All About Annapolis
  • Home
  • Neighborhoods
  • About Me
    • Real Estate >
      • Lending
      • Settlement >
        • Documents needed to close
        • Title Insurance
      • Home Buying
      • Home Selling
  • My Listings
  • Explore Annapolis
    • Places to visit >
      • Architecture
      • Alex Haley Memorial
      • Banneker-Douglas Museum
      • Eastport Walking Tour
      • Hammond Harwood House >
        • Pumpkin Walk
      • Lighthouses
      • Paca House & Garden
      • Maryland Inn
      • Naval Academy
      • Parks >
        • Dog Parks
        • Leon Wolfe Park
        • Quiet Waters Park
        • State Parks
      • Severnside Farm Tour
      • St Anne's Church
      • Tiffany Stained Glass
      • State capital building
      • Wall Murals >
        • Design District Murals
        • Historic, Murry Hill & Eastport
        • Others Out & About
    • Events >
      • Annapolis Cup Croquet Match
      • Art Walk
      • Boatyard Beach Bash
      • Bourbon Bowties Cigars
      • C.R.A.B Cup
      • Crab Feast
      • Puppy Plunge
      • US Powerboat Show
      • US Sailboat Show
      • Waterfowl Festival
    • Runs
    • Holidays >
      • Memorial Day
      • Labor Day
      • Halloween
      • Christmas
    • Festivals >
      • Anne Arundel County Fair
      • Art in the Park
      • Beer & Wine Festivals
      • First Sunday Arts
      • Irish Festival
      • Homestead Gardens Fall Festival
      • Kegs and Corks
      • Maryland Seafood Festival
      • Renaissance Festival
      • West Annapolis Oktoberfest
    • Markets >
      • AA County Farmers Market
      • Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre
      • AA Medical Center Farmers Market
      • Diehl's Produce
      • DNR Farmers Market >
        • Annapolis Farmers Market
      • PA Dutch Farmers Market
      • 2017 Farmers Market Guide
    • Concerts & Shows >
      • All Saints Concert
      • Annapolis Town Center Concerts
      • Fast as Lightning
      • FOQWP Summer Concert Series
      • Middletons
      • Rams Head On Stage
    • Tours >
      • Ghost Walk Tour
      • Red Trolley Tour
      • Circulator
    • Places to stay
  • Gardening
    • Composting
    • Fruits and Veggies >
      • Apples
    • Gardening Clubs
    • Native Plants
    • Insects >
      • Friends or foe
    • Trees
    • Where to buy plants
    • Butterfly Garden >
      • Butterflies in Maryland
      • Location
      • Plants for Butterflies
      • Butterfly Life Cycle
      • Monarch Butterfly
    • Spring >
      • Seed Starting
    • Summer
    • Fall >
      • Preparing your yard for winter
      • What to Plant in the Fall?
    • Winter
  • Resources
    • Important Numbers
    • Maryland History & Resources
    • Schools >
      • Annapolis Public Schools
      • Private Schools
  • Blog
  • Home
  • Neighborhoods
  • About Me
    • Real Estate >
      • Lending
      • Settlement >
        • Documents needed to close
        • Title Insurance
      • Home Buying
      • Home Selling
  • My Listings
  • Explore Annapolis
    • Places to visit >
      • Architecture
      • Alex Haley Memorial
      • Banneker-Douglas Museum
      • Eastport Walking Tour
      • Hammond Harwood House >
        • Pumpkin Walk
      • Lighthouses
      • Paca House & Garden
      • Maryland Inn
      • Naval Academy
      • Parks >
        • Dog Parks
        • Leon Wolfe Park
        • Quiet Waters Park
        • State Parks
      • Severnside Farm Tour
      • St Anne's Church
      • Tiffany Stained Glass
      • State capital building
      • Wall Murals >
        • Design District Murals
        • Historic, Murry Hill & Eastport
        • Others Out & About
    • Events >
      • Annapolis Cup Croquet Match
      • Art Walk
      • Boatyard Beach Bash
      • Bourbon Bowties Cigars
      • C.R.A.B Cup
      • Crab Feast
      • Puppy Plunge
      • US Powerboat Show
      • US Sailboat Show
      • Waterfowl Festival
    • Runs
    • Holidays >
      • Memorial Day
      • Labor Day
      • Halloween
      • Christmas
    • Festivals >
      • Anne Arundel County Fair
      • Art in the Park
      • Beer & Wine Festivals
      • First Sunday Arts
      • Irish Festival
      • Homestead Gardens Fall Festival
      • Kegs and Corks
      • Maryland Seafood Festival
      • Renaissance Festival
      • West Annapolis Oktoberfest
    • Markets >
      • AA County Farmers Market
      • Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre
      • AA Medical Center Farmers Market
      • Diehl's Produce
      • DNR Farmers Market >
        • Annapolis Farmers Market
      • PA Dutch Farmers Market
      • 2017 Farmers Market Guide
    • Concerts & Shows >
      • All Saints Concert
      • Annapolis Town Center Concerts
      • Fast as Lightning
      • FOQWP Summer Concert Series
      • Middletons
      • Rams Head On Stage
    • Tours >
      • Ghost Walk Tour
      • Red Trolley Tour
      • Circulator
    • Places to stay
  • Gardening
    • Composting
    • Fruits and Veggies >
      • Apples
    • Gardening Clubs
    • Native Plants
    • Insects >
      • Friends or foe
    • Trees
    • Where to buy plants
    • Butterfly Garden >
      • Butterflies in Maryland
      • Location
      • Plants for Butterflies
      • Butterfly Life Cycle
      • Monarch Butterfly
    • Spring >
      • Seed Starting
    • Summer
    • Fall >
      • Preparing your yard for winter
      • What to Plant in the Fall?
    • Winter
  • Resources
    • Important Numbers
    • Maryland History & Resources
    • Schools >
      • Annapolis Public Schools
      • Private Schools
  • Blog
All About Annapolis

Blog

You know, I didn't think I had a lot to say, but apparently I might!!  :-)

Are you eligible for the Homestead Property Tax Credit?

6/19/2018

1 Comment

 
Picture
One of the things as Realtors that we need to do is stay current on the laws.  The State of Maryland has just passed a great new law that will go into effect on October 1st. 

There is a Homestead Property Tax Credit Program was created to give homeowners a little break against year over year large tax assessment increases.  Technically, the Homestead Credit does not limit the market value of the property as determined by the Department of Assessments and Taxation. Instead, it is actually a credit calculated on any assessment increase exceeding 10% (or the lower cap enacted by the local governments) from one year to the next. The Maryland.Gov website gives a great example to explain it:


Example:
Assume that your old assessment was $100,000 and that your new phased-in assessment for the 1st year is $120,000. An increase of 10% would result in an assessment of $110,000. The difference between $120,000 and $110,000 is $10,000. The tax credit would apply to the taxes due on the $10,000. If the tax rate was $1.04 per $100 of assessed value, the tax credit would be $104 ($10,000 ÷ 100 x $1.04).


Clear as mud right?  In my opinion, any credit is money in your pocket, so you might as well apply for it.  But there's rules on your eligibility.  You have to live in the home, not change it's usage (like from being a residence to become a business), or transfer ownership.  

The new law that was just passed by the State of Maryland said that the State needs to identify the homeowners that may be eligible for the credit, but haven't applied for it yet.   The law says the State will begin notifying those individuals with an insert that would go out with their property assessment saying they may be eligible, and how to apply for the credit.  It goes into affect October 1st.

By the way, when I was looking up the details of the law, I saw this beautiful picture of the State House on the Maryland site.  Isn't it beautiful?  

If you have any questions about the Homestead Property Tax Credit Program, please ask! I'll be glad to help you understand it!
1 Comment

John Wilkes Booth

6/19/2018

1 Comment

 
Picture
My assistant was the one who made me look towards the story behind Lincoln's assassination.  I did a blog post a year and some ago about Lincoln's time here in Annapolis.  She had gone to the Ford's Theatre to see their production of the Christmas Carol at the holidays.  She's not from this area, and thought it was pretty cool (and took her kids too) to see the place where Lincoln was shot.  When she came back, she said there was this whole museum you could look through that detailed the whole complex workings behind Lincoln's assassination.  Not only were they killing him, but the plan was to kill his Secretary of State William Seward and the Vice President Andrew Johnson.  Here's another story of our American History that shortens what actually happens.  

And it wasn't just John Wilkes Booth! He had 3 accomplices, and his mother (of all people) was involved!   So when I saw this brochure published by visitmaryland.org I was intrigued!   There's a large map that details all the places in the journey, from as far north as Baltimore, through DC and ending at Garrett's Farm in Virginia.  

What impressed me about the Visit Maryland site is that this brochure is available to download!  I've done it here for you, so you can either print it from them or from here.  Either way, what a fascinating story!  Thanks to the National Archives for the great photo of John Wilkes Booth.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
1 Comment

Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad

6/12/2018

1 Comment

 
Picture
For those who know me, the history of Annapolis fascinates me.  I was thinking how if I set a goal to learn one new historical thing about Annapolis every day, I would never run out of information!  The history of this city is so vast!

Recently I came across some brochures (this one was published by the Harriet Tubman Underground Railway Byway), and as I was looking at them, I was thinking how if I can't possibly keep up with Annapolis, if I even expanded to Maryland, I'd never learn it all!  That's the great thing about learning - no matter how old you get, you can never learn it all.  There's always something out there you don't know.

As I was looking at this brochure, I realized I really didn't know much about exactly what Harriet Tubman did.  We all learned that the Underground Railroad existed, but really, it's more than a one line sentence in a history book.  She was one of the most strongest and bravest people, and the fact that she shaped the lives of so many in a time period of strife was just amazing! The fact that just blew me away was, she's portrayed as this matronly older woman.  But she started, and did most of her work, when she was in her mid 20's!! 

So I came home and thought I'd share this brochure with you.  Please go to www.HarrietTubmanByway.org and check it out.   I initially thought I'd scan in this little map, but once I visited their site, shoot, there's no way I can share that all here!  They have an interactive map,  there's a lot of  history, including what she did (or did not) do.  While most of the tour is on the Eastern Shore, it would definitely be worth the trip over there to tour a few of the historical sites.  The map even lists restaurants, stores and hotels near key spots on the tour.

​If you don't want to venture out on your own, and would like to take a tour, there's a list of tour operators on the site too.  Those can be found here.

There are 2 different Harriet Tubman Sites.  The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center (2 Rosehill Place, Cambridge, MD)  and the Harriet Tubman Museum and Educational Center (424 Race Street, Cambridge, MD). The Visitor Center is part of the National Park System, while the Educational Centers started in the 1990's by locals to preserve and promote her legacy.  The Visitor Center recently opened in 2017.

So if you're like me and wanting to expand your knowledge, head out on the tour.  Or take a tour.   You'll be glad you did!
Picture
Picture
1 Comment

fIRST TIME HOME BUYERS!

6/5/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
Lately, a good majority of my clients are First Time Home Buyers.  This is great for the economy, as more people are putting down roots in communities and making things better.  First Time Home Buyers present many challenges to me as a Realtor. So I thought I'd share some tips to future buyers that may help!

Let me start with a confession : GOOGLE is my best friend. If I don't know something, I can Google my problem and after a little digging, I can find the answer.  In real estate though, this isn't always the case. Google is great for explaining what terminology means, but when it comes to real estate, as your Realtor, I have to understand what's going on, and how the law applies to it.  I'm also licensed in DC, which has a completely different set of laws than Maryland has. Laws are made to protect you as the buyer (and some apply to the seller as well), so it's important that I understand it all as we move through the whole process.  When in doubt, ask your Realtor!  Google is fine, but trust in your Realtor, because they know what they are doing!

Another issue I came across is time frame. Buying a new home does not happen over night.  If you're planning on trying to plan your move, it's going to take you more than just a month or 2.  Each step in the process takes time.  For example, closing is typically 45 - 60 days from accepted contract.  So once you find the house, put in the offer,  go back and forth a few times, when everyone says yes, it's about 2 months from there!  When you go to closing, that's when you actually get the keys to start moving in!  I suggest starting this whole process about 6 months before you need to move!  Yes you read that right.  6 months.

In this 6 month time from, you need to be getting your financial house in order.  How do you know how much house you can afford?  You can't just say "I'd like my house payment to be the same as my rent" because it's not that easy!  How much money are you putting down?  Where is that money coming from?  With all your other debt commitments, can you responsibly handle that?  Your lender is going to ask you for bank statements, credit reports, etc. And once you get all that information to your lender they have to review it, and it takes time to get your approved amount.  Once you get that preliminary approval, and through the whole home buyer process, don't take out any new loans, buy a new car,  or max out your credit cards.  Your paperwork will all go through final approval, and if the bank sees that your situation has changed, your loan may not completely approved because of it!  

Once you do find the house, and both parties agree to the terms, then what?  This is where I as your Realtor comes in to help guide you.  You're going to have to get your new home inspected (which you pay for) and once that report comes out, you have the chance to ask the sellers to either repair the item, or give you a credit to replace. Your Realtor will guide you through the whole thing, because the inspection report can be a little scary your first time out!

But one thing I do want to reiterate is, to please please trust in your Realtor. If you ever have any questions, I am always here to answer them for you. I do not mind explaining the process to you, or explaining why something is happening at any stage.  I am here to represent you.  Please call me anytime and I'll be glad to help!  
0 Comments

    Author

    My name is Susanne Kneeland and I'm an Associate Broker for Long and Foster in Eastport Annapolis. I'm a wife, a mother of 2, and to 2 furbabies, a dog Maggie and a cat Marty

    Archives

    April 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
Picture