the [...]
Waldorf Power Plant Proposal
Now there seems to be a new proposal for the county, this time from another company, Competitive Power Ventures, and instead of Indian Head, they’ve set their sights on a Gas-Powered plant to be located in Waldorf, MD. Hmm, they claim the plant would be 50-100 times cleaner than a coal plant, and Maryland is expected to [...]
A little more information has trickled in
It’s frightening to think of just how deep the bottom line has been buried in regards to Andy Williams and Metropolitan Dream Homes. Here’s the latest info- 18 companies have been determined as subsidiaries of Metro-Grapevine, the parent company of Metro Dream Homes ( aka MDH ). over 1,000people are financially involved. Company assets that have been recovered [...]
Charles County MD Foreclosures
Just a quick update for everyone keeping an eye on Charles County, MD Foreclosure Information. Here is a list of the current stats. Number of Foreclosures for sale in Charles County: 46 Number of Pre-Foreclosures for sale in Charles County: 55 If anyone wants to be added to the current foreclosure or pre-foreclosure mailing lists, [...]
Metropolitan Money Store FRAUD Reports
It goes without saying that the predatory lending practices that have sprung up in recent years are finally starting to be understood to be just that: PREDATORY. Unfortunately there’s been more than a few reports, particularly out of PG County, about financial scams that I wanted to post a little info on. In a report [...]
We Do Have Foreclosure and Pre-Foreclosure Lists
There seems to have been some confusion regarding foreclosure and pre-foreclosure lists in the region. Yes, I do have them, Yes, they are free, and Yes, I update them daily! If you are looking for foreclosure or pre-foreclosure lists or information, please give me a call (301-653-8116) and I can send that info out to you. I [...]
I Didn’t MEAN to sell it for $280 Million
Let me start by saying that information is great. Technology has been wonderful for our industry, and it’s revolutionized the way we do business (Those Agents who had to keep their listings on Index Cards know EXACTLY what I’m talking about!). But with great responsibility comes great power (I heard that someone important said that once), and [...]
Horse Farm For Sale in Brandywine!
just put a horse farm up on the market and I wanted to let everyone know because this is quite simply an outstanding opportunity! This 6 acre property is income generating and has enough space for 18+ horses! If you or anyone you know is looking for a place to be able to stable their [...]
Charles County Well Shut Down due to Radiation
A well for the Cliffton on the Potomac subdivision in Newburg, MD was shut down earlier this week due to excessively high radium content. Water for the neighborhood is currently being drawn from another nearby well. The County has stated that the situation “is not an emergency”, however the are currently working to install a [...]
Power Plant Plans in Indian Head Die
There’s been plenty of debate in the last year regarding the proposed power plant in Indian Head, MD at the Naval Base. All of that is moot now that the proposal has died due to financial feasibility, or lack thereof. While the idea of putting in a coal-powered plant was unsavory to many local residents [...]
If it sounds too good to be true, It probably Is
Just another local real estate scam that is getting lots of attention, particularly from the Attorney General in Maryland AND Virginia. Essentially the accusation goes something like this: Metro Dream Homes convinced people to buy in to their investment program (about 10%-15% of the value of their home) and MDH would “invest” that money and [...]
Sex? No Thanks, I’m a Realtor
Just when you think you’ve heard it all….. I’m convinced that it’s got to be something in the water that makes people crazy, or maybe they just weren’t hugged enough as children…. At any rate, another Realtor has just made my list of Loony News Stories, This time from Miami. Turns out getting a deal [...]
Foreclosure Buying Tips Part 3
This is part 3 of a 3 part series on how foreclosures work and how to find the best home to fit your needs at the best price. There’s really no great mystery to it, but there is a process and I’m here to do my best explaining how each step works and how you [...]
Charles County may have just gotten more expensive
For anyone out there who’s looking at buying a new home in the near future, you may want to take a look at this. Charles County has been charging developers in the subdivisions of Waterford and The Willows$15,000 per home as a school impact fee, and now that has gone up 10%. If you are considering purchasing in [...]
FHA Lending Limits Change
We’ve been expecting to see this, but the new lending limits for FHA loans in Southern Maryland have been published (fair warning: this is kinda dry information, add water as necessary). For Charles County and Calvert County, the new limit for a FHA loan on a single family home is$729,750. For those of you who know the area well, that’s [...]
Charles County Market Statistics
I’ve had a couple of people ask me recently what the current market out look is in the region, so I’m putting up a quick portion of my market report to let everybody see exactly what we’re facing here in Charles County. If anybody has any questions about the charts, I’d be more than happy [...]
Gorgeous FSBO in La Plata!
This one won’t last long! Includes 4 BRs, 3.5 BAs, separate dining room, hardwood floors, formal living room, large open kitchen with island, huge open family room with gas fireplace, full basement, with full bath, landscaping with irrigation system & much, much more! 4260 square feet! Priced at $560,000 with all allowable closing costs. For [...]
Charles County Cafe Blog Worth A Look!
I recently ran across a great local blog that seems to hit the nail on the head! The blog is called the Charles County Cafe, and if you have the chance, I highly recommend you check it out! I love reading other local blogs, and I’ll be featuring more and more as time allows. One [...]
St. Mary’s County Sales Statistics
I recently had a discussion on city-data.com about housing in St. Mary’s County, MD. I wanted to post a link for the median sales price of a home in zip code 20659 (St. Mary’s largest zip code) to better illustrate the market in the area. I’ve pulled the data directly from the multiple listing service (MLS) [...]
ROBOTS INVADE Washington, D.C.!
The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. has a really cool Japanese culture and hyper-culture arts festival going on through 2/17/2008, and if you get the chance, check out their website and look at some of the shows and exhibits they have! Some of the shows are even free! The coolest part of it all is the [...]
Rails-to-Trails Creates More Charles County Recreation
I’m excited about Charles County’s newest recreational development! In October, 2006 the Navy donated a 13 mile stretch of train track running from White Plains to Indian Head, and now that stretch of dormant track is slated to be turned into a recreational trail for Charles County! They’re planning to tear out the tracks and install a 100′ [...]
Update on Metro Dream Homes
There’s a front page article in today’s Fredericksburg, VA Free Lance-Star. It seems that the Attorney General has established that the company is in debt by at least $300,000,000! Their assets have been frozen and they’re trying to find the money trail, but so far only $150,000 has been found so far. They did jail [...]
Middletown Road Will Remain Closed
The Charles County Department of Planning and Growth Management has announced that the portion of Middletown Road between the Smallwood Drive West intersection and the Billingsley Road intersection will remain closed to through traffic until on or about Jan. 29. Signs will remain posted notifying the public of the closure and existing detour routes. The [...]
Fixing That Credit Score CAN Be Done, But Be Smart About It!
Lenders have decided to shape up their credit criteria, how healthy is your credit score? A lot of people are feeling the pinch with lenders tightening their belts and restricting their loan approvals more and more each day. Mortgage lenders are forced to be more restrictive these days, and some people are facing the need to [...]
Real Estate Auctions The Newest Wave?
Before the auction began we advised our client of the market price that he might expect to pay for his lot. And that he needed to decide how much he was willing to pay prior to the auction. This is very important because it is very easy to get caught up in the emotion and [...]
White Plains Townhouse: 4/3.5, for $250k
Every once in awhile I see a really great opportunity come by, and I like to make sure that as many people see is as possible. If you happen to be in the market for a great looking townhouse, this property is definitely priced right. It’s not my listing, but I’d love to find the [...]
A Wandering Dog Got A Big Surprise!
I admit, my house is “secluded”, the dirt road leading to the gravel driveway should be enough to give that away (I hear a “you might be a redneck” joke coming on….)! I like the idea of country living though, which is why I’m there. You won’t hear me complaining about noisy neighbors! However, my [...]
Builder comes to the rescue in Accokeek
I can’t tell you how much I love hearing news like this! It seems that a woman named Delores Smith in Accokeek, MD, who has worked as a foster mother to over 125 children, is on the right path to getting her home re-built. She was evicted in 2003 after the house was condemned due [...]
Facchina Donates Land to Maryland Environmental Trust
Here’s some good news for local residents! The “Boy Scout Property” east of Rt. 235 has been donated to the Maryland Environmental Trust by Facchina! This is a 179 acre property that was once slated to see over 200 homes put in, but thanks to the donation, development will be strictly curtailed! “I am glad [...]
Calvert County MD Foreclosures
Just a quick update for everyone keeping an eye on Calvert County, MD Foreclosure Information. Here is a list of the current stats. Number of Foreclosures for sale in Calvert County: 18 Number of Pre-Foreclosures for sale in Calvert County: 21 If anyone wants to be added to the current foreclosure or pre-foreclosure mailing lists, [...]
Charles County is getting a new public park!
Well it’s about time! Everyone who lives on the western side of Charles County knows that there is a distinct lack of public parks and resources in the area. The Pisgah, Maryland Park announcement, means that the Bryans Road/Indian Head area will be seeing lots of improvements! The new park has already gotten it’s funding approval from the [...]
Why Do You Love Southern Maryland?
I can remember moving to Southern Maryland back in the mid 90′s because my parents wanted me in the school system down here rather than in PG County. I’ve lived around the bay for as long as I can remember, and Southern Maryland is by far my favorite region. Why? Well for one thing, I [...]
Secret Room leads to Mold Problem
Imagine finding a “secret room” in your house. Jason and Kerri Brown of Greenville found a secret room in their home behind a bookcase, and what was inside was a massive mold infestation. It seems that the bought the home from foreclosure and decided not to get a mold test done. It seems that the [...]
Maryland Foreclosure Lists
I’ve posted a lot of information about Southern Maryland Foreclosures, and a lot of people seem interested in what’s going on locally, and curious as to what kind of a deal you can get on a foreclosed home. I’m posting a list of current Charles County Foreclosures so that you can see first hand exactly what [...]
What’s Going Where in Charles County
Ever wonder about what’s being built or what a developer proposes to build on the vacant land around the corner? This feature is intended to provide an easy way for you to learn about planned development throughout Charles County. Using information provided by the Charles County Department of Planning and Growth Management, and the town of La Plata zoning office, the Southern Maryland Extra gives you a [...]
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