YouMail.com and the iPAD for DAD has been my latest attention grabber. My Dad asked the other day how he could set up his phones for his Southern Maryland Garage business while soaking up the sun under a few Palm trees. I had just called Leilani Souza about something she mentioned in her blog. I have frequently exchanged comments with Leilani on Active Rain but this was my first call. I wanted to ask her about http://epropertysites.com/ and why she used it ALONG with Real Bird. She had written a blog post about it and I wanted to ask more questions. I have a lot of land listings and the pdf attachment feature versus a Scribd version caught my attention with the adjunct product. Anyway, the voice mail greeted me, "Hi, Cheryl." HUH? I have never spoken or called this Active Rain Blogger b... 11/16/2010

I just completed my Realtor iPAD Adventure Series...An early Holiday Gift for You! I hope it is the gift that keeps giving for my Realtor Associates and fellow Active Rain Bloggers and Friends and Family! Click here for your iPAD  Realtor set up instructions if you want to get straight to the skinny on what and how to do this after the iPAD gets unboxed from under the TREE. Then you will enjoy it with GLEE! Remember, get your FREE apps downloaded on iTUNES in advance. Get your cover. Get your earplugs. Ransack the Realtor apps list from Day Seven. And. oh boy, enjoy, enjoy, enjoy your NEW Realtor Christmas TOY! P.S. Go ahead and attach this to the Frig Door just to make sure your Sleigh Request does not get ignored! You'll Retrieve Golden Results with Cheryl Ritchie, RE/MAX 100, for all... 11/11/2010

My Pay it Forward Annual Wreath Making Client Dinner Party that keeps on GIVING! For as many years as I can remember, I know where I will be right after Thanksgiving and who I will be with. It's my Norman Rockwell Moment with my friend and her family at their Family Farm. The Mutt and Jeff dogs, the Thanksgiving Leftovers, the Farm Tractor, the Grand kids...it is a day in Southern Maryland not to be outdone! It is right out of a Norman Rockwell painting and it is one of my favorite days of the year. We tromp around the Farm and fill up my old car with Wreath party clippings like Holly, Magnolia, Hemlock, Pine etc. Then I stack the piles on my porch, clean and shop like a LUNE for a week, go out in the woods each day and pull vines off the trees to make the wreath bases, and overall run ... 11/10/2010

Annual Wreath Making Dinner Party for Clients, Family, Friends and Neighbors! It's that time of year again! Here's a glimpse into the Wreath Making Dinner Party Festivities last year via Janie Coffey's Video of Mosquito Gulch! What happens at the Annual Wreath Making Dinner Party for Clients, Family, Friends and Neighbors? Well...Fill a sheet with magnolia, holly, pine cuttings, dried flowers, beach grasses, pine cones, and outdoor wonders. Bring that and a dish to share. I do the ham and potato salad. It's Noon to Nine Friday December 3 for my friends and family and clients and neighbors. It's a blast! But beware. After a couple of decades, we are G-O-O-D. As in REALLY good. Step aside , Martha Stewart! These Southern Maryland Wreath Makers can rock and roll! Please RSVP! You'll Retrie... 11/10/2010

NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION HAS INTERESTING POINTS OF INTEREST Site selection Exterior selection Floor plan selection flooring, counter top selection Upgrade selection Pre-drywall inspection And more. . . . . Then one day, you're 2 weeks from settlement and there's just one more hurdle, THE APPRAISAL.  Contract price - $409,381 Appraised value - $420,000 EUREKA!!!  The appraisal is in and my buyer will move in her beautiful new home with about 3% instant equity.  We rarely worry about new construction appraisals since they usually come in above contract price, but . . . .  shucks, there's always that little nagging thought. . . .  "Cross your fingers until we get the appraisal." One happy buyer!! One happy Realtor! This was the house a month or so ago.  It's now close to being finished and th... 11/05/2010

One step at a time is worth the climb when the paperwork or projects or house chores mount up. Okay, I am behind. As in aliens must have taken over my home and business. I have stacks everywhere and I am a neat freak. I have stuff that is not put away. I have a mountain of a mess. But one thing I do also have is a lot of new business on the books. And a lot of processing to get them all there to the settlement table. And some new leads. So,  big deal,  I have a few piles that I have to deal with a while. Not easy, but worth it for now! My Grandmother said something to my Mother that my Mom said to me today. She said just start somewhere. Since I have so many somewheres to select, I did a quick vac on the main floor. Maybe I will get one more quick vac upstairs and then I can put a check... 10/25/2010

NEW HOMES IN CALVERT COUNTY, MD - BEAUTIFUL AND PRICED RIGHT FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION REAL ESTATE-  Base prices are $385,000 to $400,000.  The homes are 2,080 square feet to 2,877 square feet.  All models are 2 story floor plans plus an unfinished basement (recreation room option) with a 2 car garage. Located just south of Chesapeake Beach town, close to the marina and Chesapeake Beach restaurants, water sports, shops, sandy beach and the fabulous view of the Chesapeake Bay, these homes offer an exciting life style and the best value for 2,000 to #2,800 square feet homes in the county.  Map and Facts: Incorporated - 1886 Zip Code 20732 Population 2009 - 3,500, up about 7% since 2000 Average income families w/children - $92,000 Unemployment rate - 1.9% Average household size - 2.6 Real Estat... 09/24/2010

CALVERT COUNTY IS A RURAL COUNTY WITHIN COMMUTING DISTANCE TO EMPLOYMENTS CENTERS IN ANNAPOLIS AND WASHINGTON D.C.    There are about 43,000,000 deeded properties in Calvert County, Maryland.  Single Family Homes in Calvert County sell at the rate of 50 per month throughout the year.  There are about 125 homes for sale actively listed throughout the year. Sale prices in Calvert County for 2010 are: THE LOW PRICE HOMES SOLD ARE IN THE $110,000 - $200,000 PRICE RANGE The low price home SOLD was $108,000. This home is located in The Chesapeake Ranch Estates, a community in Lusby, MD with 5,686 deeded properties.  The Chesapeake Ranch Estates is a rustic, water front community with homes priced from the low $100,000s to the about $600,000.  The Chesapeake Ranch Estates offers amenities for ... 09/23/2010

CALVERT COUNTY, MD - CHESAPEAKE BEACH - NEW HOMES - INVENTORY AND "TO-BE-BUILT". "I love it when a plan comes together".  We're almost home.   Last April, a lady to whom I sold a home in Anne Arundel County, MD, contacted me.  "Lenn, I want to sell my house and buy another new one."  The house was purchased 12 years ago and the two boys had finished school and are now in College, medical school and pre-med.   So, time to downsize.  Her price range was about $400,000 and she wanted new construction.  So, we embarked on a home buying adventure in Southern Maryland within an hour drive time to her job location in Suitland, MD: Beginning:  List home in Shipleys Choice for sale.  We were never concerned about the sale of the home in Severna Park (Millersville) because it's in Shipley's Choic... 09/22/2010

When you need Ideas on Abandoned Boat Disposal in Southern Maryland for a listing that just went under contract, and settles shortly, one good place to brainstorm is the Active Rain Platform. So here you go with the ideas I have had so far. Please add your comments so I can present them to the Seller on how to dispose of this ancient powerboat covered in weeds on a trailer that, along with the boat, has not have been used in decades. The Seller can probably find the title. The goal is simplicity and one stop shopping and pronto FREE removal! Hauling Equipment will be needed along with yard tools to dig the old powerboat out of the vines on the boat and the trailer. 1. Craigs List FREE abandoned boat with trailer and title ad 2. Contact Realtor Clean Out Crews for Foreclosures and Estate... 09/12/2010

Sage advice given a Seller leads to SOLD Sign in Southern Maryland..so what's the scoop? Tonight I ratified a contract in Southern Maryland and the home never hit the market. On the way out the door, the Seller repeated the advice a friend had recently given him. I asked if I could blog the story and he said to go right ahead. So here it goes. The advice was to visualize the sale. Take the steps to prepare for it. Then go to church and write a donation check with the memo section filled out with these exact words, "Thank you, Lord, for the sale of my home." Say what you will. I listed the house, had the home inspection completed, hired a structural engineer, tried to hire a cleaning crew, then delayed, per Seller instruction, a week to complete the necessary cleaning and moving. I was j... 09/10/2010

Southern Maryland Komen Boardwalkathon Saturday Sept 18, 2010 YEAR FIVE...It started with a vision once RE/MAX announced their affiliation with Komen many years ago. Somehow the Twin Beaches seemed like the perfect place to have a walk. Yes, there is a big event in D.C. each year but that is an hour away. And walking by the Chesapeake Bay and taking in the Breezes and Marshlands and Sand and Seagulls has its own unique appeal. There are roughly 50 give or take of us each year who walk the walk. The entry fee of $25.00 all goes to Komen. Bring a Friend, lace up your sneakers, and let's walk a perfect pre Fall day together for a great cause. Look for the North Beach Fire Dept as the starting point and let's meet 7:30 to 11:00 range. If you see a lot of us pile in  to Traders to have Break... 09/08/2010

Listening to His Music Makes Me Feel Good! This post has nothing to do with real estate. Read Gail's post FIRST One of many stories about the PURPLE VISOR!!           You will understand my request for comments on Rich's CD www.richardharrislive.com                      Listening to his music makes me feel good. Our comments will make Rich feel good.                                                                                                                             Gail wrote: "The CD was a huge success.  He's actually about to release a 2nd one.  You can listen to his music at www.richardharrislive.com  If you like what you hear, if you would be kind enough to leave him a comment.  It seems to give him inspiration. and with a song in anyone's heart, how could you go wrong? Richa... 09/07/2010

One Phone Call, One Hour Ride From Baltimore and One Delightful Day in Chesapeake Beach The weather was perfect today in Baltimore, low temperatures, sunny, breezy, low humidity....a rarity for early September. I have been wonderfully busy with listings and offers and figured this would be another "WorkEnd".  While reading some blogs and making comments, decided to call to my friend, Gail Harris, and invited myself to visit.  Gail has written so many posts describing Chesapeake Beach, thought it was time to see it for myself. So spur of the moment Lee and drove to this lovely, little known about area. We were welcomed by the sign and by Gail and Richard. We toured the area, followed the trolley, had a terrific lunch overlooking the sailboats. Lee and Rich took a walk to see the boats w... 09/05/2010

Traffic Jam Southern Maryland Style in Chesapeake Beach MD means no ambulance , no police car , no temper tantrums no...HUH? It's the Feather Flotilla. The Geese. They gather and cross at the intersection of the Town of Chesapeake Beach. They have right of way, too. They trump everything. We hang our heads out the window and watch, but shout or grumble, nope. They seem to have a pecking order. A series of job descriptions. An order to their day. I would not miss it for the world. Darn, I need to have my Flip with me and film it sometime. It's just part of an ordinary Southern Maryland Day by the Bay in Chesapeake Beach MD. "The Feather Flotilla "Create a free slideshow with Picnik! You'll Retrieve Golden Results with Cheryl Ritchie, RE/MAX 100, for all your Southern Maryland Real Estate... 09/03/2010

What are the Top Ten Things to do in Chesapeake Beach MD the rest of the Summer 2010? Boy is this easy. I've had a Chesapeake Beach zip code since childhood, so off the top of my head, my top ten favorites are: 1. Visit the Chesapeake Beach Water Park which is open daily through August 22 then Weekends through Labor Day. Grandparents get in FREE on Tuesday with paid admission for a child. Hours are 11AM to 7PM. Swim Lessons are available. For more information, call 410-257-1404 or visit www.chesapeakebeachwaterpark.com for more details. 2. Stroll down the rarely publicized and not that easy to locate Chesapeake Beach Boardwalk. You may park at Bayfront Park which is located at the edge of the town. Keep up a good pace so you can join RE/MAX 100 and Friends on Saturday Sept 18 from 7:30 ... 07/26/2010

One of the largest charity events in Southern Maryland is coming up soon...it's the Celebration of Life 29th Annual Cancer Crusade in Chesapeake Beach MD 20732. Mark your calendars for Thursday August 5, 2010 and set your GPS for 4165 Mears Avenue at the Rod n Reel Restaurant in the Town of Chesapeake Beach MD 20732. More information can be obtained at www.RodnReelCancerGala.org or call 410 257 2735 for details. The Celebration of Life 29th Annual Cancer Crusade in Chesapeake Beach MD 20732 has a big array of food such as lobster, shrimp, oysters, scallops, fish, fillet, ribs, pit beef, chicken pig, BBQ ribs and sushi. There are beverages galore. There's DJ Music and FOUR Bands, too. You can take the elevator home and stay at the Resort and Spa! Tickets can be obtained at the door or in... 07/24/2010

FREE Community or Neighborhood Emergency Communication Service for Chesapeake Beach MD 20732..Craig Bowen, supervisor of the Beaches Patrol of the Sheriff's Office, announced a FREE Community Alert via phone or text message in the event of an Emergency in the town of Chesapeake Beach. This new Sheriff's tool can be obtained by signing up at www.nixle.com FREE Community or Neighborhood Emergency Communication Service for Chesapeake Beach MD 20732...Some of the uses mentioned in the Town of Chesapeake Beach MD newsletter are traffic issues, public safety issues, lost children etc. Spread the word...this can be a useful tool since either cell or email messages can be securely sent. Nixle is a communications service available to municipalities, county and state agencies. This Community Noti... 07/11/2010

I just got my First Featured Active Rain Post at my one year AR Blogging Anniversary!This goes to show you the power of persistence. I was at Va Tech getting a Business Degree many moons ago. I was struggling with Chem Lab and near the end of the class, the Professor walked up to me out of the blue. Now this is a big deal at a large University. I figured he had NEVER noticed me. He said, and I never forgot it , that " No matter what you do in life, you will be successful because you never give up." I was floored. He actually noticed I had done those experiments over and over until I finally got them to work right. It kind of sounds like my cooking but that is another story. Good thing for yogurt and fresh fruit and vegetables. And Bless the crock pot. But anyway...I got a B in Chem Lab ... 07/05/2010

8077 Silver Fox Way Chesapeake Beach, MD Click For Listing Website Click For Interactive e-Tour Richfield Station Townhouse with garage. Three level bumpout. 3 bedrooms + 2.5 baths, large kitchen, great windows, breakfast room, Master bedroom suite. 1 Car garage. Recreation room in basement. Great location. Third party approval required, special conditions apply, outside company negotiating short sale. MLS# CA7322790 $249,000 3 Bed, 2.5 Bath 8077 Silver Fox WayChesapeake Beach MD, 20732 Jennifer Anderson EXIT 1 STOP REALTY(Dunkirk) 301-855-7867 jenanderson@mris.com 05/23/2010