The Philadelphia Phillies became the winner of the 2008 World Series Wednesday evening defeating the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 4 games to 1. Fans went wild over the rain delayed game that was stopped Monday night because of the downpour and the series was finally concluded last night. The Phillies have not won a world series since 1980. Not that I really cared a hoot about the outcome or even realized that it was ongoing. Maybe if it was the Reds or the Orioles (Fat chance). I live in Maryland after all. However it was refreshing this morning at the office to be greeted by an elated co-worker who claims to have been a die hard Phillies fan since childhood. Here was Mr. John Hurly's office attire today.                   He relayed to me a touching tale of his three Sons taking him to Fantasy... 10/30/2008

A great start to the Halloween fun and games is always in Historic Ellicott City. Click here to read more about the Halloween "TRICK OR TREAT" in Historic Ellicott City   The McIntire Luxury Home Team Are you are planning to move to Howard County or Catonsville and you want a Buyers Agent that really knows the area? Find out why Goldilocks would use the McIntire Luxury Home Team and you should too (hint - we are just right)!Visit www.FindAHowardCountyHome.com or www.FindACatonsvilleHome.com ****** Don't take my word for it, see what other happy families have said about their home buying or selling experiences:Ellie McIntire Client Reviews on Zillow. The McIntire Team Real Estate Services.Keller Williams Realty Centre 443-418-7668 (Cell or text message)443-766-1768 (Office)E-mail:EllieMc... 10/28/2008

It's pretty bad when my clients ask if they will see the same picture this year on their yearly calendar!!!! The picture that you see at the side of this blog has done some mileage. It was taken pre-baby, even pre pregnancy and has served me well, but it seemed like a good time for a change. ("Baby" is now "little man"!!!!) Amy, a client of mine raved about a recent photo shoot that she and her 3 month old bundle of joy, Amanda had taken by a local photographer, Vanessa in Ellicott City. I live my life by referrals and when my client sent me the link to Vanessa's Blog with her session........WOW. BREATHTAKING.  Amy said that she was worried because the baby was fussy, but Vanessa worked magic. I met with Vanessa and discussed a session that would combine new head shots and a session wit... 10/27/2008

Join fellow runners and walkers at Meadowbrook Park on Sunday October 26th to raise money for the Brain Injury Association of Maryland. Get a team together and join the fun!  You may register online through www.charmcityrun.com, or you may download a .pdf of the registration brochure here. Weather predictions for Sunday are partly cloudy and mid 60's.   Ellie McIntire The McIntire Team 410-480-3398 410-750-8781(FX) 443-418-7668(cell) E-mail:  Ellie@LNF.com http://www.elliesteam.com/ We redefine the essence of service 10/21/2008

It's always nice when someone notices what you're doing. When they blog about it, it's even better! One of TRAC's auction signs for a property in Ellicott City, MD turned up in a non-real estate blog recently.   WordBones wrote: Earlier this week, this sign popped up on the corner of New Cut Road and Montgomery Road in Ellicott City. The actual property being auction is on College Avenue, about three miles from this spot. What struck me is that this is an "absolute" auction and that includes real estate and "contents." Many real estate auctions contain a "reserve" price which enables the seller to reject any offer that doesn't meet that reserve price. In theory, any bidder who shows up with the $10,000 needed to bid could walk away with the whole eleven acres and even a "Corvette" for ... 10/21/2008

My son and I took a walk through Ellicott City recently, which is something we do on a regular basis. This particular day the parking situation was tough on the main street, so I finally found a space at the parking lot that sits beside the railway track and the Patapsco River. Something caught my eye in the river. Here are our pictures of some strange sights.      The rocks have been carefully selected and then piled on top of one another.   These rocks almost seem to defy gravity. From the bridge even more labor intensive creations came to light. Here is a smiley face and a heart. And a peace sign. Further investigation came across this great article in the local paper, "The View" about how Teddy Betts, of Ellicott City, began stacking the river rocks.  Ellie McIntire The McIntire Tea... 10/21/2008

What a lovely way to spend a Sunday evening in October. Tonight is the 23rd Annual event held at Turf Valley in Ellicott City. A spectacular evening filled with entertainment and a HUGE silent auction. Enjoy tastings of food from many local Restaurants. The longest line is ALWAYS for the "Crepe Suzette" prepared in front of your eyes by Fernand Tersiguel from Tersiguel's French Restaurant in Ellicott City. This is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Gilchrist Hospice Care.   Ellie McIntire The McIntire Team 410-480-3398 410-750-8781(FX) 443-418-7668(cell) E-mail:  Ellie@LNF.com http://www.elliesteam.com/ We redefine the essence of service 10/19/2008

Hello: I would like to begin a blog topic that discusses any and all of the problems that Realtors have run into when they are posting real estate listings online.  What sites do you find most troublesome? How do you deal with the lack of current information on the internet; old listings, price changes, sites that refuse to delete your old listings, etc? How does your use of precious time play into your online listing decisions? Do you pay someone to put your listings up on a large number of sites? What exactly stops you from listing online?   I think you get the picture.  Please, Please, Please join in on this topic and let's look at all of the problems of listing real estate online.  Thanks so much for your time.  I wish you all the best in your real estate endeavors. Best Regards, Ne... 10/09/2008

Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble There is no more perfect way to get into the Halloween spirit this October than to experience Macbeth in Ellicott City. Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, Maryland's premier classics company, will remount its sell-out 2007 production of Macbeth with a new and highly imaginative version that puts Macbeth on the move.   The Chesapeake Shakespeare Company will bring its award-winning production of Macbeth outdoors to the grounds of the Patapsco Female Institute Historic Park, October 10-26, 2008.  On, in and around the massive, haunted stone ruins, audience members will join the Macbeths, witches and ghosts in Shakespeare's fast-paced, bloody tragedy.   Audiences and actors will travel throughout the Ruins for an exciting, theatr... 10/02/2008

There is some concern brewing that voter registration is being jeopardized. Don't assume that since you have voted in the past that your voter registration is still active. Some people have recently checked to find out that they are no longer registered. Their registration has mysteriously disappeared even though they have been registered to vote for years. For Maryland residents, you can click on the link below to check to make sure you are still registered. http://mdelections.umbc.edu/voter_registration/v2/vote_prod.php   We can make a difference this November. If you are not registered to vote, you can click on the following link for a voter registration form which must be filled out and mailed before October 14th to vote in the general election. http://www.elections.state.md.us/pdf... 09/15/2008

All of the below links come from Wikipedia - This is the page I got them from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Public_domain_image_resources     This is an awesome resource.  Please check it out.  Additionally, you can type 'public domain photos', 'public domain images' or 'public domain clip art', - into your favorite search engine (mine is Google - soon to control the world).  Additionally - and very importantly: "The presence of a resource on this list does not guarantee that all or any of the images in it are in the public domain. You are still responsible for checking the copyright status of images before you" use them I would just suggest that you make sure that the images you are using are public domain images.   I repeat (for extra emphasis): **Be SURE about the images yo... 09/13/2008

I must admit calling my new Au-Pair a "Wife" is not very PC, but that's what I feel I now have. So, yes, my new Au-Pair has arrived from France, via a few days of training in New Jersey. She is here to have a cultural and educational experience, with a strong child-care component in a Country that she has not visited before for a period of one year. Chloe teaching swimming Chloe at the park. Why does this work for me? She is another responsible adult who will live with us and become part of our family. She loves to cook- her savory crepes are to die for! She talks to my son 85% of the time in French and 15% of the time in Spanish (her third language). He can already count in all three languages to 10. She tidies up the house, she picks up after my son and puts all of his toys away. She ... 09/10/2008

This is a true story. Enjoy! And, afterwards, let's discuss the benefits of an online presence even though you may not always be able to connect a purchase with a specific form of advertising.  ********************************** Sunday morning, August 13th, 2006 - My wife and I woke up early and were enjoying a cup of coffee on the 6x14 sq. ft. balcony of our condo.  Our beautiful view - the backside of the building directly behind ours separated only by a small strip of sparsely forested land with run-off drainage snaking through it (I'd call it a creek, but that would be a gross overstatement).  As we were sitting there talking and taking in what scenery was available to us, we both watched in disgust as one of the residents in the building across the way walked out onto their third f... 09/08/2008

Let me preface this blog by stating that I am not a RE expert.  My opinions on this subject are derived from the fact that a large % of everyone I am related to is in the RE Industry and, due to that, half the people that I know are in it as well. I just hope that my opinions can spur further conversation about the topic being discussed.  Thanks.  *************************************** The best possible way to get a listing from friends and/or family is to ask them for it.   If someone you know is about to, or even contemplating, putting their home on the market - go right up to them and ask them if they would consider listing their house with you (while handing them two of your business cards - one for them and one for someone that they may know who needs a listing agent).  If they se... 09/07/2008

This past Labor Day weekend was our Annual Office Picnic/ Crab Feast. We all gathered at the largest Pavilion in Centennial Park, Ellicott City. Right next to the huge playground. What's a picnic in Maryland without CRABS? Nice and heavy and seasoned with Old Bay. Everyone brought a dish. The Deviled Eggs were scooped up quickly. Mr Brookhart & Mr. Regan cooked up burgers and hot dogs then waited for the corn to cook to perfection. Good food and good conversation..... ....and a playground close by. It was a great afternoon, mostly in part to our Manager Brian Lipsky, George Brookhart and Chuck Regan who labored in the heat. Ellie Mcintire 09/03/2008

Saturday August 28th 2008 was a perfect day for riding. One of those days that just makes you glad to be alive. The 2nd Annual Boomerang Poker Run A total of 135 participants signed up to ride the Walkabout Sidney at one of the following locations. Bel Air Outback Steakhouse Hunt Valley Outback Steakhouse Ellicott City Outback Steakhouse Glen Burnie Outback Steakhouse Unbelievable amounts of "Bonzer Outback Steakhouse Tucker" was served at the restarants throughout the day. Steak and eggs for Breakfast, Ribeye Sandwiches, Ribs on the Barbie, Bloomin' onions and so much more. No-one went hungry. All of this for $25! What a screaming deal! The final card was drawn at the Harley Davidson of Maryland (Elkridge) where dessert was also served. A little History about this event. This ride was ... 09/01/2008

Buyers should take advantage of this program now because it may not be here for very long. Saving money for a downpayment and the closing costs necessary to purchase a home is very difficult. One option to consider is the Nehemiah Program established by the Nehemiah Corporation of America.  Here is a brief overview of this program.  For more information go to www.GetDownpayment.com or call the Nehemiah customer service hotine at 877-634-3642. You can receive gift funds (provided by a non-profit organization) for up to 6% of the sales price. New homes, resale homes, single family, duplex, triplex, condo, or townhomes are eligible. There is NO repayment of funds -- it is a "gift" to the home buyer. There are no income, asset or geographic restrictions and you do not need to be a first-tim... 08/21/2008

The Olympics continues to keep me up till all hours of the morning. I should probably get TIVO, but too late for that now! I have even posted as I watch. Mostly in reference to the swimming. I have a new addiction! Are you in tears too?  Phelps-Mania in Baltimore One of my personal favorite sports is soccer (Football to everyone else in the world but the USA!) Sadly the US team did not make it through to the quarter finals. However there was a great deal of interest to me for the following reasons. Stuart Holden- Midfielder Drew Holden- Left Back.....Behind the goal for now! No family ties although have they both have the same last name. Both August babies, but a mere 21 years difference. Stuart Holden: August 1st 1985. Drew Holden: August 17th 2006. One playing for the United States So... 08/20/2008

     2nd Annual Boomerang Poker Run   Attention Bikers! Registration for the 2nd Annual Boomerang Motorcycle Poker Run is OPEN! Gather up your mates and join us for a day of fun, Outback Style!!Back by popular demand, this year's Poker Run will be held on Saturday, August 23rd, 2008!!         About the Boomerang Motorcycle Poker Run: Chesapeake Bay Area Charities, Outback Steakhouse, The McIntire Team of Long and Foster, and two Harley Davidson Dealerships have joined to host a day of fun, food, and riding. Funds raised from the event will directly help children at the Kimmel Cancer Center of Johns Hopkins and Special Olympics Maryland.   This fundraising event allows Motorcyclists to "Walkabout Maryland, Outback Style." Bikers and passengers ride to 4 different Outback locations and en... 08/19/2008

We will be holding an emergency blood drive at our Long & Foster office on August 28th from 2:30-7:00 pm. The address is 9171 Baltimore National Pike Ellicott City, MD 21042. You can schedule your life saving appointment by calling 1-800-give-life (1-800-448-3543). You can also register online at https://www.membersforlife.org/rccm/mobilesch/request.php?did=215306.   The following blood types are below a level which is considered to be safe. If your blood type appears here, please consider donating at our emergency blood drive. All blood types are important. If your blood type does not appear today, your donation is still badly needed in order to treat local patients who depend on that type. A safe, desired supply is 5-7 days worth of any given blood type, in order to meet local patient... 08/19/2008