An attractive, super energy-efficient, perfectly located in-town Liberty Street Rock Hall house.  Walk to marinas, restaurants, shops, the bay!  Thoughtfully and beautifully renovated with upgraded details throughout.  All new thermo pane windows, Rinnai tankless water heater, thermostatically controlled propane stove (looks like a wood stove - with all the ambiance, and without the mess) - and an impressive row of 12 Evergreen solar panels installed on the roof, discreetly generating almost all your energy needs -  sometimes even providing a surplus, which results in an electric bill credit!  Many more upgrades too numerous to mention; you must see this sweet Rock Hall gem to appreciate it.  Reasonably priced at $235,000.
     Speaking of credit, this listing comes available to you just in time for the newly expanded and extended Home buyer Tax Credit - just extended until April, 2010, and expanded by Congress to all home buyers.  Don't miss out!  Make this your primary residence, and save not only on your electric bill, but also get a chunk of money back at tax time!

Here's a judge who's looking out for somebody other than the banks. Very cool.

For months now, we've been wondering - has the real estate market and existing home prices hit  bottom yet?  According to the Case Schiller Index, apparently it has.  Certainly,  showings to prospective buyers have picked up dramatically in the local Rock Hall area, and contracts are starting to come in.  This is all good news - let's hope the momentum continues!  And if you've been on the fence, now might be the time to make your move.

Inventory is high in Rock Hall right now -- prices are all over the place.  Some houses have just gone up for sale, and we have some that have been sitting on the market for two years or more. 

In today's tough market, you need to start with the end in mind.  You need to face the reality that home prices have dropped a full 25-30% within the past two years.    And as a seller, probably the toughest fact to face is that the new pricing applies to your house,  too.  However exceptional  you believe your house to be, if you want to sell it, you really have to look at your property without emotion  - just as most buyers will.  You can, and must, find out what the current pricing is on the market now, and price below.   Your Realtor will give you the information you need to make the right decision about the price.  Then, you need to undercut the competition - price it below what you really think it's worth - just to get showings.  Your goal is to find the proverbial needle in the haystack - a buyer.

A lot of sellers think  that putting a higher price on it will inspire the Realtor to work even harder, because higher price equals bigger commission.   Every Realtor knows, however, that six percent of nothing equals...nothing.  Commissions don't get paid at the time of the listing - they get paid at closing.  No matter how hard your Realtor markets your house, the wrong price on the house means no closing. 

The 2009 State of the Nation Housing Report from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard concludes that, although current conditions are present that would normally support a housing recovery, the current job losses and tight lending standards are for now delaying benefits to be gained from low interest rates, lower prices, and incentives such as the first-time buyer tax credit. 

Although the lower interest rates and incentives have lately helped to stabilize sales, there's still pressure being put on prices.  And for now, only the most motivated sellers can compete in this market. 

Meanwhile, would-be buyers who are sitting on the sidelines, waiting for prices to drop more, may cancel out savings as interest rates creep up.  

Thankfully, looks like the rain is ending, and weather clearing up just in time for the 72nd Downriver Race tomorrow, Friday, June 19, starting from the Chester River Country Club, and ending at the Rock Hall Yacht Club.  Be sure you check out the link to Rock Hall Yacht Club and see all the sailing events for this great weekend.  Yet another reason to invest in the Rock Hall area!

Here's a suggestion - come spend an evening with Duduka da Fonseca, Maucha Adnet and Chuck Redd, taking in Bossa nova, samba, and the beautiful rhythms of Brazil at the Mainstay this Saturday night, on Main Street in Rock Hall.  Fonseca is one of the best known and most widely admired of all Brazilian drummers.  His music is described as "jazz with Brazilian roots."  Maucha Adnet is a vocalist who has performed and recorded with legendary composer Antonio Carlos Jobim, and she was the guest vocalist on Randy Brecker's Grammy-winning CD "Into the Sun."  Chuck Redd is well known to Mainstay audiences; he's an outstanding vibraphonist, and was long a member of the Charlie Byrd Trio, as well as Great Guitars, the Mel Torme All-star Jazz Quintet, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, and others.  Also included in this excellent group on Saturday is Robert Redd on piano and Leonardo Cioglia on bass.  Call the Mainstay to reserve tickets: 410-639-9133.

Before the concert, come over to the Rock Hall Yacht Club and have a bite to eat from the Log Canoe Menu.  If you haven't already joined the club, you'll see it's one of the most beautiful spots on the water in Kent County. Be sure to pick up a membership application while you're there for dinner.  Then head over to the Mainstay - the concert begins at 8:00.  See you there!

The next time you think your house needs more print advertising in order to sell, please refer to this graph.  In Kent County, and in Rock Hall in particular, most buyers and/or "Lookers" have already viewed your property on the internet before they get to town. 

No, this is not a call to meditation!  It's an invitation to an open house - today - in Rock Hall on fabulous Lawton Avenue!  This is the part of Rock Hall known as Gratitude, at one time a separate town itself.  And here in Gratitude is this lovely 6 bedroom house, currently used very successfully as an income producing vacation rental.  Turn-key, ready and set to go, with a full view of the Bay.  Stop by and say hi!  I'll be there from noon til 3:00 p.m.  Look for the Yellow and Blue balloons!