Montgomery County’s Women’s Council of REALTORS® Discussing Social Networking
April 16th, 2009 categories: Movin Montgomery County Maryland, Movin Real Estate News
I was asked by the Montgomery County Maryland Women’s Council of REALTORS® to give a presentation about what I have learned about social networking in the last couple of years. I was honored to be asked and so I went last Wednesday to see the members of WCR
I put my presentation together, keeping it simple for myself and for the members to not be overwhelmed by the massive amount of information that goes along with social networking. I thought Blogs, Social Networks and Micro-blogging would be the a good place to start. Far from being and über geek, I have taken many classes over the last year, and still do now, to learn about this ever evolving way of doing business.
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The Kentlands Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878
March 20th, 2009 categories: Movin Consumers, Movin Lifestyle, Movin Montgomery County Maryland, Movin Real Estate News
If have been shopping for a home in Montgomery County Maryland, then The Kentlands was surely one of the stops or considerations you made. If you are not familiar with the Kentlands it is a Neo Traditional Neighborhood.
The Neighborhood is designed where you could Live, play and work in one area. Smaller yards, sidewalks and all of the amenities and shopping are within walking distance. The Kentlands is a very active, social community in the heart of Gaithersburg.
There is shopping of every kind from food to lawn mowers. Office space is available to run any and all businesses. The warmer months bring out the Farmer’s market, you have Whole Foods and Giant Grocery Stores. Lots of restaurants and pubs as well.
There are several differnent styles of homes. Everything from condos to Luxury single family homes and towns are available for all tastes and lifestyles. The Kentlands even has a senior apartment community.
The condos start, these days, in the low $200,000s and the single family homes can go up to the low $1,000,000. The style is a colonial Williamsburg theme through the neighborhood. The homes sit on small lots, we refer to them as zero lot lines. They are small, mostly decks or patios out back for yard space.
As entertainment goes, the center piece of the neighborhood is the Kentlands Mansion that was once owned by the Kent family who owned all of the land. The mansion is a place to hold events from Weddings to corporate business meetings. The home sets up on the hill overlooking the lake. Next is the Arts Barn. It sets behind the mansion and holds art exhibits, take art classes , even take in a play at the Arts Barn.
If you would rather take in a movie, the theatre is right up the street, and then you can go for pizza afterward.
No matter who you are, the Kentlands has a lifestyle just for you.
For more information contact Audrey June-Forshey at RE/MAX Realty Group.
©Audrey June-Forshey
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Updated Town Home Germantown Maryland 20874
February 27th, 2009 categories: Movin Home Search, Movin Montgomery County Maryland, Movin Real Estate News
Take a look at this home located in Germantown Maryland. It has been freshly painted, new granite counter tops, and updated appliances. The home features nine foot ceilings, new carpet and a large deck for entertaining! All of this for $334,900! This is a normal sale, not a short sale or bank owned property.
If you would like more information, please contact me at 301-938-8028 or AudreyForshey@gmail.com
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Central A/C
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15905 White Rock Road Gaithersburg,MD 20878
February 5th, 2009 categories: Movin Consumers, Movin Home Search
Come and visit this fabulous find in Darnestown!
Gracious center hall colonial on almost an acre fenced lot. Brand new expansive deck across the back of the house. Gorgeous hardwood floors through out. Master suite with sitting room or nursery or 5th bedroom with fireplace. Banquet sized dining room. Newer appliances in kitchen. FI/Lender info with all offers. Not SS or REO.
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Open House 1/25/2009 1:00 to 4:00 Darnestown Maryland, 20878
January 25th, 2009 categories: Movin Consumers, Movin Montgomery County Maryland, Movin Open House
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What’s Cooking in Bethesda Maryland?
November 7th, 2008 categories: Movin Entertainment, Movin Montgomery County Maryland
Bethesda Maryland has an abundance of restaurants. There is a different flavor or taste for every palate. However, I am not going to discuss restaurants in this post, but I am going to discuss food. My friend, Jackie, and I are the resident foodies of our group of friends we love to entertain and cook for friends and family.
Jackie and I are pretty good cooks, but as with all things there is always room to improve. So Jackie and I take recreational cooking classes at L’Academie de Cuisine Culinary School in Bethesda. There is an accredited program for those who have the passion to cook, become professional chefs and make it their life’s work. Then, there are the people like Jackie and myself who really have fun cooking and concocting new dishes for the fun of it.
L’Academie de Cuisine offers demonstration classes, if you would like to be an observer or you can take a participation class and get in right in on the act. The participation classes are what Jackie and I always sign up for. Last night we made Beef Wellington with herb and walnut pate’, and Semolina Cake with Caramel Pears. The class was taught by Chef Dave Arnold from L’Academie de Cuisine.
The class will start and Chef Dave Arnold will demonstrate each dish we are to prepare and then the students will work in pairs, with directions in hand, and start to prepare each dish on the menu.
I have to say, it seemed a bit overwhelming to think we were going to make Beef Wellington and all of the trimmings in 2 to 3 hours. However, the class had great instruction and great success. At the end of the class, when everything is finished the reward is to sit down, with a glass of wine, and enjoy your creation.
It is a very social activity. Jackie and I are the best of friends, and we always meet many folks in our classes. We took photos and I emailed them to the other folks in the class so that they could share the photos of our accomplishments.
I must tell you the Beef Wellington was fabulous. The Caramel Pear Desert was “to die for”. If you are a die hard foodie I strongly suggest you sign up for one of L’Academie’s recreational classes.
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Glen Echo Park Partnership – Holiday Art Show and Sale
October 26th, 2008 categories: Movin Consumers, Movin Entertainment, Movin Montgomery County Maryland
Glen Echo Bethesda Maryland
I often have people ask me if I ever rode the Carousel at Glen Echo Park as a kid? Unfortunately I did not grow up here and never had the privilidge of riding the carousel. The carousel is the Dentzel Carousel built in 1921. The Park was formed back in 1891 and was used for Arts, science and literature mostly. In the early part of the 1900’s it became an amusement park that most local Washingtonians grew up with until 1968.
The Federal Government took the land over as part of the park service, but in 2002 Montgomery County Maryland took the park back. It has been set up as a non profit organization and still today it remains true to the Arts, science and literature as started in 1891. The park sits perched above the Potomac River.
You can still ride the Dentzel Carousel. It opens in the Spring and runs through the fall. It is scheduled to open May 2, 2009.
Apart from the amusement park Glen Echo Park has so much to offer. From Mid November through January 2009 the Annual Holiday Art Show and Sale will be held in the Popcorn Gallery. The works featured will be from the artists in residence at Glen Echo Park. Admission is free.
Pop Corn Gallery Glen Echo Park Bethesda
In addition to the amusment park and the art gallery, there is a children’s museum and gallery, the Spanish Dance Hall which had a complete renovation. You can reserve the dance hall for special occasions. There are classes you can sign up for in pottery, glass making, you name it you can fill your art indulgence to your hearts content. Glen Echo Calendar of Events.
Many Washingtonians have kept Glen Echo Park memories in their hearts from their childhood years and now they can continue the tradition with their families through their adult years.
You may also contact the Partnership to take many classes, or if you are interested in teaching at the park you may contact them on the website for that information as well. We are lucky to have such a wonderful facility available to us here in Montgomery County and the DC area.
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Hello Mutta, Hello Fatta We Help Your Dautta, Purchase Her Home
October 1st, 2008 categories: Movin Home Search, Movin Real Estate News
Hello Mutta, Hello Fatta I know 
I am working with ya dautta,
Dont be scared or nervous,
I am here to be at your service.
One of my friends says that God makes babies so wonderful and cute that you love them through their teenage years. God also makes them teenagers so you are able to let them move on and move out when they are in their late teens. I always thought that was a pretty good analogy.
I know you nurtured and sheltered your child to the nth degree of your love and ability. Now they have gone off and grown up. I know, the nerve of them. They have been out in the working world for awhile and may actually have saved up some of their own money to consider starting to look for their very own home.
This will be a new milestone for them. I know you will want to be there and support them through this transaction. I am going to tell you, as a first time buyer specialist, you – Mom and Dad- need to be there for them, but you MUST let them navigate this transaction on their own with their REALTOR®. They will call you to discuss the transaction and ask for your advice. They will resent you if you try to “do” the transaction for them. I have seen this happen more times than not, but far be it for me to get in the middle of a family squabble.
The questions you, Mom and Dad, will want to ask your kids as they purchase their first home are;
- Who are you working with as your agent?
- How much experience does your agent have?
- Does the agent specialize in the area you are interested in?
- Does the agent have a good balance of Buyer Transactions vs Seller transactions.
- Of the Buyer Transactions – are first time home buyers one of the agent’s specialties.
- Did the agent refer 2 or 3 lenders so rates and services can be compared.
- Does the agent represent the buyer or the seller.
- Will the agent have a Buyer Broker Agreement where the agent has a Fiduciary relationship with the buyer?
- Does the agent have a “Buyer Pre-qualification Appointment” to lay a good foundation for a smooth transaction?
- Does the agent have a grasp on basic financing information.
If you wonder about the agent, you can do a search based on the agent’s license number with the state commission. In Maryland, we work under a Fiduciary relationship. That means that the agent has to, by law, put the interest of their client above all others – even the agent’s own interests. Fiduciary is the highest form of loyalty in any relationship. As a matter of fact, we agents probably have a higher loyalty to your kids than you do now that they are adults. So know they are in good hands.
Mom and Dad, don’t worry. You did a great job raising your children. They know right from wrong. When I work with First time home buyers, they will typically come and see me for the initial buyer prequalification appointment. Once that has been done and we have the ground work set, they will go out with me and look at different homes and pick the ones they like the most. That will be when they call you into the transaction. They will want to show you the work and research they have done. They will also want your opinion about the homes they have narrowed down in their search.
Once you get there to see the house(s) they have picked, look for the major items of concern, but please don’t beat the house up. I have had parents be so hard on the house their kids choose, I have had some cry at the house because they think you hate their house. Just help them, don’t criticize them. Remember, it is THEIR home, not yours.
I find that the parents that come with the kids to every appointment from start to finish and make all of the decisions during the transactions end up with more friction between family members than friction with the agents. Remember, your kids are no dummies and they have probably done more homework and research on the internet than you did when you bought your first home.
Just relax, be there for them, let them ask you – because they will want your advice- and it should be a smooth transaction for all.
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The Jewel Of Montgomery County Maryland
September 27th, 2008 categories: Movin Consumers, Movin Entertainment
The Jewel of Montgomery County, can you guess what it is? It is located in on the Border of Rockville and Bethesda. It is very easy to get to, it even has it’s own Metro access. No one lives there, and everyone is welcome. You can sing, eat, learn and be amazed. Rich and poor alike flock to see the famous and maybe not so famous.
Have you already guessed? It is the Strathmore Hall Art Center and they are celebrating 25 years of Art. The Strathmore Art Center is located on the Grovsvenor Metro stop, perfect for anyone to get to!! You would think that an Art Center like this would be in the city directly but, we here in Montgomery County are so thrilled call it our own.
Originally the land was purchased by Captain James Frederick Oyster and his wife for their Summer Home in 1899. They bought 99 acres and built the mansion shortly thereafter. They Oysters sold the home to Charles Corby and his wife, Hattie who remained in the home until her death in 1941.
After Mrs Corby passed away the land was left to St Mary’s Academy in which the Nuns turned the mansion into a convent and a school called St Angela Hall. The Sisters then sold the mansion to The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association as their headquarters. They then gave the property to Montgomery County and it was named Strathmore Hall. Strathmore Hall would be renovated and used for the arts in 1983.
The Mansion has a 100 seat hall for concerts, tea rooms and many other rooms for education and art exhibits. It has hosted weddings, and celebrations of all kinds. It is set up on the lawn and is as beautiful and she is important to cultural events.
Fast forward to 2001. After 25 years of work and under the direction of President & CEO Eliot Pfanstiehl, there was a ground breaking for the Music Hall. The music hall was designed by Architect William Rawn Architects, Inc, Kirkegaard Associates who designed all of the acoustics, theater designers Theatre Project Consultants. It is a masterpiece of architecture. It is built of German limestone, it sets up on the knoll and has exquisite views. The concert hall is the most beautiful concert hall I have ever seen, it rivals halls I have seen in New York, Hamburg, Berlin, and Washington DC. It is as wonderful to see a show as to sit in awe of it’s beauty.
The Strathmore Art Center is partnered with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Washington Performing Arts Society, National Philharmonic, Levine School of Music, CityDance Ensemble, and Maryland Classic Youth Orchestra. These are major players in the music and art world.
The great thing about Strathmore is that there is something for everyone. In the Concert Hall you can see anyone from Neil Sedka to Tommy Tune to Bernadette Peters to Arlo Gutherie To Soweto Gospel Choir to Chanukah Feast in Concert to A Rockapella Holiday to the Musical Adventures of Flat Stanely for the kids. I mean there is something for everyone! I have seen plays, comedy tours, symphony concerts, the Beatle tour. Strathmore has not left anyone out.
Check out their website Strathmore.org for all the information. You can sign up for art classes, chorale classes, kids even have their own classes. The Mansion has art exhibits featuring different artists.
If you live in Montgomery County or in the Metro area, do yourself a favor and don’t miss out on this Gem, it is truly magic.
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Ghost Hunting on the Streets of Frederick Maryland
September 25th, 2008 categories: Movin Entertainment, Movin Lifestyle
It is getting to be that time of year again. Spider webs, cauldrons and spooky characters. Some like to go to Haunted houses, haunted forests, but my idea of fun is the Candlelight Ghost Tours in Frederick Maryland.
Did you know that Frederick is over 250 years old? Many of the major Civil War battles were fought around Frederick County. The Battle of Antietam, South Mountain and the Monocacy Battle. Frederick was the largest city during these battles and many of the wounded soldiers came to Frederick for medical help.
Downtown Frederick has been restored and updated over the years. Just think of the small quaint alley ways, wonder what is lurking there down the way? You can go antiquing down Patrick and Market streets. There are many restaurants for your dining pleasure. You can even live in a downtown loft.
All of this history and energy should conjure up some fun for Ghost walking in Frederick. You can arrange for a tour through Candlelight Ghost Tours of Frederick at 301-668-8922 or www.marylandghosttours.com
Happy Hunting to you. . . .
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