Community Yard Sale in June

COMMUNITY YARD SALE
SATURDAY, June 20, 2009
8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

The residents at Stanmore Road and Stanmore Court are organizing a yard sale. Save the date if you are interested. For more information or if you want to organize one for your block on the same date, contact Cynthia Blind at 410-296-5854 or email - cblind@wtplaw.com.

Tax Credit Update

The Secretary of HUD has reversed the earlier announcement from last week about permitting the 2009 Tax Credit to be used up front by buyers as part of their down payment. The program now remains as a tax credit that must be applied for by qualified buyers on their Federal Tax return. You can have your 2008 taxes ammended to get the credit or apply for the credit with your 2009 return.

It's Only A Buyer's Market if You Actually Buy!

There are so many incredible buying opportunities--I mean, once in a lifetime incredible buying opportunities, that many realtors are left wondering, why aren't buyers making a decision?? First-time homebuyers get an $8,000 tax credit, AND now, it looks like they will be able to use it as a downpayment! See the link below. Interest rates are at an all-time low, but nothing lasts forever. FHA money is below 5% right now, but by mid summer that will be gone since the bond money will all be gone. And with FHA, buyers only need 3.5% downpayment money. See what I mean? Buyers need to move now to take advantage of this magical moment in real estate history. The deals are out there--and in Rodgers Forge there is an inventory of homes that sellers want to move! Spread the word--it's only a buyers market if buyers actually buy. And now is the time! Please blog any other info you may have heard about the tax credit, or with other questions or issues you are hearing about.
http://www.realtor.org/press_room/news_releases/2009/05/re_summit?lid=ronav0019

Dumpster Day A Clean Sweep For Neighbors

The Rodgers Forge Community cleaned out the neighborhood on Saturday filling six dumpsters full of unwanted stuff. They also filled an Amvets truck and donated many re-usable items. President Janice Moore is pictured with some hard working committee members who were on hand to organize the morning's activities. This is a yearly event so if you missed it this weekend, we will do it again next May.

May Housing Update

As of May 1:

• 20 properties currently on the market(1% of total homes)
• 5 properties for rent
• Price Range: $229K-$465K
• 13 currently properties under contract
• 41 days on market(average time to go under contract))
• 5 properties sold in April, $270K-$319K

For more details on these sales or housing values, contact me or feel free to post a question.

It's Spring in the Forge! And the Spring Housing Market is Hopping!

April Housing Update--
As of April 1:
--15 properties for sale
--price range: $229K-$465K
--12 properties under contract(42 avg number of days on market)
--3 properties sold in March
--$270K 3bdrm/1bath
--$283.5K 3bdrm/2 bath
--$328K (w$10K seller contribution) 3bdrm/2 bath
In 2008 from January through April 6 the average price of houses sold in the forge was $285K with an average of 62 days on the market. In 2009 for the same time period, the average price of houses that have sold is $287.5K with an average of 50 days on the market. For more details on these sales or housing values, contact me, or feel free to post a question.

RF Community Association President Janice Moore Sends a Letter to Delegate Bohanan; Send your Letter to john.bohanan@house.state.md.us

I am asking you to PLEASE support House Bill 693. I am a 24 year resident of Rodgers Forge Community and a past president of the Association. Our community is directly adjacent to Towson University (TU) on the southern boundary. Our community was founded in 1923 and through the years, Rodgers Forge has weathered through five different TU changes or if you will reinventing of TU. We are a row home community of 1,777 with two community schools (Rodgers Forge Elementary and Dumbarton Middle). Our residents are retires, professionals, singles, and families. This bill is essential to the stability of our community. It would ensure that communication would take place BEFORE any growth would occur AND the input from the Greater Towson community into the proposed growth/change would be done in a logical and planned manner with minimal impact. This is what this House Bill 693 would do: Growth with responsibility and communication! I thank you for your time. Janice Moore, Rodgers Forge