Linthicum Real Estate remains Competitive in 2016.

By Kim Solloway

How is the real estate market doing in Linthicum? If you drive around the community you’ll notice the lack of ‘For Sale’ signs which is a quick indicator of how low the supply is of available homes.  The monthly supply in January was 2.75 according to statistics from RBI (Real Estate Business Intelligence).  So what does that mean?  When there is 0-4 months of inventory, all of the current homes listed for sale can be expected to sell within 4 months.  Great news for sellers.  At 5-8 months of inventory it is considered a balanced market.  At 9 months or more you’ll find happy buyers since there are many options to choose from. Except for January, the Linthicum inventory has been decreasing since September.  As the spring market arrives it will be interesting to see if more signs pop up. 

With the great inventory news for Linthicum sellers, one might wonder why some homes sit for months on the market.  Questions that I ask when a home is not selling start first and foremost with the price.  Is the home priced according to what the market will support? Do the photos on the internet show the property in the best possible light? Is the home clean and uncluttered so that buyers can see the space and features the home has to offer?  If the home does not show well, has the price been set to entice a buyer to look past what a seller is not able or willing to do?  

Taking a look back at 2015, in Linthicum there were a total of 142 detached homes sold.  Since January of this year, 14 detached homes have sold which puts the market on pace for what occurred in 2014 when a total of 85 homes sold. The average days on the market in 2015 before a home went under contract was 73 days.  The highest number of average days on the market in 2015 was 150 days (February) and the shortest occurred in July when the average was just 43 days.

With the higher number of sales the average sales price dropped in 2015.  In 2014 the average sales price was $276,650 vs $259,177 in 2015.  I would expect that the average sales price will increase this year if the inventory remains low. 

So what does this news mean right now for buyers and sellers in Linthicum?   For a buyer don’t waste any time getting out to see new homes coming onto the market. Ask your agent to check the coming soon status to look for homes not yet on the market.  If you are a seller make sure your home sparkles the day it hits the market.  If it means waiting a few weeks to make sure the home shows in the best light then in my opinion it is time well spent. If you do not have the ability or the means to show your home in the best possible light, adjust the price to encourage buyer interest.   Adding the home to the coming soon status to generate interest before it hits the market may be something a seller might want to consider.  

 

All data included was obtained from RBI. 

Community Enhancement Grants

Here is a summary of the program and how it has been used. The Community Enhancement Grant system issues a $1.00 grant per aircraft landing and taking off. This money must be used for transportation related projects which include sidewalks, signage, speed bumps, and even fences. Most of this money has been used for sidewalks, especially long runs of sidewalk that were already in existence but were in poor condition.  To install new sidewalks requires engineering and permits, thus reducing the actual amout of sidewalk that could be installed. Regarding LSIA backing, the program has used community associations as the barometer for where and how money should be spent. . In short, the grant process takes 6-9 months to complete. E. Maple is not insurmountable, however it will take considerable time and planning as well as neighbor cooperation if it were to be accomplished.  Currently we are waiting for an estimate to repave sidewalks on a portion of Shipley Rd. If you feel there is something that our community needs that would be covered by this funding please let us know, and we will be happy to explore those options.  Please keep in mind that many improvements we may seek are subject to approval by the County or State of Maryland.  In addition, while we have tried to use this money to make pedestrian travel safer for all, sidewalks are technically the responsibility of the individual homeowner.

 

http://www.maacommunityrelations.com/content/communityprograms/transportgrants.php

Silent Night, Safe Night

Silent Night, Safe Night

By Jonathan McGowan

 

Did you ever get to so busy during the holiday season that you forget to practice good car safety and to celebrate positive happenings in the Linthicum area?

Safety During the Holidays

The holiday season is upon us and the Anne Arundel County Police Department is increasing their presence at the local shopping centers. In addition, patrol cars will be in the area shopping center parking lots with “lights on” to highlight their presence in an effort to deter crime.  The holiday months are normally very active for crime activity.  Shoppers should pay close attention to where they are parking, look for well lighted areas, lock their cars and should not leave items in plain sight. Drivers should secure their keys and be ready to enter their cars after leaving the stores. If all else fails, shoppers can use their car alarm to draw attention.  

The auto theft divisions for Anne Arundel County Police Department are combining their efforts in reducing and solving auto thefts with neighboring jurisdictions. The Northern District is working with Baltimore County and Baltimore City Police Departments to coordinate in tracking cross county movement of stolen vehicles. The Southern District is working with Prince George’s and Howard Counties in their efforts.  Automobile theft in the Northern District is currently showing an increase. With the cold months upon us, car warm ups and, leaving your car unintended, gas station fill-ups and not locking your cars, lead to majority of the vehicle thefts.

Here’s a helpful suggestion- Just in case the misfortune of an auto theft confronts you, a very helpful tool for most people is the mobile phone. Most mobile phones are capable of taking photographs. Take one or two pictures of your cars with the tag number visible. You can store the photo safely on your phone, and in the event of a vehicle loss, you could display a very accurate description to police officers. 

The Linthicum area roadways are in the final stages of completing the pavement resurfacing and lane markings that now include designated bicycle lanes through our neighborhood. This is an effort to connect the bicycle trail network across Maryland.  This recently completed segment of bicycle lanes will connect the BWI trail and the bicycle trail heading north along Belle Grove Road and into Baltimore City. Please take special notice along Camp Meade Road (Main Street) and the intersections adjoining the bicycle lanes.

Happenings around the community

The Police Committee Relations Council (PCRC) awarded two Anne Arundel County Northern District Police officers the “Officer of the Year” award, Sergeant Dan Devoe and Detective Christopher Manalanson. They were presented a plaque and a citation at the November meeting. Both Police officers were cited from the Governor’s and the County Executive’s offices for their outstanding police efforts in community relations during the past year.  Also, present during the ceremony were the newly appointed Chief of Police, Timothy Altomare, and newly appointed Northern District Captain, Thomas Kohlmann.

The Holidays Lights Program by the Linthicum Decorating Committee adds a special feeling of seasonal pride to our neighborhood. The community owes them many, many thanks and gratitude to the hard working volunteers giving our neighborhood a festive holiday season spirit. Well done everyone!

In closing, have a safe and peaceful holiday season.  Cheers!