Housing & Real Estate

PLANNING YOUR MOVE
Relocating to a new home is one of the most stressful situations in life no matter if it is across town or across the nation. A successful move begins with preparation and organization. First, decide whether to use a professional moving company or do it yourself (DIY). The choice will vary based on personal circumstances. For a DIY move, for instance, consider distance, labor help and the costs of renting the moving vehicle, insurance, gas and lodging during the move.

A compromise between a professional mover and DIY is a transportable storage unit that you load and secure and then have transported to your new residence for you to unpack. Regardless of method, obtain as many quotes from professional movers as you can along with estimates of the cost of a DIY move, then compare the costs, as well the amount of stress and physical exertion you are willing to take on. Be sure to read the "Moving Checklist" on page 23 for tips to ease the stress.

BUYING VERSUS RENTING
This decision is the most important you'll make during your relocation. Buying a home is a long-term emotional and financial commitment with various pluses and minuses. The advantages include the possibility of building equity, not depending on a landlord to maintain the property or asking permission to decorate or landscape. Owning a home has tax benefits too. The disadvantages, on the other hand, include responsibility for the upkeep and property taxes, as well as the financial losses if the property value decreases.

Renting affords freedom. It's easier to pick up and go and no maintenance worries. And some rental complexes have amenities such as laundry rooms, exercise and swimming facilities, and tennis courts. But the disadvantages are no control over the residence, and restrictions on pets and personal touches, such as painting. Also, the landlord or property manager can raise the rent with proper notice.

In the end, take all of your needs into account, review your financial situation and research your options thoroughly so you can reach an informed decision.

BUYING
Buying a home is a complex matter and, as the recent housing crisis demonstrated, requires a thorough education on the part of the buyer. The first step is to fully understand your financial position: credit score, available savings, monthly income and monthly expenditures. Subtracting your ex-penditures from your income will reveal how much you can afford to spend on housing.

When figuring monthly expenditures, for example, be sure to take into account all insurance costs associated with owning a home, possible home owner association fees, as well as property taxes. According to http://www.ginniemae.gov, loan programs vary as far as allotting the percentage of your income for housing related expenses. Most conventional loans allow 28 percent while FHA allows 29 percent and VA, 41 percent. Remember that a real estate agent or a mortgage lender knows nothing about your budget. It's up to you to know the monthly housing expenses you are able to take on. Next, research the different types of home loans and determine which fits your financial situation now and in the future. The two main types of mortgages are fixed-rate and adjustable-rate (ARM). A fixed-rate features an interest rate that stays the same for the life of the loan with the same monthly payment. Basically, this mortgage offers stability for people expecting to stay in the home for a long time.

The adjustable-rate loan, on the other hand, generally starts with a fixed rate but, after an introductory period, adjusts periodically based on fluctua-tions in the interest rate. The ARM will save money in the short term, as the initial interest rate is typically lower than a fixed-rate mortgage. But once the initial period ends the rate rises and falls at pre-determined intervals, stated in the terms of the loan, based on market conditions. This mortgage caters to homeowners who plan to stay in their home for only a few years.

Regardless of the type of loan, discuss your options with a lending professional. Also, qualifying for a pre-approved loan before starting your search will alert you to any issues that might prohibit a loan.

Knowing your monthly budget and amount of your loan will help to answer important questions before starting your hunt for a home. First, determine your preferences:

Which property will best fit your needs: single-family houses, condos, town homes or duplexes?
Do you want to buy a new home, an existing home or build your own? New homes generally cost more, but existing homes may involve maintenance and renovation costs.
How many bedrooms and bathrooms do you need? An attached garage?
Do you want to live in the city, a suburb or in the country? Are proximity to work, school, shopping or public transportation important?
The answers to these questions will ease your search and assist in the next stage.
Now you're ready to hire a real estate agent to help find your ideal home and guide you through the purchase process. Remember to interview your potential agent to ensure this person understands your needs, is familiar with the regions/neighborhoods in which you are interested and is readily accessible.

Once you find the right home and the owner accepts your offer and then it passes inspection, the next step involves a Contract for Purchase and Sale of Real Estate. This document details the final terms for purchasing the home, including a description of the property, the price, the closing date and estimated closing costs. The contract also specifies the broker's commission, inspection results and damage-payment agreements. Read this document carefully before signing.

On closing day, read carefully and then sign all the documents, pay the closing costs and get the keys. The escrow company, attorney or title company will then record the transaction with the county.

RENTING
Much like purchasing a home, finding suitable rental housing begins with knowing your financial standing and calculating your monthly budget. There are also many questions to answer before the actual search begins.

What type of rental best fits your needs: single-family home, condo, town home or an apartment?
Do you want and/or do you want to be a roommate?
How many bedrooms and bathrooms do you need? Do you need a garage?
Do you want to live in the city, a suburb or in the country?
Do you have to be close to work, school, shopping or public transportation?
Are there certain amenities that you prefer: an exercise room, a swimming pool or tennis courts?
The answers to the majority of these questions will help facilitate your search and greatly help in the next stage.

Before commencing the actual search, check the yellow pages in this guide for apartment guides, rental agencies and property management companies. And such Internet sources as http://www.rent.com and http://www.apartmentguide.com feature detailed information and photos of the properties. You can also input your preferences on these sites—such as price, location and number of bedrooms—to locate and view potential properties.

Or simply drive around the neighborhoods in which you'd like to live. Many rentals aren't advertised in newspapers or listed on the Internet. Also rely on friends and relatives who already live in Harford County.

Once you have selected a few choice locations, investigate them. First, determine your total financial commitment:
How much are deposits and applications fees?
What utilities does the landlord pay? What are typical monthly utility bills?
Will the rent increase when the lease expires?
Are there extra charges/deposits for pets?
Will renter's or car Insurance costs change?
Next, interview the management staff or property management company.
Are there on-site managers? Do they respond quickly to tenant requests?
What are typical maintenance problems?
Ask for and check references. Does the staff respond quickly? Does the landlord return the security deposits on time?
Are the rules and regulations reasonable and logical?
Discuss pros and cons with tenants. Is parking plentiful? What are inside/outside noise levels?
Visit the neighborhood during the times you would normally be home
. How is the traffic around the area? How are parking and noise conditions?
Check with the local Sheriff's office to review the crime rate in the neighborhood.
Thoroughly inspect the residence and note any issues on the lease or a separate document, and then carefully read the lease before signing. The lease should specify a start and end date, the amount of monthly rent and the day it's due, and the amount of deposits paid. Other legalities involve the amount of advance notice required before moving out, clean-up guidelines and minimum time to return deposits.

UTILITIES
Gas and Electric
Baltimore Gas & Electric (410) 685-0123/
(800) 685-0123
http://www.bge.com
Be sure to obtain a letter of credit from your utility companies prior to your move to avoid paying a deposit when you connect your utilities at your new location.

Water/Sewer/Trash
Department of Public Works
212 S. Bond St.
Bel Air, MD 21014 (410) 638-3285/879-2000
http://www.harfordcountymd.gov/dpw
Local municipalities provide these services, so contact your city hall to start or stop these utilities.

Recycling
Harford Waste Disposal Center
3241 Scarboro Road
Street, MD 21154 (410) 638-3636
http://www.harfordcountymd.gov/recycle.cfm
Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The center will recycle household items, electronic devices, tires, car and truck batteries, motor oil, antifreeze, scrap metals and lawn and garden scraps. Other items such as vehicles are charged a fee.

COMMUNITIES
Aberdeen
60 N. Parke St.
Aberdeen, MD 21001 (410) 272-1600
http://www.aberdeen-md.org
In 1835, the construction of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad created a thriving shipping point for the milk and canning industries. In 1880, a second railroad, the Baltimore and Ohio, gave the town additional shipping facilities and another growth spurt. Twelve years later, the Maryland General Assembly incorporated town with the right of self-government.

A century of progress culminated in 1997 with an All-American City award recognizing the city's 14,500 residents' commitment to partnership and progress, creativity and collaboration, perseverance and pride. Just 30 miles from Baltimore, Aberdeen has a small town feel and plenty of access to the Chesapeake Bay. It's also home to Aberdeen Proving Ground, the Army's oldest operational proving ground and the county's largest employer.

Bel Air
39 N. Hickory Ave.
Bel Air, MD 21014 (410) 638-4550/879-2711
http://www.belairmd.org
In 1782, the town had just 42 lots along Main Street centering on the Court House, the county jail and four houses. The Van Bibber House and the Hays House and portions of the original three-floor jail, built in 1791, still stand.

The population grew slowly to about 200 residents in 1865. The canning industry, the Ma & Pa Railroad and related financial businesses jump started growth after the Civil War. Over the next century, the county seat's expanding role as the center of government and commerce helped weather periods of economic upheaval. Since 1980, the town and surrounding suburbs have grown substantially. Today the conveniently placed county and state agencies, regional medical facilities, and shopping, entertainment and recreation opportunities have earned the town of 10,700 residents spread over 2.9 square miles the title of The Heart of Harford.

The arts also thrive with museums, theaters and local musicians, including the Bel Air Community Band and the Bel Air Chorus. And Parks and Recreation sponsors the annual Bel Air Festival of the Arts on the third Sunday each September at Shamrock Park. Plus golf, lacrosse, baseball and soccer are more popular than ever.

Edgewood
1980 Brookside Drive
Edgewood, MD 21040-1800 (410) 612-1606
http://www.town.edgewood.md.us
The small village evolved around a train station consisting of small shops and houses in the mid-1800s. Agriculture fueled the local economy until 1940 when the new interstate highway—Route 40—brought such new development as restaurants, hotels and commercial interests. A few years later the four-lane road along with the huge World War II effort and nearby Aberdeen Proving Ground prompted an influx of military personnel and accommodations, some of which are still in use today.

In the 1950s and 1960s, the growing population needed quality schools for their children which, in turn, primed the area for large residential devel-opments and shopping areas. In 1963 the new Interstate 95 created a new explosion of suburban development. Today much of the land has been or is being developed into residential neighborhoods, shopping centers, industrial centers and business parks—with little regard for historical preservation. The few remaining historical sites are concentrated on Old Edgewood Road with a scattering in other areas, including APG.

Since the 17.9-square-mile area is unincorporated, the 17,000 residents lack and mayor and city hall and instead rely on the Edgewood Community Council to work with Harford County and Maryland State representatives.

Havre de Grace
711 Pennington Ave.
Havre de Grace, MD 21078 (410) 939-1800
http://havredegracemd.com
Frequently called "the best kept secret in Maryland," the county's oldest town on the mouth of the Susquehanna River relies on such tourist attractions as The Stepping-Stone Museum, Concord Point Light and Keepers' House, and the Decoy Museum, Maritime Museum and Susquehanna Museum at the Lock House to collectively tell its story.

Named after the port city of Le Havre, France —French for "Harbor of Grace"—the city at the upper most reach of Chesapeake Bay has become a tourist destination and one of the busiest communities in the state for festivals, events and cultural activities centered on the 3/4 mile Promenade, a waterfront boardwalk. And the 15,000 residents' intimate relationship with the Bay at such places as Tydings Park, Hutchins Park and the City Yacht Basin—home to one of the last working oyster dredge boats on the Chesapeake—adds to the allure.

Plus, in the last decade alone, the economy continued to thrive with an influx of new businesses in the last decade or expansion of such notable firms as Smuckers Quality Beverages, Cello Corporation, J.M. Huber, Coca-Cola, Vulcan Materials, Constar Plastic, Aberdeen Proving Ground, and Harford Memorial Hospital.

Regional
Chesapeake Bay
The Susquehanna River, the longest on the East Coast, flows through upper New York state, Pennsylvania, and Maryland before emptying into the largest estuary in the United States. The Bay is 200 miles long, has more than 4,400 miles of shoreline and a surface area of more than 2,300 square miles. It ranges in width from about four miles near Annapolis to 30 miles at its widest point near the mouth of the Potomac River.

On average, the Chesapeake holds about 18 trillion gallons of water with an average depth of only 27 feet. Basically, the Bay floor resembles a shallow tray, except for a few 174-feet deep troughs believed to be the remains of the ancient Susquehanna River. According to theory, 10,000 years ago, melting glacier ice caused the Atlantic to surge into the Susquehanna River; overflowing its banks and creating the Bay.

Bounded by Maryland and Virginia, the Bay is a popular spot for boating, fishing and sailing. It's also an incredibly complex ecosystem of rivers, wetlands and forests that provide homes, food and protection for diverse groups of animals and plants. Fish of all types and sizes either live in the Bay and its tributaries year-round or visit its waters as they migrate along the East Coast.

Baltimore County
http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov
The northern regions of the nearby county's 682 square miles are primarily rural, featuring a Piedmont Plateau landscape of rolling hills and deciduous forests. The southern and south-central regions on the Atlantic coastal plain are primarily suburban in character.

Cecil County
http://ccgov.org
South of the Pennsylvania line and west of the Delaware line, one of the state's smaller counties boasts a vast number of outdoor activities from fish-ing, golfing, horseback riding and jet skiing. The county arts council also produces more than 20 solo, group, juried and themed exhibits throughout the year in their main Elkton gallery and satellite gallery in historic Chesapeake City.

MOVING CHECKLIST
SIX WEEKS PRIOR TO MOVE
Contact a realtor in the Harford County area. You can find many of them in this publication.
Obtain quotes from moving and self-service companies and gather DIY estimates. Decide on the type of move best for your circumstances
. Determine employer-covered expenses.

FOUR WEEKS PRIOR TO MOVE
Check the pre-registration procedures to enroll children in school. Get children's transcripts, textbook list and a copy of their current school's grading system. Ask teachers to write descriptions of the student's achievement level, interests and any unusual courses taken.
Request that copies of all family member's medical, dental, veterinary records and birth certificates are sent to your new home.
Notify the post office of your new address and obtain a change-of-address kit. Send change-of-address cards to friends, subscription services, creditors, alumni associations, the Department of Motor Vehicles and insurance companies.
Begin packing seldom-used items and dispose of unwanted items through charities—get receipts for tax purposes.
Contact the IRS for forms and regulations regarding tax-deductible moving expenses.
Transfer or arrange for insurance in Howard County to cover your home, furnishings and automobile.

THREE WEEKS PRIOR TO MOVE
Arrange to have appliances, utilities, newspapers, laundry, phone and cable television disconnected. Check on deposits. Set up connections at your new home.
Make travel arrangements.

TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO MOVE
Handle bills, stocks, investments and banking transfers.
Arrange to transport pets and plants. Some states prohibit certain plants, so research before you move.
Clean cupboards and plan remaining meals so you can pack what you don't need.

ONE WEEK PRIOR TO MOVE
Discontinue delivery services such as the newspapers.
Clean and sort items in garage and attic.
Clean out your safety deposit box and place all valuables and documents together. If the items can't be replaced, carry them with you.

TWO DAYS PRIOR TO MOVE
Defrost and dry refrigerators and freezers.
Arrange for cash or traveler's checks for trip expenses and payment to the mover upon delivery.
Reconcile and close checking account. Withdraw savings.
Conclude any financial matters relating to the lease or sale of your home.
Pack luggage. Set aside items you will need immediately upon arrival—a few dishes, pots and pans, towels, soap, bedding, light bulbs, flashlights and toilet paper.
Leave forwarding address with new tenant or neighbor.

MOVING DAY
Confirm your delivery date with your mover, provide directions to your new residence as well as primary and secondary contact numbers or e-mail addresses.
Pay close attention to the mover's paperwork. You will need to sign it upon completion of loading and then unloading at your new residence.
Supervise the movers to make sure your instructions are understood. Review any damage to your belongings noted by the moving foreman/supervisor.
Double-check your residence for forgotten items before leaving.

MOVE-IN DAY
Clear and mark paths to all room to help the movers place the boxes.
Supervise unloading.
Note any damage to your boxes or furniture.
Review paperwork carefully to make sure all
your belongings arrived.

HARFORD COUNTY RENTALS
$705 for a studio
$782 for a one-bedroom
$946 for a two-bedroom
$1,199 for a three-bedroom
$1,447 for a four-bedroom unit

WHAT YOU NEED FOR A HOME LOAN APPLICATION
Photo IDs, such as a drivers' license.
Social Security numbers.
Residence addresses for the past two years with landlord contact information if you rented.
Names and addresses of your employers for the past two years.
Your current gross monthly income.
Recent financial institution statements with names, addresses, account numbers and balances on all checking, savings, CDs, money market, bonds and mutual funds accounts.
Recent financial institution statements with names, addresses, account numbers, balances and monthly payments on all open loans (including student loans) and credit cards.
Addresses and loan information of all other real estate owned.
Estimated value of furniture and personal property.
W2s for the past two years and current paycheck stubs.
Copies of all divorce decrees, child support documents or any other court proceedings that affect your financial status.
Verification of any child support payments.
Evidence of any retirement or pension benefits.

VA or Military
DD 214 (Veteran).
Form 22 (National Guard).
DD 1747, Off-base Housing Authority (active duty).
Certificate of Eligibility (active duty).

Self-employed Individuals
Personal tax returns for the past three years.
Current income statement.
Balance sheet.

All Borrowers
Explanations of any irregularities on your credit report.

CHESAPEAKE BAY FACTS AND FIGURES
The Bay is an estuary—a body of water where fresh and salt water mix—the largest of 130 estuaries in the United States.
Including all tidal tributaries, the Bay averages about 21-feet deep. A 6-foot tall person could wade through more than 700,000 acres of the Bay and never get his or her hat wet.
The Bay and its tidal tributaries have around 11,684 miles of shoreline—more than the entire U.S. West Coast.
The Bay supports more than 3,600 species of plants, fish and animals, including 348 species of finfish, 173 species of shellfish and more than 2,700 plant species.
Fishermen harvest about 500 million pounds of seafood per year from the Bay.
The Chesapeake is home to 29 species of waterfowl and is a major resting ground along the Atlantic Flyway. Every year, one million waterfowl winter in the Bay region.
More than 16.6 million people live, work and play in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. About 170,000 new people move into this watershed each year.
The Atlantic Ocean provides half the Bay's 18 trillion gallons of water, the rest drains into the Bay from a 64,000-square-mile watershed.
That watershed includes parts of six states—Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia—and the entire District of Columbia.
The Susquehanna River provides about 50 percent of the fresh water coming into the Bay—an average of 19 million gallons per minute.
More than 100,000 streams and rivers drain into the Bay.
Groundwater and other land-based, unregulated human influences, such as the use of automobiles, fertilizers, pesticides, toilets and electricity, adversely affect those streams, rivers and the Bay.
The Chesapeake Bay is the first estuary in the nation targeted for restoration as an integrated watershed and ecosystem.  read more...

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