Real Estate Information

Charles County has something to celebrate! This year, four Charles County high schools made Newsweek's America's Top High School list, with La Plata High School at 487, Maurice J. McDonough High School at 961, North Point High School at 1,043 and Westlake High School at 1,443.

With its beginnings dating back to 1928, La Plata High School has been around long enough to see the vast social changes the county has gone through in the last hundred years, including desegregation in 1963-4. LPHS’s current building was constructed in 1978, and is located on Radio Station Road. With its theme of Pride and Excellence in Education, LPHS’s mission statement proclaims the schools intent to develop the intellectual, personal, social and emotional aspects of students. This it achieves through a variety of academic and extra-curricular organizations, such as Club Japan, Dance Team, Drama Club and Math Team. The school is organized by department, which is fully staffed by teachers with one acting as a chairperson for each department.

Henry E. Lackey High School, located in Indian Head and built in 1969. Its mission statement is to promote academic excellence in a safe environment. This is evident in its myriad of departments to choose from, including Engineering, World Language and Business Education. HELHS also operates under the Project Lead the Way Program, or PLTW. This educational curriculum fosters learning development and skills in the areas of engineering and biomedical science, and also imparts team building skills, thinking and problem solving. The school also participates in the Air Force Junior ROTC Program.

Maurice J. McDonough High School was built in 1976, and follows the Latin motto, "Docere Cognoscere et Excellere," which means "To Teach, To Learn, To Excel." In order to do this, the school embraces individuality and the various cultural and socio-economic backgrounds represented by its students and its 130 staff members. The school’s educational philosophy focuses on learners as individuals, and concentrates on helping students realize personal responsibility, respect, confidence and pride. Like other Charles County high schools, MJMHS offers traditional courses and JROTC as well as special education programs and world languages.

North Point High School focuses on science, technology and industry. It is Charles County’s newest high school, and strives to foster a sense of community among its students and faculty, while providing a constructive and successful high school experience for students.  The school offers unique extra-curricular activities, such as Law Enforcement Explorer Post 1658, Future Educators Association and Environment Club. Over the summer, several students from NPHS recently took place in the 46th Annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Kansas City, Missouri, with several earning first and second place medals.  In addition to national opportunities like the NLSC, NPHS also offers weighted courses and those with college credits, as do other Charles County schools.

Thomas Stone High School opened its doors to students in 1969, making it one of the older high schools in Charles County. With its mission to inspire responsible citizenship, leadership and lifelong learning, TSHS received a Maryland Center for Character Education Award last September, and will be recognized as a Maryland Emerging School of Character this fall. Staff works with the process of Capturing Kid’s Hearts in order to create a culture of mutual respect, caring and dignity among all, and inspire students to be self-disciplined and responsible. These goals are supported by the many extra-curricular activities available to students, such as Mock Trial, Future Business Leaders of America and Destination Imagination. TSHS also offers academics similar to other Charles County schools, including World Language, and programs such as ROTC. Notably, TSHS also offers Family and Consumer Science, which teaches students relevant skills for leading independent lives, such as those needed for finance, child care and merchandising.

Westlake High School was founded in 1992, and offers a wide choice of academic pursuits, including numerous AP courses and Technology Education and Engineering courses. The school also has a Multiple Media Program that uses Avid and Final Cut editing software, and was the recipient of the 2002 and 2004 International Film Festival’s Film Class Award. WHS also offers Teacher Academy of Maryland courses for interested students, as well as NJROTC. Like other county schools, it has a career center, and also has a resourceful counseling center whose mission is to assist students and parents with academic and career planning. 

Great News!  We have syndicated your listing to dozens of real estate search sites.  Now when a prospective buyer searches for homes on the Web, the chances of them finding yours in multiple places has just been greatly enhanced.  Most of the major search sites where your home will appear are listed below, but there may be others.

• AOL Real Estate            CLRSearch                          Cyberhomes
• DataSphere                   Enormo                             eRealInvestor
• FreedomSoft                 FrontDoor                          Google Maps
• HomeAwayRealEstate      HomeFinder                       HomeOnTheTube
• Homes.com                   HomesBook                        HomesDatabase
• HomeTourConnect          HomeWinks                        HotPads
• LakeHomesUSA              MyREALTY.com                   Oodle
• Overstock                     PropBot                            Property Pursuit
• Property Shark               RealtyStore                       RealtyTrac
• Relify.com                      Relocation.com                 Sokous
• Trulia                            TweetLister                      USHUD.com
• Vast                             Yahoo! Real Estate            Zillow.com
• ZingHome                       Organic                           Realtor.com
• DeHanas.com                  WashingtonPost.com         Craigslist
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Don DeHanas, Associate Broker and Realtor with DeHanas Real Estate Services in Waldorf has been awarded the prestigious Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) Designation by the Council of Residential Specialists, the largest not-for-profit affiliate of the national Association of Realtors.

Realtors who receive the CRS Designation have completed advanced courses and have demonstrated professional expertise in the field of residential real estate. Fewer than 38,000 Realtors nationwide have earned this credential, which places DeHanas amongst an elite group of real estate professionals.

Home buyers and sellers can be assured that CRS Designees subscribe to the strict Realtor Code of Ethics, have access to the latest technology and are specialists in helping clients maximize profits and minimize costs when buying and selling a home.

DeHanas is a member of the National Association of Realtors, the Maryland Association of Realtors, and the Southern Maryland Association of Realtors. In addition, he is also a recognized as a real estate Star in the Star Power System, an educational and motivational organization of real estate professionals and best business practices.  DeHanas has earned his designation as a Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE), and is a Graduate of the Realtor Institute (GRI).

DeHanas Real Estate Services is family owned and operated and located in Waldorf, serving residential home buyers and sellers, landlords, renters and investors.

The housing crisis may have put a damper on esisting home sales, but new home builders have found a way to compete in a very big way. And the homebuyers pockets are feeling all of the benefits!

Many of my clients who compare existing home sale with new home consrtuction are finding that it costs less to buy new than it does to buy existing.  Recently, some builders have become very agressive in the offers they provide to home buyers in order to attract the business and keep their companies profitable.  They are not only doing this by offering low prices, but also financing that is more attractive than most banks are offering.

The larger builders like Lennar Homes have their own financing companies and their own money to loan.  Recently Lenna Homes in the Waldorf, MD community of Glen Eagles, a subdivision of Fairway Village has been offering interest rates of 4%, all closing costs paid and free finished rec rooms as part of their incentive package.  With prices starting from the high $200s for a single family home it makes more sense to buy than it does to rent.  in fact, rental prices for comparable homes are higher than the average martgage payment, which also makes for a great investment property.

Another noteworthy builder-offer in the area is Berkshire Homes, now building in the Villages of Steeple Chase in La Plata.  Berkshire is offering No money down, all closing paid and monthly mortgage rates starting at $1371 per month for a 2 bedroom, 2-level town home.  You definetly cannot get into a rental home at this price.  Along with a community center, swimming pool, fitness center and nature trails, buying a new home in Steeple Chase is a no brainer for the homebuyer or renter who has little or no money to buy/rent.

It should also be noted these builders are Realtor-friendly, and allow Realtor representation at no cost the the homebuyer.  Fore more information on area builders, or to schedule an appointment with a builder, please call our office at 301-870-1717 x106.

New statistics from mortgage data collector, Realtytrac, have come out with news about the future rate of foreclosures that has not surprised some forecasters.

Nearly 528,000 homes were taken over by lenders in the first six months of the year, a rate that is on track to pale in comparison, the more than 900,000 homes repossessed in 2009, according to data released Thursday by RealtyTrac Inc., a Foreclosure listing service.

"That would be unprecedented," said Rick Sharga, a senior vice president at RealtyTrac.

By comparison, lenders have historically taken over about 100,000 homes a year, Sharga said.

The surge in home repossessions remains a crippling drag on the housing market.

The pace at which new homes falling behind in payments and entering the Foreclosure process has slowed as banks continue to let delinquent borrowers stay longer in their homes rather than adding to the glut of foreclosed properties on the market. At the same time, lenders have stepped up repossessions in an effort to clear out the backlog of distressed inventory on their books.

The number of households facing Foreclosure in the first half of the year climbed 8 percent versus the same period last year, but dropped 5 percent from the last six months of 2009, according to RealtyTrac, which tracks notices for defaults, scheduled home auctions and home repossessions.

In all, about 1.7 million homeowners received a Foreclosure-related warning between January and June. That translates to one in 78 U.S. homes.

Foreclosure notices posted monthly declines in April, May and June, but Sharga said one shouldn't read too much into that.

"The banks are really sort of controlling or managing the dial on how fast these things get processed so they can ultimately manage the inventory of distressed assets on the market," he said.

On average, it takes about 15 months for a home loan to go from being 30 days late to the property being foreclosed and sold, according to Lender Processing Services Inc., which tracks mortgages.

Assuming the U.S. economy doesn't worsen, aggravating the Foreclosure crisis, Sharga projects it will take lenders through 2013 to resolve the backlog of distressed properties that have on their books right now.

And a new wave of foreclosures could be coming in the second half of the year, especially if the unemployment rate remains high, mortgage-assistance programs fail, and the economy doesn't improve fast enough to lift home sales.

The prospect of lenders taking over more than a million homes this year is likely to push housing values down, experts say.

Foreclosed homes are typically sold at steep discounts, lowering the value of surrounding properties. 

The Federal Governments most recent Foreclosure Alternative initiative directs homeowners to act responsibly by attepmting to short sale their home with a local Realtor.  Fore more information on the short sale process, call DeHanas Real Estate Services at 301-870-1717 x106.

 It can be easy for homebuyers to overlook home insurance costs. Most buyers tend to focus on factors such as quality of neighborhood, property taxes, school districts and available recreational and cultural outlets. But the seemingly mundane detail of home insurance can add up to a big investment. The size, location, construction and overall condition of a house can affect insurance cost, choice and availability, according to the Insurance Information Institute. When looking at prospective homes, the Institute recommends that homebuyers consider the following:

• Where is the nearest fire department? Houses located near a fire station usually cost less to insure.

• Are the plumbing and electrical systems in good condition? Poorly maintained, unsafe and/or outdated systems are more costly to insure than well-maintained ones.

Thinking of buying or selling a home, or know someone who is, please let us know by calling 301-870-1717

Rachel DeHanas Broker/Owner of DeHanas Real Estate Services in Waldorf will be a featured panel member at the National Star Power Confrence being held in Nashville, TN next month.  DeHanas' panel discussion regarding Bank-owned properties, is one of the hot buttons facing the real estate market today.

Guest speakers at the Star Power conference include Alex Charfen, CEO of Star Power Systems and The Distressed Property Institute, Dave Ramsey, best selling author and Financial Expert, Howard Brinton, National Speaker and Founder of Star Power Systems, Dave Linegar, Chairman and co-founder of RE/MAX, and Alex Perillio, President and CEO of Realogy.

It is an opportunity for real estate professionals to walk among the legends and learn from the best in the business.  The conference is scheduled for July 25-28. For reservations and additional information, go to www.starpowerconference.com.

Last week the Washington Post reported Charles County to have the second highest Foreclosure rate in Maryland behind Prince Georges County.  According to national real estate analyst Realty Trac, one in every 297 homes has had at least one foreclosure filing during the month of April, 2010, considerably higher than the national average of one in every 387.

Calvert County ranked number 4 in the State at one in every 311. 

The highest Foreclosure rate in the state was Prince George's County, where one in every 234 homes is threatened or was seized by a bank. Prince George's also leads the state in total foreclosures.

Maryland as a whole had a 3 percent increase in rates over March, and a whopping 51 percent increase over April 2009, the report said. The increase bucks the national trend, where the rate dropped 9 percent in the month and 2 percent in the year.

Subprime mortgages marketed to the influx of new residents are partly responsible for the high Foreclosure rate, Charles County Commissioner Reuben B. Collins II (D) said. 

My experience is somewhat different.  Early on in this crisis, many of my clients held subprime mortgages, but not now. Amoungst my many clients facing Foreclosure are a number of military and Federal Governement employees and their families being transfered to other parts of the world.  In many cases these homeonwers have impeccable credit, and are forced to take the credit hit or lose their jobs, or even worse, be separated from their families.

I also have a number of homeowners facing Foreclosure due to temporary job loss, health issues or other financial hardships that have been magnified by the current economic crisis. 

It is easy to blame those home buyers who "self-inflicted" their fate of Foreclosure, but now we are talking about credit-worthy buyers who are the actual victims.

There is speculation circulating that the Homebuyer Tax Credit has been extended.  What has actually happened is an amendment to extend the closing deadline for the Homebuyer Tax Credit has been added to proposed legislation.  The amendment would extend the closing deadline from June 30, 2010 to September 30, 2010, however, this would only apply to purchase contracts already signed prior to the April 30, 2010 deadline.  Although this specific measure has been approved to be added to the legislation, it is a part of a larger bill entitled American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010 also known as the Tax Extenders Bill that is going through the legislative process.  The bill has been approved by the House, but was voted down in the Senate yesterday over concerns about the ballooning federal deficit.  However, the Senate is currently reworking their version of the  bill and once that happens and it is approved by the Senate, the bill will need to reconciled with the House version and approved by the President.  So, although the closing deadline has not officially been extended, it appears it is likely to happen.

Additionally, an amendment to extend the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is also included in this same piece of legislation.  As a result, the NFIP will be in limbo until the Senate can trim back the bill enough to get the votes it needs for passage.

Newsweek Magazine announced, this week, its list of Americas Top Schools, and in it were 4 Charles County Schools, including La Plata, McDonough, Westlake and North Point Highschools.

La Plata High School topped the County's list, ranking at 487, while McDonough at 961, Westlake at 1,043 and North Point at 1,443, in Newsweeks list of the 1,622 of Americas top schools.

The Newsweek list is based on the Challenge Index developed by the Washington Post. It ranks the number of AP tests taken in relation to the number of graduating seniors. Schools rank in the top 6 percent if they achieve a ratio of at least 1.0, meaning they had as many tests taken in 2009 as they had graduates.

More than half of Maryland’s 185 public high schools – 53 percent – were on Newsweek’s list.

“We continue to work to ensure that our students are challenging themselves by taking the highest level of courses they can. We encourage students to take Advanced Placement classes and we continue to offer rigorous coursework for all students,” Superintendent James E. Richmond said.

Richmond pointed to a new initiative, the Stars (Scholars Targeting Academic Rigor with Success) program that is encouraging rising ninth-grade students to enroll in challenging courses. The program is designed to push students with potential, especially those from traditionally underserved populations, to take the most rigorous courses possible, including honors and AP classes.