Baltimore & Harford County Homes

Baltimore County Neighborhood Spotlight: Thornleigh

admin — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 19:51:06 +0000

Baltimore County Neighborhood Spotlight: Thornleigh

Thornleigh, a Baltimore County neighborhood in the Riderwood area is according to a brochure on the area “ a new way of living.” The brochure also says that there has never been an area developed with such an abundance of foresight and care. Thornleigh in Baltimore County was built by James Keelty & Co. and retains the feeling of a 1950s neighborhood, which is exactly how the residents like this Baltimore County neighborhood. Everyone knows everyone and the close knit community is a rarity these days.

Chris Kennedy, the president of the Thornleigh Improvement Association lives in the neighborhood as does his sister-in-law and a cousin who live nearby in the neighborhood. The neighborhood is a place where people want to live and raise their children. The community has a variety of activities that are held throughout the year, such as the outdoor movies, an Easter egg hunt, Halloween parade and many others.

This is what makes the neighborhood special. Thornleigh in Baltimore County has about 230 homes and is bordered by Interstate 695, Thornton Road and Essex Farm Park. The area was originally named Valley Green when it was subdivided in 1955. It was also once owned by the Rider family and was the Thornton Farm.

This Baltimore County neighborhood retains the nostalgia of the 1950s and that is why so many families want to live here. Among them relatives are a major part of this neighborhood with many resident being 3rd generation owners. The convenience is another aspect of living in this area that the residents are quite happy with – they are only 15 or 20 minutes from almost anything in Baltimore.

Thornleigh in Baltimore County has housing styles that are basically four different models. The three bedroom Colonial style, two split-level styles with three bedrooms and a four bedroom ranch style home make up the choices. There are in addition some duplexes in this neighborhood.

The average selling price of a home in this neighborhood is $355,000. They start around $200,000 to the high $300,000 range. They often do not make it to the advertising stage as many are sold by world of mouth. One neighbor will tell another and they may know someone who is looking for a home. The sale is negotiated and closes without every being advertised in the newspaper or through a real estate company.

The homes have been added to over the years as families needed expanded living space, but overall they offer very spacious living and are easily accessible to the major thoroughfares. Students attending Riderwood Elementary are within easy walking distance. The Valley Country Club is also close enough to walk to.

This Baltimore County neighborhood is served by Riderwood Elementary and Dumbarton Middle School, which are both National Blue Ribbon award winning schools. Towson High is the area high school and they also did well on state testing. Their score in the upper 90% range was very good and they had a graduation percentage of 94.5%.

In addition, one of the features that makes Thornleigh in Baltimore County a desirable area in which to live is the low crime rate. Their crime rate amounts to perhaps a destruction of property charge.

If you would like more information about Baltimore County neighborhoods, please feel free to contact us at (410)808-7200 or visit our Contact Us page where you can send us a message. We’ll get back to you right away!

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Harford County Home Owners to Multiply with BRAC Jobs

admin — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 01:08:26 +0000

Harford County Home Owners to Multiply with BRAC Jobs

Harford County homeowners are beginning to increase with the new BRAC jobs in Baltimore. The Army is transferring almost 1500 jobs in August and September to this area of the state. The new jobs will have a wonderful effect on the economy and they are finally coming after being talked about for so long. The Harford County homeowners are glad to see the new jobs show up as this area was experiencing the same economic problems as the rest of the country. BRAC jobs in Baltimore are expected to increase by about 300 to 500 by 2013 in addition to the 50 that have already been moved here.

The national military base alignment and closure (BRAC) is responsible for the many jobs that have already been transferred to Harford County in 2005. The ones that are following in the near future will double the jobs that have moved here since then.

This is expected to continue into the next year when BRAC will also transfer jobs to Fort Meade. The amount is expected to be from 150 to 200 jobs weekly from January to July. The combination of the these two bases in the Baltimore area will have about 14,000 BRAC related jobs in government. Approximately 12,000 are supposed to be forthcoming.

In addition to these jobs the next several years are expected to bring possibly 20,000 contractor jobs that would operate off-base and more jobs will be spinning off the ones already here. Child care centers and other services due to the demand created by the new jobs will be additional services needed. The construction industry will also be expanded as the need for more homes and offices are expected to be another result of the jobs.

This is expected to continue for several years but as yet the entire result of this move is not known. Government contractors are also readying themselves. Approximately 1100 of the jobs that are being transferred in August and September to Aberdeen Proving Ground are expected to be civilian jobs. The Army believes about ¾ of these jobs will be unfilled when transferred.

This is certainly good news for the state of Maryland, who presently has an unemployment rate of 7.2%, with 215,000 unemployed. When the moves were first announced five years ago the unemployment rate in Maryland was only 4.2%.

The Defense Information Systems Agency in preparing for the move held a job fair in the spring. Over 7,000 people were in attendance. The state is preparing for the jobs as well by getting grants to the 2 and 4 year colleges to help implement programs that will train students in the type of job openings that are being moved to Harford County and keeping up with changes to these positions.

Vision Technologies announced this month that their company had the winning bid of $5.3 million to install the fiber-optic cable and copper needed by BRAC at Aberdeen. This contract will allow Vision Technologies to hire 60 more people. In addition, empty office spaces are beginning to fill up and one office developer has already reported that 75% of their office space is rented to BRAC-related tenants.

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Harford County home owners “Buy Local” and Win!

admin — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:23:31 +0000

Harford County home owners “Buy Local” and Win!

Harford County home owners have something to be proud of, in the form of a new award from the National Association of Counties (NACo). This award was given in recognition of the ‘Buy Local’ program. The entire goal of the program was to encourage residents to purchase local produce, supporting the local farmers and crops.

The program was launched in 2008, and residents were notified through a marketing campaign that included fliers, brochures, billboard signs, and a website. County executive David R. Craig expressed his pleasure at the success of the campaign, as well as the award. “We are thrilled to receive this recognition,” he said. “It’s an acknowledgment of the aggressive push that Harford County Government has been making to raise the public’s level of awareness about the availability of locally-grown food and other agricultural products.” Harford County home owners responded wonderfully to the program.

The benefits of locally grown food are numerous, including fresher produce. The support that local farmers receive is also a huge benefit. On the website, Harford County residents can select the kind of produce they’d like to buy locally. They will be informed of the specific types of produce available, and then directed to a list of farms that harvest the type of produce they’re interested in. From there, they can determine when each farm is open so that they can purchase what they need, and the specific location of the farm.

The program is a win-win for residents and farmers alike. Another winner is the environment. When residents purchase locally grown produce, there is no transportation or shipping involved, which cuts down on greenhouse gases. If every county had a program like Harford County’s, the impact on the environment would be significant.

The award was announced by NACo at their annual conference in Reno, Nevada on July 18, 2010. NACo provides awards for various programs that are designed to help communities in a variety of ways. Harford County won under the category of Civic Education and Public Information. If Harford County home owners and residents continue with the Buy Local Program, they will benefit as well as the farmers. When farmers do a good business with a particular crop, it gives them the livelihood they need to continue farming and to be able to care for their families.

There are many other things Harford County residents can do to stay healthy and help the environment. Using public transportation options, biking when possible, and walking short distances rather than driving certainly helps. Recycling, implementing eco-friendly fixtures in their homes, and minimizing waste are all helpful. Families should consume more fruits and vegetables in their diets and stick to low-fat, vitamin-rich foods.

Congratulations to the residents of Harford County for supporting their local farmers and buying local! If you would like more information about Harford County homes or our local achievements, please feel free to contact us at (410)808-7200 or visit our Contact Us page where you can send us a message. We’ll get back to you right away!

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BRAC Jobs Ready to Hit Baltimore MD This Summer

admin — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 02:25:47 +0000

BRAC Jobs Ready to Hit Baltimore MD This Summer

The long-awaited BRAC in Baltimore, MD is about to become a reality. With the transfer of approximately 1500 jobs to Aberdeen Proving Ground scheduled for August and September, the number of jobs that have been moved to Hartford County would be about double. The reason behind the movement is the national military “base realignment and closure process” (BRAC) which was first announced in 2005.

The BRAC in Baltimore, MD will be followed by many more jobs that are as yet waiting to be filled. The government is getting ready for the increase as well. There are many offices opening within the country and others are expanding their space. ManTech International Corporation, a defense contractor, is now leasing half of a building that is not yet completed in Belcamp adding from 300 to 500 technical jobs there by 2013. This is in addition to the 50 they already have in the country. BRAC in Baltimore, MD is expected to have quite an effect on the economy.

This increase will continue through next year when BRAC will send thousands of jobs to Forte Meade. There are already about 300 workers who have made the move to this base. The estimated transfer will be about 150 to 200 jobs per week from January until July. Plans are by the end of the summer next year, to have 14,000 BRAC in Baltimore, MD jobs in the area. There are still approximately 12,000 yet to come.

However, they are not finished yet. There are about 20,000 contractor jobs that will be opening up off base and as a result of these jobs, others are expected to take off, such as day care centers and other services needed to help meet this increase. In addition to creating new jobs, there will be a large movement of people to the area as they relocate many of the workers they already have.

Of the jobs that are being transferred to Aberdeen Proving Ground, about half of those currently holding the position will move. More workers are expected to move during the BRAC in Baltimore, MD transfer due to the proximity of the jobs and their homes which mainly are in Northern Virginia.

About 7,000 applicants attended a job fair this past spring when the Defense Information Systems Agency held it to pre pare for their move to Fort Meade. BRAC in Baltimore, MD will bring jobs to a struggling economy which had an unemployment rate of 4.2% when the move was first announced. Today the unemployment rate is 7.2% with more than 215,000 residents of Maryland unemployed.

Of 1,100 jobs that are being transferred to the Aberdeen Proving Ground are civilian jobs, of which the Army believes approximately 2/3 are not filled yet. The Army has a team called the C4ISR, which has been hiring continuously to fill the positions. Currently there are about 1,700 new hires at the base.

The state of Maryland has already been providing grants to two and four year colleges for programs to help ready people for jobs. The public schools are also teaching “security clearance awareness” as many of the BRAC in Baltimore, MD jobs require this for their positions.

If you would like more information about the BRAC jobs coming to Baltimore, MD, please feel free to contact us at 410-808-7200 or visit our Contact Us page where you can send us a message. We’ll get back to you right away!

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Baltimore’s Inner Harbor – Limitless Possibilities!

admin — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 18:20:03 +0000

Baltimore’s Inner Harbor – Limitless Possibilities!

Baltimore’s Inner Harbor has been a major seaport within the U.S. since the 1700s. This is an area that has been visited more often than any other part of Baltimore. The 1970s saw the beginning of the area’s development as the cultural center of Baltimore. The residents and visitors of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor have a wide variety of choices when it comes to the fine dining venue. In addition, the exhilarating nightlife and the cultural experiences of this area are another of the things people enjoy.

Baltimore’s Inner Harbor will provide awe-inspiring views of the skyline, when seen from the Observation Level of the World Trade Center. There are spontaneous street performances constantly at the waterfront and many other things to see and do all within easy access if you stay at one of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor hotels while visiting. You will love this area!

Here are a few of these things for future reference:

Harborplace and the Gallery – unique shopping, a variety of dining experiences and entertainment

Spirit Cruises – Baltimore – The Spirit of Baltimore has been newly renovated and offers a variety of cruises from lunch and diner to holiday and specially-arranged cruises. Sightseeing tours are available as well.

Maryland Science Center – The features here include many interactive activities and an IMAX theater, planetarium and more.

National Aquarium – The tropical fish, rays, dolphins, sharks and many others among over 16,000 sea creatures live here. The opportunity to experience a walk-thru rain forest is an added benefit.

World Trade Center – A five sided building of which all sides are the same length, the World Trade Center is the best place to go for a wonderful view of the city. The Top of the World observation level is where you want to be to see the city. It is 32 stories high.

Fort McHenry – Take a water taxi ride to this history-packed fort. In the shape of a star, it provided the inspiration for the Star Spangled Banner and is where the fireworks are launched from on Independence Day.

Ed Kane’s Water Taxi – This is a unique way of getting around Baltimore’s Inner Harbor and many residents use this method consistently. There are unlimited ride passes available.

Baltimore Maritime Museum – Tours of the USS Torsk, the Lightship Chesapeake and the USCGC Taney. By visiting the museum you can get a discount for the USS Constellation. This is the only Civil War ship that is still on the water today.

Inner Harbor Restaurants – The finest gourmet cuisine, fresh seafood and ethnic foods from the Chesapeake Bay and around the world.

Baltimore Orioles – The Camden Yards is very close and if you love baseball the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame and Babe Ruth birthplace and museum are must-sees. The Sports Legends Museum is 22,000 square feet of exhibits that create one of the best sports museums around.

Baltimore Ravens – The Ravens football games are at the M&T Bank stadium. This is very near the Inner Harbor

Port Discovery Children’s Museum – The museum has 3 floors of interactive experiences for children from 2 to 10. They have had 2.5 million visitors.

Power Plant Live – This is a district known for great dining and entertainment that features outdoor seating that is often the spot for live performances.

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Welcome to Baltimore County Homes

admin — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 04:34:43 +0000

Welcome to Baltimore County Homes

Baltimore County homes are in the northern part of Maryland and as of 2004, the population was approximately 763,181. The city of Baltimore is not included in Baltimore County as it left the county in 1851 to become an independent city, which means it does not belong to any particular county. Baltimore County homes in the northern region of the county are rural and the southern section is a suburban area.

Many residents of Baltimore County homes are employed in education, human services and health with approximately 10% employed in retail. The major employers are Black & Decker and the Social Security Administration. Only about 1% of the county’s workforce is employed in the agricultural field. Residents of Baltimore County do not live in incorporated municipalities. There are none within the county. The communities in the county are unincorporated. The different government agencies use their own standards for judging what to call these areas. The unincorporated areas of the county do not have a local government nor do they have an identified boundary. They basically have census-designated areas that are recognized by this agency. The unincorporated areas include the following:

Arbutus – Census designated area – population 20, 116
Bowleys Quarters – Census designated – population 6,314
Carney – Census designated – population 28,264
Catonsville – Census designated – population 39, 820
Cockeysville – Census designated – population 19,388
Dundalk – Census designated – population 62,306
Edgemere – Census designated – population 9,248
Essex – Census designated – population 39,078
Garrison – Census designated – population 7,969
Hampton – Census designated – population 5,004
Kingsville – Census designated – population 4,214
Lansdown-Baltimore Highlands – a combination of Landsdowne and Baltimore Highlands communities – Census designated – population 15,724
Lochearn – Census designated – population 25,269
Lutherville-Timonium – a combination of Lutherville and Timonium communities – Census designated – population 15,814
Mays Chapel – Census designated – population 11,427
Middle River – Census designated – population 23,958
Milford Mill – Census designated – population 26,527
Overlea – Census designated – population 12,148
Owings Mills – Census designated – population 20,193
Parkville – Census designated – population 31,118
Perry Hall – Census designated – population 28,705
Pikesville – Census designated – population 21,193
Randallstown – Census designated – population 30,870
Reisterstown – Census designated – population 22,438
Rosedale – Census designated – population 19,199
Rossville – Census designated – population 11,515
Towson – Census designated – population 51,973
White Marsh – Census designated – population 8,543
Woodlawn (this is also the name of a CDP in Prince George’s County) – Census designated – population 36,079

The following other countries are not formally census designated but they are local and many have their own post office:

Baldwin
Boring
Brooklandville
Butler
Chase
Fork
Fort Howard
Germantown
Glen Arm
Glencoe
Glyndon
Halethorpe
Hereford
Hunt Valley
Hydes
Jacksonville
Long Green
Maryland Line
Monkton
Nottingham
Oella
Parkton
Phoenix
Ruxton
Sparks
Sparrows Point
Stevenson
Turners Station
Upper Falls
Upperco
White Hall

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Welcome to Baltimore and Harford Homes Blog

admin — Mon, 03 May 2010 17:30:48 +0000

Welcome to Baltimore and Harford Homes Blog

I am thrilled to have you as a reader of my new Baltimore and Harford Homes Blog! Here I will be sharing local information with you that you can use on a daily basis, including upcoming events, area attractions I recommend you visit, real estate market trends and much more.

If there is information you would like included on this blog, please feel free to let me know by completing the form below.

I look forward to providing you with some great information here in the coming weeks, months and years!

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