Contact MargaretArchive for the 'Random Topics' Category
Seven Changes in the Crofton Blog Makeover
February 4th, 2009 Categories: Random Topics
Have you noticed the not-so-extreme makeover for “Focus on Crofton” that occurred over recent days and weeks?
It all started when a cyber-bug attacked the Categories on my left navigation bar. For some reason unknown to me and my website designer/host, the categories decided on their own to re-invent themselves as meta-tags, and some just disappeared. Obviously, this required a “fix”, which led to some minor changes in other areas.
1. Categories – Expanded to help readers find posts on topics that interest you.
2. Homes for Sale – Added more local searches for the convenience of relocating home buyers. (A detailed custom home search is available using the Search for Homes tab at the top of the page and there’s also a new “Quick Search” widget on the left navigation bar.)
3. Real Estate Info – Added Today’s Featured Property as a category to showcase my listings with a virtual tour.
4. Header – Other nearby communities listed on the left.
5. Tabs – Expanded to include a tab for Sellers.
6. Content – All past blog posts are still here. Minor updating to the About and Long and Foster pages.
7. Widgets – Quick access to information already found elsewhere on this site: 1) A home “Quick-Search” and 2) “Featured Properties” with listing details about the property also seen in the category Today’s Featured Property (video or virtual tour).
While the name of this blog is “Focus on Crofton,” I Focus on YOU – My goal is to keep current and future Crofton homeowners up-to-date on community and real estate news. And, of course, I hope to earn the opportunity to compete for your business whenever you’re ready to sell or buy real estate in Crofton or anywhere in the Baltimore-Washington area.
To subscribe to this blog so you never miss a new post, just go to the top of the left navigation bar and type in your email, as shown here. If you prefer, just click on the RSS icon.
Or look for this quick-link at the bottom of some posts:
| Discussion: No Comments »
Looking for an Excuse to Party?
February 1st, 2009 Categories: Random Topics
There’s more to February in Crofton and the surrounding area than Valentine’s Day. You can celebrate a birthday on 12 out of the 28 days of February – even more, if you have a friend or relative born in February.
If you don’t, there’s no reason to despair because you can bake a cake, blow out some candles, play games, sing Happy Birthday, and have a great ol’ time on the following dates to honor these birthdays:
3 – Elmo (Sesame Street)- 4 – Rosa Parks (Civil Rights Movement)
- 5 – Hank Aaron (Baseball)
- 6 – Babe Ruth (Baseball)
- 7 – Charles Dickens (writer)
- 9 – Hershey’s Chocolate
- 12 – Abraham Lincoln (President)
- 12 – Barbie Dolls
- 15 – Susan B. Anthony (Women’s Suffrage)
- 22 – George Washington (1st President)
- 24 – Gordon (Sesame Street)
- 26 – Levi Strauss (Denim blue jeans)
- 27 – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (Writer)
If you plan on dining out for your celebration, you might find this list of Crofton area restaurants and carryouts to be a handy reference.
Today’s interest rates are another reason to celebrate. Visit this site frequently to compare today’s rate with those of last week and last month. Don’t waste this opportunity to refinance your present Crofton area home or buy a new one.
Coming Wednesday: Using the 1031 Tax-Free Exchange in this Market, by Guest Blogger James Brennan. James is the Corporate Counsel for Exchange Solutions Group in Reston, Virginia.
| Discussion: No Comments »
Did You Get a New TV for Christmas?
December 29th, 2008 Categories: Random Topics
If you didn’t get a new TV for Christmas, and you’re still using that ol’ relic from the 80’s or 90’s, you should read this. And you might want to check out the After-Christmas sales to see if there are any good buys on televisions.
Effective February 17, 2009, federal law requires that all full-power TV stations broadcast only in digital format. Since your old TV uses analog format… well, you will be unable to watch TV after that date without a digital-to-analog set-top converter box.
Why? It seems that public safety communication (police, fire, and emergency rescue) is less efficient than it could be, and this change will free up analog frequencies for that purpose. And frankly, digital transmission offers better picture and sound quality to consumers.
Comcast Cable users can visit the Comcast website for more information about how this change will affect them.
Verizon Fios TV users can visit the Verizon Fios website, but I could not find anything there about the conversion. If you see the information there, let me know so I can edit this post and add the correct link.
The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) has the most comprehensive information I could find about this topic, so visit the FCC website for answers to questions like these:
- What do I need to do to be ready for the DTV Transition?
- How do I know whether I own a DTV?
- Will my old analog TV still work?
DTVAnswers is another website with lots of information about this topic.
We still have two old televisions, and we’re watching the after Christmas sales for a new TV.
| Discussion: 1 Comment »
Read Mail from Your Credit Card Companies, or Beware
December 26th, 2008 Categories: Random Topics
After reading this blog post by Fran Gatti – Realtor® Crescent City CA Real Estate, I contacted her for permission to re-post it in its entirety for my Crofton area neighbors. I can’t think of better timing, as the credit card statements start rolling in with all our holiday shopping charges and we head out for “After Christmas” sales today. Thanks, Fran.
Read ALL the mail you get from your credit card issuer’s and here’s why.
With rising defaults on credit card debt, banks and retailers are trying to keep up profits by raising interest rates on their faithful credit card holders that are making their monthly payments on time.
They do this by sending their credit card holder a letter in the mail that is pretty innocuous looking, but read it because it is going to greatly impact your finances.
My son, who has never been late on a payment has received two this week, one from HSBC and one from Citibank. Both stated in itty bitty writing that unless he sends them a letter stating he opts out, the bank or retailer will raise his interest rate to over 20%. In order to avoid this more than doubling of his interest rate, he has to write a letter, send it by a date less than two weeks away and state that he disagrees with this interest rate increase and that the bank or retailer must close his account and he will continue to pay his card at the previously agreed upon rate.
I received one of these innocent looking letters back in June (so the bank told me). If I got it, I didn’t read it. Learn from my mistake and READ YOUR MAIL. I had never been late on my credit card payment once since I have had the card (about two years) and always paid above the minimum amount due, however, Advanta ran a credit profile on all their customers and any that fit a certain profile received this letter (or maybe everyone, I’m not sure).
Advanta raised my interest rate from 8.99% to 23%. Of course I called them flabbergasted and asked what the heck and they said, “We sent you a letter. You had the opportunity to opt-out.” Well what do you say to that?
I previously had my finances under control but that really changed things quickly.
It would change things quickly for my son as well if the bank that financed his motorcycle increased his interest rate from the low two year introductory rate to over 20%, but since I read his mail like any good mom, he’s going to opt out and keep his low interest rate. Boo hoo to the bank.
As times get tougher and credit card default rates increase, banks are going to be looking to their steadfast clients to make up those losses. Losses they created, in many instances, by giving credit increases to customers who they did not document had the ability to repay.
In other words, banks are guilty of helping create the mess, but hey, they are getting bailed out, but you aren’t, so be smart; don’t get caught in this trap. READ YOUR MAIL.
Again, thank you for this warning and advice, Fran. Happy New Year!
| Discussion: No Comments »
Give a Boat for Christmas
November 30th, 2008 Categories: Random Topics
Crofton area residents who have a boat on their holiday wish list should check out the ones being auction by Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
23 boats are available including a water bike, sailboat, paddle boat, and several open boats and canoes in as-is condition. There’s even a 1990 Trojan 10-meter Express Yacht. You can bid on one or as many boats as you like, using the online form. Current bidding on most of them ranges from about $100 to $500, but the yacht has a $25,000 minimum. The high bid to date is posted on the Web site each Wednesday.
If you’d like to see the boats in real life rather than relying on a photo, you can do so in Stevensville at the Natural Resources Police’s Matapeake Facility, 306 Marine Academy Drive 21666. Just make an appointment between 8 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays (until 6 p.m. on Wednesdays) by calling Capt. Sharon Brannock at 410–643–5462.
Bidding closes at 4 p.m. on December 9, and winners will be announced the third week of December. Payment is due in full within 7 business days, so you really could trailer your new boat home in time for Christmas.
When you have your own boat, the next step will be to start looking at waterfront property. To help you get started, let me give you these links:
Waterfront Homes Under $2M Waterfront Homes Over $2M
Photo: Istockphoto.com
| Discussion: No Comments »
; ?>/images/eho.jpg)
; ?>/images/realtorsolo.jpg)
