I attended the meeting to view first hand what Governor Martin O’Malley had to say about the project, and to voice my support for the project.  I was impressed at the supporter turnout for the project.  Over 2 dozen people were there to support the development, and although 3 people showed up to protest the development, only two of them decided to speak out against Brookfield Homes and US Steel’s proposal.

    The Governor actually opposed the plan, but even without his vote the project gained the necessary approval needed to move forward!  This means that the Swan Point Development Corporation is looking to break ground on the Westin Swan Point hotel by early 2009, and should be slated to open in 2011.

    The meeting itself was fascinating.  Wayne Cooper, Mac Middleton, Sam Graves, and Murray Levy all spoke in support of the project and it’s benefit to Southern Maryland, and one of the developers reps mentioned that there was projected to be a 10% overall improvement in water quality in the area due to the new development.

    I’ve been very impressed with both Brookfield Homes and US Steel on this development.  They seem to understand the sensitive nature of developing a project like this on the Chesapeake Bay, and they’ve been very flexible in changing plans and proposals in order to comply with concerns of residents and government officials. 

    It really speaks volumes towards their character when they willing change and reduce their own development in order to satisfy everyone involved.  Make no mistake, the goal is to develop a waterfront resort destination here, but that doesn’t mean the developer can get everything they want, either.  It’s a relief to see a developer that is willing to be flexible with the community.

Link to Maryland Independent Article on Board of Works Approval
Link to Other Development Posts

~Jonathan Benya
Century 21 New Millennium
9405-A Chesapeake St
La Plata, MD 20646
301-609-9000
301-653-8116
Waldorf and Southern Maryland Real Estate
www.teambenya.com

    The new park has already gotten it’s funding approval from the Maryland Board of Works, and they’re planning on spending $1.87 million dollars on the project.  Remember the old Pisgah Landfill?  Well, that’s where this new project is going!  It’s a case of beautifying one of the uglier spots in the county, and this is going to be a HUGE improvement!

    How huge?  About 234 acres, to be exact!  This park is going to be more than just picnic tables and baseball diamonds, though.  They’re planning to include football fields, soccer fields, playground, an off-leash dog park, and for the first time in Charles County, mountain bike trails AND a BMX bike course.

    To say it’s long overdue is an understatement.  What will be interesting to see is how much of the area immediately surrounding the new park will be developed.  I know that there is a 77 acre parcel of land for sale in Southern Maryland next to the upcoming park that is currently for sale for $575,000, I have a feeling that it won’t be available for too much longer once developers take note of the new park project!

~Jonathan Benya

Century 21 New Millennium

Waldorf & Southern Maryland Homes For Sale

Southern Maryland Real Estate Blog Home

    Unfortunately, everything he found was tied up by a builder, and he wanted his dad to build his house for him. I think he had seen every lot that had come up for sale in the county for the past 4 years.  So my team and I went to work trying to find a property that accurately fit his criteria.  Low and behold, the AUCTION listing came up. 

    My client loved it!  The process was simple; there were 4 lots that a builder was liquidating. We met our buyer at the site the morning of the auction, and for a $5,000.00 deposit, he could bid on the lots.  The auctioneer stated that the highest bidder would be able to choose the lot they liked best of the 4 available. 

    Before the auction began we advised our client of the market price that he might expect to pay for his lot. And that he needed to decide how much he was willing to pay prior to the auction. This is very important because it is very easy to get caught up in the emotion and momentum of an auction, and it is very easy to get carried away in moment, and you can end up paying much more than you expected. I have been to hundreds of auctions and have seen this happen time and time again, much to the dismay of the winning bidder.

    We also made sure that the perc’s were still valid, checked to make sure the engineering study was up to date, and checked if the school allocations had been paid or not. This could have been a real problem since we are not sure if there will be a perc season in our area next year, and the school allocation could mean an extra $13,000.00 to $15,000.00 per lot.  These are Questions that our buyer had not even thought about prior to this time.

    In the end our client was able to get the lot of his choice for exactly the price we advised him, he was prepared to pay $25,000.00 more than the bidding went, the lot had a current sewage easement plat, and the school allocation had already been paid. He was very happy with our services, and managed to quickly find a lot that suited his family within two months of our first meeting.

    The bottom line is that even in the auction arena, Agents do have a place, and a responsibility to   protect and advise our clients. We still need to do our homework, know the ins and outs of the property being sold and help our clients make an educated decision.

    To top it all off, the local newspaper was there on auction day to cover the event because auctions of this nature are unusual for our area.   By the time all was said and done, Our client paid $75,000 LESS than the builder had invested in the property!  It’s great to see people able to get a deal and know that they’re interests have been protected by knowledge, professional Realtors!

    Self promotional remarks aside, I am very grateful that the paper chose to write an article regarding current foreclosure trends to better inform the general public of what is going on in the market.  Many of my comments in the article were taken directly from a post I made recently regarding local foreclosures.

    The one thing that I would like to add, particularly to anyone who happens to live in the region, is that foreclosure and eviction from your home should not be a foregone conclusion.  I highly encourage people facing the possibility of foreclosure to contact the folks at HOPE NOW to identify what options may exist for you.

    Also, make sure you call your lender IMMEDIATELY if you find yourself falling behind on payments.  Lenders are (typically) very willing to try and work out a plan to bring you current rather than take your home.  Lack of communication leaves them little ability to assist you in finding a way to avoid foreclosure.

    If you find that selling your home is necessary to avoid foreclosure, I invite you to give me a call.  I have experience in situations where selling quickly and/or short sales are an absolute necessity, and can help guide you through the process quickly, without the humiliation or embarrassment.

~Jonathan Benya    j.benya @c21nm.com
Century 21 New Millennium
Team Benya
301-653-8116
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