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Gaithersburg, MD Real Estate News

Gaithersburg Book Festival Volunteers Needed VOLUNTEER Sign up for a day full of books, authors, and fun! Saturday, May 18, 2024! The Gaithersburg Book Festival is an enormous undertaking that would not be possible without the generous assistance of numerous volunteers. We have many volunteer opportunities associated with putting on this world-class event. Please see the job descriptions below, and if you are interested is helping, fill out the Volunteer Sign-up Form by clicking the link below. SSL and PAU hours are available. Please note the following two requirements for volunteering at GBF: You must be age 16 or older  You must attend a volunteer training in early May (multiple session options will be offered) If you have questions about volunteering, please email Kathleen Benson at ...
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Gaithersburg Arts Barn Call to Artists The Arts Barn is seeking artwork for the Fiscal Year 2025 season brochure and related marketing materials. Artwork should prominently feature the diverse arts that are shared and celebrated at the Arts Barn. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday, May 3.Learn more and apply here.This is a City of Gaithersburg, Maryland announcement. Orchids, Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania USA IMG 4341Canon PowerShot G11 CameraPhotograph by Roy KelleyRoy and Dolores Kelley Photographs
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By Roy Kelley
(Retired)
Going Solar in Montgomery County Montgomery County is going solar! We're converting facilities to clean energy thanks to a $790K state grant. Imagine reducing emissions equivalent to taking 968 cars off the road for a year! We're shining a light on sustainability this Earth Month! https://ow.ly/64AJ50RfQGkThis is a Montgomery County, Maryland announcement.  African Daisy, Arctotis, 'Kleat12610', Opera Rose, Longwood Gardens,Kennett Square, Pennsylvania USA IMG 6856Canon PowerShot G11 CameraPhotograph by Roy KelleyRoy and Dolores Kelley Photographs
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Art is Ageless Exhibit in GaithersburgCelebrate aging with the Art is Ageless juried exhibition at the Benjamin Gaither Center through June 30. This unique exhibit features 28 two-dimensional artworks by artists of all ages that raise awareness of ageism in society and advance positive age beliefs. Meet the artists at a free reception and panel discussion on positive aging on Saturday, April 27 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Learn more here.This is a City of Gaithersburg, Maryland announcement. Lilies, Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania USA IMG 4322Canon PowerShot G11 CameraPhotograph by Roy KelleyRoy and Dolores Kelley Photographs
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Montgomery County, MD Real Estate Market Statistics, September, 2013   During September, 2013, the total sold dollar volume of residential properties in Montgomery County, Maryland, was $407,688,711, up 18.79% from the same month last year. There were 871 closed sales, up 16.91% at a median sold price of $379,000, up 2.43%. The average sold price in September was $468,070, up 1.61% with an average of 44 days on the market. The average sold to original list price ratio was 97.18%. Please contact us for current market information in areas that are of interest to you. Home buyers that plan to use mortgage financing should obtain a pre-approval letter from their mortgage lenders. Buyers will be pleased with the very attractive mortgage interest rates that are currently available. We are alw...
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Housing Market, Washington, DC Metro Area - September, 2013   During September, 2013, there were 3,651 closed residential transactions in the Washington, DC Metro Area, up 12.1% from the same month last year. The median sales price was $387,000, up 7.5%, with a median of 17 days on the market. There were 5,967 new listings, up 16.5%. The average sales price to original list price ratio was 98% and multiple contract competition was common in the market. Families that are relocated to the region need to know that the overall market statistics may differ from the market conditions on specific communities. Please contact us for current information on areas of interest. The statistics in this report were provided by RBI, RealEstate Business Intelligence for the use of real estate professiona...
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Brookside Gardens Conservatory Display - Chrysanthemum Craftsmanship   Autumn in Montgomery County, Maryland means that it is time for the annual fall conservatory display at Brookside Gardens. This year the Conservatory Chrysanthemum Display is titled Chrysanthemum Craftsmanship. The exhibit will open on Saturday, October 12, 2013 and run through Sunday, November 25. Conservatory Chrysanthemum Display: Chrysanthemum Craftsmanship 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. daily Brookside Gardens Conservatory Brookside Gardens 1800 Glenallan Ave. Wheaton, MD 20902  There is no charge for admission or parking. If you are there on a nice day, allow time for a walk through the gardens. Yes, you will want to have your camera in hand. The Annual Mum Show and Sale, sponsored by the Potomac Chrysanthemum Society, w...
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ActiveRain Member Leads Mothers Fighting for Others in Maryland    If you are a real estate professional in Montgomery County, Maryland, you probably know ActiveRain member Audrey June-Forshey.  Audrey is well known for her real estate skills but may even better known as the Education Committee leader of the multiple local efforts that benefit the Mothers Fighting for Others organization. Audrey and her team of RE/MAX women have polished their fund raising skills during years of activities for Mothers Fighting for Others. This nonprofit organization supports a home for 35 girls in Nairobi, Kenya and provides the much needed educational opportunities that will make is possible for these girls to take leadership roles in the years to come. Everybody in the real estate industry has good re...
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Village Settlements Annual Fall Party at Butler’s Orchard   The Village Settlements Annual Fall Party at Butler’s Orchard will take place on Friday, November 8, 2013 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. This adults only event is for real estate professionals, loan officers and builders. Admission is free but reservations are required. Follow the signs from the Butler’s Orchard retail store. The event will be catered by Red Hot & Blue. There will be hayrides, bonfires, a DJ, plenty of good food and drinks. Be prepared for the weather. The food and beverage service and the DJ will be under a large shelter but this is an outdoor party. Dolores and I have attended many of the Village Settlements events and they are always outstanding. A high percentage of the real estate settlements for our clients take ...
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Annual Zombie Fun Run and Walk in Kentlands   Fleet Feet Sports in Kentlands is again sponsoring The Annual Zombie Fun Run and Walk that will take place on Wednesday, October 30, 2013 at 6:30 p.m. You will need to be in condition to walk with the dead and run with the zombies. Wear your best Halloween running or walking gear since prizes will be awarded for outstanding costumes. Meet at 255 Kentlands Boulevard, Kentlands, Gaithersburg, Maryland. Call 301-926-6442 if you have questions or visit the website at www.fleetfeetgaithersburg.com For out of the area readers, the Kentlands community is located in Gaithersburg, Maryland, in the heart of Montgomery County. Kentlands is a preferred community for families that are relocated to the Metro Area of Washington, DC.   Chrysanthemum, Kentla...
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Markoff’s Haunted Forest, Dickerson, MD   If your heart is in good condition and you are able to withstand some frightful moments, it is a good time to take the family to visit Markoff’s Haunted Forest in Dickerson, Maryland. The Markoffs started their Haunted Forest in 1993 to raise funds for a summer camp. Over the years, Caleva has become a year-round outdoor school committed to teaching and building leadership skills through positive outdoor experiences. Markoff’s Haunted Forest will be open on the following dates: October 11-12, 17-19, 24-26 and 31- November 2. The admission charge is $20 on Thursdays and $30 on weekends and Halloween. A discount is available if you purchase tickets online at www.markoffshauntedforest.com Beware the speed cameras as you drive through Poolesville. T...
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22nd Oktoberfest in Kentlands this Sunday, Oct. 13th   The annual Kentlands Oktoberfest will take place this Sunday, October 13, 2013 from noon until 5 p.m.  Area residents and visitors will experience an expanded event that will cover the Kentlands Village Green, the grounds of the Kentlands  Mansion  and in Market Square in the commercial area.  The events will be connected by walking paths and a festival trolley. Admission and parking are free. A free shuttle service will run from parking at 101 and 200 Orchard Ridge Drive, just off Quince Orchard Road in Gaithersburg. There will be a traditional beer garden, wine tasting, German music, food and dancing.  Five entertainment stages, wagon rides, artists and crafters will provide activities for all family members. For additional inform...
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Book Recommendation:  Spider Mountain by P.T. Deutermann   I just finished reading Spider Mountain (2006) by P.T. Deutermann and recommend this novel for your reading list. You may recall that I previously recommended books by Deutermann.  I have enjoyed his books enough to go through the list until I have read all of them.  The author is a 1963 graduate of the Naval Academy and is a retired Navy Captain. He writes outstanding suspense novels that are easy to read. The setting of Spider Mountain is in the Appalachia area of North Carolina and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This is a Cam Richter novel and Cam Richter is a character that you will enjoy following in other books by Deutermann. Please share your favorite book discoveries. I try to read at least one novel each week ...
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How to easily get a traffic ticket in Maryland   Pick up your cell phone while driving in Maryland and you will be targeted for a ticket for illegal cell phone use.  Drivers need to know that a new law went into effect on October 1, 2013. Police officers are no longer required to find another reason to pull a driver over and issue a ticket. The cell phone law is now much easier to enforce. Montgomery County, Maryland police are issuing hundreds of tickets to drivers that are using a hand held cell phone. The first offence is $83, $140 for the second offense and $160 for the third offense. In addition to Maryland, The Washington Post reports that there are 11 other states plus the District of Columbia that prohibit handheld use of cell phone while driving a vehicle.  Distracted driving i...
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By Roy Kelley
(Retired)
How to clean an egged vehicle   From time to time, area residents may experience vandalism in the form of egged vehicles and sometimes egged homes. The risk of these incidents seems to increase in the fall when teenagers are out in their cars after football games or near Halloween. If your vehicles are egged, you need to know what to do. Vehicles that are left on the street rather than in the safety of a garage are ready made targets for pranksters. Discovering an egged vehicle is very upsetting but the removal of the eggs requires decisive action. It is important to remove the egg stain and the egg shells as quickly as possible. If the removal of egg splatters is delayed, the removal will usually be more difficult. The yolks will crust and create a more difficult clean up. The goal is ...
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There’s no place like home in Kentlands   Real estate professional Liz Wallace has issued an October challenge for ActiveRain bloggers. Liz has asked us to talk about we love about our own home and where we live and maybe even mention a thing or two about things we do not love so much about our home or the area. This is an easy topic for me because we have been looking for a retirement home and every place that we see has been compared with what we already have as a residence. I happen to have the best wife in the world so the most important thing about our home is that is where Dolores and I live together and our home is the base for all of the activities we enjoy. A home is where you enjoy time spent with those that you love the most. A home is a place where you are comfortable and wh...
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By Roy Kelley
(Retired)
Kentlands Progressive Dinners   The Kentlands Citizens Assembly has announced the return of Kentlands Progressive Dinners for the season. The format has been changed. This year, the group of maximum of forty persons will meet at the Kentlands Clubhouse at 6:30 p.m. for drinks and appetizers. Name tags will be provided. About an hour later, the diners will disperse to the homes to which they have been assigned for dinner. Before the evening of the dinner, the host will contact the diners. The host will plan the meal and provide the main course. Diners will be asked to bring side dishes and a bottle of wine. At approximately 9 p.m. all of the diners will then go to the home of Mike and Lisa Pickett for dessert. Reservations are required and there will be a charge of $10 per person to cove...
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Book Recommendation:  A Question of Honor by Charles Todd   Charles Todd is the author of the Inspector Ian Rutledge and the Bess Crawford mystery series. He has also written two stand-alone novels. I just finished reading his most recent book, A Question of Honor (2013), A Bess Crawford Mystery. My wife, Dolores, and I have enjoyed these novels and would like to recommend  them to you. Some would prefer to read the books in the order in which they were written but that is not a necessary exercise. Visit the website for much more information on the author and the books:  www.charlestodd.com One of my personal goals is to read at least one novel each week. Turn off the TV and enjoy a good novel this week. Charles Todd Novels Featuring Inspector Ian Rutledge A Test of Wills (1996)   Wings...
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By Roy Kelley
(Retired)
Cancer Treatments Put on Hold at NIH   The federal shutdown has created a life threatening situation for many cancer patients that come to Montgomery County, Maryland as they seek treatment at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda.  Every week, hundreds of patients are admitted to new clinical trials at NIH. Patients are now being told that they must wait until the government starts up again to begin their trials. About 14,700 people have been furloughed at NIH. This means that about 75% of the employees are not at work due to inability of members of the House of Representatives to take the necessary action to fund government agencies. Some may consider this to be a rant. It is difficult for me to imagine the feelings of the patients that are not being treated.   White Chrysanth...
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VA Recognizes Spousal Income In Same-Sex Marriages   In Circular 26-13-18, the Veterans Benefits Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs announced new lender processing guidelines that allow the income of same-sex spouses to be considered when qualifying veterans for VA mortgage financing. The purpose of this change is to allow the benefits for same-sex married couples to be consistent with the process used for opposite-sex married couples. Previously, if a veteran obtained  a VA mortgage loan with anyone other than his or her opposite-sex spouse, VA could only guarantee the veteran’s portion of the loan. VA will now review applications for the home loan guaranty benefit submitted by married same-sex couples. Since state laws are not uniform on same-sex, marriages, these re...
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Montgomery County, MD Impacted by Massive Furloughs   The uncertainty that is being experienced by thousands of government employees that have been furloughed by the federal shutdown will have a major impact on spending patterns and the area economy. There are eighteen federal agencies and installations located in Montgomery County, Maryland and very large number of government contractors that rely on federal funding.  Over 70,000 Montgomery County residents work for the federal government. One of the major federal agencies in Gaithersburg is the National Institute of Standards and Technology. News reports indicate that only 6,000 of their 46,000 employees will be kept on duty.  In Silver Spring, The Food and Drug Administration has furloughed 45% of its 13,000 member work force.  Some ...
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Health Insurance Plans Are Now Available in Maryland Maryland Health Connection   Maryland’s state health exchange began operations on October 1, 2013. Uninsured residents as well as those with individual health plans are now able to shop for affordable health insurance.  Maryland Health Connection was established to comply with the Affordable Care Act which is generally known as Obamacare. Maryland residents can shop for health insurance plans online at www.marylandhealthconnection.gov or by phone at 1-855-642-8572. There are a number of locations throughout the state where you may also sign up in person. Low and moderate income families are able to apply for subsidies that will reduce the cost. Purchased insurance coverage will go into effect on January 1, 2014. Keep in mind that most...
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Fall decorations encouraged for Kentlands homes   As we approach the date of the annual Kentlands Oktoberfest which is scheduled for Sunday, October 13, 2013, the Kentlands Garden Club is encouraging residents to add fall decorations to the outside of their homes. Thousands of visitors will be attending the Kentlands Oktoberfest and this is a good time to show our beautiful community at its best. Show your pride of ownership with decorations which will enhance the festive atmosphere of autumn. Enjoy the Kentlands Oktoberfest from noon to 5 p.m. on the 13th!    Butterfly, Wings of Fancy, Brookside Gardens IMG_7462 Roy and Dolores Kelley Photographs
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Book Recommendation:  Never Go Back by Lee Child   Avid readers that enjoy suspense novels need to add Never Go Back (2013) by Lee Child to their autumn reading list.  This is the 18th novel in Child’s Jack Reacher series. I have read all 18 books in this series and recommend them to you. Some readers would prefer to read the books in date order but that is not absolutely necessary. If you read one of the Reacher books, you will add more to your list. My personal goal is to read at least one novel each week. Turn off the TV and you sill be able to improve your quality of life by reading more books.   Lee Child Novels Killing Floor (1997), 1st Jack Reacher Book Die Trying (1998), 2nd Jack Reacher Book Tripwire (1999), 3rd Jack Reacher Book Running Blind (2000), 4th Jack Reacher Book Echo...
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