Southern Maryland Real Estate Blog

Holiday Weekends and Wet Dogs

    This past weekend was the first time in nearly a month that I took some time off.  Granted, it was only a day, but taking time for yourself is important, and it's nice to get away from time to time. 

    I spent Saturday at my parent's home in Virginia(literally, smack dab in the middle of nowhere), and enjoyed the beautiful weather and some time with the dogs.

    They say happiness is a WARM puppy.  As far as my dogs are concerned, they think happiness is a WET puppy.  Perhaps my dogs made a mistake.  They could have a lisp for all I know.

    I had a great time, aside from the smell of wet, muddy, salty dogs that I had to endure on the way home.  My arm is still sore from playing fetch, and my clothes smell like fresh grass clippings.  Ah, the finer things in life....

(Hmm.... How did he get this boat to move again?)

~Jonathan Benya
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000
301-653-8116
Waldorf and Southern Maryland Real Estate
www.teambenya.com

Da Wise Guyz.....

    I've been kicking around the idea of creating a new business image, which is an important aspect of being a Realtor.  A good image makes people know that we think we're important, which is a good thing.  It makes people want to work with us, or something goofy like that.

 

    I'm not really going to start blanketing the area with post cards pushing my fancy new business image and ugly mug on them, that's just obnoxious to me.  Even before I became a Realtor I was placing agents postcards in the circular file, and I expect people would do the same with mine.

    Instead, I'm just going to post my new business promotional image on this blog, and I'll wait to see how many people notice it.

    Enjoy the rest of Memorial Day Weekend 2008!

~Jonathan Benya
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000
301-653-8116
Waldorf and Southern Maryland Real Estate
www.teambenya.com

The Internet Typewriter

   

This is what happens when you're spending too much time surfing the net.  Now I can satisfy my yearning for the old days of DOS.  Because I *Dearly* miss the times when starting my computer took 10 minutes, and loading a program off of floppy (FLOPPY!) drives took an extra 4-5 minutes.  It's frightening how spoiled we've become in terms of technological advances. 

    I'm still waiting for the microchip they implant in your brain so you never forget anything (Take That, Alzheimer's!).

~Jonathan Benya
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000
301-653-8116
Waldorf and Southern Maryland Real Estate
www.teambenya.com

Swan Point Project Gains Board of Public Works Approval

Swan Point's proposed development project won approval this week at the Maryland State Board of Public Works hearing in Annapolis, MD this past Wednesday.

    I attended the meeting to view first hand what Governor Martin O'Malley had to say about the project, and to voice my support for the project.  I was impressed at the supporter turnout for the project.  Over 2 dozen people were there to support the development, and although 3 people showed up to protest the development, only two of them decided to speak out against Brookfield Homes and US Steel's proposal.

    The Governor actually opposed the plan, but even without his vote the project gained the necessary approval needed to move forward!  This means that the Swan Point Development Corporation is looking to break ground on the Westin Swan Point hotel by early 2009, and should be slated to open in 2011.

    The meeting itself was fascinating.  Wayne Cooper, Mac Middleton, Sam Graves, and Murray Levy all spoke in support of the project and it's benefit to Southern Maryland, and one of the developers reps mentioned that there was projected to be a 10% overall improvement in water quality in the area due to the new development.

    I've been very impressed with both Brookfield Homes and US Steel on this development.  They seem to understand the sensitive nature of developing a project like this on the Chesapeake Bay, and they've been very flexible in changing plans and proposals in order to comply with concerns of residents and government officials. 

    It really speaks volumes towards their character when they willing change and reduce their own development in order to satisfy everyone involved.  Make no mistake, the goal is to develop a waterfront resort destination here, but that doesn't mean the developer can get everything they want, either.  It's a relief to see a developer that is willing to be flexible with the community.

Link to Maryland Independent Article on Board of Works Approval
Link to Other Development Posts

~Jonathan Benya
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000
301-653-8116
Waldorf and Southern Maryland Real Estate
www.teambenya.com

Building History: The Walls Bakery Wigwam in Waldorf, MD

Old-Timers and Life-Long residents can remember fondly the old Wigwam bakery (Walls Bakery) on Rt. 301 in Waldorf, MD.  I grew up in the area myself, and I dearly miss the old place! 

    They had the BEST eclairs in Maryland, the kind you just can't help yourself when you saw them.  I'm a sugar junkie, and the Wigwam fed my habit.  The building has been closed up for years, and it's future seems uncertain at this point.

    What's fascinating about this building is that it typifies what Waldorf once was:  A roadside stop for truckers  traveling up and down the east coast.  It's a shame that old places like the Stardust Motel and Ballroom (where Sinatra and Elvis once played) are gone, because they beckon to a bygone era.  Perhaps another bakery with tasty eclairs will open there again.  Perhaps not.  That's some prime real estate that the old building sits on, and the money it's worth will probably outweigh the memories.

~Jonathan Benya
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000
301-653-8116
Waldorf and Southern Maryland Real Estate
www.teambenya.com

New Home Construction in Waldorf, MD Autumn Hills Subdivision

     Waldorf, MD has a lot of new home construction developments, and one of them is the Autumn Hills Subdivision, located off of Smallwood Drive, just a stone's throw from the St. Charles Towne Center Mall.

     There are two different builders in that community:  Ryan Homes, who has subdivisions and developments all over the Southern Maryland region, and Craftmark Homes.

     The Ryan Homes there are starting at $340k, and the Craftmark Homes are starting at $550k.  What's nice about this community (aside from the proximity to the mall and shopping) is that all of the homes here are brick or stone front. 

     Some of the lots are a little tight, but the homes are gorgeous!  I currently have had a home listed in this subdivision, and the property was stunning!  Between the hardwood floors, Granite counters, Sun-room, Finished Basement and Finished Attic, there's almost 7,000 square feet of living space!  It's an excellent example of just how big the high-end Craftmark homes are.

      Craftmark is building bigger than Ryan is (hence the higher price tags), but either builder is providing great looking homes in a great location!

     If you're interested in possibly buying here, or in any other subdivision, our new construction experts can help you to negotiate a great deal AND protect your interests when purchasing a new home!  Give us a call or email to get the low-down on New Construction in Charles County, P.G. County, or St. Mary's County!

~Jonathan Benya
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000
301-653-8116
Waldorf and Southern Maryland Real Estate
www.teambenya.com

Open House Becomes Drive Through?!?

    At least I can say that there's never a dull moment in our business!  We held an open house this weekend in Waldorf, and one of the families that came by to look at the property apparently had the brakes jam on their SUV.

OOPS.

    Their car ended up hitting our Expedition that was parked in the driveway, and then trounced over the light pole in the front yard, plowed through the foliage in the walkway, and came to rest against the front stoop.  Fortunately the home has a large brick and slate front porch, or else they may have ended up in the living room!

    Thankfully there were no serious injuries, but it gave everyone quite a scare, and certainly added some excitement to the day!

~Jonathan Benya
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000
301-653-8116
Waldorf and Southern Maryland Real Estate
www.teambenya.com

Houses for Sale in Waldorf, MD: How Can You "Find it All"?

    Buying a home for sale in Waldorf, MD has a lot of great possibilities!  From townhouses to duplexes to single family homes, there are a lot of potential locations for you and your family.  Part of the fun in helping people buy a home is putting all the pieces together to find them that perfect property!

     It's a good idea to consider what it is that you want and need out of your next home, and go from there.  Are you looking for a house with lots of land?  A quick search of the MLS shows that there are currently  55 Homes in Waldorf that meet that criteria, ranging from $245k-$1.7 Million.  That's a huge range, and it shows that your choices are really only limited by your desired price range.

    Another popular option is to consider searching by location.  If you're looking for convenience, and want to be within walking distance to the local mall, you could search by geographic location, and find that there's currently 13 Homes for sale within a half mile of the St. Charles Towne Center Mall, ranging from $170k-286k.

    The great thing about trying to "Find It All" when it comes to home-buying is that there's really no limit to how specific you can try to be (If there's something on the market that matches your criteria, it can be found!).  If you were to say that you wanted a home with very specific criteria, a good Realtor should be able to help you find that information.

      Here's a good example:

    Let's say we want a home with 3 or more bedrooms, 3+ acres of land, a pool, a 2-story vaulted family room, brick exterior, and a full basement, located in Waldorf, MD.  A quick search by your friendly neighborhood Realtor should bring back something like this!

    When you're working with an agent, don't be afraid to be specific when it comes to house-hunting criteria!  Your agent should be working with you, and listening to your wants and needs when it comes to finding a home!

    The bottom line is that in a location like Waldorf, MD and Charles County, there are a ton of options for you and your family.  All you have to do is contact your local Realtor and develop a plan with them to help find the perfect house to call home!

~Jonathan Benya
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000
301-653-8116
Waldorf and Southern Maryland Real Estate
www.teambenya.com

NAR Convention Cliff Notes

I'm at the NAR Mid-Year Convention in Washington, D.C. right now, I'll catch up in a bit on what's happening out here later!

~Jonathan Benya
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000
301-653-8116
Waldorf and Southern Maryland Real Estate
www.teambenya.com

If Granite is Standard, What About An Emergency Party Button?

    Here it is, the ultimate bachelor pad accessory!!  Feeling Blue?  Down in the dumps 'cuz you just got dumped?  Well, worry no more, because the Emergency Party Button is here!!

    With a hot accessory like this, you don't even need to worry about inviting friends, with the strobe lights and fog, they're sure to find you!  This all-in-one system packages everything but the drinks in a simple push of a button!

    Within seconds, your drab little apartment can become the hip party hot-spot you want it to be!!  Call now to order yours today!!