Maryland: Internships: Employers and Students: Check It Out One of the concerns that employers have when looking for new young college graduate employees is the set of skills and knowledge which the potential new employees bring to the job.  Frequently there is a mismatch of talent needed with the the talent available or a lack of knowledge as to what the employers are seeking.  In spite of the many college graduates each year, this leaves many employers with insufficient options from which to choose. The concern exists from the other end as well.  All too many students graduate from college and have difficulty matching their educational experience with the needed skills of the employers. The employers are ready and willing to grow and want to hire people to make this growth a reality. ... 02/09/2011

Change The Facade And Sell The House If you approach someone when you have a frown on your face, then you may not be as well received as when you approach them with a smile on your face. The same may be true when trying to sell a house.  If the house is frowning, then potential buyers may just walk away. Take this house in the picture below as an example.  It is a row house in Downtown Baltimore.  Many of the row houses in Baltimore are delightful with their very interesting architecture.  But for some reason someone decided to mess with what used to be a good looking house and created this awful facade.   If we step back from this house, then we can see the houses that are typical for this block of row houses. One of the main selling features of this property has been taken away such t... 02/08/2011

Baltimore: A Reduction In Crime By Itself Does Not Make The City Acceptable The City of Baltimore experienced a significant reduction in gun violence and in murders for the year 2010 as compared to previous years. This is good news, but it is not sufficient to call the City an acceptable place to live. If one has a car which was in an accident whereby the fender is dented such that it hits the wheel and whereby the door can not be opened, then when it is taken to be repaired, then both of these defects must be repaired before it can be considered acceptable again.  The wheel must be free to roll and turn and the door must be free to open and close.  If either one of the defects is not repaired, then it is not acceptable to be put on the road. If the City of Baltimore reduces its number ... 02/08/2011

Two Master Bedrooms with two master baths is for sale in The Clubhouse!     This all brick condo is beautifully maintained with the convenience full service building. This fourth floor unit is accessed by elevator and you have a doorman to greet you and help with you needs. In addition there is a party room, library area and elegant lobby. Senior Friendly's Reserve-a-ride is available several times a week along with social planned activities and assigned parking. Would you like to live in this special fourth floor condo at The Clubhouse?  6711 Park Heights Ave Baltimore, MD 21215 THE CLUBHOUSE UNIT # 413 $74,944           All Brick well built and maintained condo in the Upper Park Heights area in Baltimore, Maryland              Elegant lobby makes you feel welcome.                    T... 02/02/2011

I was planning to write another blog about my busy weekend and all the showings in the last two days but Lee was appreciating  the newest arrangement. This was in the middle of the football game. So of course I went in to take a look. Another bunch of those beautiful flowers that Are Not Roses But They Still Smell Good! He did it again a few days ago. TLH came home with more flowers. Enjoying the last ones so much and being in the middle of our chilly winter season with temperatures in the teens and low twenties, what a treat. The last lilies lasted about ten days. These should be around even longer. There are quite a few tight buds that will be opening at different times. They really are beautiful and oh so fragrant.                                        If you need some more examples... 01/23/2011

It was one of those special afternoons...lunch with my publisher and friend Peg Silloway. We do something every month. No matter how busy... if it's on the calendar .. we keep the date! Today's choice was one of my favorite restaurants, Tio Pepe, where Lee and I  have been going since we were married 15,572 days ago. My Best Close Ever and Forever    Usually Lee and I go for a romantic dinner, to celebrate an anniversary or whenever we want that special feeling, great food and ambiance. But who says you can't enjoy all of this on a Monday at lunch with a good friend? No one. So that's we did! A glass of Sangria to start... which I  affectionately call Spanish Coca Cola..At first I said "no "..and then changed my mind.  Loved each and every drop and each and every piece of fruit.  It see... 01/18/2011

"LOVE BETWEEN ACTS - A Program of Operatic Intermezzi" Baltimore, MD   A dynamic opera company has been born: the Baltimore Vocal Arts Foundation.  Founder and artistic director Robyn Stevens has hand-picked two wonderful casts for her January performances of La Serva Padrona ("The Servant Mistress") composed by Pergolesi and Mirena e Floro ("Mirena and Floro") composed by Gasparini and Bononcini.  Both will be performed in English.  These two short comic operas have just 2 singers each.  Soprano Kimberly Christie  and baritone Jason Buckwalter  comprise the cast of The Servant Mistress.  Laura Strickling and Andrew Sauvageau will appear as Mirena and Floro.                                            You might be wondering why I am talking about opera on my real estate blog.  That's eas... 01/12/2011

Baltimore City: More Jobs:  20 Jobs Will Expand to 500 Jobs It is an important time in our economy as we pull out of the recession. Private sector manufacturing jobs are critical to a real and lasting recovery. SavWatt USA will be locating a manufacturing facility in Downtown Baltimore where they will produce energy efficient LED lights. The new 14,000 square foot location will start with its current 20 employees, expand by 50 by the end of January and expand by another 150 employees by year's end. Within two years they expect to create about 500 new jobs. If you are looking for a job, then give them a call and take advantage of the opportunity. Let there be light - and 500 jobs 01/11/2011

   Bob asked us to write about our ActiveRain Referrals and there have been quite a few over the years. One of my favorites is this home built in the early 1900's and still occupied by the woman who was born in the house 85 years ago.   It is not so unusual to get or make an AR referral but this was actually a neighbor of mine.  This property was only a few blocks from my house but the referral came from an agent in South Carolina. She did not know me and I did not know her but she was friends with this woman's daughter in SC. So how do I come into play? This agent follows ActiveRain, even though not a member and chooses not to participate. When she googled the zip code and the neighborhood, my name was always there because of my localism posts.                                          ... 01/10/2011

So what exactly is a QR Code and what do they do? QR Codes are Quick Response Codes. They have been around since 1997 and are an ever-expanding technology. They are an everyday part of life in Japan with uses that range from allowing easy access to a wealth of product information to allowing users to make appointments. The opportunities are limitless! QR Codes store and digitally represent mass amounts of data that can only be accessed by using a cell phone to scan the code. This technology has become so big that Internet giant Google now endorses them! QR Codes in the U.S. QR Codes are a technology that is increasingly being found all over the United States. As more companies are realizing the marketing and advertising power of the QR Codes, they are beginning to utilize this technolog... 01/10/2011

  Question: We are moving back to the Baltimore area in the near future and want to know how you can help us find a home? We still have a house to sell but would like to get an idea of the prices in the different neighborhoods.                                Answer: I am delighted to hear you will be returning to Baltimore.  If you make me a wish list of what you consider your perfect home, I will be on the look out.                                                                                                                                                                                In the meantime, you can find every active listing in the Baltimore Multiple Listing System (MLS) by going to All Active Maryland Listings   Start by putting in the state and city. You can then search ... 01/03/2011

Commissions Are Inherent to Realty Values When the price for a product is determined, one of the major factors which must be considered is the cost for that product. The cost of the product along with any profit, or gain, that the seller wants to make helps to determine the price. If the market does not bring a price of at least the cost of the product, then it would be a losing venture to sell the product. One of the costs which has been considered in almost all sales is the cost of the real estate agent's commission.  This should be considered along with every other cost.  If any costs are missed, then the seller could lose money. The purpose for the commission cost is multi-faceted.  The agent provides information about the market and what price is reasonable for any given product, p... 12/13/2010

Strategic Refinance Versus Strategic Default As the value of real estate had come down over the last few years, many home owners were finding that they owed more on their homes than the homes were worth. This eventually led to the strategic default.  To people practicing this financial concept, it made sense to sell their home as a short sale rather than to continue to invest in something which had lost its value. Of course, this strategy had its drawbacks.  These individuals were left without a house, took a serious hit on their credit, possibly had to rent or move in with relatives, and lost tax advantages.  The hit to their credit would leave them without the ability to purchase a home for some period of time, and possibly impact their ability to get a job and their ability to get go... 12/11/2010

Complete Streets Depending upon where you live, this term, complete streets, could mean different things. Perhaps to some it may simply mean, streets without potholes.  Of course, this could be resolved if we took all of the asphalt from the speed bumps, or, I am sorry, I mean traffic calming devices and used it to fill the holes, instead of to slow traffic.  On the other hand, we could just use the pot holes as traffic calming devices, although, I must say that they do nothing close to calming me. For some people, the street is not complete unless it has sidewalks.  There are some people who will not buy a home in the country for this very reason.  The safety of a sidewalk for taking strolls through the neighborhood is a must on their home selecting criteria. Other people like a wide b... 12/04/2010

Baltimore is considered to be one of the most desirable U.S. cities to live in. Regardless of what type of house you buy, a lot of aspiring homeowners would want to become part of this exciting city. If you are one of them, be sure to check out short sale real estate in Baltimore. In Baltimore, you will have access to great restaurants like Canton Station, Five Guys Burgers & Fries and Mama’s on the Half Shell. If you want to chill out and have a drink with friends, you can choose from Lear’s II and Mike Mc Govern’s. And, of course, there’s the gorgeous Chesapeake Bay. All these perks can be yours once you become part of the Baltimore community. Check out our website now for more details about short sale homes for sale in Baltimore. 11/30/2010

      We had a delightful evening at BSO's Myerhoff' Symphony Hall listening to a Chris Botti concert. If you have the chance, treat yourself to this man who plays the smoothest trumpet. Since he on the road for over 300 days and 240 concerts a year, you should have no problem finding one near you. He has performed with his incredible band along with many other symphonies and at the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony.  This weekend, he shared the stage with Lisa Fischer who has the most amazing voice and Caroline Campbell who has been nicknamed "violinist to the stars."  Chris Botti is not bad to look at...People Magazine voted him one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in 2004.   Here are some photos of the BSO decked out in holiday splendor!              Sensuous Curves...On and In a Building  ... 11/27/2010

Baltimore City: Police Have Their Priorities Wrong Within many neighborhoods in Baltimore City the parking is tight such that residents may be required to park a few blocks away from their homes. In spite of this fact, the city has so many desirable attractions that the residents are willing to overlook this one inconvenience. Occasionally, in order to more easily deal with this situation, residents may do a quick double park to unload there car before they proceed to find a place to park.  Typically this double park is just for a minute or less and it is such that other cars can still get past them. -------------------------------------- Here are some true stories: Someone straddles their car over the curb on a street which only has parking on one side.  They do it such that other cars... 11/22/2010

Crime: Where Does Your City Rank? The CQ Press performs an annual survey of cities of more than 75,000 residents and determines scores based upon six crime categories, which are murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, and motor vehicle theft. By itself, the report does little to help anyone. For instance, it does nothing to reduce crime, it simply points out that it is there, which is an obvious fact in those areas where it exists including to the residents of those areas and to those people who are responsible for trying to reduce such crime. If a city is high on the list, or low on the list, it does not mean that the numbers apply to every neighborhood within the particular city. For example, Baltimore City ranks high on the list, however its major crime is primarily limi... 11/22/2010

Baltimore offers a unique charm, with a rich, colonial history and the beauty of Cheasapeake Bay. Check out townhomes for sale in Baltimore, MD and live in this wonderful city. You will always have plenty of things to do and see in Baltimore. The 1st Mariner Arena, American Craft Council, Admiral of the Bay, American Visionary Art Museum, Baltimore Clayworks, and Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum are just some of the great places to check out in Baltimore. The townhomes available in Baltimore provide convenient living, accessibility and with great views of the city. If you are planning to relocate in Baltimore, our website is the perfect place to find the townhome for you and the entire family. Baltimore is one of the best places to choose when it comes to real estate investment. 11/21/2010

Baltimore City: What is That Odd Looking Building? Many people have asked me about the uniquely architecturally designed building in Baltimore City which is located at 1700 North Gay Street. They have never seen anything like this structure, which seems to be so out of place for the neighborhood. Although, this building is situated in a neighborhood of rather blah row houses, one should recognize that throughout Baltimore City there is a very eclectic collection of architectural styles of buildings. But this out of place building leaves people at a loss for words.  They describe it as a mix of a castle and the home of the Addams Family. This historic structure is actually The American Brewery Building built by a German immigrant, John Federick Weissner. At one time, breweries were a big... 11/19/2010