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Open House in Gunners Lake Village on Sunday

July 2010
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Gunners Lake Village, Germantown  -  We invite everyone to visit our open house at 18929 Ebbtide Circle on July 25 from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

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3 Story For Sale in Gunners Lake Village

Front Exterior
Move in Ready!!

• 1,240 sq. ft., 3 bath, 3 bdrm 3 story "Fully Finished Basement" - MLS® $265,000

 -  Open, spacious & MOVE IN READY! All new carpet & paint from top to bottom. Ceramic tile in kichen, ceramic counters. Family/Dining rm comb OR huge Great Room w/Fireplace! Great rm features a bay window & walks out to large deck just power washed & backs to trees!! Fully finished basement walks out to fenced backyard. Master Suite boasts a large box bay window & private full bath.

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2 Story For Sale in Brunswick

Front Exterior
Fully remodeled - Almost Completed!!

• 1,440 sq. ft., 3 bath, 3 bdrm 2 story - MLS® $100,000 - Short Sale

 -  Great opportunity for quick equity! Taken way beyond a "shell". House has been done to the new drywall (elect, plumb etc completed).New windows and siding. Now needs the finishing touches, appliances & HVAC(duct work is complete). Old home with new style - Spacious closets have been added to bedrooms, Master BR has its own private FB. Purchaser MUST have cash or FHA 203k loan. Short sale by very experienced agents

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3 Story For Sale in Chestnut Hill Cove

Chestnut Manor
Experienced Short Sale Agents

• 1,240 sq. ft., 3 bath, 3 bdrm 3 story "Open Layout" - MLS® $219,000 - This is a SHORT SALE

  -  Three finished levels, nice 2 level deck, fenced yard backing to trees. Updated kitchen incl a nice eating area, island & stainless steel applncs! Din rm/Liv rm can be a great rm also. Box Bay window in liv rm, vaulted ceilings w/skylights in upper lvl. Fully finshed basement makes great theatre rm or game rm. Very peaceful backyard. Short sale by very experienced agent - Move In Ready!!!

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3 Story For Sale in Saddle Ridge

Front Exterior
This is a SHORT SALE

• 3,252 sq. ft., 4 bath, 4 bdrm 3 story "Finished Lower Level" - MLS® $350,000 - Below Market Value

 -  Our loss is your gain! Hrdwd flrs grace the main lvl - open fam rm off kitchen w/gas FP, ceramic tile in kitchen w/island. Kitchen walks out to beautiful brick patio & lvl backyrd. Fully finishd bsmnt w/add'l game rm or office & full bath. Master Suite featrs soaking tub, dual sinks & sep shwr. Brand new carpet & kitch flr - MOVE IN READY. Short sale handled by experienced short sale agents.

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3 Story For Sale in North Crossing

Front Exterior

• 2,064 sq. ft., 3 bath, 4 bdrm 3 story "Finished Basement" - MLS® $349,000

 -  Beautiful wood floors grace the entire main level. 9' ceilings throughout, valuted ceiling in Master suite. Kitchen boasts stainless fridge & lrg island. Kit walks out to beautiful brick patio w/pergola & nicely landscaped. Fenced and private backyard. Master bath features lrg soaking tub w/sep shower & nice sized rooms. Take advantage of the great rates & move up to a home you deserve.

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7616 Connecticu Ave in Chevy Chase Section Four is Sold!

Sold

Chevy Chase Section Four, Montgomery County  -  7616 Connecticu Ave has been sold in 39 days!!  It also sold for $13,500 over it's current listed price for $687,500! 

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3 Story For Sale in The Paddocks

Front Exterior
Gorgeous and Private Estate Home

• 3,064 sq. ft., 4 bath, 4 bdrm 3 story - MLS® $619,000

 -  Spectacular private/level lot. Unique wide plank hrdwd flrs grace the main lvl. Open flr plan featrs a sunrm off the LR/DR
area. Fully fnshd bsmt w/o to a brick patio & lrg maint free deck w/dual stairs. Kitchen boasts granite cntrs, 42" cabs, tile bkslpsh &
exits to deck. 9' ceilings throughout, vaulted ceiling in MB. Master Bath has dual sep vanities, lrg soaking tub & sep shower.

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Price Reduced on 8911 Georgia Ave in Downtown Silver Spring

Downtown Silver Spring, Silver Spring  -  Announcing a price reduction on 8911 Georgia Ave, a 1,716 sq. ft., 3 bath, 3 bdrm 3 story "Very Open and Spacious". Now MLS® $429,000 - Just Reduced 11.

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Price Reduced on 9708 Bellevue Dr in Locust Hill Estates

Locust Hill Estates, Bethesda  -  Announcing a price reduction on 9708 Bellevue Dr, a 1,714 sq. ft., 3 bath, 4 bdrm 2 story "Not your Average Rancher!". Now MLS® $678,500 - REDUCED! WOW!!.

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USDA Loans - A Good Choice? Depends

USDA Home loans were designed to elimininate substandard housing from rural areas. And right now it is the only way to get 100% financing other than a VA loan. There are some downpayment assistance grant programs, but to my knowledge they will not finance 100% of the loan only subsidize your downpayment.  While it was designed for rural areas, you may be surprised to find out that many parts of Frederick and Carroll county are considered rural areas (as are probably many more pockets throughout Maryland due to the fact that we are an agricultural state).  The interest rates are competitive, credit requirements are more lenient and income must be low.  All pluses if you are a buyer whose having trouble getting a loan and doesn't have any cash and needs 100% financing.

But what if you write an offer on a property and the seller doesn't want to accept your offer because they don't like the type of loan you're getting? Why would they care?  In this current market place financing is the number 1 reason that a deal doesn't make it to settlement.  Scrutinizing ALL of the pieces of a contract is very important.  This means the offer price, the settlement date, inspections that are being asked for and definitely the financing.  Anytime someone finances 100%,  the loan is already tighter.  The buyer has very little invested other than their own emmotions, appraisals must come in at the offer price completely and not a penny less.  And then there's the timeline of settlement. As a general rule when a contract is written the settlement date is 30 - 45 days after the offer is accepted.  If you pick that timeline with a USDA loan, you may be rudely surprised when that date comes and goes with no remorse from the USDA office. It is very much a typical government process with someone just pushing files with a checklist.  I would like to think that on the other side in that office is a picture very different than the side I see, however after having dealt with these a number of times, I sincerely doubt it.  USDA loans as well as some of the grant programs can take every bit of 60 days or more. 

USDA have their own guidelines and in my personal experience do not make them clear from the start.  As with FHA and VA government loans, USDA comes with a long list of inspections.  These include all the same hot spots such as flaking paint, railings and everything FHA is famous for as well as some additional ones.  The inspection process will almost always cost the seller money and aggravation (especially if the house is an older one) and if the USDA portion is an add on to another loan (same applies to a grant that's applied as a down payment assistance program), than the seller is now subject to 2 sets of inspections, 2 appraisals, 2 underwriting processes and 2 sets of loan guidelines. In this current climate it seems as if banks look for reasons NOT to lend money and in this process it is exemplified even more.  I have 2 listings (both old homes circa 1900) and are both being sold to buyers with USDA loans.  Each have come with different inspection flags...one is even being required to have smoke detectors hardwired. They are currently present but not hardwired.  The other question remains, why wasn't this a requirement on the other if it's part of their standard requirements?  It's very frustrating and our settlement for one of them has been delayed twice so far. The other has already been in process for over 60 days.  It took USDA four weeks just to get us a pre-appoval letter. 

As a listing agent I would not be doing my job if I didn't point out the risks to my sellers of accepting an offer with this type of financing. To my buyers I also have to point out the risks to them as well.  If they need to rely on a certain settlement date, they need to be prepared for plan B.  Will the USDA process stand in the way of being able to make the deal work between buyer and seller?  All potential issues on the house will need to be clearly addressed before writing an offer with a different set of eyes.  These types of loans and grants are wonderful in the right situations and have helped many deserving people.  I'm just saying that they are not the greatest thing since sliced bread and need to be evaluated when to be used and when not to.

4-Level Split For Sale in Thompsons Purchase

Front Exterior
Remodeled and Updated!

• 3 bath, 3 bdrm 4-level split "Very Open" - MLS® $325,000 - Move in Ready!!

 -  Move right in! Updates & remodel have all been done for you. New kitchen is open & boasts maple cabs, ceramic tile flr, ceramic tile backsplash. Open main lvl has new hardwd floors. Eating area walks out to 2 level deck and backyard backs to trees. Finished bsmt w/wet bar and upper level baths have been redone as well. A perfect home to enjoy your life in!

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We became the target of a Craigslist new scam

NotforRentwithSalesign-1-1.jpg picture by DeniseLoveFox

As a Realtor I like to make sure our listings get the most exposure possible so when we're posting our listings to the many online sites that we do, we made sure to include the trendy "Craigslist" which is basically an online classifed ads website.  Imagine my surprise and my sellers horror when we discovered that our for sale listing had been posted with a stranger as a rental.  Four of my pictures were used, my description was used and all of his contact information was included!  He also listed the house for a substantially lower price than it would actually rent for in increase the amount of interested parties.   Just to see what his response would be both me and my seller emailed him posing as prospective interested renters.  He emailed back immediately with a long story about how he had to travel out of the country and needed to rent his home while he was gone.  He even went into a big and completely bogus story about how long he had lived in the home, what the kitchen was like and various other details of the home and his life story.  He stated that he wasn't able to find anyone trustworthy enough to leave a key with so all you can do right now is driveby the home.  Included in his email was a rental application and instructions for getting him the security deposit of $950 in Nigeria in order to receive the keys. I have received a number of calls from people who after driving by the home questioned the validity of the ad and called me, the actual agent who is on the sign in the front yard.

We do not for sure if he is pulling the listings from Craigslist or some other website.  My personal suspicion is that he IS getting them from Craigslist.  Needless to say, The Fox Team will no longer be posting listings to Craigslist.  I urge everyone to remember not to give anyone your personal information and to remember that while I believe the world and the prople in it are inherently good, there are some very evil people that we need to be aware of.

Price Reduced on 2543 Bear Den Rd in Wormans Mill

Wormans Mill, Frederick  -  Announcing a price reduction on 2543 Bear Den Rd, a 2,552 sq. ft., 3 bath, 3 bdrm 3 story "Modern Colonial". Now MLS® $399,000 - REDUCED! WOW!!.

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3 Story For Sale in Woodlands at Nottingham

Front 2
As Good As New

• 3,608 sq. ft., 4 bath, 4 bdrm 3 story "Room to Grow!" - MLS® $599,000

 -  Enjoy your success and move up to this spacious & move in ready home! Large kitchen boasts sunroom large island brksfast bar, black appliances, 42" Cherry cabinets, dual wall ovens, gas cooktop, upgraded ceramic tile. Walkout bsmnt is fully finished. Master bath has lrg soaking tub, dual vanities & sep shower. Tray ceiling & hrdwd flrs in the dining rm, two story fam rm w/gas FP. Shows great!...

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