Adding to Gail Nyman’s list of credentials is her recent designation as a CDPE, “Certified Distressed Property Expert.”  Although Calvert County does not have many foreclosures and short sales as many other jurisdictions, we do have a growing number.  Many times homeowners are not aware of all their options.  It is not common knowledge that a short sale is MUCH easier on your credit than a foreclosure.  Even in this market, if a house is priced correctly it will sell and relatively quickly.  If you have questions about your options, don’t just give up, consult with a real estate professional, please give Gail a call.

How would you like to have an extra $8000 in your pocket just for buying your first home?  The industry is having a sale right now.  Not in last 30 or so years have rates been so low, variety of choices so many and prices have hit rock bottom!  You will actually spend more to rent right now, than you would owning your own home.  But don’t wait, once the market begins to go in the other direction- so will interest rates and you will find yourself saying ” If only I had bought then…” 

Give me a call and we can take a pleasant eye opening look at what you can now get for your money.

While shopping in Bowen’s Grocery Store (a small family run business in Huntingtown), Dave Stover Jr. decided that since it was Valentine’s Day he was going to make a few ladies happy.  He buys a dozen red rozens and gives them to the cashier ans asks that she give one to the next 12 women that check out at the store that day.  Too bad he was not there to see all the smiles he brought to those women’s faces!

Due to the media bombarding us with all sorts of bad news, I have decided to redirect my blog’s content.  Starting today, I will only talk about success stories or stories that will warm your heart.  These stories will come directly from people that I know and sometimes I will use their names.  Please feel free to contribute your own stories and I will be happy to feature them on upcoming blogs.  A famous quote says, “you are what you think about” so this is my contribution to your overall well being!

The day before Valentine’s Day, Juliet and Adam decided to go out to dinner at one of their favorite restaurants in Annapolis, The West End Grill.  They had wanted to go away for the weekend, yet money did not permit.  So they decided to really do it up right, and order everything they wanted including desert!  Juliet had gotten up to visit the ladies room and a man comes over and starts talking to Adam.  As Juliet came back, it seemed to the couple that this gentleman had had a lot to drink, or did he?  He was a happy guy and meant no harm.  He tells Adam how lucky he is to have such a beautiful wife and asks how long have they been married?  Well, it was only a couple of months.  The man asks Juliet to give him a kiss on the cheek in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, so she kisses him on the cheek.  He says that he hasn’t done this in a long time and wants to start doing it more often.  So he reaches over to the bill which is on the table and takes Adam’s credit card and tosses it back to him, takes the bill says “I got this one,” pays the bill and tips the waitress.  He tells them he loves giving to people more than any organization, and he hopes they will never forget it.  He tells them to have a wonderful life, and walks away.  This man had no idea all the difficulties this young couple had just been through or how very much they appreciated the gesture.  But his actions will never be forgotten!

So what is all this “green” building about?  I don’t want to live in a wood structure with a garden on the roof!  Well not all green building is recognizable.  In fact, you probably would not know a “green home” from a traditional home until you took a closer look.

I am sure we would all like to have lower utility bills and be more kind to the earth at the same time.  So when you have the choice to build your home, why wouldn’t you make some different choices that are environmentally sound?  Here are a few things that green builders will recommend:

• Geo-Thermal Heating Systems
• Blown in Soybased Insulation
• Using Local Materials to Reduce Cost of Fuels Necessary to Ship Material in
• Placing Your Home at a Southern Exposure
• Tex Decking of Recycled Plastic
• Using Recycled Drywall
• Solar Panels
• Low-Flow Toilets
• Bamtex Bamboo Flooring
• Energy Star Appliances
• Rain Gardens and Reflective Steel Roofing

These are just a few of the ideas that will be more sensitive to the world’s ecology as well as saving money on utilities.

Right now, Southern Maryland Development, a local Calvert County Builder, is focusing on Green Building in a new subdivision of Woodbridge Estates in Huntingtown, MD.  Right now, this builder is the only one who is offering “Green” house packages. 

For more information, please contact me http://gailnyman.com/contact.php .

Until now only the residents of Calvert County knew how good our school system was, we knew that our graduating rates were superior and we knew the excellent quality of teachers the county had.  But now, thanks to the Washington Post article of July 28, 2008 "Calvert Schools Emerging As Stars"  by Jenna Johnson and Daniel De Vise, everyone knows!  Calvert County has climbed past Montgomery County and is nearly matching the scores of Howard County in State testing scores.  A relatively high percentage of students are rated advanced.  Calvert’s composites pass rate is almost 86%.

So next time you think of moving to get into a better school district, consider Calvert County.  A close suburb to Washington D.C, and only about 35 minutes away from the Capitol.  For more information, visit my site GailNyman.com and click on communities.  To read this article about our schools, click on http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/27/AR2008072701741.html?referrer=emailarticle

It’s A Great Time To Buy Waterfront In Calvert County!