So, we’re into June and that neighbor of yours still hasn’t cut his lawn this year. You’ve seen antelopes and snakes nesting on that lot and its killing your property value or -- worse yet -- your attempts to sell your home.
The Anne Arundel County government has a process for dealing with weeded brush and overgrown grass on private property. In fact, the county’s Department of Public Works receives and acts on more than 1,400 requests per year relating to the county’s Weeded Lot law.
Article 13, Title 6, of the Anne Arundel County Code states that a homeowner, occupant, or person in control of real property may not allow or maintain on their property a growth of weeds or grass that is 12 inches or higher. County residents can file complaints against owners who violate these provisions.
When the county receives a complaint, an inspector with the Department of Public Works will investigate the report to verify that the property’s condition violates the county code. If a violation is found, notification is sent to the property owner via a certified letter that the weeds or grass need to be cut.
If the property owner does not comply with the notice, a certified notice is posted on the property for a period of seven days. If the overgrown lot is not cut by the eighth day, a contractor hired by the county is sent to cut the overgrown property, and the property owner is billed for all charges, including overhead. According to the county, this entire process can take as long as three weeks.
If the property owner fails to pay the invoice for mowing, the county may place a tax lien on the property. Moreover, if the overgrown condition of the lot persists, the county can charge the property owner as much as $500 each time the owner fails to cut the property. This violation of the county code also carries civil penalties up to $1,000.
- publicly owned and preserved as a natural area, open space or for recreation.
Anne Arundel County residents can report a weeded lot by contacting the Department of Public Works (DPW) at (410) 222-7582. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Residents also may make a report using the DPW internet contact form, which is available at http://www.aacounty.org/departments/public-works/contact-us/index.html. When using this form, residents should indicate their request as a “weeded lot” and include a physical address in the comment section.
Questions relating to the county’s Weeded Lot law also may be directed to the county’s Bureau of Highways Administration at (410) 222-7321.
Aggressive buyer appetite and a lack of residential properties for sale led Odenton home sales to spike strongly last month, according to year-over-year data released by RealEstate Business Intelligence (RBI).
The number of homes sold in Odenton in March (49) rose 53 percent over the same period last year, while the median price of a home sold in Odenton rose 7.6 percent. The average number of days it took to sell an Odenton home dropped 10 percent from March 2015, to 70 days.
RBI statistics show that the months of supply of housing available in Odenton remains critically low at 3.0 months. Months of supply is a good indicator of whether a real estate market is favoring buyers or sellers. Typically, a market with less than 6 months of supply favors sellers, while more than 6 months of supply indicates an excess of homes for sale, favoring buyers.
In Piney Orchard, a particularly popular community for local home buyers, the market for home sellers was even stronger. The months-of-supply figure for Piney Orchard in March was 2.1 months.
The boom in Odenton real estate was not confined to March, however. RBI year-to-date numbers show strong growth in the Odenton housing market since the beginning of the year.
In the Maple Ridge neighborhood, for instance, 13 homes sold in the first three months of 2016, compared to only two homes over the same period last year. That’s an increase of 550 percent. It’s not surprising, then, that the median Maple Ridge home price has jumped 23 percent since the beginning of the year.
The story is much the same in Piney Orchard. Year-to-date sales numbers for the community show an increase in sales of 55 percent over 2015, and the median price of a Piney Orchard home is up 4.2 percent so far this year.
Not every Odenton community has benefitted from the upswing, however. Year-to-date sales numbers for Seven Oaks, for example, show the number of homes sold there dropped 40 percent (from 30 homes to 18 homes) from the same period in 2015 -- although the median home price in that community did rise 2.3 percent). Given that the average number of days needed to sell a Seven Oaks home dropped 48 percent year over year, the drop-off in sales in Seven Oaks this year is probably explained by a lack of available inventory.
Home sales in other Odenton communities, including Chapel Grove, Four Seasons Estates, Kings Ransom and Eden Brook, remained largely flat compared to the same period in 2015. While sales in Lions Gate are up 66 percent so far in 2016, this increase is based on only five total sales this year (compared to three sales over the same period in 2015).
Need a Bowie Home With 15 Garage Spaces???
If You're a Car Nut/Mechanic/Collector Looking to House You and Your Beauties, I Have Just the Property for You!
This quiet, rural compound sits on six secluded acres near Bowie, Maryland. The 7,460 sq. ft. home, built in 2000, features six bedrooms, 7.5 baths and three fireplaces.
The home is very nice -- don't get me wrong. But it's the car storage options here that make this property particularly special.
But the remaining two detached garages really set this home apart.
to accommodate large trucks and RVs. Finally, the third garage is a cavernous, steel, multipurpose structure that can easily handle 9+ cars or the largest tractor trailer trucks made today. The building's wide-open interior and soaring ceilings can be configured hundreds of ways to meet your needs.
Best of all, the terrain of this property drops off from front to rear, meaning that the two large, detached garages are located downhill and away from the main house. So, the owner can quietly enjoy the luxury residence, while not feeling like he or she is living in a commercial auto service center.
If you or someone you know are looking for a new home and are into collecting, working on or just enjoying automobiles of any sort, contact me (443-924-7418) today! I'll arrange a private tour of this unique property at your convenience.
Tony & Kim, Your Home is Under Contract!
Eleven days, 22 showings, multiple offers. Thanks for allowing me to sell your home at 7915 Evesboro Drive in Severn, Maryland!
Do you know someone looking to buy or sell a home in the greater Fort Meade, Maryland, area? Call me today (443-924-7418) and let's discuss how I can help you.
Congratulations, Laura, You Are Under Contract!
Congratulations go out to my buyer client, Laura, on her accepted purchase offer for 11444 Abbotswood Court in Upper Marlboro! It's a beautiful home and will cut Laura's work commute from more than an hour to 10 minutes. I'm very excited that I can help Laura purchase her first home!
Who do you know who needs to buy or sell a home in the greater Baltimore/Annapolis/Washington, D.C area? Have them call me today (443) 924-7418.
This Short Sale Property is Located One-Minute's Drive from Fort Meade's Rockenbach Gate.
Ugh. If you know anything about the awful commute to and from Fort Meade each day, you know that the last mile approaching the base is the most congested. If you're looking to avoid that nightmare traffic, this large colonial at 7915 Evesboro Drive is the one for you. It's located on a very quiet street, one-minute's drive from Ft. Meade's Rockenbach Gate.
Listed as a potential short sale property priced at $340,000, the home is a great option for buyers who don't mind doing a little work.
The home has a fully finished lower level, a bump-out sunroom addition, a large master bedroom suite and a wrap-around rear deck.
Also featured are a separate dining room, a two-car garage and a kitchen with breakfast bar.
The home needs some fresh paint, new carpet and a few small repairs. Once that light work is done, you'll have a real gem.
For more information on 7915 Evesboro Drive in Severn (MLS#AA9606249) contact Jerry Kline, listing agent, Keller Williams Flagship of Maryland at (443) 924-7418.
Home for Sale in Severn: 1829 Quebec St. is Under Contract!
Congratulations, Trent! You are under contract for the sale of your long-time home at 1829 Quebec St. in the Provinces of Severn. Thank you for choosing me as your listing agent – it’s been a fun project!
If you or someone you know needs to sell a home in the greater Fort Meade, Maryland, area, call me today (443) 924-7418. I’ll explain exactly what I’ll do to sell your home for the most money in the shortest amount of time.
Congratulations, Aaron, on the excellent new tenant we found for your Severn rental home! Thanks for engaging me once again as your listing agent.
The median price of a home sold in Gambrills, Maryland, rose 13 percent in 2015, led by a 15 percent jump in the sale price of condominiums.
Statistics published by Real Estate Business Intelligence show that 45 of the 175 homes sold last year in zip code 21054 were condos, and the average price of those units jumped from $274,295 in 2014 to $314,637 in 2015.
The average sale price of all attached homes in Gambrills – including townhomes, duplexes and condos – rose 10 percent over the year before.
Owners of Gambrills detached, single family homes did not fare as well. Average sale prices for those homes actually dropped from the prior year, by 3 percent.
The number of detached homes sold (120) was up 4 percent in 2015, from 115 in 2014. The number of attached homes sold (55) dropped 11 percent in 2015, from 62 in 2014.
One negative factor affecting all Gambrills home sellers last year was a 10 percent rise in the “days-on-market” figure. This means that Gambrills homes took a week longer to sell on average than the year before (77 days versus 70 days in 2014).
Finally, of particular note to owners of Gambrills luxury homes, 2015 showed a tremendous drop in the sale of homes priced $800K and over. In 2015, only two homes sold in this price range. In 2014, eight such homes sold.