Contact MargaretCrofton School Will Open Late
August 1st, 2008 Categories: Crofton Info
The new Nantucket Elementary School will not open when most other Anne Arundel County Schools open for the 2008–2009 school year on Monday, August 25. Instead, the new Nantucket Elementary School will open on Wednesday, August 27.
Here are some other dates to note in your calendar:
9/1 – Schools closed (Labor Day)
9/30 – Schools closed (Rosh Hashanah)
10/3 – Interim Reports
10/9 – Schools closed (Yom Kippur)
10/15 – PSAT
10/17 – Schools closed (MSTA)
10/31 – Early dismissal – end of first marking period
11/4 – Schools closed (Election Day)
11/21 – Report cards
11/24 and 25 – Schools closed (Parent-Teacher Conferences for Elementary and Middle Schools; in-service day for high school teachers)
11/26, 11/27, 11/28 – Schools closed (Thanksgiving)
12/12 – Interim Reports
12/24–1/02 – Schools closed (Winter Break)
1/19 – Schools closed (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.)
1/21–1/26 – High school exams
2/13 – Report cards
2/16 – Schools closed (Presidents Day)
3/6 – Interim reports
4/3 – Early dismissal
4/9 – 4/13 – Schools closed (Spring Break)
4/24 – Report cards
5/8 – Interim reports
5/25 – Schools closed (Memorial Day)
5/29 – Last day for graduating seniors
6/9 – 6/12 – Early dismissal; high school exams
For a complete schedule (including teachers, staff and offices) and information about inclement weather and emergency closing policies, check out the calendar on Anne Arundel County Public Schools website.
If you are unsure which Crofton school your children will attend, click on Locate Your School and enter your home address. Some Crofton children will be attending different schools this year than they did in the past.
Photo: Istockphoto
Copyright 2008. Margaret Woda. All rights reserved. “Crofton School Will Open Late”
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Yes, Quick Sales DO Still Happen in This Market
July 31st, 2008 Categories: Crofton Real Estate
Crofton home sellers, like everyone else across the country, are hesitant to put their homes on the market. You hear about homes languishing on the market for weeks, even months, and then rock bottom prices when they finally do sell. It doesn’t have to be that way.
I’ve personally been involved in two quick and smooth real estate transactions that settled within the past 30 days.
The first was my daughter Susan’s purchase of a new home – granted, it was in Texas and not Crofton, but it’s similar to a local case that settled yesterday… I don’t think either home sale was “just” an isolated incident.
Susan’s RE/MAX agent received an offer on one of her listings, and the buyer had a home to sell. The agent realized immediately this house would be a good match for Susan, and showed it to her before the property went on the market. Yes, you know the rest of the story… Susan bought the home and is now on her way to “happily ever after”.
In the local case I mentioned, an army officer returning from overseas duty found my blog before she even arrived in the area. I showed her some Crofton townhomes, but she was undecided.
In the meantime, I went on a listing appointment for a detached home that I thought the young woman might like, and I showed it to her as a buyer’s agent before the home was listed. Again, before the home even went on the market, we had a sale that settled Monday. Needless to say, the seller is very happy to have such a smooth relocation to North Carolina, and the buyer is just thrilled with her new home. They’re both amazed at the “luck” which brought them together.
Neither of these sales could have happened at all, let alone so quickly, if a real estate agent had not been involved. I know it’s tempting to try and save the commission, but both of these sellers would surely tell you how happy they are with their fast sale at a fair market price; and the buyers would tell you how pleased they were to be working with an agent who is really on top of the market.
Working with an agent is certainly no guarantee of results like this, but it can and does happen – even in today’s troubled housing market. With so much doom and gloom being reported, I thought you might like to hear some happy stories!
Photo: Istockphoto
Copyright 2008. Margaret Woda. All rights reserved. “Yes, Quick Sales DO Still Happen in This Market”
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Crofton Library is the Heart of the Community
July 26th, 2008 Categories: Crofton Info
Crofton Library is arguably the heart of the community.
Located at the intersection of Riedel Road and Aberdeen Drive, it is easily accessible to every neighborhood in Crofton, and walkable for many of them.
I remember a time when libraries were little more than a musty-smelling old building with poorly lit rows of books that could be borrowed for two weeks. Geeky-types sat at large tables, surrounded by piles of books - doing research, I guess. Well, that does NOT describe Crofton Library.
This is a beautiful newish facility with tall ceilings and a wall of windows. Scheduled activities take place often, ranging from Babies in Bloom, for parents and caregivers ”to bring their babies (up to 24 months) for a fun-filled half-hour of stories, songs, rhymes and fingerplays” to Book Clubs where you can “meet friends and neighbors at the library for a lively discussion about some favorite popular books.”
Earlier this week, library visitors celebrated Harry Potter and the 10th Anniversary Extravaganza. Ferrando’s Treasures sponsored the event for children of all ages to celebrate Harry’s arrival at Hogwarts! They came in costume for crafts, games and prizes, and signed a Hagrid-sized birthday card for Harry.
Next month, families can meet some of our local firefighters during A Visit from the Friendly Firefighters on Tuesday, August 5 and Thursday August 7 at 10 a.m.
My 4-year old granddaughter Meghan is a daily visitor to Crofton Library, where her mom, Christine, spends valuable one-on-one time teaching her early reading and writing skills. During the summer months, they’re joined by six-year old Matthew, and it is the highlight of their days.
My favorite library offering is Crofton’s Read and Review, which they call “a happy place where the staff of Crofton Library can write about what they’re reading.” These are candid reviews, offering opinions of the readers - both positive and negative - and they have re-invigorated my interest in reading. In fact, I went out and bought Diary of a Wimpy Kid to read before giving it to my middle-school grandson, Tim. Here are just a few of their recent reviews:
- The Puzzling World of Winston Breen by Eric Berlin (posted by Catherine)
- Escape from the Deep (NF 2008) - Alex Kershaw (posted by Andy)
- The Ungarnished Truth: A Cooking Contest Memoir by Ellie Mathews (posted by CJ)
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid: a novel in cartoons by Jeff Kinney (posted by Rachel)
- Kirby: King of Comics by Mark Evanier (posted by Andy)
- High Crimes: The Fate of Everest in an Age of Greed by Michael Kodas (posted by CJ)
If you’re relocating to Maryland and looking for a community with a good library, be sure to stop into the Crofton Library when you’re in the area shopping for a home. If you currently live in Crofton and haven’t yet visited the Crofton Library, I encourage you to take a few minutes to stop in and see what you’ve been missing.
Directions: From the intersection of Routes 3 and 424, go south on Route 424 (Davidsonville Road) to the 3rd traffic light, Riedel Road. Turn left on Riedel to the library on the right, located at 1681 Riedel Road, Crofton, MD 21114.
Hours: Monday - Thursday 9-9, Friday, Saturday 9-5, Closed on Sundays
Related Posts:
Photo: MWoda
This post included in Your Online Relocation Package for Anne Arundel County Maryland
Copyright 2008. Margaret Woda. All rights reserved. “Crofton Library is the Heart of the Community”
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What I Won’t Tell You (and Why)
July 24th, 2008 Categories: Crofton Real Estate
Did you ever wonder why real estate agents seem to “beat around the bush” when a home buyer asks questions about the neighbors or schools?
This is the topic addressed in an article on MSN’s homepage several months ago, and I opened it with the expectation of reading yet another attack on professional real estate agents. As it turns out, the article gave a relatively fair and honest analysis:
“Fair-housing laws prevent agents from talking about neighborhood demographics, and they often don’t want to discuss other details, such as crime stats. Luckily, the Web picks up where agents leave off.”
The fact is that your agent probably DOES know “who” lives in the neighborhood - the demographic mix, crime statistics, and the reputation of the schools – especially if they live in the area or list and sell a lot of homes there. Candidly answering the question, however, could get an agent and their broker in a lot of trouble, especially if the individual asking about these details happens to be a “tester” looking for fair housing violations.
As the article indicates, agents are forbidden from giving information that could be interpreted as “steering,” i.e. directing a client toward or away from a particular property in a discriminatory manner.
Ten years ago, I would have suggested to a customer or client that they return to the neighborhood after our appointment to talk with residents and visit local schools, shopping and recreation facilities. Today, with almost everyone having access to the Internet, I suggest they simply go online for answers to their questions.
When it comes to Fair LENDING Laws (as opposed to Fair HOUSING Laws), consumers have another resource for learning about their rights. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced last week they are offering a public service announcement (PSA) on this topic that is running in movie theatres around the country, including the Regal Bowie Crossing 14 (5200 Major Lansdale Blvd Bowie MD 207160), through July 25. Additionally, they’re conducting a national ad campaign and holding a series of town hall forums in the top 12 cities for home foreclosure, including Washington, D.C.
For more information, visit the HUD website.
Before you buy real estate, it is important to be familiar and comfortable with the neighborhood and broader community, as well as the home itself. So don’t hesitate to ask questions because your real estate agent may suggest additional helpful websites. Yet it’s still not a bad idea to do your research the old-fashioned way: make a personal visit to the neighborhood to become better acquainted with your prospective neighbors, schools, shopping, and recreation facilities BEFORE you buy a home.
And please understand that real estate agents are not trying to be coy when they don’t give you a straightforward answer to your questions. They are trying to follow the law.
Image: Istockphoto
Copyright 2008. Margaret Woda. All rights reserved. “What I Won’t Tell You and Why”
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Coming Soon, A Movie Theater in Crofton
July 22nd, 2008 Categories: Random Topics
Crofton Maryland is looking forward to the 14–screen movie theater planned for the expansion of Village South at Waugh Chapel. It will be much more than a movie theater, however, with a 65,000 sq. ft. multiplex offering reserved seating and a full service restaurant. (For more information, click on the above link to read the Baltimore Sun story.)
Over the weekend, I had occasion to see Momma Mia at the Studio Grill in Arlington Texas, so I couldn’t help thinking about our own new theater. Seats weren’t reserved at the Studio Grill, but it was nice to enjoy dinner while watching the show in comfortable leather chairs.
Speaking of Momma Mia, I saw the show on stage at the Hippodrome in Baltimore a couple years ago, so going to the movie wasn’t on my “must-do” list. But I accepted an invitation to join my daughter and some of her co-workers. I’m so glad I went – It was a hoot!
Even though I’d seen the show, the movie was so much fun. Great music and cast, full of surprises, and definitely updated for the 21st century from the stage version.
It’s a story about a mother of the bride and her two long-time friends, a bride in search of her father, and three entertaining candidates for walking her down the aisle. The show probably qualifies as a “chick-flick” but I suspect anyone in the audience would at least enjoy the captivating music from the 70’s group, ABBA.
I don’t know if this movie is something the critics will like, but the audience in the theater sure did! I highly recommend it. I’ll definitely be buying this on DVD when it’s available, because it will always be a great mood-lifter for a stress-filled day.
If you missed Momma Mia last weekend, there’s no need to go to Texas to see it. Here are two theaters within fifteen minutes of Crofton where it’s showing:
BOWIE: Regal Cinemas Bowie Crossing Stadium 14
ANNAPOLIS: Bow Tie Harbour 9
Image: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0795421/
Copyright 2008. Margaret Woda. All rights reserved. “Coming Soon, A Movie Theater in Crofton”
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